Lindsay/Ivor Cutler, 8. Life Inside the Sitting Room

Ivor Cutler fans have their own favourites from his work – “Women of the World” perhaps, or “Gruts” – but it’s the bizarre, funny and often disturbing Life in a Scotch Sitting Room tales that attract the most attention. Ivor recorded this series of narratives on a number of albums, on radio shows (notably in sessions for John Peel) and as a print collection. This chapter explores this unique series of stories, and the follow-up story collection Glasgow Dreamer, considering the extent to which they were based on real experiences (such is their nature, it is highly unlikely that most of the events within these stories actually occurred) and attempting to explain just why so many awful things happened to Bill.