THIRTY years on from their formation, The Blockheads are taking to the stage with an unlikely guest guitarist amid their ranks.

None other than comedian Phill Jupitus is having a blast playing alongside the group which has faithfully kept its musical flame alive in memory of former frontman Ian Dury.

"From my point of view singing and playing with them has been a real priveledge. It’s also quite surreal as I used to go and see these guys when I was 18. I have to stop myself from just standing there watching them and remember l’m playing too," laughed the Never Mind The Buzzcocks star, speaking during a trip visiting friends in Whitstable.

It seems there’s still a strong appetite for the gritty music of the Blockheads, who raided the charts at the end of the 70s with decadent tracks such as Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick, Reasons to be Cheerful Part 3 and Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll.

After Ian’s death seven years ago many expected them to pack up shop but their appetite for performing live remains strong. They have been furiously working on new material and an album is planned for some time in the new year.

"I met Ian a couple of years before his death, he was an astonishing person. I was in awe of him and his talent. He was a very mercurial figure, capable of being Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. I only saw his as Mr Hyde, he was very generous and open.

"When he was diagnosed with cancer he had a great outlook and put all is activity into helping a cancer charity. He had a good way of looking at hit -he said that he didn’t have cancer, rather that cancer had him and that it would have to deal with him!"

The former Blockhead singer was just one of many fascinating musical characters that Phill was to encounter. A child of the 60s, he was born on the Isle of Wight before his family (who are of Lithuanian origin) moved to deepest Essex.

While living in Barking he attended the same primary school as Billy Bragg, with whom he has gone on to appear with many times.

"I think we probably bumped into each other a couple of times in the playground, but he was bigger and uglier than me. That’s very much the other way round these days!"

His love of alternative pop music led him to his first major gig, watching the glamorous Debbie Harry of Blondie at the Hammersmith Apollo. He remembers it especially well as she had been wearing an especially eyebrow-raising French maid’s outfit.

"I don’t think anyone should be allowed to do that to an audience, especially me being a 16 year old boy seeing her slinking around stage in that outfit. If I ever had any doubts about my sexuality, then they were certainly put to rest that night!"

Phill’s first real taste of work was not in fact musical at all and came working for came working for the local job centre.

"Doing that was alright, but it was a bit of a grim time in the 80s- trying to find jobs for people when there was no work out there," he recalled.

Though passionate about his bands, he admits that he was never quite good enough to make it a serious career option.

So he hit upon the idea of performance poetry touring with his old mate Billy Bragg, The Style Council and The Housemartins. Before long people began telling him that comedy would be the way forward as "the bits in between the poems were actually much better than the poetry!"

As a busy family man, the 45-year-old has little time to pursue his stand-up comed work these days with all his other commitments.

Life is treating him well near Southend, where he lives with his wife and two teenage daughters who often catch his shows. In his spare time he’s a West Ham fan.

"I went to see a match the other day and that’s definitely not a relaxing thing to do! I do like sports and am a big fan of baseball, supporting the Red Sox. Channel 5 even asked me to do some presenting on its baseball programme!"

Phill’s fast-paced wit has been well in evidence with his BBC6 radio show and long-running stint as a team captain on Never Mind the Buzzcocks. The latter has made him a household name and filming is just starting on the latest series.

"It has been a fantastic 11 years, the series has received a real shot in the arm since Simon Amstell arrived, he has been brilliant.

"The ones I’ve enjoyed the most are those which I’ve found myself totally tounge-tied on- sitting next to people like Noddy Holder, Roy Wood and Suzi Quatro who I grew up listening to.

"I’ve found myself getting ruder with it, I get this nervous tourette's every time someone who I used to watch on Top of The Pops when I was about 10 come on our show."

Still very much into a mixed bag of sounds, he’s keen to keep an eye on the latest charts. Perhaps a little surprisingly for a rock fan, he says that Lilly Allen is among his present favourites.

Getting on stage and singing with a band such as the Blockheads may be a very different prospect than music being a quiz maestro, yet its a challenge Phill is especially looking forward to.

Phill Jupitus appears with the Blockheads at the Tunbridge Wells Assembly Hall on Wednesday, November 14. Tickets £20.50-£21.50. Box office 01892 530613.