10-25-10
Kevin Ayers
Once a member of The Soft Machine and a wonderful UK male vocal solo artist for over four decades, as of this writing. His newest album, “The Unfairground” was released in 2007 – it’s magnificent! Collections and singles not listed today. I am still looking for a CD of “That’s What You Get babe” and a few of the original 80’s / 90’s titles. As the recent EMI re-masters had good bonus track action, I didn’t go for his boxed set either.
CD ALIVE IN CALIFORNIA, BOP US BOPCD 002
2004 15 TRKS Live ’93 – ’00
LP BANANAMOUR, HARVEST UK SHVL 807
1973 9 TRKS UK original issue
CD BANANAMOUR, HARVEST UK 582780.2
1973 13 TRKS (’03 re-master) (4 x bonus tracks)
CD BBC RADIO 1 LIVE IN CONCERT, WINDSONG UK WINCD 018
1992 9 TRKS Live, 1972
LP CONFESSIONS OF DR. DREAM, ISLAND UK ILPS 9263
1974 11 TRKS Rupert Hine
CD CONFESSIONS OF DR. DREAM, UNIVERSAL JPN UICY-9531
1974 9 TRKS (’05 issue) kami sleeve (1 x bonus track)
LP DIAMOND JACK AND THE QUEEN OF PAIN, CHARLY UK CR 30224
1983 10 TRKS U.K. pressing
CDx2 DIDN’T FEEL LONELY… (The Island Albums), EDSEL UK MEDCD 749
2004 29 TRK Collection (’74-’75 recordings) incl. “June 1st”
CD FALLING UP, VIRGIN UK CDV 2510
1988 8 TRKS with Mike Oldfield
LP FALLING UP, VIRGIN DE 208.915
1988 8 TRKS with Mike Oldfield
CD JOY OF A TOY, HARVEST UK 582776.2
1969 16 TRKS (’03 re-master) (6 x bonus tracks)
LP JUNE 1st, 1974 (Various Artists), ISLAND US ILPS 9291
1974 9 TRKS Live; with Eno, John Cale etc.
CD RAINBOW TAKEAWAY, BGO UK BGOCD 189
1978 9 TRKS (’93 issue)
LP RAINBOW TAKEAWAY, HARVEST UK SHSP 4085
1978 9 TRKS U.K. pressing
CD SHOOTING AT THE MOON, HARVEST UK 582777.2
1970 14 TRKS (’03 re-master)
CD STILL LIFE WITH GUITAR, FNAC FR 592025
1992 10 TRKS
LP SWEET DECEIVER, ISLAND UK ILPS 9322
1975 9 TRKS U.K. pressing
CD SWEET DECEIVER, UNIVERSAL JPN UICY-9532
1975 11 TRKS (’05 issue) (2 x bonus tracks) kami sleeve
LP THAT’S WHAT YOU GET BABE, HARVEST UK SHSP 4106
1980 10 TRKS U.K. pressing
CD UNFAIRGROUND, THE, JVC JPN VICP-63981
2007 10 TRKS kami sleeve
CD WHATEVERSHEBRINGSWESING, HARVEST UK 582778.2
1972 12 TRKS (’03 issue) (4 x bonus tracks)
CD YES WE HAVE NO MANANAS, BGO UK BGOCD 143
1976 10 TRKS (’93 issue)
LP YES WE HAVE NO MANANAS, ABC US AB-1021
1977 10 TRKS U.S. pressing
Let’s also remember Mr. Ayers’ activity with the Lady June album, “Lady June’s Linguistic Leprosy” (Caroline UK LP C 1509, 1974) and his nice singing on Mike Oldfield’s “Islands” album in 1987 – on the track “Flying Start” (which also shows up on Ayers’ superlative “Falling Up” album – in a different version). Mike Oldfield was once Ayers’ bassist (on “Shooting At The Moon”, in a band that included David Bedford and Lol Coxhill!).
So far, at least two members of Soft Machine have died – sax player Elton Dean and bassist Hugh Hopper. Mr. Ayers left after the debut Soft Machine album, so let’s hope he continues for as long as is possible. I was a huge fan of the High Hopper solo albums. The original vocalist of Soft Machine was, of course, the wonderful Robert Wyatt. And is original Soft Machine keyboardist Mike Ratledge the only member of Soft Machine to not make a solo album?
The extended family of Soft Machine is a very interesting batch of people, to be certain.
