Chris Gabrin talks about ‘All New Boots and Panties’

“I first met Ian Dury in 1973 when his band “Kilburn and the Highroads” were playing the pub circuit and immediately was impressed by his talent, wit and style. We became friends and when he signed to Stiff Records in 1977 he called and asked me to take some pictures for his album sleeve (untitled at the time). There was no particular theme in mind and we started with some uninspiring shots outside his flat in The Oval in South London. He had his son, Baxter, with him and suggested we went to a shop he knew, Axfords in Victoria, which Peter Blake had introduced him to. I only shot 24 exposures and Baxter was in just four of them. As soon as the films were developed Ian came round and we immediately chose the same shot. We were so excited by the picture that we went straight into my darkroom and made the first print. The album title ‘New Boots And Panties’ was subsequently coined by Ian.

After Ian’s death in 2000, a tribute album was released, a re-recording of ‘New Boots’ by guest artists under the title of “Brand New Boots And Panties”. Peter Blake did a painting of Ian for the front cover and requested that we use my photo on the back of the sleeve. Publishing company Rockoptic were working with Peter on publishing limited edition prints of his work and came up with the brainwave of a joint artwork combining the two images.

Working with Peter Blake was one of the highlights of my life. This unforgettable experience, however, was tempered with sadness over the loss of Ian.

The subsequent artwork, ‘All New Boots And Panties’, which we created with the aid of Brad Faine, Peter’s long-time printmaker is a both a tribute and a fond farewell to Ian from both of us.”