Kevin Ayers

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Kevin Ayers seems to have been overlooked in the interest in 70s songwriters. why does he seem to be of little interest to people? i'm curious at his considerable underexposure (even in Mojo type circles, where retro-fetishization is the norm).

anyway, i think Joy of a Toy is a wonderful album, which touches on a particular conception of englishness which perhaps bears some comparison with the sundays, boards of canada etc? whatvershebringswesing also is very good. i haven't heard any other stuff, so have no idea if they are as good as these. in a way, he perfectly fits that 70s pastoralism shit, but just doesn't seem to get the attention or props.

what do you think of kevin ayers records? of his inability to become more well known? does he have a particular legacy today?

― gareth, Tuesday, 15 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

"The bugger in the short sleeves fucked my wife

Did it quick and split"

- 'Guts', John Cale

― Andrew L, Tuesday, 15 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

I don't know much about Kevin Ayers, but Gorky's early song 'Kevin Ayers' is a beautiful little thing. I understand they wrote it cause they were sad that Robert Wyatt got all the attention.

― N., Tuesday, 15 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

If "Song from the Bottom of a Well" isn't a prototype for the first Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds record, I dunno wot is.

― Andy K., Tuesday, 15 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

I had that "June 1, 1974" or whatever it was called with Ayers, Cale, Eno and Nico, but I traded it away. I remember the Ayers songs as being pretty quirky, but not that compelling to me at the time. I wish I had it back.

― Sean, Tuesday, 15 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

I think Ayers is one of those performers that people are either going to love or hate. I've always really, really wanted to like his solo stuff simply because his songs from the 1st Soft Machine album are just about the best things they ever did. But there's nothing as sublime as them amongst his own lps even though there's an odd track or 2 that I still play.

― philT, Tuesday, 15 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

I'm very fond of "Joy of a Toy". It is a carefree, child-like album. At that time, Ayers was a good pop song-writer who wasn't afraid of veering off into more experimental musical areas.

Ayers has a very English persona, but he has usually found inspiration from beautiful foreign locations. The songs on "Joy of a Toy" were written on acoustic guitar when he was living in Ibiza. At that time the island was a true hippy paradise because it had no electricity supply.

Perhaps Ayers' reputation suffered in the punk era because he had a reputation as a dandy who was forever travelling around exotic locales. In contrast, Robert Wyatt became an austere Marxist and so managed to fit in during the egalitarian post-punk era.

― Mark Dixon, Tuesday, 15 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

I Love Kevin's stuff.... As a huge Wyatt/Early Softs fan this is one subject I can talk about with some authority...

Kevin left the softs originally because they were becoming too experimental and un-song orientated... Strangely his second album "Shouting At The Moon" has some of the most experimental cutup music i've ever heard... More Nurse With Wound than Nurse With Wound.

His output dropped in quality towards the late seventies, but everything up to "Dr Dream" is worth a listen... Especially recommended is the vinyl only comp "Odd-Ditties"....

― Baxter Wingnut, Tuesday, 15 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Listened recently to "Bananamour" (cited often as a top album of his), but wasn't particularly impressed by it, I hate to say.

― Joe, Tuesday, 15 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

I like the little I've heard (Soft Machine, June 1, 1974, and the one proper Ayers LP I own, Confessions of Dr. Dream, I think). In my prog phase he was always to pop/song oriented, and when I got into punk he was too much the dandy, as someone said earlier. I should hunt down the early albums because that is my favorite SM era. I saw him open for Gong in 2000, he was still pretty good, although not enough to seek out his stuff if I didn't already know what he'd done before.

― nickn, Tuesday, 15 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Between 1975 & 1976, Kevin Ayers was my absolute favourite musician in the whole wide world, so I can talk about this one…

Part of the problem with his music is that stylistically, it is wildly inconsistent. The next song on a classic period (1969-74) Ayers album is equally likely to be:

- a gently strummed pastoral acoustic thing - chugging soft-rock with a catchy tune - a whimsical comedy song with an old fashioned, almost music hall influence - heavy duty, scary, menacing avant garde rock which sounds like nothing else on the planet - subversive MOR, again with a faintly menacing undertow - a big orchestral production number, scored by David Bedford - an unashamedly romantic classic love song - none of the above

At any point during any of the above, Ayers might intone the word “banana”, for no apparent reason.

It is this very inconsistency – commercial suicide undoubtedly – which formed a major part of his appeal. The sense that Ayers always did whatever he damn well pleased, and that whatever genre he tried next, he would do it superbly well. He always gave the impression that living the life of a bon viveur was far more important to him than shifting units, and as a lazy layabout myself, I liked that a lot.

It’s difficult to recommed a single Ayers album. I’d narrow it down to three: Joy Of A Toy, Whatevershebringswesing, Bananamour. Plus, as has been said earlier, the vinyl-only Odd Ditties.

He nearly had a hit with “Caribbean Moon” in 1973 – it was played to death on Radio One that summer – and he also picked up airplay with the less impressive “Money Money Money” in 1980. There was also a major push to make him a star in 1976 – he was being managed by John Reid (Elton John’s manager), and the accompanying album “Yes We Have No Mananas – So Get Your Mananas Today” was his most commercial effort. Unfortunately, that also made it less interesting than its predecessors. His albums from then on are only of interest to the diehards looking for the last remaining nuggets of his squandered talent.

His influence is not great, but you can definitely hear a lot of Ayers in the work of Gorkys Zygotic Mynci. He has also been quoted as an influence by Ultramarine, who sample him on their classic debut “Every Man And Woman Is A Star”. Ultramarine also released a cover version of “Hymn” (from Bananamour) as a single in 1996, with no less a figure than David McAlmont on vocals. It deserved to be massive, but it bombed.

If you’re looking to acquire Ayers tracks through “other means”, than this would be my personal top 10 for newcomers:

Stranger In Blue Suede Shoes Town Feeling Shouting In A Bucket Blues Hymn May I? Song From The Bottom Of A Well Everybody’s Sometime And Some People’s All The Time Blues Decadence Song For Insane Times Whatevershebringswesing

― Mike Atkinson, Wednesday, 16 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

I was prepared to like Ayers on pricipal, great great English persona. All that childhood in Mallorca stuff, singing songs about being lazy, etc. Just got 'Whatevershebrings...' yesterday and after first casual hearing also love the actual music. Esp. 'There is loving among us...', just love that typical early 70s sweeping organ + weird strings + horns + wordless female background singers = tune combination.

― Omar, Wednesday, 16 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

So if you're buying 70's stuff at the moment Omar, there's no better time to get yourself some Magazine at last ;)

― Dr. C, Wednesday, 16 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

In time Dr.C it will happen I'm sure. ;) Actually I'm getting back to buying 70s shit, lovely era. Sort of like to fantasize how certain "models" could be used again today, say 'The Faust Tapes' or indeed someone in dance using the Ayers persona.

― Omar, Wednesday, 16 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Faust - what do you reckon to them? I seriously considered getting the Faust box on Saturday. Then I spotted Zombie Heaven lurking nearby and put the Faust box down. I ended up getting neither to give myself time to 'think about it'. I'll be back at the same shop tomorrow though, and I ain't leaving empty handed. But which box?

― Dr. C, Wednesday, 16 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Get it!!! I mean the Faust Box (does it contain all their albums? Cause in that case I'll be paying a visit to the shops myself ;). They're so full ideas, really fascinating stuff. What's Zombie Heaven though?

― Omar, Wednesday, 16 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

The Faust Box Set has the first three albs plus BBC sessions and a 'rarities' disc. Doesn't contain Faust IV 'cos it was released on Virgin - bit of a shame, as its my fave and easily the best way into Faust, imho.

― Andrew L, Wednesday, 16 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Omar : Zombie Heaven is a 4-CD box on Big Beat of everything The Zombies ever recorded (118 trax!). That's the Zombies as in She's Not There, Time of The Season, Odessy and Oracle etc etc - Colin Blunstone, Rod Argent...blah, blah.

Just got a pay rise so I reckon I'll get both!

― Dr. C, Wednesday, 16 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Someone in dance using the Ayers persona, you say? Well, try "Bardot" by Marden Hill, on Ministry Of Sound's "Late Night Sessions" Volume 2, mixed by Ashley Beedle, Rocky & Diesel. The term "dance" is stretched a bit, admittedly - however, the vocals are *pure* Ayers.

― mike atkinson, Wednesday, 16 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

8 years pass...

Based on early Soft Machine stuff, I just can't figure out the appeal of this guy. On to the solo albums, I guess.

― Unfrozen Caveman Board-Lawyer (WmC), Monday, 22 November 2010 19:25 (2 years ago) Permalink

love love love Shooting at the Moon

― van smack, Monday, 22 November 2010 20:59 (2 years ago) Permalink

Whatevershebringswesing is a great place to start... A bit of everything on there..

― Deluxe Merseybeat Wig (Jack Battery-Pack), Monday, 22 November 2010 21:00 (2 years ago) Permalink

OTM w Whatevershebringswesing. Definitely his best solo stuff. Has spooky glam tints to it, sort of reminds of a British Lou Reed at points, esp ""Stranger in Blue Suede Shoes". The opening track is really amazing and strange.

Also aside from having one of the coolest album covers ever, The Confessions of Dr Dream is up there as well:

Ramped up the glam/blue-eyed soul on tracks like "Day By Day". Really definitive trippy long version of "Why Are We Sleeping" as well.

― Telephoneface (Adam Bruneau), Tuesday, 23 November 2010 00:46 (2 years ago) Permalink

the unfairground, his latest album (besides what more can i say), is so slept on. everybody's on it -- wyatt, hugh hopper, guys from teenage fanclub and gorky's. . . .

― kamerad, Tuesday, 23 November 2010 01:28 (2 years ago) Permalink

9 months pass...

the unfairground, his latest album (besides what more can i say), is so slept on. everybody's on it -- wyatt, hugh hopper, guys from teenage fanclub and gorky's

Just picked this up - this turned out to be my gateway into Kevin's work after a friend played it for me. Also got the "Songs For Insane Times" box and feel like I'm pretty much set. Fantastic stuff that feels like my own little secret, even amongst my music-literate friends for some reason.

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Thursday, 22 September 2011 01:44 (1 year ago) Permalink

WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY ARE WE SLEEPING

― afriendlypioneer, Thursday, 22 September 2011 14:40 (1 year ago) Permalink

And everyone sung a chorus of I am the walrus
Yes disneyland has come to town
Everyone's dressed and standing around
Alice is wearing her sexiest gown
But she doesn't want you to look at her

'Song For Insane Times' is my favorite KA song. Any new unreleased old material on the box set?

― that's cute, but it's WRONG (CaptainLorax), Thursday, 22 September 2011 17:12 (1 year ago) Permalink

No - the box's purpose is to cull the wheat from the chaff, and as far as I can tell it does so excellently. I don't mind losing the jazz odyssey noodly jams and focusing on the prog-pop goodness as well as rescuing the best cuts from the weaker albums. It's consistently great and the live set is terrific as well.

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Friday, 23 September 2011 01:16 (1 year ago) Permalink

There is zero chaff on Joy Of A Toy btw so you might want that to with the box set!

― Axolotl with an Atlatl (Jon Lewis), Friday, 23 September 2011 17:15 (1 year ago) Permalink

Pretty nice track list on that box though! Is the booklet substantial?

― Axolotl with an Atlatl (Jon Lewis), Friday, 23 September 2011 17:17 (1 year ago) Permalink

The booklet is alright - it gives source info for each track and a nice essay about Kevin's long strange trip through the 70s but I would've liked something more.

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Friday, 23 September 2011 21:47 (1 year ago) Permalink

1 year passes...

baNAna

― Trip Maker, Wednesday, 17 October 2012 02:16 (7 months ago) Permalink

Haha just experienced that song this morning

― you can kill things and still like them, i don't know (Jon Lewis), Wednesday, 17 October 2012 02:33 (7 months ago) Permalink

Finishing side two of Joy of a Toy right now. It really is outstanding, seems like its been a really long time since I've listened to it.

― Trip Maker, Wednesday, 17 October 2012 02:40 (7 months ago) Permalink

I listened to Shooting At The Moon and Odd Ditties just the other day!

― sleeve, Wednesday, 17 October 2012 02:44 (7 months ago) Permalink

I need Shooting At The Moon on vinyl, very badly. Love that album.

― van smack, Wednesday, 17 October 2012 03:15 (7 months ago) Permalink

There's a pretty great live album out there somewhere, with Nico singing "The Oyster and the Flying Fish" with him.

― Emperor Cos Dashit (Adam Bruneau), Wednesday, 17 October 2012 03:31 (7 months ago) Permalink

It's the "Colours of the Day" bootleg. May not really be Nico but a Nico soundalike.

http://mutant-sounds.blogspot.com/2008/04/kevin-ayers-and-whole-world-colours-of.html

― Emperor Cos Dashit (Adam Bruneau), Wednesday, 17 October 2012 03:34 (7 months ago) Permalink

One of the really old John Peel shows on the PeelWiki (1971 or 1970) is really good quality, and has a Kevin Ayers session and is very recommended.

― Mark G, Wednesday, 17 October 2012 08:11 (7 months ago) Permalink

Hmm, this could be the Feb 10th 1970 session, that's also on Spotify: Clarence In Wonderland / Stop This Train / Why Are We Sleeping / Hat Song.

There's also an Alan Black R1 session from May 20th 1970, and another Top Gear session on June 9 1970: Derby Day / Interview / We Did It Again / Murder In The Air.

Actually, Spotify had loads of BBC session / in concert stuff from Ayers. I pulled it all into a playlist: http://open.spotify.com/user/miketd/playlist/0lXOjJ0Cz6UUFbZTgSy98Q

The 1973 live set that surfaced on the Songs For Insane Times anthology is particularly fine.

― mike t-diva, Wednesday, 17 October 2012 11:02 (7 months ago) Permalink

I think it's the same one that has a session from Son House.

See, it didn't all start with New Rose!

― Mark G, Wednesday, 17 October 2012 12:35 (7 months ago) Permalink

Heh, my Peel listening actually started with a special show devoted to Rick Wakeman's No Earthly Connection!

― mike t-diva, Wednesday, 17 October 2012 12:37 (7 months ago) Permalink

Mine started with a featured play of Elaine Renault's album "Renault"

It took the invention of the internet and ebay for me to finally track a copy down, mainly because it/he's actually called "Alain Renaud"

(The featured track was a side-long piece called "Back and In", thankfully I remembered that otherwise I'd have never found it)

― Mark G, Wednesday, 17 October 2012 13:13 (7 months ago) Permalink

I picked up this nifty 2CD set of (all?) his BBC sessions: http://www.amazon.com/BBC-Sessions-1970-1976-Kevin-Ayers/dp/B000BDF0DS/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1350521075&sr=1-1&keywords=kevin+ayers+sessions

Some really classic versions on there! "You Say You Like My Hat" is particularly loopy.

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Thursday, 18 October 2012 00:45 (7 months ago) Permalink

yeah I was gonna mention that, a pretty cool overview although there is a lot of track repetition. some CRAZY versions of "We Did It Again".

― sleeve, Thursday, 18 October 2012 02:19 (7 months ago) Permalink

Particularly feeling 'Lunatic's Lament' this fine bone-tired Thursday.

UH! ROCKNROLL! URNK! NASTY!

― you can kill things and still like them, i don't know (Jon Lewis), Thursday, 18 October 2012 16:31 (7 months ago) Permalink

xxpost re: Nico; probably Bridget St. John

― Deverly (Bangelo), Thursday, 18 October 2012 18:58 (7 months ago) Permalink

http://eggcityradio.com/2010/kevin-ayers-3/

― Deverly (Bangelo), Thursday, 18 October 2012 18:59 (7 months ago) Permalink

4 months pass...

I think Kevin Ayers died, heard it on FB, and I am despondent

― Iago Galdston, Wednesday, 20 February 2013 19:27 (3 months ago) Permalink

Kevin Ayers C/D - RIP Feb. 20th, 2013

― Johnny Fever, Wednesday, 20 February 2013 19:27 (3 months ago) Permalink

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