Ian Dury was a poor drinker. A couple of pints and he'd get belligerent, morose, or. energised, depending on his pre-pint mood. In short, he was a bit of a ****.

As he was the gaffer when the band was on the road, each of the Blockheads and crew would have to take it in turn to be his drinking partner/minder.

This unpopular shift became known as 'Dury juty'.