Wow. That was illuminating, maybe more so for an English person like me. Kevin had a classy, well-spoken voice, something like 'Received Pronounciation', like all Radio 4 presenters used to have. Like Nick Drake, he was something of a Colonial(Nick in Burma, Kevin in Malaya) which was already something of a throwback by this time. And which I cannot help but feel lent them a slightly otherworldly air among their peers. I always thought of Kevin as speaking his song lines rather than singing them anyway, and it never detracted for a moment from the pleasure. To imagine him this humble about his voice is something of a shock. I think the central problem was with the sheer competitive wealth of new talent at the time, crossed with industry short-sightedness. Clark Hutchinson Band never made it either. Kevin's voice wafts into a sunlit room, and wakes us from a waking dream...
Yes, you're spot on! I remember reading an interview with Kevin where he says something like 'I don't exactly sing, it's more speaking in tune!'. Not a direct quote but near enough! I'm lucky to have seen him play live 4 times.
Best Kevin interview I've ever heard. I always thought it wonderful that both he and Richard Sinclair kept it English, rather than pretending they were Jackie Wilson, Jerry Lee Lewis, or Elvis.
Yes, good point. And the thing is that Caravan and Hatfield and the North made music that perfectly complemented Sinclair’s voice. Kevin, here, seems to be focusing on the deficiencies of his accent for pure rock or rock n roll. He mentions the word “raunchy” twice which is telling. It’s the Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis inspired music he says his type of accent can’t really be a vehicle for.
I loved his voice and accent. Kind of reminds me of Alan Rickmans voice. It was so distinct and cool, and I wished Ayers was much more popular so people could've heard his awesome voice
[12 October 2021] This interview will always be precious to me. Even though Ayers was rather embarrassed about his cut-glass Canterbury accent, I always found it adorable. And the whole central thrust of Ayers' interview - his conviction that English people, because of their accents, are somehow fundamentally unsuited for "raunchy" rock 'n' roll singing (he even actually says, "Trying to sing anything raunchy with my kind of English accent, it sounds ridiculous...") - reminds me of something that Bob Dylan said about English people (in his famous 1965 *PLAYBOY* interview with Nat Hentoff): " *You know, the English can say "marvelous" pretty good. They can't say "raunchy" so good, though* . " I'll always wonder if Ayers ever actually read that interview, when it first appeared in print; whether Ayers and Robert Wyatt and Syd Barrett and David Bowie and Bryan Ferry and Brian Eno - all the greatest English eccentric mutant-pop singers, the ones who chose to sound self-consciously English, singing with their own accents, as opposed to trying to affect an American accent that wasn't theirs to affect - read that interview and said to themselves (for who among them would dare try to argue with Bob Dylan?) "Very well then, I *shall* say *marvelous* , and *not* that other word that starts with R." I know I have no proof that Ayers et al. read that interview, but then again, I also have no proof that they *didn't* read it, you know what I mean?
Just goes to show that people are never happy. Kevin was a beautiful, Adonis-like man with a rich, distinctive voice and yet here he reveals how self-conscious and unhappy he was.
I can't imagine Kevin or Robert trying to sing in another way. I'm happy Kevin never did and hope Robert never will, if he choses to start again. Both are perfect right where they are..
Ironic Kevin knocks a British accent in rock and roll, yet had admiration for Syd Barrett to an extent of collaborating with him, and Syd sang with a British accent.
He mentioned the Kinks, Pink Floyd and Beatles in terms of singing with a British accent - He could have added the Who. All of these bands took rocknroll where it had not previously been, and all sang about post-war life in Britain in a way that was entirely original and nothing to do with America.
Kevin Ayers and Nick Drake- both beautiful speaking and singing voices, both hated their accents. They should have known they had a distinct brand and pushed it successfully and with humour, like James Blunt today “and no mortgage “.
One of the reasons I love Kevin’s music, is because of his distinctive style, which includes his accent.
Same here.
Wow. That was illuminating, maybe more so for an English person like me. Kevin had a classy, well-spoken voice, something like 'Received Pronounciation', like all Radio 4 presenters used to have. Like Nick Drake, he was something of a Colonial(Nick in Burma, Kevin in Malaya) which was already something of a throwback by this time. And which I cannot help but feel lent them a slightly otherworldly air among their peers.
I always thought of Kevin as speaking his song lines rather than singing them anyway, and it never detracted for a moment from the pleasure. To imagine him this humble about his voice is something of a shock. I think the central problem was with the sheer competitive wealth of new talent at the time, crossed with industry short-sightedness. Clark Hutchinson Band never made it either.
Kevin's voice wafts into a sunlit room, and wakes us from a waking dream...
Yes, you're spot on! I remember reading an interview with Kevin where he says something like 'I don't exactly sing, it's more speaking in tune!'. Not a direct quote but near enough! I'm lucky to have seen him play live 4 times.
Best Kevin interview I've ever heard. I always thought it wonderful that both he and Richard Sinclair kept it English, rather than pretending they were Jackie Wilson, Jerry Lee Lewis, or Elvis.
Yes, good point. And the thing is that Caravan and Hatfield and the North made music that perfectly complemented Sinclair’s voice.
Kevin, here, seems to be focusing on the deficiencies of his accent for pure rock or rock n roll. He mentions the word “raunchy” twice which is telling.
It’s the Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis inspired music he says his type of accent can’t really be a vehicle for.
I loved his voice and accent. Kind of reminds me of Alan Rickmans voice. It was so distinct and cool, and I wished Ayers was much more popular so people could've heard his awesome voice
[12 October 2021] This interview will always be precious to me. Even though Ayers was rather embarrassed about his cut-glass Canterbury accent, I always found it adorable. And the whole central thrust of Ayers' interview - his conviction that English people, because of their accents, are somehow fundamentally unsuited for "raunchy" rock 'n' roll singing (he even actually says, "Trying to sing anything raunchy with my kind of English accent, it sounds ridiculous...") - reminds me of something that Bob Dylan said about English people (in his famous 1965 *PLAYBOY* interview with Nat Hentoff): " *You know, the English can say "marvelous" pretty good. They can't say "raunchy" so good, though* . " I'll always wonder if Ayers ever actually read that interview, when it first appeared in print; whether Ayers and Robert Wyatt and Syd Barrett and David Bowie and Bryan Ferry and Brian Eno - all the greatest English eccentric mutant-pop singers, the ones who chose to sound self-consciously English, singing with their own accents, as opposed to trying to affect an American accent that wasn't theirs to affect - read that interview and said to themselves (for who among them would dare try to argue with Bob Dylan?) "Very well then, I *shall* say *marvelous* , and *not* that other word that starts with R." I know I have no proof that Ayers et al. read that interview, but then again, I also have no proof that they *didn't* read it, you know what I mean?
And PH, obviously.
Funny because he succeeded in creating a singing style that suited his accent and so made unique music
Just goes to show that people are never happy. Kevin was a beautiful, Adonis-like man with a rich, distinctive voice and yet here he reveals how self-conscious and unhappy he was.
Yes indeed and shagging both John Cale's and Richard Branson's wives, though not at the same time!
I can't imagine Kevin or Robert trying to sing in another way. I'm happy Kevin never did and hope Robert never will, if he choses to start again. Both are perfect right where they are..
Such a nice and brilliant guy!
It's a great accent !!
Brilliant! Thank you for this gem! I love Kevin's "accent". I have a similar one myself!
Ironic Kevin knocks a British accent in rock and roll, yet had admiration for Syd Barrett to an extent of collaborating with him, and Syd sang with a British accent.
He might’ve dug what Syd did because he didn’t try to mask his accent at all
He mentioned the Kinks, Pink Floyd and Beatles in terms of singing with a British accent - He could have added the Who. All of these bands took rocknroll where it had not previously been, and all sang about post-war life in Britain in a way that was entirely original and nothing to do with America.
He he certainly should have . But he did not mention Pink Floyd
Kevin Ayers and Nick Drake- both beautiful speaking and singing voices, both hated their accents. They should have known they had a distinct brand and pushed it successfully and with humour, like James Blunt today “and no mortgage “.
Here is Nick Drake speaking czcams.com/video/dBka2Fqra_E/video.html
Is it you Aymeric interviewing Kevin here ?
Yep - as with every other video on this page (I think).
@@aymericleroy8500 wow, I only just now found this channel and it's an absolute treat for Canterbury fans
@@aymericleroy8500 Fantastic! What a gem you made! Thanks!
He sounds a lot like Nick Drake!
❤
Is it me or...terrible subtitles/translation ( when he mentions Noel Coward ...!)
The subtitles that appear are not mine, it's CZcams's automated transcription of what's being said.
The title should really say "English" rather than "British" as that is what Kevin himself says and was!
Done ! Thanks.
He's right upper class rock and roll sucks because it lacks any down to earth soul
I always thought rock n roll sounded really good in German, though I agree with him that in French it sounds awful