Kevin Ayers
Where Do the Stars End (The Recordings 1974-1980) (6CD)
Format6CDLabelEsoteric RecordingsGenrePsychedelia & Kraut
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Where Do the Stars End gathers the recordings Kevin Ayers made between his move to Island in 1974 and his last album for Harvest in 1980. Five albums are spread across six discs, with singles, BBC sessions and thirteen previously unreleased live recordings from Paris in 1975 and Bremen in 1976. The set covers a run of records made with a changing cast of players around his guitarist Ollie Halsall.
Ayers left EMI's Harvest, his label since 1969, and recorded The Confessions of Doctor Dream and Other Stories in 1974 with producer Rupert Hine. Guests included Mike Oldfield and Mike Ratledge, and it was the first Ayers album with Halsall, his long-time collaborator. Sweet Deceiver followed in March 1975, produced by Ayers and Halsall, with contributions from Elton John. In 1976 he returned to Harvest for Yes We Have No Mañanas (So Get Your Mañanas Today), produced by Muff Winwood. Rainbow Takeaway, co-produced with Anthony Moore, came in 1978, and That's What You Get Babe closed his Harvest years in February 1980.
Disc one holds Confessions, with its four-part title suite, a reworking of the Soft Machine track Why Are We Sleeping?, credited to Ayers, and three single sides from 1974. Disc two pairs Sweet Deceiver, which opens with Observations, with six unreleased recordings from the Salle Wagram in Paris on 26 February 1975. Disc three collects BBC sessions from 1974 and 1975 for John Peel, Rock On and Radio 1 In Concert. Disc four is Yes We Have No Mañanas with a Peel session from July 1976. Disc five adds seven unreleased songs taped for Radio Bremen in August 1976 and a BBC concert from September, both with Andy Summers on lead guitar and Zoot Money on keyboards. Disc six combines Rainbow Takeaway and That's What You Get Babe, whose last song gives the box its title.
The credits trace how the bands shifted. Confessions has Michael Giles on drums, Lol Coxhill on saxophone and backing singers including Doris Troy. On That's What You Get Babe, produced by Graham Preskett, Hans Zimmer is credited with programming the Prophet synthesizer. Cherry Red's notes call the arrival of Summers part of a new live band formed to promote the 1976 album. The box was compiled by Mark Powell, with liner notes by Michael Bjorn.
6CD clamshell box set on Esoteric Recordings (ECLEC62944), 2026, remastered from the original master tapes, with an illustrated book containing a new essay.
Release notes
Tracks 1-1 to 1-11 originally released as [m23377] Track 1-12 originally released on [m702806] Tracks 1-13 and 1-14 originally released as [m345996] Tracks 1-12 to 1-14 released as bonus tracks on [r14691899] Tracks 2-1 to 2-9 originally released as [m23406] Tracks 2-10 to 2-15 Live at Salle Wagram, Paris, 26th February 1975 are previously unreleased Tracks 3-1 to 3-4 BBC John Peel session July 1974 released as bonus tracks on [r14691899] Track 3-5 BBC Rock On session July 1974 released on…
| The Confessions Of Doctor Dream And Other Stories (Released May 1974) | |||
| 1-1 | Day By Day | 3:50 | |
| 1-2 | See You Later | 0:28 | |
| 1-3 | Didn't Feel Lonely Till I Thought Of You | 4:10 | |
| 1-4 | Everybody's Sometime And Some People's All The Time Blues | 3:08 | |
| 1-5 | It Begins With A Blessing / Once I Awakened / But It Ends With A Curse | 8:17 | |
| 1-6 | Ballbearing Blues | 0:58 | |
| The Confessions Of Doctor Dream | |||
| 1-7 | Part One: Irreversible Neural Damage | 4:42 | |
| 1-8 | Part Two: Invitation | 1:11 | |
| 1-9 | Part Three: The One Chance Dance | 7:47 | |
| 1-10 | Part Four: Dr. Dream Theme | 5:13 | |
| 1-11 | Two Goes Into Four | 1:48 | |
| Bonus Tracks | |||
| 1-12 | The Up Song | 3:17 | |
| 1-13 | After The Show | 2:37 | |
| 1-14 | Thank You Very Much | 3:01 | |
| Sweet Deceiver (Released March 1975) | |||
| 2-1 | Observations | 4:26 | |
| 2-2 | Guru Banana | 2:47 | |
| 2-3 | City Waltz | 3:32 | |
| 2-4 | Toujours La Voyage | 8:01 | |
| 2-5 | Sweet Deceiver | 2:48 | |
| 2-6 | Diminished But Not Finished | 1:56 | |
| 2-7 | Circular Letter | 4:25 | |
| 2-8 | Once Upon An Ocean | 3:30 | |
| 2-9 | Farewell Again (Another Dawn) | 3:17 | |
| Bonus Tracks | |||
| 2-10 | Stranger In Blue Suede Shoes | 5:13 | |
| 2-11 | Hat Song | 1:59 | |
| 2-12 | Interview | 9:59 | |
| The Confessions Of Dr. Dream | |||
| 2-13.i | Invitation | ||
| 2-13.ii | The One Chance Dance | ||
| 2-13.iii | The Dr. Dream Theme | ||
| 2-14 | Stop This Train (Again Doing It) | 6:02 | |
| 2-15 | Farewell Again (Another Dawn) | 5:47 | |
| BBC Sessions (1974 – 1975) | |||
| 3-1 | Another Whimsical Song | 0:23 | |
| 3-2 | Didn't Feel Lonely Till I Thought Of You | 4:35 | |
| 3-3 | Lady Rachel | 3:51 | |
| 3-4 | Stop This Train | 6:12 | |
| 3-5 | Stranger In Blue Suede Shoes | 3:40 | |
| 3-6 | Shouting In A Bucket Blues | 5:12 | |
| 3-7 | Didn't Feel Lonely Till I Thought Of You | 4:52 | |
| 3-8 | Observations | 5:34 | |
| 3-9 | Stranger In Blue Suede Shoes | 4:41 | |
| 3-10 | Interview | 5:55 | |
| 3-11 | Farewell Again | 4:30 | |
| Yes, We Have No Mañanas - So Get Your Mañanas Today (Released June 1976) | |||
| 4-1 | Star | 4:21 | |
| 4-2 | Mr. Cool | 3:02 | |
| 4-3 | The Owl | 3:15 | |
| 4-4 | Love's Gonna Turn You Round | 4:52 | |
| 4-5 | Falling In Love Again | 2:37 | |
| 4-6 | Help Me | 2:41 | |
| 4-7 | Ballad Of Mr. Snake | 2:07 | |
| 4-8 | Everyone Knows The Song | 2:34 | |
| 4-9 | Yes I Do | 3:13 | |
| 4-10 | Blue | 6:33 | |
| Bonus Tracks | |||
| 4-11 | Mr. Cool | 3:00 | |
| 4-12 | Love's Gonna Turn You Round | 4:43 | |
| 4-13 | Star | 4:41 | |
| 4-14 | Ballad Of Mr. Snake | 2:22 | |
| Live Performances (1976) | |||
| 5-1 | May I? | 5:26 | |
| 5-2 | Whatevershebringswesing | 7:51 | |
| 5-3 | Shouting In A Bucket Blues | 4:42 | |
| 5-4 | Observations | 5:15 | |
| 5-5 | Lady Rachel | 9:02 | |
| 5-6 | Blue | 6:26 | |
| 5-7 | Mr. Cool | 3:10 | |
| - | |||
| 5-8 | Shouting In A Bucket Blues | 5:17 | |
| 5-9 | Star | 4:41 | |
| 5-10 | Love's Gonna Turn You Round | 4:43 | |
| 5-11 | Mr. Cool | 3:50 | |
| 5-12 | Ballad Of Mr. Snake | 2:37 | |
| 5-13 | Blue | 6:24 | |
| Rainbow Takeaway (Released In April 1978) | |||
| 6-1 | Blaming It All On Love | 3:00 | |
| 6-2 | Ballad Of A Salesman Who Sold Himself | 4:31 | |
| 6-3 | A View From A Mountain | 6:15 | |
| 6-4 | Rainbow Takeaway | 3:53 | |
| 6-5 | Waltz For You | 5:21 | |
| 6-6 | Beware Of The Dog II | 5:58 | |
| 6-7 | Strange Song | 2:41 | |
| 6-8 | Goodnight Goodnight | 3:01 | |
| 6-9 | Hat Song | 1:19 | |
| That's What You Get Babe (Released In February 1980) | |||
| 6-10 | That's What You Get | 3:51 | |
| 6-11 | Where Do I Go From Here | 2:39 | |
| 6-12 | You Never Outrun Your Heart | 3:06 | |
| 6-13 | Given And Taken | 2:54 | |
| 6-14 | Idiots | 3:06 | |
| 6-15 | Super Salesman | 5:03 | |
| 6-16 | Money, Money, Money | 3:12 | |
| 6-17 | Miss Hanaga | 3:18 | |
| 6-18 | I'm So Tired | 2:32 | |
| 6-19 | Where Do The Stars End | 3:06 | |
- Simon Jeffes
- Arranged By [Brass Arrangements] (1-1 to 1-11)
- Charlie McCracken
- Backing Vocals (5-1 to 5-13), Bass Guitar (4-1 to 6-9)
- Clare Torry
- Backing Vocals (6-10 to 6-19)
- Doris Troy
- Backing Vocals (1-1 to 1-11)
- Joanne Williams
- Backing Vocals (1-1 to 1-11)
- Neil Lancaster
- Backing Vocals (6-10 to 6-19)
- Rosetta Hightower
- Backing Vocals (1-1 to 1-11)
- John Perry
- Bass Guitar (1-1 to 1-11)
- Mo Foster
- Bass Guitar (6-10 to 6-19)
- Archie Legget
- Bass Guitar, Vocals (3-1 to 3-5)
- Rick Wills
- Bass Guitar, Vocals (2-10 to 2-15, 3-6 to 3-11)
- Vicky Powell
- Coordinator [Additional Coordination]
- Meriel Waissman
- Design [Package Designed]
- Barry DeSouza
- Drums (6-1 to 6-9)
- Freddie Smith
- Drums (2-1 to 2-9, 3-1 to 3-5), Percussion (2-1 to 2-9)
- Liam Genockey
- Drums (6-10 to 6-19)
- Mike Giles
- Drums (1-1 to 1-11)
- Rob Townsend
- Drums (4-1 to 6-9)
- Tony Newman
- Drums (2-10 to 2-15, 3-6 to 3-11)
- Cal Batchelor
- Electric Guitar (1-1 to 1-11)
- Mark Warner
- Electric Guitar (1-1 to 1-11)
- Sam Mitchell
- Electric Guitar (1-1 to 1-11)
- Steve Nye
- Electric Piano (1-1 to 1-11), Engineer [Air Studios] (1-1 to 1-11)
- Chris Lycett
- Engineer (3-6 to 3-11, 5-8 to 5-13)
- Mike Robinson
- Engineer (4-11 to 4-14)
- John Punter
- Engineer [Air Studios] (1-1 to 1-11)
- Gerry Leitch
- Engineer [Assisted By] (1-1 to 1-11)
- Sean Milligan
- Engineer [Assisted By] (1-1 to 1-11)
- Edwin Cross
- Engineer [Mix, Workhouse] (6-10 to 6-19)
- Laurie Latham
- Engineer [Mix, Workhouse] (6-10 to 6-19)
- Rick Walton
- Engineer [Mix, Workhouse] (6-10 to 6-19)
- Simaen Skolfield
- Engineer [Vineyard] (6-10 to 6-19)
- Bill Evans
- Flute (5-1 to 5-13)
- Billy Livsey
- Keyboards (4-1 to 4-10, 6-1 to 6-9)
- John "Rabbit" Bundrick
- Keyboards (3-1 to 3-5)
- George "Zoot" Money
- Keyboards, Backing Vocals (5-1 to 5-13), Keyboards, Vocals (2-10 to 2-15, 3-6 to 3-11, 4-11 to 4-14), Keyboards, Vocals (3-6 to 3-11)
- Anthony Moore
- Keyboards, Producer (6-1 to 6-9)
- Andy Summers
- Lead Guitar (4-11 to 5-13)
- Ollie Halsall
- Lead Guitar (3-1 to 4-10, 6-1 to 6-9), Lead Guitar, Bass Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Piano, Vibraphone, Vocals (2-1 to 2-9), Lead Guitar, Guitar, Slide Guitar, Vocals (6-10 to 6-19), Producer (2-1 to 2-9)
- Michael Bjorn
- Liner Notes
- Kevin Ayers
- Mixed By (2-1 to 2-9), Producer (1-13, 1-14, 2-1 to 2-9, 6-1 to 6-9), Vocals, Acoustic Guitar (1-1 to 1-11), Vocals, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Twelve-String Guitar, Mandolin, Bass [Fuzz Bass] (2-1 to 2-9), Vocals, Guitar (2-10 to 6-19), Written-By (1-1 to 2-11, 2-13 to 3-9, 3-11 to 4-4, 4-6 to 6-9)
- Vic Gamm
- Mixed By (2-1 to 2-9)
- Jacob Magnusson
- Organ, Accordion, Piano, Clavinet, Vocals (2-1 to 2-9)
- B.J. Cole
- Pedal Steel Guitar (4-1 to 4-10)
- Roy Jones
- Percussion (6-10 to 6-19)
- Trevor Murrell
- Percussion (6-10 to 6-19)
- Henry Crallan
- Piano (1-1 to 1-11)
- Bernie Andrews
- Producer (3-1 to 3-5)
- Graham Preskett
- Producer (6-10 to 6-19), Violin (6-1 to 6-9), Violin, Guitar, Keyboards, Mandolin, Banjo, Vocals (6-10 to 6-19)
- Jeff Griffin
- Producer (4-11 to 4-14, 5-8 to 5-13)
- John Etchells
- Producer (3-6 to 3-11)
- Muff Winwood
- Producer (4-1 to 4-10)
- Norman Smith
- Producer (1-13)
- Pete Ritzema
- Producer (3-1 to 3-4)
- Peter Schulze
- Producer (5-1 to 5-7)
- Rupert Hine
- Producer (1-1 to 1-12), Synthesizer [ARP Synthesizer], Organ, Electric Piano, Percussion (1-1 to 1-11)
- Hans Zimmer
- Programmed By [Prophet Synthesizer Programmed By] (6-10 to 6-19)
- Ben Wiseman
- Remastered By
- Mark Powell
- Research [Researched], Compiled By, Coordinator [Coordinated By]
- Roger Saunders
- Rhythm Guitar (4-1 to 4-10)
- Lol Coxhill
- Saxophone (1-1 to 1-11)
- Keith Hancock
- Tape Op (6-10 to 6-19)
