In One Ear

Cocteau Twins, Ivor and Me

By: Simon Raymonde

Narrated by: Simon Raymonde

'A wonderful book' ELTON JOHN

'Beautiful, insightful and honest' CILLIAN MURPHY

'A fascinating read' DON LETTS

This edition includes original music by the author.

As one-third of seminal band Cocteau Twins, Simon Raymonde helped to create some of the most beautiful and memorable albums of the '80s and '90s - music that continues to cast a spell over millions. This is the story of the band, in his words.

Beginning with Simon's remarkable childhood and exploring his relationship with his father, Ivor Raymonde (the legendary producer, musician and arranger for acts such as the Walker Brothers and songwriter for artists including Dusty Springfield), the book will journey through the musician's rise to prominence and his time with Cocteau Twins and This Mortal Coil.

It will also chart the successful career he has forged running his own label, Bella Union, for the past twenty-seven years, discovering, developing and working with globally renowned artists like Beach House, Fleet Foxes, Father John Misty and John Grant. And the narrative will lead us back to the present day, reflecting on Simon's most recent experiences in the music industry - all while going deaf in one ear.

A must-read for music fans, this is the incredible tale of Simon's life and legacy.©2024 Simon Raymonde (P)2024 Bonnier Books UK

Good listen

Lots of good bands and history. Some interesting insights to be found as well as moving moments

The third Cocteau tells his tale

This was an enjoyable and at times funny biography of the bass player and third member of the Cocteau Twins. He has led an interesting life, tells his story really well and we get to hear about his famous dad, record label Bella Union and surviving the dirty eighties.

I am an ex record company employee, and to hear that there are some labels out there that still recognise that an artist may need more than one album to realize brilliance is refreshing. I am a painter these days, and if I stopped after my first works I would never have reached the more illustrious works I arrived at later.

Well done Simon.

Essential for Cocteau Twins and Bella Union fans

I almost never read memoirs, but Cocteau Twins are my favorite band of all time, so of course I would read this. And knowing the band as I do, I knew not to expect salacious revelations or shit-talking: Liz Fraser, Robin Guthrie and Simon Raymonde have always been private, self-effacing, and meek in the public eye. But such things don't interest me anyway: I came to this to hear the story of Cocteau Twins and, to a lesser degree, of the music label they created, Bella Union. At first, I was half-expecting to be bored by Simon's recounting of his early life, and by his long digression into the life story of his father, the jazz musician Ivor Raymonde. However, the warm, witty quality of Simon's authorial voice (and his literal one, since I read this as an audiobook) made these parts quite enjoyable.

Still, though, the highlights for me here were in the story of Cocteau Twins. As a kid in the 90s, I spent many hours scouring library microfiche for articles about and interviews with this notoriously reticent band, and so in many ways Simon's work here fulfills a childhood dream. Of course, when you're a music-obsessed kid, it's easy to idealize the band you love and think of their lives in quasi-epic terms. As an adult, though, I appreciated the story Simon told here: a story of three incredibly talented but ordinary people who happened to spark up something very special with one another, yet struggled as introverts in a business for extroverts, and whose ordinary lives (addictions, relationships, financial and other mishaps) were happening as they made musical magic.

As a longtime fan, I shed a tear at Simon's tribute to the late Leesa Beales, the superfan who organized CT fandom on the pre-social media internet of the 90s and 2000s, with whom I had many exchanges on email lists, discussion boards, and chatrooms. I learned a lot about CT's creative process, and of course about Simon's own perspective on it. Of course, I would love to have learned more about Liz Fraser's lyric-writing process, or about how Robin Guthrie achieved CT's lush, ethereal sound, but those aren't really Simon's stories to tell. So, I hope Liz and/or Robin decide to write memoirs of their one day..

Honest, thoughtful and engaging

I was won over by his humble brilliance and the positive light he portrayed everyone mentioned. Honest in the fact he includes some of the most stupid shit he’s done, yet blames no one but himself. Thoughtful in his descriptions of persons, places and things. That he reveres the talent and genius of both Robin and Elizabeth.

I loved the listen and his voice is as calming as yoga instructor but not boring. At times funny, heartwarming, intriguing and always positive.

I was frustrated the kindle version is not available in the USA. I like to follow along and highlight passages to refer back to. Lastly I was disappointed that the Lost Horizon recordings were not discussed.

Overall it’s a great listen for fans.

For the love of Music

Cocteau Twins fan or not, Please give yourself the gift of listening to this book.