Dear All
In case you weren't aware Ian Dury's funeral took place today. The
piece from BBC News nicely captured today's events, I have posted it
below. If you want to check out some pictures of the day's events,
see the link after the article. Note the large involvement from the
Madness boys, well done lads.
Stay Nutty
Rich
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Mourners including Robbie Williams and Cabinet Office Minister Mo
Mowlam joined 250 mourners at the funeral of rock star Ian Dury, who
died last week. A traditional horse and carriage led the cortege from
Belsize Park, north London, picking up mourners from his family home
in Hampstead and passing near Kilburn High Road, which gave its name
to his first band.
A pair of bay horses with black plumes drew a glass-sided carriage
containing his coffin, draped in a black cloth. Members of the band
Madness acted as his pall-bearers at Golders Green crematorium.
Dury, who died after a long battle with cancer aged 57, was one of
their inspirations and performed on their recent single Drip Fed
Fred. Robbie Williams travelled to Sri Lanka with Dury in 1998 to
work for the charity Unicef, while Mo Mowlam was a fan of the singer,
who had seen him in concert weeks before he died.
Other mourners included BBC Radio 1 DJ Annie Nightingale, who
championed Dury's career in the late 1970s, and musician Nick Lowe, a
label-mate of his on Stiff Records.
Humanist Annette Furley, who conducted the service, said: "He was one
of the few original personalities in the music business. He used to
write music that made you want to dance and also made you laugh. He
was aware that he couldn't sing but he knew that he had a good
feeling for tempo and rhythm. When told a year ago he was going to
die, in true Ian style his reaction was 'Oh blimey'. He never lost
his sense of humour. Even on the day he died he was still telling
jokes".
Speaking of his love for his two youngest children, Bill and Albert,
Ms Furley added: "The only time he became sad about his illness was
when he knew he would not see them grow up. He inspired all those
around him and changed people's lives. Many people have said what
they did because of Ian. He continued to gig even through his illness
and he never lost his sense of humour. Even on the day he died he was
still telling jokes."
There were more than 60 wreaths for the singer, many of them tongue-
in-cheek. One was a floral tribute in the shape of a pint of
Guinness, another shaped like a guitar, and one from Madness, reading
"Uncle Ian from Madness". Others read "Oi Oi", "Dad", and "Durex" - a
play on his name.
His second wife, sculptor Sophy Tilson, was at the crematorium, along
with their children Bill and Albert. His grown-up children, Jemima
and Baxter, from his first marriage to Betty, were also there.
Many watched the service on a TV screen outside. Dury's band, The
Blockheads, performed a song on which he had worked with them in the
week before his death.
After the service, Robbie Williams called him a "wonderful man".
"Because of Ian I went to Sri Lanka with Unicef. I am off to
Mozambique this year to carry on Ian's work," the singer said. "He's
been an inspiration - as a person and as a musician - and my thoughts
are with his family and friends. May he rest in peace."
Mourners then continued the service by heading to the Forum venue in
Kentish Town, where Dury performed when it was called the Town and
Country Club.
************************
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/entertainment/newsid_702000/702720.st
m
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