Davey Payne
Encyclopedia
David 'Davey' Payne is an English saxophonist best known as a member of Ian Dury
's backing band The Blockheads
, and his twin saxophone solo on their 1978 UK #1 single "Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick
".
He also appeared on the first version of Nico
's album Drama of Exile
.
According to Pete Frame
's Rock Family Trees, Payne grew up in Clacton, UK, and started playing the clarinet because of his enjoyment of Dixieland
jazz
. On hearing swing, bebop
and Dexter Gordon
in the 1960s he moved to London
, and began taking lessons and going to jazz clubs. He also took up the soprano saxophone
, and began playing in mixed media events. He was drawn into The People Band, and moved with them to Holland.
He met Ian Dury
when he visited London in late 1970 - "He thought I was a junkie, I thought he was an idiot" - and returned to Holland. After the People Band played a gig in London with Kilburn and the High Roads
in 1971, he was coerced into joining them for a jam at their home, and ended up staying with the band until it broke up in June 1975. He thereafter returned to Clacton; he played two gigs with Ronnie Lane
, and a few with The Fabulous Poodles. In the meantime Ian Dury
managed to launch a solo career, and Payne contributed to a few songs on Dury's first album, New Boots and Panties!!, in 1977. Payne however joined Wreckless Eric
's band.
After the completion of his album and its success, Dury allegedly badgered Payne into rejoining his band, now called the Blockheads, full-time; Payne did, and is credited as a co-composer of numerous songs in their catalogue. He left the band in August 1998. He returned for an exclusive performance of New Boots And Panties!! on April 17 2008 and on Thursday 30th April 2009 for two shows at The Electric Ballroom in Camden.
Ian Dury
Ian Robins Dury was an English rock and roll singer, lyricist, bandleader and actor who initially rose to fame during the late 1970s, during the punk and New Wave era of rock music...
's backing band The Blockheads
The Blockheads
The Blockheads are an English rock and roll band. Originally fronted by vocalist Ian Dury as Ian Dury and the Blockheads, the band has continued to perform since Dury's death in 2000. Current members include Chaz Jankel , Norman Watt-Roy , Mick Gallagher , John Turnbull and Davey Payne...
, and his twin saxophone solo on their 1978 UK #1 single "Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick
Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick
"Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick" is a song and single by Ian Dury & The Blockheads, first released 23 November 1978 and was first released on the 7" single BUY 38 Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick / There Ain't Half Been Some Clever Bastards by Stiff Records. It went to number one on the UK Singles...
".
He also appeared on the first version of Nico
Nico
Nico was a German singer, lyricist, composer, musician, fashion model, and actress, who initially rose to fame as a Warhol Superstar in the 1960s...
's album Drama of Exile
Drama of Exile
Drama of Exile or The Drama of Exile are titles used to refer to two rock albums by Nico recorded in 1981. The first album was originally recorded in April and May. The second album is a re-recording of the first one, recorded in May...
.
According to Pete Frame
Pete Frame
Peter 'Pete' Frame is a music journalist, who produced outlines of the history of rock bands for various magazines . He founded the English Alternative rock magazine ZigZag in April 1969 and acted as its editor, from its beginning until February 1973, and again from March 1976 until July 1977...
's Rock Family Trees, Payne grew up in Clacton, UK, and started playing the clarinet because of his enjoyment of Dixieland
Dixieland
Dixieland music, sometimes referred to as Hot jazz, Early Jazz or New Orleans jazz, is a style of jazz music which developed in New Orleans at the start of the 20th century, and was spread to Chicago and New York City by New Orleans bands in the 1910s.Well-known jazz standard songs from the...
jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
. On hearing swing, bebop
Bebop
Bebop differed drastically from the straightforward compositions of the swing era, and was instead characterized by fast tempos, asymmetrical phrasing, intricate melodies, and rhythm sections that expanded on their role as tempo-keepers...
and Dexter Gordon
Dexter Gordon
Dexter Gordon was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and an Academy Award-nominated actor . He is regarded as one of the first and most important musicians to adapt the bebop musical language of people like Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Bud Powell to the tenor saxophone...
in the 1960s he moved to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and began taking lessons and going to jazz clubs. He also took up the soprano saxophone
Soprano saxophone
The soprano saxophone is a variety of the saxophone, a woodwind instrument, invented in 1840. The soprano is the third smallest member of the saxophone family, which consists of the soprillo, sopranino, soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, bass, contrabass and tubax.A transposing instrument pitched in...
, and began playing in mixed media events. He was drawn into The People Band, and moved with them to Holland.
He met Ian Dury
Ian Dury
Ian Robins Dury was an English rock and roll singer, lyricist, bandleader and actor who initially rose to fame during the late 1970s, during the punk and New Wave era of rock music...
when he visited London in late 1970 - "He thought I was a junkie, I thought he was an idiot" - and returned to Holland. After the People Band played a gig in London with Kilburn and the High Roads
Kilburn and the High Roads
Kilburn and the High Roads were a British rock and roll band formed by Ian Dury in 1970, and was the first band formed by Dury. The band released two studio albums and had one compilation, and separated in 1977 when Dury left to form the more prominent band The Blockheads.- History :Dury formed...
in 1971, he was coerced into joining them for a jam at their home, and ended up staying with the band until it broke up in June 1975. He thereafter returned to Clacton; he played two gigs with Ronnie Lane
Ronnie Lane
Ronald Frederick "Ronnie" Lane was an English musician, songwriter, and producer who is best known as the bass guitarist and founding member of two prominent English rock and roll bands; the Small Faces where he was nicknamed "Plonk", – and, after losing the band's frontman, Faces, with two new...
, and a few with The Fabulous Poodles. In the meantime Ian Dury
Ian Dury
Ian Robins Dury was an English rock and roll singer, lyricist, bandleader and actor who initially rose to fame during the late 1970s, during the punk and New Wave era of rock music...
managed to launch a solo career, and Payne contributed to a few songs on Dury's first album, New Boots and Panties!!, in 1977. Payne however joined Wreckless Eric
Wreckless Eric
Wreckless Eric is an English rock and roll/new wave singer-songwriter, best known for his 1977 single " Whole Wide World" on Stiff Records. More than two decades after its release, the song was included in Mojo magazine’s list of the best punk rock singles of all time...
's band.
After the completion of his album and its success, Dury allegedly badgered Payne into rejoining his band, now called the Blockheads, full-time; Payne did, and is credited as a co-composer of numerous songs in their catalogue. He left the band in August 1998. He returned for an exclusive performance of New Boots And Panties!! on April 17 2008 and on Thursday 30th April 2009 for two shows at The Electric Ballroom in Camden.
Albums
- HandsomeHandsomeHandsome is the debut album of the Ian Dury rock group Kilburn and the High-Roads.The band had apparently originally wanted to call the album No Hand Signals.-Original album:# "The Roadette Song" - 3:25...
- Kilburn and the High Roads (1975) - Wotabunch!Wotabunch!Wotabunch! was released by WEA in 1977 following the success of Ian Dury as a solo artist. It is technically the 'second album' by Kilburn and the High-Roads....
- Ian Dury & The Kilburns (1977) - New Boots and Panties!! - Ian Dury (1977)
- Do It Yourself - Ian Dury & The Blockheads (1979)
- LaughterLaughter (album)Laughter is an album by Ian Dury & The Blockheads; released in 1980, it was the last studio album Dury made for Stiff Records. It was also the last studio album he made with The Blockheads, until 1998's Mr...
- Ian Dury & The Blockheads (1980) - Drama of ExileDrama of ExileDrama of Exile or The Drama of Exile are titles used to refer to two rock albums by Nico recorded in 1981. The first album was originally recorded in April and May. The second album is a re-recording of the first one, recorded in May...
- Nico (1981) - The Best Of Kilburn & The Highroads - Kilburn and the High Roads (EP, 1983)
- 4,000 Weeks' Holiday4,000 Weeks' Holiday-Ian Dury & The Music Students:* Ian Dury – Vocals * Michael McEvoy – Bass, Keyboards, Synthesizers, Brass Arranger* Merlin Rhys-Jones – Guitar* Tag Lamche – Drums...
- Ian Dury & The Music Students (1984) - Hold On To Your Structure - Ian Dury & The Blockheads (VHS- Live Video, 1985)
- ApplesApples (album)-Personnel:* Ian Dury - Vocals* Frances Ruffelle - Vocals* Mick Gallagher - Keyboards* Merlin Rhys-Jones - Guitars* Davey Payne - Saxophones* Michael McEvoy - Bass, Synthesisers* Ray Cooper - Percussion* Steve White - Drums, Percussion...
- Ian Dury (1989) - Live! Warts 'n' Audience - Ian Dury & The Blockheads (live album, 1990)
- The Bus Driver's Prayer & Other StoriesThe Bus Driver's Prayer & Other StoriesThe Bus Driver's Prayer & Other Stories is the 7th solo album by Ian Dury. Despite being recorded after the successful live reunion of Ian Dury and The Blockheads inspired by the death of their drummer Charley Charles the album is not a Blockheads record, however all of the band bar bassist Norman...
- Ian Dury - Mr. Love PantsMr. Love PantsMr. Love Pants is a 1998 album by Ian Dury and the Blockheads, released on East Central One under Dury's own label Ronnie Harris Records .- History :...
- Ian Dury & The Blockheads - Ten More Turnips From The TipTen More Turnips from the TipTen More Turnips From The Tip is the final album by Ian Dury and the Blockheads. It was compiled and released in 2002, two years after the singer's tragic demise from cancer in March 2000.- History :...
- Ian Dury & The Blockheads - It's Personal- City Boy