In Richard Balls' biography of Ian Dury, Fred 'Spider' Rowe tells a story that I've always liked. Apparently the Blockheads did some support gigs with Lou Reed and Mr Reed was his usual difficult self, perhaps worse than usual, as Ian's band were going over a little better with audiences than the headliner was. On the last night of the tour, before the last song, Ian made a dedication:Plaistow Patricia - Ian Dury and the Blockheads. Look, this just deserves to be mentioned because it’s rude and brilliant and has the Mile End Road in the lyrics.
Reasons to be cheerfulRowe says "I was laughing and Lou Reed was standing behind us with his tour manager, so he said to me, 'Well, you've done yourself out of a crate of champagne' and I said 'Poke it up your bollocks, we don't want your champagne, we just want rid of you.'"
And a book too https://www.waterstones.com/book/charlotte-street/danny-wallace/9780091919078Game over.
(Though I'm not having 'Arnold Layne')
Good to see 'Charlotte Street' from one of my all time favourite albums. Actually Upper Street in Islington: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/oct/08/lloyd-cole-and-the-commotions-how-we-made-rattlesnakes