We had literary references, so we knew what we were talking about. We could quote things, talk about books we'd read; you can say something, you don't have to explain it.

The Confessions of Dr. The Whole World was reportedly an erratic band live and Ayers was not cut out for life on the road touring. Tensions were somewhat fraught at the event since the night before John Cale had caught Ayers sleeping with his wife prompting him to write the bile-soaked paean 'Guts' that would appear on his 1975 album Slow Dazzle.

Ayers was a founding member of the pioneering psychedelic band Soft Machine in the late 1960s and was closely associated with the Canterbury scene. He recorded a series of albums as a solo artist and over the years worked with Brian Eno Syd Barrett John Cale Elton John Robert Wyatt Andy Summers Mike Oldfield Nico and Ollie Halsall among others.