Newsgroups: alt.fan.ivor-cutler
From: gibson@mcrosolv.demon.co.uk (David Gibson)
Subject: Cutler Collection - 20/4/95
Date: Thu, 20 Apr 1995 08:35:36 +0000

I'm re-posting my Cutler Collection again here; and I invite people to add to it by posting messages to this newsgroup (not to me personally). I will archive the articles and, from time to time, if I feel like it, I will add them to my List, re-jigging the format if required. I will re-post the list at irregular intervals when I feel like it. If there are any mistakes please post corrections to the newsgroup.

The only change to the previous Collection is to note that, according to the database at HMV Records in Leeds, all Cutler LPs and CDs are now deleted. No wholesaler stock could be tracked down either.

LP Records

Dandruff      (with Phyllis King)      Virgin Records OVED 33   1974 (& V2021)
Velvet Donkey (with Phyllis King)      Virgin Records OVED 34   1975 (& V2037)
Jammy Smears  (with Phyllis King)      Virgin Records OVED 12   1976 (& V2065)
Life in a Scotch Sitting Room, Vol. 2  Harvest        SHSP 4084 1978
Privilege     (with Linda Hurst)       Rough Trade    Rough 59  1983
Gruts         (with Phyllis King)      Rough Trade    Rough 98  1986
Prince Ivor     **                     Rough Trade    Rough 89  1986
The Peel Sessions                      Strange Fruit  SFPS068   1989

** pronounced ``Prance eeVOR'' to rhyme with the opera Prince Igor

Guest Appearances

(contributed by Julian Christou) 
Neil Ardley's A Symphony Of Amaranths    Regal Zonophone   SLRZ 1028  1972
where he sings on ``The Dong With The Luminous Nose'' 
Robert Wyatt's  Rock Bottom              Virgin            V 2017     1974
where he guests on Little Red Robin Hood Hits The Road 
"V" (Virgin Sampler)                       Virgin          VD 2502    1975
where he has a previously unreleased track called Grass (which was later covered by Robert Wyatt on a Rough Trade single in the mid 80's)

A Selection of Poetry

A Flat Man      (il. Phyllis King)      Trigram 1977  ISBN 0 85465 053 9
Private Habits                          Arc     1981  ISBN 0 902771 89 2
Life in a Scotch sitting Room, Vol 2  # Methuen 1984  ISBN 0 413 55180 6
Gruts                                 # Methuen 1986  ISBN 0 413 40810 8
Fremsley                              # Methuen 1987  ISBN 0 413 15540 4
A Nice Wee Present From Scotland        Arc     1988  ISBN 0 902771 73 6
Glasgow Dreamer                       # Methuen 1990  ISBN 0 413 63400 0
A Fly Sandwich                        # Methuen 1991  ISBN 0 413 65940 2
Large et Puffy                          Arc
Fresh Carpet                            Arc
Terrific Fun                            Arc
Many Flies Have Feathers                Trigram
Cockadoodledon't                        Dennis Dobson
The Vermilion Door   (il. Phyllis King) Walker  1984
The Pomegranate Door (il. Phyllis King) Walker  1984
Befriend A Bacterium         see below
# illustrated by Martin Honeysett

Children's Books

Herbert
  (5 Books incl. Herbert the Chicken, Herbert the Elephant)
                     (il. Alfreda Benge)  Walker
Grape Zoo            (il. Jill Barton)    Heinemann & Pan/Piccolo
Meal One             (il. Helen Oxenbury) Heinemann / Armada Lions
The Animal House     (il. Helen Oxenbury) Heinemann / Armada Lions
Balooky Klujypop     (il. Helen Oxenbury) Heinemann
Note: books have different ISBNs for paper, hardback, cloth and signed editions. Sometimes the publisher of the paperback version is different to that of the hardback version.

Arc Publications, Nanholme Mill, Shaw Wood Road, TODMORDEN, Lancs, OL14 6DA Trigram Press, 22 Leverton Road, LONDON, NW5

Where to Get Ivor Cutler Books and Records

A few years ago all his records were still available in the Virgin Megastore in London. However most may be deleted by now. If you ask in a large record store they should be able to do a search on their database.

Waterstones (UK) occasionally still has his books. I saw a couple this year (1995). Again, a large bookshop will do a database search for you. Mr Dewi Wyn Lewis writes: those of you within shopping distance of London will be interested in the fact the Book etc. on Charing Cross Road currently [March 95] has a stock of Ivor books signed by the man himself.

Some of the books/records are published versions of stuff transmitted on the Home service in the 60s. At least one track is dedicated to John Peel for whom Ivor recorded many Peel Sessions in the 80s. Look out for the occasional Radio 3 program, often produced by Piers Plowright. I (DG) have a spoof interview from The World at One with Gordon Clough, and I even caught his name on Radio 4 the other day (Loose Ends perhaps?)

For more information, try writing to: The Ivor Cutler Mailing List, Arts Theatre, Great Newport Street, LONDON, WC2H 7JA. (I think that where his agent, David Jones, is/was based).

Or visit: Compendium Books, 234 Camden High Street, LONDON, NW1

Stories and Anecdotes

Befriend A Bacterium is a small paperback book, writes <premium@pavilion.co.uk> by Ivor Cutler with some Honeysett drawings. It's a collection of sticky labels he created and, I guess, went around sticking on things. There are some contributions by Phyllis King and some by Robert Wyatt (yes, the same guy who was in SoftMachine). It is published by Hastings Art Pocket Press, who may be contacted at: 25 St Mary's Terrace, HASTINGS, East Sussex, Great Britain, TN34 3LS, Telephone 01424 714393.

David Gibson writes: I saw Ivor Cutler at the Edinburgh Festival in 1982 I think. There was a big trestle table at the back with a selection of hats - one for each poem. Phyllis King (wonderful!) sat at the side of the stage knitting when it wasn't her turn to read a poem. At one point someone took a photo. Cutler fixed them with a glare and paused mid-poem. ``dont you EVER do that again''. Someone arrived late with squeaky shoes. Cutler paused whilst they walked up the aisle, found a seat, sat down. The audience was suppressing nervous giggles. ``I am here to entertain YOU ...'' said Cutler, ``and YOU are hear to entertain me''. All delivered in his wonderful inimitable style.

Mark Lodge writes: On the album Prince Ivor, Mr Cutler gives directions to his house. Having little to do one day back in 1989, I followed them, and was pleasantly surprised to find a flat with doorbell labelled ``Ivor Cutler''. If I'd had a spoon on my person, I might have rung the bell...

Acknowledgements

Apart from those contributors mentioned above, thanks to Sandy Blair and Bill Brink for posting info to alt.fan.ivor-cutler.

This document may be freely copied.

David Gibson, April 3rd 1995
HTML by Mark Valentine <mv@pobox.com>, December 1995.