I kept meaning to write about this earlier, which in turn probably means you are already fully aware of it!!

Ian Dury, image courtesy Tom Sheeham

There are a few interesting music related films coming out over the next few weeks and I wanted to be sure you are on the look out for them. If you’re in the UK or Los Angeles, Chicago, New York you’ll probably be able to see them at the cinema. If like me and many others  you live in a ‘smaller market’ you’ll probably have to wait for the DVD – but nevertheless I hope you can give me your thoughts on one or both. The last ten years have seen an increase in both the quantity and quality of biopics, the drama/documentaries that look back at the career of an artist in full zoom mode. Joe Strummer’s The Future is Unwritten, Control (Joy Division) and The Filth and The Fury are the three that spring to mind instantly.

What I’d love to see is ‘Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll’ which is rather obviously about musician Ian Dury. Dury is portrayed by Andy Serkis (Gollum to some of you) who has not only taken on the role of a very unique character but sings the actual songs by The Blockheads for the film. The Guardian conducted an excellent interview with Serkis at the weekend where he shares some insight to the making of the film and the art of becoming Dury. As you’d image it was not the easiest role you can take on but I’m sure it helped that Serkis had a passion for the band during their late 1970′s heyday. Ian Dury was as hard to pigeonhole as the sound that the Blockheads made as their sound took on influences from all members of the band. As a little lad it was one of the legion of fascinating sounds blaring from my brothers room and something I probably only properly enjoyed years after the fact. It certainly wasn’t punk but it had a certain cockney tinge that caught my ear (despite Dury being from Harrow) or ‘arrow as I’ll ‘ave it. When you add the obstacles Dury overcame it should be a compelling film.

The film is scheduled for UK release on January 8 (this Friday). Tell me what you think! The Clash connections are quite timely too….as Blockhead keyboard player Mickey Gallagher played with The Clash both in the studio and on tour. If you need one more reason to see it….Ray Winstone is in the film.