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On this day, 23 May 1978, rock legend Ian Dury and the Blockheads played Cardiff’s Top Rank.
The Blockheads' sound drew from its members' diverse musical influences, which included jazz, rock and roll, funk, and reggae, and Dury's love of music hall. The band was formed after Dury began writing songs with pianist and guitarist Chaz Jankel.
Dury's first hit, "What a Waste / Wake Up and Make Love with Me" was released in April 1978 just before the start of his headlining tour, entering the Top 75 on 29 April and spent 12 weeks there. It peaked at number 9 in the UK Singles Chart,becoming Stiff Records' biggest selling single to date.
