Interview with John Peel
during 1969 Peel Session
A bit of an odd short interview from Ivor’s ‘69 session for John Peel. I’ve transcribed this word for word. Peel sounded a bit spaced in a hip hippy way and seems a bit pre-occupied with Ivor’s children’s stories. In contrast - Cutler sounds self-assured and precise. I’ve included Ivor’s intro to one of his pieces. (Thanks are due to Richard Saunders, for uniting me with this session). -DS
IC: This is a chiasmic poem. It is called There and Back Via Sweden. If there are any children listening. . . go to bed. At once. Now, the poem . . . [reads poem]
JP: Ivor, you wouldn’t always send, er, children to bed, would you? Because you write children’s stories as well.
IC: Yes, I write children’s stories, but I like to send them to bed.
JP: Yeah . . I see . . what about the book, then . . . of children’s stories?
IC: Well, I suppose it’ll maybe appear sometime in 1970, but it’s not ready yet.
JP: What about this one we’ve got here then?
IC: Oh! - well these aren’t children’s stories, they’re a bit more sophisticated.
JP: Yes?
IC: Children like them a bit, you know.
JP: Oh . . well that’s . . that’s good, yeah. . I . . I don’t think, er, children usually seem to be able to accept that people traditionally, I suppose they won’t. It’s called Cockadoodle Don’t this one, and er, I must admit I haven’t . . I haven’t seen it before until this evening, erm, but it’s got nice drawings in it, which you did, right?
IC: Yeah
JP: And, er, but what about the new one, anyway, of children’s stories?
IC: Well, I don’t know, but erm, I’ve been reading them to children and . . they appear to like them. But whether their parents are prepared to get rid of the artificial arbitrary strictures which prevent them from enjoying this kind of thing is another matter. With a bit of luck.
JP: I hope so. Do you have anything to say about this next song: In My Room There Sits A Box?
IC: No, I think it’s self explanatory.
[later]
JP: Ivor Cutler, thank you very much for coming along to the programme this evening, in fact quite a few people had written and asked why you’d never, we’d never invited you to come to the programme and so we’re glad you finally did.
IC: I’m also delighted.