IVOR CUTLER TRIO

“Ludo”

Ivor Cutler is best known to pop fans as Buster Bloodvessel from the Beatles Magical Mystery Tour television film. Few may know, however, that he also had an extensive career as a recording artist (in fact, he was quite the renaissance man, also achieving success als as a writer of poetry and children’s books). The first Ivor Cutler record I came across was 1974’s Dandruff, a collection of minimalist, surreal, but ultimately touching songs and poems. As a fan of Brute Force, The Bonzo Dog Band and They Might Be Giants, I was hooked. This stuff was far-out, absurd and true! Jammy Smears and both volumes of Living in a Scotch Sitting Room were the next albums I purchased—all three very similar in approach and quality. Oddly, my most recently acquired Cutler album, Ludo, from way back in 1967, is perhaps his most well-known and certainly the album that is most fully realized, in both its material and production (the latter courtesy of George Martin).

Cutler’s career in the arts actually began as a teacher of drama, music and dance. He signed on with the Inner London Education Authority in 1954, and taught there for 26 years—through much of his most productive period as an actor, author and musician. In 1959, he began reading his poetry and singing his songs on the BBC program Monday Night at Home. In the ’60s he branched out to television and caught the eye of Paul McCartney. Cutler was appearing on Late Night Line-Up, performing a song of his called “I’m Going in a Field,” and the surreal lyrics appealed to McCartney’s then-prominent psychedelic proclivities and, shortly thereafter, Cutler was cast in Magical Mystery Tour. (Turns out that, quite independently, Lennon was a fan as well.) At this point, a number of factors came together that led to the recording of the Ludo album. First, the appearance in Magical Mystery Tour gave Cutler a public (and countercultural) profile that suddenly made him a more marketable commodity. Second, Lennon and McCartney themselves became enthusiastic about Cutler cutting an album for Parlophone. Finally, George Martin’s love of comedy albums (and, particularly, novelty songs) made the project very attractive to him. Consequently, Cutler was signed to Parlophone, a couple of support musicians were recruited (double bassist Gill Lyons and percussionist Trevor Tomkins), and the recording sessions commenced under Martin’s supervision. The resulting album—Ludo—was named after the British version of Parcheesi (indeed, the album cover is a bird’s-eye-view of a Parcheesi board).

Ludo is a mix of humorous (but often poignant) songs with a smattering of recited poetry. The arrangements are dominated by Cutler’s piano (and, on some tracks, harmonium). Percussion and bass are applied sparingly, but effectively. Though most of the songs are either absurd or silly, some of the music is melancholic and quite beautiful (especially the accompaniments on “Darling, Will You Marry Me Twice” and “I’m Going in a Field”). The subject matter is observational, detailed and off-the wall. The lyrics are often literal, but their simplicity and naiveté is disarming and the overall effect is warm and whimsical. About a third of the songs are meditations on the mundane: “Mud,” “I’m Going in a Field,” and “Last Song.” Another third of the songs involve simple wordplay: “Cockadoodledon’t,” “Shoplifters” and “Flim, Flam, Flum.” The remaining songs are more traditionally comedic, including “Good Morning! How Are You? Shut Up!” and “A Suck of My Thumb.” The simplicity of the songs and the understated humor bear repeated listening and I often turn to the album when in a reflective mood and in need of a smile.

One single was released from Ludo: “The Great Grey Grasshopper” b/w “I Had a Little Boat.” The record failed to chart (it was, after all, a labor of love), and the Ivor Cutler Trio would never record another project. It was another seven years before Cutler’s next LP, the aforementioned Dandruff. Another nine albums would be recorded and released in greater and lesser spurts up until 1999. Cutler passed away in 2006 at the age of 83.

Ludo was reissued by Rev-Ola in 2004 and in the digital domain by Papillon in 2009, so it is a lost treasure that is easy to find. Cutler is a truly unique talent and Ludo is certainly the place to start exploring his work, so check it out!

[linebreak style=”25.png”]

==============

Pop Pioneer and “Lost Treasures” writer, Peter Marston is the leader of long-running power pop band, Shplang, whose most recent album, “My Big Three Wheeler” has been described as “the Beatles meet Zappa in pop-psych Sumo match.”  Peter has a new project in 2015 under the name MARSTON.   They will have a track on the upcoming “Power Pop Planet – Volume 5” compilation shipping February, 2016.

You check it out at this link:  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/shplang

================

LINKS:

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludo_(Ivor_Cutler_album)

All Music Guide: http://www.allmusic.com/album/ludo-mw0000699525

Daily Telegraph review:  http://www.issue.demon.co.uk/poetry/cutler/media.htm#REVIEW_TELEGRAPH_22_03_97

VIDEOS:

“DEEDLE, DEEDLE, I PASS”

IVOR ON JOHN PEEL, 1984