The Soft Machine, not long after recording their first album and touring America, began breaking up -- just the first in a long series of personnel changes and subsequent new directions that formed one of art rock's winding sagas of the '70s. Kevin Ayers was the first to leave, mostly because of that American tour, and he soon became one of the first acts to release music on Harvest, a new progressive label from EMI that promised to offer the best and brightest in the new vanguard of British rock.
Ayers recorded and released five albums over the next five years, all of which appear on separate discs of The Harvest Years 1969-1974, and each of which comes with bonus tracks (most of them entertaining BBC sessions). Ayers was quite the chameleon during this time, beginning with a set of psychedelic-pop whimsy akin to Syd Barrett (Joy of a Toy) but soon detouring into free-form epic prog (Shooting at the Moon, with young hotshot guitarist Mike Oldfield), and later arriving at a surprisingly straight-ahead vision of bluesy pop (Bananamour).
The set offers the albums in the best sound they've ever been heard, and the bonus tracks are excellent as well. The unavoidable caveat comes, though. Why not include all the bonus tracks from previous editions, especially when they include a track actually recorded with Syd Barrett? (That would be "Religious Experience (Singing a Song in the Morning)," available on the 2003 Joy of a Toy reissue.) Quibbles aside, this is a hugely entertaining set from one of art rock's most beguiling figures.
by John Bush
Tracks
Disc 1
1. Joy Of A Toy Continued - 2:54
2. Town Feeling - 4:51
3. The Clarietta Rag - 3:20
4. Girl On A Swing - 2:50
5. Song For Insane Times - 4:01
6. Stop The Train (Again Doing It) - 6:06
7. Eleanor's Cake (Which Ate Her) - 2:54
8. Lady Rachel - 5:18
9. Oleh Oleh Bandu Bandong - 5:35
10.All This Crazy Gift Of Time - 3:53
11.Singing A Song In The Morning (Single Version) - 2:56
12.Clarence In Wonderland - 4:53
13.Stop This Train - 5:48
14.Why Are We Sleeping (Kevin Ayers, Mike Ratledge, Robert Wyatt) - 8:52
15.You Say You Like My Hat - 3:14
All compositions by Kevin Ayers except Track #14
Tracks 1-10 released as Joy of a Toy (Harvest SHVL 763, 1969)
Bonus Tracks 11-15
Track 11 released as Harvest single A-side HAR 5011, 1969
Tracks 12-15 from BBC Top Gear Session, recorded 10 February 1970 for BBC Radio 1 at BBC Maida Vale Studios
Disc 2
1. May I? - 4:02
2. Rheinhardt And Geraldine / Colores Para Delores - 5:41
3. Lunatics Lament - 4:54
4. Pisser Dans Un Violon - 8:03
5. The Oyster And The Flying Fish - 2:37
6. Underwater - 3:54
7. Clarence In Wonderland - 2:06
8. Red Green And You Blue - 3:53
9. Shooting At The Moon - 5:50
10.Butterfly Dance - 3:44
11.Puis Je? - 3:40
12.Gemini Child - 3:14
13.The Lady Rachel - 6:21
14.Shooting At The Moon - 3:17
15.Derby Day - 3:07
16.The Interview - 0:58
17.We Did It Again / Murder In The Air 11:39
All tracks written by Kevin Ayers
Tracks 1-9 released as Shooting At the Moon (Harvest SHSP 4075, 1970)
Bonus Tracks 10-17
Tracks 10-11 released as Harvest single HAR 5027, 1970
Tracks 12-14 BBC Alan Black Session, 20 May 1970, recorded for BBC Radio 1 at Playhouse Theatre, London
Tracks 15-17 BBC Top Gear Session, 9 June 1970
Disc 3
1. There Is Loving/Among Us/There Is Loving - 7:23
2. Margaret - 3:20
3. Oh My - 3:00
4. Song From The Bottom Ofa Well - 4:37
5. Whatevershebringswesing - 8:13
6. Stranger In Blue Suede Shoes - 3:25
7. Champagne Cowboy Blues - 3:59
8. Lullaby - 2:12
9. Stars - 3:31
10. Fake Mexican Tourist Blues - 4:39
11. Lunatic's Lament - 4:29
12. Oyster And The Flying Fish - 3:02
13. Butterfly Dance - 3:37
14. Whatevershebringswesing - 7:45
15. Falling In Love Again - 3:26
16. Queen Thing - 0:53
Music and Lyrics by Kevin Ayers
Tracks 1-8 released as Whatevershebringswesing (Harvest SHVL 800, 1972)
Bonus Tracks 9-16
Track 9 released as Harvest single B-side HAR 5042, 1971
Track 10 from Odd Ditties (Harvest SHSM 2005, 1976)
Tracks 11-16 BBC Bob Harris Session, 17 May 1972, recorded for BBC Radio 1 at Aeolian Hall
Disc 4
1. Don't Let It Get You Down - 4:05
2. Shouting In A Bucket Blues - 3:45
3. When Your Parents Go To Sleep - 5:47
4. Interview - 4:43
5. International Anthem - 0:44
6. Decadance - 8:05
7. Oh! Wot A Dream - 2:49
8. Hymm - 4:35
9. Beware Of The Dog - 1:28
10.Connie On A Rubber Band - 3:00
11.Caribbean Moon - 3:05
12.Take Me To Tahiti - 3:37
13.The Interview - 5:20
14.Oh! Wot A Dream - 2:44
15.Shouting In A Bucket Blues - 3:47
All Words and Music by Kevin Ayers except /Among Us/ written by David Bedford
Tracks 1-9 released as Bananamour (Harvest SHVL 807, 1973)
Bonus Tracks 10-15
Track 10 released as Harvest single B-side HAR 5064, 1972
Tracks 11-12 released as Harvest single HAR 5071, 1973
Tracks 13-15 BBC Bob Harris Session, 11 April 1973
Disc 5
1. Day By Day - 3:51
2. See You Later - 0:28
3. Didn't Feel Lonely Till I Thought Of You - 4:10
4. Everybody's Sometime And Some People's All The Time Blues - 3:08
5. It Begins With A Blessing / Once I Awakened / But It Ends With A Curse - 8:18
6. Ballbearing Blues - 0:56
7. Part One: Irreversible Neural Damage - 4:43
8. Part Two: Invitation - 1:12
9. Part Three: The One Dance Chance - 7:49
10.Part Four: Doctor Dream Theme - 5:12
11.Two Goes Into Four - 1:41
12.The Up Song - 3:17
13.After The Show - 2:36
14.Thank You Very Much - 3:01
15.Another Whimsical Song - 0:23
16.The Lady Rachel - 3:53
17.Stop This Train - 6:12
18.Didn't Feel Lonely Until I Thought Of You - 4:36
All songs by Kevin Ayers
Tracks 1-11 released as The Confessions of Dr. Dream and Other Stories (Island Island ILPS 9263, 1974)
Bonus Tracks 12-18
Track 12 released as Island single A-side WIP 6194, 1974
Tracks 13-14 released as Island single WIP 6201, 1974
Tracks 15-18 BBC John Peel Session, 9 July 1974. Recorded for BBC Radio One's John Peel Show at Langham Studio on 9 July 1974
Personnel
Disc 1
*Kevin Ayers - Guitars, Bass, Melodica, Harmonica, Vocals
*Robert Wyatt - Drums
*David Bedford - Piano, Mellotron, Arranger
*Mike Ratledge - Organ
*Hugh Hopper - Bass (1, 5)
*Paul Buckmaster - Cello
*Jeff Clyne - Double Bass (2, 7)
*Rob Tait - Drums (Tracks 6, 9)
*Paul Minns - Oboe
*Syd Barrett - Guitar (Track 14)
*Richard Sinclair - Bass (Tracks 11, 14, 16)
*Richard Coughlan - Drums (Tracks 11, 14, 16)
*David Sinclair - Organ (Tracks 11, 14, 16)
*The Ladybirds - Backing Vocals (Tracks 11, 14, 16)
Disc 2
*Kevin Ayers - Guitar, Bass, Vocals
*David Bedford - Organ, Piano, Accordion, Marimbaphone, Guitar
*Lol Coxhill - Saxophone, Zoblophone
*Mike Oldfield - Bass, Guitar And Vocal
*Mick Fincher - Drums, Percussion, Bottles & Ashtrays
*The Whole World Chorus - Backing Vocals
*Bridget St. John - Vocals (Track 5)
*Robert Wyatt - Vocals (Track 2)
Disc 3
*Kevin Ayers - Vocals, Guitar, Bass (Track 6)
*David Bedford - Keyboards, Orchestral Arrangements
*Mike Oldfield - Bass (Tracks 1,3-5), Guitar (Tracks 5,7,9)
*Dave Dufort - Drums (Tracks 1,4-5)
*William Murray - Percussion (Tracks 2-3,7)
*Tony Carr - Drums (Tracks 6,12)
*Robert Wyatt - Harmony Vocals (Track 5)
*Didier Malherbe - Saxophone (Track 1), Flute (Track 8)
*Gerry Fields - Violin (Track 3)
*Johnny Van Derrick - Violin (Tracks 2,7)
*Bruce Malamut - Flugelhorns (Track 1), Incidental Brass (Tracks 1-2,5-6,8,12)
Disc 4
*Kevin Ayers - Guitar, Vocals
*Archie Legget - Bass, Harmony Vocals, Lead Vocal (Track 3)
*Eddie Sparrow - Drums
*Steve Hillage - Lead Guitar (Tracks 2,6)
*Mike Ratledge - Organ (Track 4)
*Robert Wyatt - Harmony Vocal (Track 8)
*David Bedford - Orchestral Arrangement (Track 9)
*Howie Casey - Tenor Saxophone
*Dave Caswell - Trumpet
*Tristan Fry - Cymbal
*Lyle Jenkins - Baritone Saxophone
*Ronnie Price - Piano
*Barry St. John, Liza Strike, Doris Troy - Backing Vocals
Disc 5
*Kevin Ayers - Guitars, Vocals; Piano, Organ (Track 7)
*Mark Warner - Electric Guitar (Tracks 1,3,5,10), Acoustic Guitar (Tracks 2,7)
*Sam Mitchell - Electric Guitar (Tracks 1,3-4)
*Ollie Halsall - Electric Guitar Solo (Track 3)
*Cal Batchelor - Electric Guitar (Track 4)
*Mike Oldfield - Electric Guitar Solo (Track 4)
*John Perry - Bass (Tracks 1-3,5)
*John Gustafson - Bass (Track 8)
*Trevor Jones - Bass (Track 9)
*Michael Giles - Drums (Tracks 1-3,5,7-10)
*The G'Deevy Ensemble - Percussion (Track 1)
*Ray Cooper - Percussion (Tracks 2,9)
*Henry Crallan - Piano (Track 4)
*Rupert Hine - Keyboards (Tracks 5-10)
*Mike Moran - Piano (Track 5)
*Steve Nye - Organ (Track 5), Electric Piano (Track 8)
*Mike Ratledge - Organ (Track 9)
*Lol Coxhill - Alto Saxophone (Track 5)
*Nico - Vocals (Track 7)
*Doris Troy, Rosetta Hightower, Joanne Williams - Backing Vocals (Tracks 1,3)
*Sean Milligan - Backing Vocals (Track 2)
*Hulloo Choir - Backing Vocals (Tracks 5,10)
