Ivor Cutler

**Ivor Cutler** (born Isadore Cutler, 15 January 1923 – 3 March 2006) was a Scottish poet, singer, musician, songwriter and humorist. He became known for his regular performances on BBC radio, and in particular his numerous sessions recorded for John Peel's influential eponymous late night radio programme (BBC Radio 1), and later for Andy Kershaw's programme. He appeared in the Beatles' Magical Mystery Tour film in 1967 and on Neil Innes' television programmes. Cutler also wrote books for children and adults and was a teacher at A. S. Neill's Summerhill School and for 30 years in inner-city schools in London. He told Andy Kershaw on his radio show that he also gave private poetry lessons to individuals.

In live performances Cutler would often accompany himself on a harmonium. Phyllis King appears on several of his records, and for several years was a part of his concerts. She usually read small phrases but also read a few short stories. The two starred in a BBC radio series, King Cutler, in which they performed their material jointly and singly. Cutler also collaborated with pianist Neil Ardley, singer Robert Wyatt, guitarist Fred Frith, musicians David Toop and Steve Beresford.

## Links to Kershaw

After Ivor Cutler died in 2006, Kershaw paid tribute to the man in a BBC News internet article:

> *"Listening to Ivor Cutler gave me a love for language and the use of words.I first got to know him back when I was booking the student concerts at Leeds University in the early 1980s. He shared my sense of humour and we became friends. Ivor was exactly in real life what you got on the radio. You just never knew what he was going to come out with. He was a true original. I was so thrilled that not only did he do the Peel sessions but when I joined BBC Radio 1 and later Radio 3, he did 20 years of recordings for me."* [1]
>
>

Ivor Cutler did many sessions for Kershaw's shows as well as for John Peel, including a joint session between them, which was first broadcast in 1994.

## Sessions

1. Recorded: 1987-05-21. First Broadcast: 04 June 1987. Repeated: 16 July 1987

* A Romantic Man / Carry On Dancing / The River Bends / The Book / Dolly / Poems: Intro And Local Natural Sounds / Free Wood / Loneliness / Seven / A Warm Bucket / Glasgow Dreamer #14 & #15 / A Big Head

2. Recorded: 1988-05-26. First Broadcast: 23 June 1988. Repeated: 04 August 1988

* And So Do I / Jump In The Clyde / The Dishes Are Dry / A Strategy Suit With A Jelly Jacket / Glasgow Dreamer #5 & #1 / Thunder And Lightning / Evergreen Moon / Amplification Is The Curse Of Civilisation / Picking Your Nose / Barrel Torsos / Emasculated / Broken Leather / Their Favourite

3. Recorded: 1989-07-27. First Broadcast: 05 November 1989

* Glasgow Dreamer #2 & #18 / Mishap #2 & #3 / Tsukiyuki Hana / Tree Dentist / Stiff As A Meringue / A Clear Lite / Where Are My Underwriters / Her Strange Brain / Austin Metro

4. Recorded: 1993-11-16. First Broadcast: 08 January 1994

* Glasgow Dreamer Episode 17 / Broken Beyond Repair / Six Inches Off / Water On The Street / Where Shall We Go / No Room / Sprawl / Hold The Barrel Steady

5. Live studio session. First Broadcast: 16 July 1995

* Not Enough / Turn To The Right / Glasgow Dreamer Episode 12 / It / Jackfish / Pure Love

6. Live studio session. First Broadcast: 12 May 1996

* Jam, Laughing Poker, Her Part, Preventive Medicine (fluffed), The Grass is Greener / Glasgow Dreamer Episode 11 / Love, The Ugly Truth, The Relief of Motherkind - A Scottish Game, Naked and Proud, A What?, In the Olden Days, Super, What Have You Got? / When I Stand On An Open Cart (fluffed)

7. Recorded: unknown. First Broadcast: 21 July 1997

* Open Your Arms / A Small Room / A Dowry / Service / A Dull Lot / Jam / What Have You Got / How To Unravel A Secret / Ruby / A Real Man / Good Morning How Are You Shut Up / Down And Up / A Bubble Or Two / Two And Two / Sin Bin / Roosters / Omniscient / Ingredients / A New Skirts / Neb / A Wooden Tree

8. Recorded: unknown. First Broadcast: 29 July 1999

* Blind / Irk / One Of The Best / A Flat Man / Questionnaire / Smack / Out With The Light

9. Recorded: unknown. First Broadcast: 02 November 2001

* The River Bends / Astonished / I’ve Told You A Million Times / A Nippy Noun / Pussy On The Mat / A Jaggy Thing / To Learn / His Need / Cosmos

10. Recorded on John Peel's show on 1979-02-20 & first broadcast on his show on 27th February 1979. Repeated: 28 May 1985 (John Peel), 12 March 2006

* The Obliging Fairy / The Man With The Trembly Nose / I Love You But I Don't Know What I Mean / Bubu Bird / Pass The Ball Jim / Examine The Contents/A Saucer/A Lady Found An Insect/Lunatic/Melon / Gruts For Tea / Egg-Meat

## Live

Recorded at the Lyric Theatre in London, 10 March 2002. Broadcast in two parts on 22 March 2002

1. The Embarrassed Handywoman
2. Wow
3. June
4. Under The Spigot
5. The Happening
6. Pussy On The Mat
7. A Wooden Tree
8. I'm Going in a Field
9. Once a Fortnight
10. Welcome
11. Try My Ears
12. The Hols
13. Glasgow
14. A Touching Surprise
15. My Next Album

And continued on 06 December 2002

1. Little Black Buzzer
2. The River Bends
3. Cold Potato
4. Lying
5. Bang Sit Shut
6. Business Desk
7. Beautiful Cosmos
8. A Stone Fiddle
9. Water on the Street
10. A Gym Mistress

## Other Shows Played

   1986
* 15 May 1986: Egg Meat (LP - Gruts) Rough Trade
* 22 October 1986 (John Peel): Episode 6 (LP - Life In A Scotch Sitting Room Volume 2) Harvest
* 29 October 1986 (John Peel): Ivor Cutler And The Paperseller (2xLP - Prince Ivor) Rough Trade
* 03 November 1986 (John Peel): Ivor Cutler And... A Princess (2xLP - Prince Ivor) Rough Trade

1987
* 19 November 1987: Life In A Scotch Sitting Room, Vol 2, Episode 1 (album - Dandruff) Virgin

1992
* 19 September 1992: Life In A Scotch Sitting Room Vol 2, Episode 7 (CD - Velvet Donkey) Virgin

1993
* 13 March 1993: Wheely Down (v/a CD - The World Is A Wonderful Place : The Songs Of Richard Thompson) Hokey Pokey
* 03 April 1993: Wheely Down (v/a CD - The World Is A Wonderful Place : The Songs Of Richard Thompson) Hokey Pokey
* 17 July 1993: Life In A Scotch Sitting Room, Vol. 2 Ep.6 (CD - Jammy Smears) Virgin

1997
* 24 March 1997: A Still, Small Fly (CD - Ludo) Rev-Ola *(part of Ivor Cutler Trio)*
* 16 June 1997: Not From Hens (CD - A Wet Handle) Creation
* 16 June 1997: It (CD - A Wet Handle) Creation
* 16 June 1997: A Pain In The Neck (CD - A Wet Handle) Creation
* 20 October 1997: Baked Beetles (CD - A Wet Handle) Creation

1998
* 16 February 1998: Good Morning How Are You Shut Up (CD - Ludo) Rev-Ola *(part of Ivor Cutler Trio)*
* 16 February 1998: Life In A Scotch Sitting Room Vol 2 EP 1 (CD - Dandruff) Virgin
* 27 April 1998: Life In A Scotch Sittingroom Volume 2 Episode 6 (LP - Jammy Smears) Virgin

1999
* 22 July 1999: Good Morning, How Are You, Shut Up (CD - Ludo) Creation *(part of Ivor Cutler Trio)*

2002
* 29 November 2002: Big Jim (CD - Jimmy Smears) Virgin

2004
* 19 September 2004: Life In A Scotch Sitting Room, Vol 2 Ep 9 (CD - Life In A Scotch Sitting Room Vol. II) Rev-Ola
* 31 October 2004: Life in a Scotch Sitting Room Vol. 2 Ep. 12 (session)

2005
* 30 January 2005: Gruts For Tea (CD - An Elpee and Two Epees) Decca
* 06 February 2005: Egg Meat (CD - An Elpee and Two Epees) Decca
* 20 February 2005: Do You Ever Feel Lonely? (CD - An Elpee And Two Epees) Decca
* 20 February 2005: A Red Flower (CD - An Elpee and Two Epees) Decca
* 15 May 2005: Wheely Down (v/a CD - The World Is A Wonderful Place) Hokey Pokey
* 19 June 2005: Phonic Poem (CD - Velvet Donkey) Virgin
* 26 June 2005: A Red Flower (CD - An Elpee And Two Epees) Decca
* 16 October 2005: Life In A Scotch Sitting Room Vol. 2 Ep. 13 (CD - Life In A Scotch Sitting-Room Vol. II) Rev-Ola

2006
* 02 April 2006: Life In A Scotch Sitting Room, Vol.2. Episode 12 (12" - The Peel Sessions) Strange Fruit
* 08 October 2006: Life In A Scotch Sittingroom (v/a 2xCD - John Peel - Right Time, Wrong Speed - 1977 - 1987) Warner Music TV

2021
* Andy Kershaw Podcast Episode 8: Life In A Scotch Sitting Room, Vol. 2 Ep.6 (album - Jammy Smears) Virgin

2022
* Andy Kershaw Podcast Episode 11: Big Jim (album - Jammy Smears) Virgin
* Andy Kershaw Podcast Episode 13: Surly Buddy (album - Jammy Smears) Virgin

2023
* Andy Kershaw Podcast Episode 26: A Red Flower (album - Who Tore Your Trousers) Decca

## External Links

* Wikipedia
* Discogs