# Baxter Dury British singer-songwriter, born 18 December 1971 in Wingrave, Buckinghamshire. Son of Ian Dury (Ian Dury and the Blockheads — "Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll," "Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick"), and has built his own distinct career out from under that shadow: deadpan, half-spoken vocal delivery, wry and often filthy observational lyrics, moody electronic/rock production. Over two decades in, with nine solo albums plus a memoir. ## Background His mother, Betty Rathmell, was a painter; his parents split when he was 13. He first appeared in public eye at age five, photographed with his father for the cover of Ian Dury's 1977 album *New Boots and Panties!!*. Grew up in a chaotic, colourful Hammersmith household full of outsized characters from his father's world — material he's mined repeatedly in his own songwriting and later in his memoir. ## Music career Debuted with the *Oscar Brown* EP (2001), followed by his first album *Len Parrot's Memorial Lift* (2002), which got attention for its atmospheric, narrative-driven songwriting. Built a steady, critically well-liked catalogue through the 2000s and 2010s without ever chasing mainstream pop success — his sound sits somewhere between spoken-word, chamber-pop, and indie rock, often carried by his flat, very London speak-singing style and lyrics that mix dry humour with real bleakness. *Prince of Tears* (2016) and *The Night Chancers* (2020) are generally considered high points of his more recent run, and he's kept a steady release pace since — *I Thought I Was Better Than You* (2023) and the Paul Epworth–produced *Allbarone* (2025) have both been well reviewed, cementing him as one of the sharper, more distinctive lyricists of his generation rather than a nostalgia act riding his father's name. ## Memoir Published *Chaise Longue* (2021), a memoir about growing up as Ian Dury's son — candid and often very funny account of an unconventional, sometimes difficult upbringing. ## Discography (studio albums) - *Len Parrot's Memorial Lift* (2002) - *Floor Show* (2005) - *Happy Soup* (2011) - *It's a Pleasure* (2014) - *Prince of Tears* (2016) - *B.E.D.* (2018) — collaboration with Étienne de Crécy and Delilah Holliday - *The Night Chancers* (2020) - *I Thought I Was Better Than You* (2023) - *Allbarone* (2025) Compilation: *Mr Maserati 2001–2021* (2022) ## Notes to self - Only really know *Prince of Tears* and *The Night Chancers* well — worth going back to the early 2000s records to hear how much the style has shifted. - Read *Chaise Longue*? Sounds like it'd be a good companion to actually knowing his father's music properly. - Could eventually be worth a separate note on Ian Dury and the Blockheads — very different era/scene but obviously the direct throughline here.