In the summer of 2001 Baxter Dury released his debut single, the "Oscar Brown EP". The single picked up rave reviews, which included 'Single of the Week' in NME, who went on to say that it was "a work of casual assurance that no family tree can provide, a record that is as majestic as it is wonderfully simple". It also achieved 'Single of the Week' in the Guardian who proclaimed it "an inexplicable and perfectly sparse psychedelic lament of rare charm".

Baxter Dury is the son of Ian Dury. He was born in the 70's, a time when men looked like Jesus in crushed Velvet flares and hot butter ruled the world. He came in to the world accompanied by Chuck Berry's "Johnny Be Good" being played by the Blockheads in the basement. Not a bad way to start your musical career.

During his early teens, Baxter found himself getting into funk, soul and jazz. He had time on his hands, having been expelled from school. "I didn't like school, It was all about memory, which was never my strong point, I preferred to bunk-off and buy records".

When Baxter was fifteen, his dad went away for a year to do a film with Roman Polanski, leaving his teenage son to be looked after by ex Led Zeppelin roadie and Blockhead minder the 'Sulphate Strangler'. This proved to be an inspired move - he became one of the biggest influences on Baxter's life. "Sulphate would drive me to school, and pick me up everyday. He was 6"8 and his arms were covered in tattoos, we looked quite odd together"

Baxter, now in his mid-twenties, started to write songs, "Ben Gallagher (son of Blockhead / Clash member Mickey) and I had some ideas for songs, we started writing and I got a publishing deal with Universal Island".

Then tragedy struck, Baxter's father passed away having eventually succumbed to his long fight against cancer. Baxter performed live for the first time at the wake. He played a rendition of his father's song "My Old Man", which is about Baxter's grandfather, an East End bus driver.

Kate Thompson, who worked for Universal Island, had been sending Baxter's songs to Geoff Travis at Rough Trade for over a year. Eventually Geoff called Baxter in for a meeting, which resulted in Geoff sending Baxter to Austin Texas for two months to write songs. This proved to be an inspired move, Baxter got his head down and wrote "Len Parrot's Memorial Lift".

Which brings us to the present. "Len Parrot's Memorial Lift" is a wonderful string layden psychedelic record.

Now just listen!