Kevin Ayers was an English singer-songwriter who was active in the English psychedelic music movement.
20 Facts About Kevin Ayers
2.
Kevin Ayers recorded a series of albums as a solo artist and over the years worked with Brian Eno, Syd Barrett, Bridget St John, John Cale, Elton John, Robert Wyatt, Andy Summers, Mike Oldfield, Nico and Ollie Halsall, among others.
3.
Kevin Ayers was born in Herne Bay, Kent, the son of BBC producer Rowan Kevin Ayers.
4.
The tropical atmosphere and unpressured lifestyle had an impact, and one of the frustrating and endearing aspects of Kevin Ayers' career is that every time he seemed on the point of success, he would take off for some sunny spot where good wine and food were easily found.
5.
Kevin Ayers was quickly drafted into the Wilde Flowers, a band that featured Robert Wyatt and Hugh Hopper, as well as future members of Caravan.
6.
Kevin Ayers stated in interviews that the primary reason he was asked to join was that he probably had the longest hair.
7.
Kevin Ayers switched to bass and shared vocals with the drummer Robert Wyatt.
8.
The lead guitar that appears on the final mix was often thought to have been played by Barrett, even appearing on various Barrett bootlegs, but Kevin Ayers said that he played the solo, emulating Barrett's style.
9.
Kevin Ayers was to all intents and purposes a member of Gong in 1971 when the band first toured the UK.
10.
Kevin Ayers played an instrumental role in Steve Hillage appearing in Gong in 1972, while Steve was touring France as a member of Ayers's band.
11.
Again Kevin Ayers came up with a batch of engaging songs interspersed with avant-garde instrumentals and a heavy dose of whimsy.
12.
The Whole World was reportedly an erratic band live, and Kevin Ayers was not cut out for life on the road touring.
13.
On 1 June 1974, Kevin Ayers headlined a heavily publicised concert at the Rainbow Theatre, London, accompanied by John Cale, Nico, Brian Eno and Mike Oldfield.
14.
Tensions were somewhat fraught at the event since the night before John Cale had caught Kevin Ayers sleeping with his wife, prompting him to write the bile-soaked paean "Guts" that appeared on his 1975 album Slow Dazzle.
15.
In 1976, Kevin Ayers returned to his original label Harvest and released Yes We Have No Mananas.
16.
That same year Harvest released a collection entitled Odd Ditties, that assembled a colourful group of songs that Kevin Ayers had consigned to single B-Sides or left unreleased.
17.
In 1993, Kevin Ayers toured America twice, usually performing solo with occasional guests, including Daevid Allen, who was touring America at the same time.
18.
Kevin Ayers started to show up at Shepard's house with a guitar, and by 2005 passed some new recordings on to Shepard, most taped on a cassette recorder at his kitchen table.
19.
Mojo magazine reported that, within a couple of weeks, Kevin Ayers was in a Glasgow studio with Teenage Fanclub and a host of their like-minded colleagues, who had all assembled to work with their hero.
20.
Kevin Ayers died in his sleep on 18 February 2013 in Montolieu, France, aged 68.