New remastered vinyl release of the classic 1970 album by Kevin Ayers & The Whole World. Features Mike Oldfield, Lol Coxhill, David Bedford, Robert Wyatt & Bridget St. John. Remastered from the original master tapes. Cut at Abbey Road Studios. The Canterbury scene's most whimsical and sophisticated statement finally receives the vinyl treatment it has long deserved. Esoteric Recordings's new remastered edition of Kevin Ayers & The Whole World's Shooting At The Moon represents more than a simple reissue - it's the restoration of one of British psychedelia's most charming and musically adventurous albums, featuring an extraordinary cast of musicians who would go on to define progressive music's most creative period. Originally issued in October 1970 on EMI's Harvest label, Shooting At The Moon captured Kevin Ayers at a crucial moment in his post-Soft Machine career. Having embarked on his solo journey in 1969, this album showcased the band he'd assembled to promote his previous release Joy of a Toy - a group that would prove to be one of the most musically gifted ensembles of the era.
The Whole World featured an extraordinary lineup: Mike Oldfield (bass, guitar, vocals) years before Tubular Bells would make him a household name, David Bedford (keyboards, guitar) who would become one of Britain's most respected avant-garde composers, Lol Coxhill (saxophone) the free jazz pioneer whose distinctive sound graced countless experimental recordings, and Mick Fincher (drums) providing the rhythmic foundation for Ayers' melodic wanderings. The album sessions also welcomed two crucial guest contributors: Bridget St. John, whose ethereal voice perfectly complemented Ayers' on the duet "The Oyster & The Flying Fish," and Robert Wyatt, Ayers' former Soft Machine bandmate, who added vocals to "Colores Para Dolores." This gathering of Canterbury scene luminaries created musical chemistry that would prove difficult to recreate.
Flipping it over…
Shooting At The Moon perfectly captures Ayers' unique position within British rock - too sophisticated for simple psychedelia, too playful for prog rock's more serious ambitions, too melodic for the avant-garde. Tracks like "May I?," "Clarence in Wonderland," and the album's title track demonstrate his gift for combining surreal lyrics with genuinely beautiful melodies, creating songs that work both as pop confections and artistic statements. The album represents Canterbury psychedelia at its most accessible yet adventurous, with Oldfield's bass work providing melodic counterpoint to Ayers' gentle vocals while Bedford's keyboards add both pastoral beauty and occasional dissonance. Coxhill's saxophone contributions bring free jazz sensibilities to what might otherwise be straightforward pop songs, creating the kind of genre-blending that would become Canterbury's signature.
This new vinyl edition has been carefully remastered from the original master tapes and cut at the legendary Abbey Road Studios, ensuring that the album's subtle dynamics and rich instrumental textures are preserved with maximum fidelity. The restoration fully preserves the original LP artwork, maintaining the visual aesthetic that perfectly captured the album's whimsical yet sophisticated character.
