The wonderfully eccentric Ivor Cutler was born on January 15th 1923, Glasgow.
Cutler was a Scottish poet, songwriter, teacher and humorist. He became known for his regular performances on BBC radio, and in particular his numerous sessions recorded for John Peel’s influential radio programme, and later for Andy Kershaw’s programme.
If you haven’t heard of Cutler please check him out on Youtube, my favourite is Life in a Scotch Sitting Room, Vol. 2, but don’t look for volume 1 there isn’t one! He appeared in The Beatles’ Magical Mystery Tour film in 1967 as Buster Bloodvessel, where the Bad Manners singer got the name.
Born as Isadore Cutler into a middle-class Jewish family of Eastern European descent. His father Jack Moris Cutler was a draper and jeweller. He cited his childhood as the source of his artistic temperament, recalling a sense of displacement when his younger brother was born: "Without that I would not have been so screwed up as I am, and therefore not as creative."
In 1940 he became an apprentice fitter with Rolls-Royce, helping to make Spitfires. In 1942 he trained to become an RAF navigator but was dismissed for being “too dreamy and absent-minded.” He served the rest of the war as a storeman with an engineering company.
Ivor went on to become a teacher at AS Neill’s famous progressive school Summerhill in Suffolk and continued teaching for more than 30 years. From 1954-1980 he taught drama and poetry to primary school children. In his 70s he reflected, “In a way I am still carrying on with the kids. And those who come to my gigs probably see life as a child would. It’s those who have been busy making themselves into grown-ups, avoiding being a child - they’re the ones who don’t enjoy it.” I would have loved to have him as a teacher.
Cutler began performing in 1957 and was spotted in the 1960s by ‘Ned Sherrin’, who booked him to appear on television. He appeared on The Acker Bilk Show, Late Night Line-Up and other programs, and in 1967 appeared in “The Magical Mystery Tour” playing Buster Bloodvessel, the bus conductor who announces to his passengers, “I am concerned for you to enjoy yourselves within the limits of British decency.” In 1967 his record, Ludo, was produced by the Beatles producer George Martin.
Cutler dressed distinctively both on and off stage, wearing plus fours and colorful hats with badges. His favorite method of communication was by sticky labels that he had especially printed, often with “Cutlerisms” attached: “Never knowingly understood”, “True happiness is knowing you’re a hypocrite” and “Add 15 inches to your stride and save 4% of insects”.
He wrote more than 300 songs and in the year 2000 was signed by fellow Scot, Alan McGee to Creation Records. He last appeared on stage at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London in January 2004. The event was filmed and shown in a documentary about his own life, Ivor Cutler: Looking for Truth with a Pin.
Cutler was a member of the Noise Abatement Society and the Voluntary Euthanasia Society. In 1990 he said,“When I do die I shall be glad to get away from the loud pop music and cars but I shall miss, insofar as when one is dead one can miss anything, the beautiful kindnesses of those people to whom courtesy comes naturally.”
When I previously posted about Ivor I had someone comment “Left Scotland behind l see”……I sighed to myself and replied
“You can’t criticise someone who leaves Scotland without knowing about the person. As a person who did not advocate punishing children with violence Ivor’s teaching methods would have went against everything that the old system stood for here. Have a look for A S Neil, another who "left Scotland behind” who had different ideas on schooling and who, as I said in the piece, employed Ivor Cutler. If it wasn’t for some people leaving Scotland behind the world would not be the same as it is now, Alexander Graham Bell, John Logie Baird, Alexander Fleming, Robert Watson Watt, James Watt, Andrew Carnegie, the list is endless……..“ I’m not saying they wouldn’t have been as successful, but sometimes the opportunities are not where your roots are.
Anyway the video I have posted is of Ivor’s last performance at Queen Elizabeth Hall, 2004, Cutler's Last Stand.
