I first discovered Kevin Ayers at a concert in Guildford in around 1969-ish. It was a promotional tour concert for his album 'Shooting at the Moon' (from which 'May I' comes).
He is probably best known as the 'front man' with Soft Machine (who I always thought a better band than Pink Floyd). He and Syd Barrett later worked together.
This is a nice little song. A good tune, inoffensive lyrics, and with Mike Oldfield on Guitar, David Bedford on Keyboard, and the inimitable Lol Coxhill on Sax.
Ayers died back in 2013 here in Southern France. He was just 68, and died in his sleep (that's all we need to know). RIP.
Nice memory, no doubt.
ReplyDeleteWhat never ceases to amaze me how bloggers include all those clips (youtube, tic toc, you name it) expecting their readers to click onto them. Seriously? Not me. I keep my hearing as unpolluted as possible. Who needs an earworm when you can have peace and quiet?
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Well, I'm very sorry, but I'm an avid listener to music, as I suspect are the majority of people.
DeleteUrsula.... just clips I agree... but Cro links to full songs... surely you have music in your life?
DeleteCro, since you are "an avid listener" maybe next time you can regale us with your favourite version of, say, one of Beethoven's symphonies.
DeleteLe Pre, music plays a huge role in my life.
U
Ursula, wonderful.... if you like classical music, might I recommend the Concerto for Group and Orchestra by Deep Purple....
Deletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a45ZL2fhX-M
Strangely I ended up buying myself a second copy and hiding it from my father who played the original almost to its death... He was a classics only person... Proms every day when it was on... so, you might like it.
Thank you for the music. I liked the lyrics, and that I could hear them clearly.
ReplyDeleteI like the clips. You and Dave over in Ireland introduce me to characters, music that were unknown to me and most enjoyable
There's a lot of very good music out there, mixed with a huge amount of rubbish. I enjoy picking out some of the more obscure goodies.
ReplyDeleteI am a great fan of Soft Machine.... and of Pink Floyd.... their music is complementary....
ReplyDeleteI am now, thanks to this post.... listening to Third.... I have things to do, dammit!!
I shared a flat with Syd Barrett for a short while. He was off his head for most of the time.
DeleteNever heard of him, or this song, but thanks for the listen.
ReplyDeleteHe's a bit obscure these days, but his band Soft Machine were 'big' in the late 60's. Very psychedelic!!!
DeleteI saw Soft Machine in 2019 at A New Day Festival in Kent. I found them to be very jazz rock influenced. The Canterbury Scene in the sixties must of been a great time for English music?
ReplyDeleteKevin Ayers was long gone by 2019, I quite expect the whole line-up was different. Were they any good?
DeleteVery jazzy and self indulgent. But they definitely could play their instruments. Not really a festival band. I would have preferred to have seen them in a smaller venue indoors where the punters could just walk round with their drinks.
DeleteI saw The Beautiful South in the Queen Elizabeth Hall in Oldham in 1994 and it was just the perfect venue to walk and mingle.
I've always liked the Beautiful South song 'I'll sail this ship alone'. I've never seen them live.
DeleteWhat a find that must have been. It's always great to discover an artist like that in a live setting before they get huge. I agree, that's a fantastic little song. The combination of instruments and players he had on that track is top-notch, and it's nice to hear that classic, almost whimsical sound. He had a really unique style.
ReplyDeleteI just put up a new post. Feel free to check it out at www.melodyjacob.com.
He was a major player of his era, sadly not as well known now as he should have been. I will search you out.
DeleteNew to me. I do not believe he came to the US.
ReplyDeleteI have no idea. The Beatles and The Stones were big at the time, and they tended to take the limelight.
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