IVOR CUTLER
by KT TUNSTALL
A wonderful programme by KT Tunstall on Ivor Cutler last night over on Sky Arts channel (its on Freeview here in the UK now) and it was really well done. KT is a life long fan (as am I) and after discovering him through Virgin records and introduced to his recorded work by my dear old friend John Northcote [who worked for the label before running several music venues] and ran an independent record shop back in the day (the now legendary Sunshine Records in Oxford's Little Clarendon Street)
Ivor was a favourite of Paul McCartney's and appeared in the Beatles' 'Magical Mystery Tour' film in 1967 as 'Buster Bloodvessel' the coach driver and 'guide' and on Neil Innes' television programmes. Ivor's account of Paul visiting Ivor here is not to be missed. Cutler also wrote books for children and adults (most seemingly out of print now sadly) and was a teacher at A. S. Neill's Summerhill School an interest of my father's (though possibly too 'far out' for him to risk sending one of his sons to!?) ) and for 30 years Ivor taught in inner-city schools in London.
I went on to see him read at the Old Fire Station Theatre here in town. Ivor cycling from the train station I guess as he arrived parked his Moulton style folding bicycle on the back of the stage and began his reading which was then promoting his wondrous book 'A Flat Man' (1998) a signed copy now being very much a treasured possession.
Beautifully, almost reverentially, done and featuring some excellent interviews with fans (Mighty Boosh's Noel Feilding to Robert Wyatt and partner the excellent artist Alfreda Benge with whom he was remarkably close) and even managed to find one of Ivor's sons, an old, again seemingly remarkably close, pen friend from Finnish Radio (sic) and his last wife the fellow poet Phyllis King. Heart rending stuff. We are the poorer for his nolonger being with us. Beautifully done . . . . . . . .
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