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Post by MikeMusic on Apr 4, 2019 10:37:13 GMT
I really love some of what Kevin Ayers does. There are real gems you must hear. Just skip tracks to find them. Can be frustrating and sums the man up. Joy of a Toy, his first is a good place to start Had to double check the date -1969 - 50 years ago ! Skip his second Shooting at the moon Unless you want discordant noodling going on and on Not keen on it before. With system upgrades clarifying what was recorded it has become worse. Most is unlistenable. Then for me the classics : Whatevershebringswesing Bananamour Confessions of Dr. Dream and Other Stories At least one 10/10 outstanding track on each album. Here is an artist where taking the really good tracks and skipping many would give a fantastic double or triple album If Kevin were still alive I'm sure he wouldn't give a toss either way  |
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Post by Slinger on Apr 4, 2019 13:38:29 GMT
Kevin Ayers - somewhere, when describing him, or his music, the words "Englishness" and/or "Quirky" usually pop up. He started out in a band called Wilde Flowers, which eventually morphed into Soft Machine. He left to form Kevin Ayers & the Whole World, featuring (amongst others) Mike Oldfield, Lol Coxhill and David Bedford... three more quirky Englishmen.  His final band included Andy Summers (Ex... Soft Machine, Eric Burden, Zoot Money's Big Roll Band, and soon-to-be Police-man), Zoot Money himself, Charlie McCracken (Taste), and Rob Townshend (Family). Quite a few famous and " not-so-famous-but-influential" musicians passed through the ranks of his various bands. Kev was a definite one-off. I was lucky enough to see him with "The Whole World," in 1970, and Robert Wyatt joined the band on stage. That was in Hyde Park, and Pink Floyd was headlining. Happy daze days.  |
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Post by MikeMusic on Apr 4, 2019 15:45:28 GMT
"Soft Machine 15" ! |
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Post by MartinT on Apr 4, 2019 19:43:38 GMT
His voice is not for me any more than Richard Thompson's.
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Post by ChrisB on Apr 4, 2019 23:01:44 GMT
I know a lot of his albums quite well, but only own two for some reason. Of those, I think I prefer his last album, 'The Unfairground' (from 2007) to 'Joy of a Toy'.
I agree with Martin about Richard Thomson's voice!
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Post by MikeMusic on Apr 5, 2019 9:31:45 GMT
He is so frustrating with such wonderful music and some quite annoying tracks.
Can't think if anything he did live that is good
Still working my way through the albums of his I have
Sweet Deceiver and Falling up are good
Unfairground coming up soon
Quite like his voice
What more can I say is in the queue so won't be listening to that right now. Very good from memory.
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Post by MikeMusic on Apr 7, 2019 10:40:57 GMT
Kevin's more mellow and accessible period at the end of his career
The Unfairground is good
Falling Up and
Still Life with Guitar
even better IMO
Clips from Deezer give an idea of Falling up
Individual tracks available on YouTube
Still Life the odd track on Google search
Spotty not available or did I search wrong ?
Unfairground
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Post by Slinger on Apr 7, 2019 11:47:53 GMT
Have you ever come across Pete Atkin, Mike? Clive James (yes, THAT Clive James) wrote a lot with him, including, in my opinion, most of his best songs. More quirky Englishness (and, I suppose, Australianness) you may like. |
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Post by MikeMusic on Apr 7, 2019 13:07:57 GMT
Rings a bell. Not sure why
Will investigate.
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Post by Slinger on Apr 7, 2019 13:57:49 GMT
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Post by MikeMusic on Apr 7, 2019 15:59:00 GMT
Thanks Paul
Pretty good. Not quite for me.
Can see the Ayers likeness.
Love the humour in Session Man's Blues
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