Ian Dury

The late Cockney-accented singer Dury (and his trusty collaborator, keyboardist Chaz Jankel) wittily bridged the gap between the British skinny-tie crowd and the American disco mob (with a touch of vaudeville thrown in) during his 1977-80 heyday. Most of his records' energy came from the tension between Dury's awkward, blustery delivery and the Blockheads' slicked-up grooves, and they milked it for all the charm it was worth. Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, basically an expanded version of their better-sequenced Juke Box Dury compilation, includes all of their dance crossover hits: the deadpan-anthemic title song, "Reasons to Be Cheerful, Part 3," and the funky and goofy "Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick." (DOUGLAS WOLK)

From 2004's The New Rolling Stone Album Guide