It is comforting to know that, wherever one is in the global village, one is never far from a Kevin Ayers enthusiast. Norwegian reader GUNNAR STRØM sent us this account of how he managed to climb aboard the crazy train, and why he still has no desire to get off.

I was first introduced to Kevin at the age of 17 when my local record store dealer in Trondheim, my hometown, recommended 'Whatevershebrings' back in 1972. That became my favourite album and a very reliable friend in hard and happy late teens. The next revelation was the 'June 1st' album where most of my favourite artists at the time played together. I didn't know 'Joy Of A Toy' or 'Shooting At The Moon' before I found them as a double LP in the same record store in 1975. By this time I had moved to an island in Northern Norway where I taught at a small primary school with only 3 children. Needless to say, I was happy to have brought my record collection and Kevin was a good friend.

A pleasant memory of a long night in the house of a female friend belongs to my Kevin story of this teaching year on the island between fjords and mountains. I was playing excerpts from my Kevin collection which now included 'Bananamour' and 'Dr Dream', and with wine and a relaxed atmosphere this night was definitely in the spirit of Ayers himself....

It was a very eager young man who returned to the same house with a new Kevin Ayers record under my arm a couple of weeks later. But 'Sweet Deceiver' didn't meet with the same success...

Another major event occurred a bit later in 1976 when I visited the town of Bodø and found the 'Odd Ditties' sampler at a local record shop. This marvellous pioneering example of how compilations should be made was really 'gefundenes fressen' for the Kevin Ayers fan and young collector's soul of Gunnar Strom. Until the age of CDs, 'Odd Ditties' has been one of my most played records.

My contact with Kevin and his music has almost solely been through his records. I've only seen him once live but then I'm sure I'm the only reader of this fanzine that was at that particular concert.

It started on Friday night July 30th 1976. I was at a party in Trondheim with some friends and one of them just back from holiday in the south of Norway told me about a rock festival in the small town of Tonsberg that was to be held on Sunday the 1st August. And the main attraction was Kevin Ayers and band. I didn't believe him, even though this friend was very reliable. There had been nothing about this festival in the major Norwegian newspapers, but my friend insisited he was telling the truth. I had to believe him. Three of us left Trondheim the next afternoon. It was 700 kms to drive - one way. We slept all 3 of us in a small tent for 2 persons and reached Tonsberg the day after just in time for the festival.

It started on Friday night Jul;y 30th 1976. I was at a party in Trondheim with some friends and one of them just back from holiday in the south of Norway told me about a rock festival in the small town of Tonsberg that was to be held on Sunday the 1st August. And the main attraction was Kevin Ayers and band. I didn't believe him, even though this friend was very reliable. There had been nothing about this festival in the major Norwegian newspapers, but my friend insisted he was telling the truth. I had to believe him. Three of us left Trondheim the next afternoon. It was 700 kms to drive - one way. We slept all 3 of us in a small tent for 2 persons and reached Tonsberg the day after just in time for the festival.

It was the first pop festival ever in the small town of Tønsberg, 200 kms south of Oslo on the western side of the Oslofjord. 1500 people had gathered on Slottsfjellet (the mountain of the castle) to listen to Terje Rypdal, the Swedish folk group Kebnekajse, the Danish MoiRana and the Norwegian rock group Ruphus. Rypdal and his band didn't show up and the Norwegian band Saluki played in his place. And I was a long time afraid Kevin wouldn't be there either, but finally he came - in a white fake tuxedo T-shirt.

Ollie Halsall was missing. Andy Summers was playing in his place. Zoot Money was there with bass and drums by Charlie McCracken and Rob Townsend from 'Yes We Have No Mananas' which was just out.. As the concert happened 16 years ago I can't remember exactly what was played, but several songs from 'Mananas' were naturally included. I think I remember 'Star', 'Mr Cool' and 'Falling In Love Again'. And of course 'May I', 'Shouting In A Bucket', 'Stranger In Blue Suede Shoes', 'Everybody's Sometime..' and 'Two Goes Into Four'. In the absence of Ollie, Kevin did a lot of solo guitar playing himself. Some of his solos were quite long and I particularly remember one where he played with a banana given to him by the 'other Kevin Ayers fan in the audience'.

The rest of the audience had hardly heard of Kevin Ayers I presume. In the local newspaper a couple of weeks before, Kevin was presented like this in an interview with the organisers: 'The whole programme is settled and it is not inexperienced people that will be on the stage. From England we have managed to get Kevin Ayers and his band who are very well known well beyond the British Isles and who naturally has made a lot of records. Kevin Ayers has played in a legendary underground group. The 5 man band plays so-called advanced rock. The best known musician besides Ayers is Zoot Money.'

On the posters for the festival, Kevin and band were presented as ex-Soft Machine, Eric Burdon and the Animals, Taste, Spencer Davis, Family etc. In the paper next morning the concert was declared a success 'with the English guests Kevin Ayers as the highlight of the day. They played solid English quality rock even though a couple of numbers were perhaps stretched a bit too long ( the banana playing? ). But except for that, the usual failures of endless solos and horrible sound volume were luckily missing this time.'

We left the festival just after Kevin's set. Another 700 kms to drive. We were back in Trondheim around 4 on Monday morning. After 2 hours sleep it was a tired but happy Kevin Ayers fan who had to go to work.

It was a great experience even though I doubt that open air concerts are the best place to enjoy Kevin's music. Indoors with a pint or perhaps a glass of wine must be better. In the 80's my best Kevin memories are me sitting alone with a glass of wine, the kids asleep and my girlfriend Kristin either asleep as well or out somewhere on her own. And me alone. Just me, a glass of wine and an old Ayers record on the stereo...

GUNNAR STROM