Tag Archives: Mike Ratledge

Kevin Ayers: The Confessions Of Dr. Dream And Other Stories

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In May 1974, “Island” label released “The Confessions of Dr.Dream and Other Stories”, the fifth Kevin Ayers studio album. It was recorded February – March 1974, at “AIR Studios” and “Ramport Studios” in London, and was produced by Rupert Hine.

Personnel:

  • Kevin Ayers – vocals, guitars, piano, organ
  • Nico – vocals
  • Mark Warner – acoustic and electric guitar
  • Sam Mitchell – electric guitar
  • Ollie Halsall – electric guitar solo
  • Cal Batchelor – electric guitar
  • Mike Oldfield – electric guitar solo
  • Henry Crallan – piano
  • Mike Moran – piano
  •  Rupert Hine – keyboards
  • Steve Nye – organ, electric piano
  • Mike Ratledge – organ
  • John Perry – bass
  • John Gustafson – bass
  • Trevor Jones – bass
  • Michael Giles – drums
  • The G’Deevy Ensemble – percussion
  • Ray Cooper – percussion
  • Lol Coxhill – alto saxophone
  • Doris Troy, Rosetta Hightower, Joanne Williams – backing vocals
  • Sean Milligan – backing vocals
  • Hulloo Choir – backing vocals
  • John Punter – engineer
  • Steve Nye – engineer
  • Gerry Leitch, Sean Milligan – engineer assistant
  • Simon Jeffes – additional brass arrangements
  • George Smith, James Wedge – illustration

Track listing:

All tracks by Kevin Ayers.

  1. Day By Day
  2. See You Later
  3. Didn’t Feel Lonely Till I Thought of You
  4. Everybody’s Sometime and Some People’s All the Times Blues
  5. It Begins with a Blessing / Once I Awakened / But It Ends with a Curse
  6. Ballbearing Blues
  7. The Confessions of Doctor Dream, Part 1: Irreversible Neural Damage
  8. The Confessions of Doctor Dream, Part 2: Invitation
  9. The Confessions of Doctor Dream, Part 2: The One Chance Dance
  10. The Confessions of Doctor Dream, Part 4: Doctor Dream Theme
  11. Two Goes into Four

Soft Machine: Fifth

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In July 1972, “CBS” label released “Fifth”, the fifth Soft Machine studio album. It was recorded November – December 1971, January – February 1972, at “Advision Studios” in London, and was produced by Elton Dean, Mike Ratledge, Hugh Hopper, Roy Babbington, Phil Howard and John Marshall.

Personnel:

  • Elton Dean – alto saxophone, saxello, Fender Rhodes electric piano
  • Mike Ratledge – Fender Rhodes electric piano, Lowrey organ
  • Hugh Hopper – bass guitar
  • Phil Howard – drums
  • John Marshall – drums
  • Roy Babbington – double bass

Track listing:

  1. All White – Mike Ratledge
  2. Drop – Mike Ratledge
  3. M C – Hugh Hopper
  4. As If – Mike Ratledge
  5. L B O – John Marshall
  6. Pigling Bland – Mike Ratledge
  7. Bone – Elton Dean

Syd Barrett: Opel

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On October 17, 1988, “Harvest” label released “Opel”, and album compiled from Syd Barrett’s recordings made between 1968 and 1970. It features unreleased material and alternate takes of recordings from sessions for Barrett’s solo albums, “The Madcap Laughs”,  and “Barrett”. It was recorded at “Abbey Road Studios” in London and was produced by Syd Barrett, Peter Jenner, Malcolm Jones, Roger Waters, and David Gilmour.

Personnel:

  • Syd Barrett – vocals, guitar
  • Mike Ratledge – organ
  • Hugh Hopper – bass
  • Robert Wyatt – drums
  • Gareth Cousins – mixing

Track listing”

All tracks by Syd Barrett, except where noted.

  1. Opel
  2. Clown and Jugglers
  3. Rats
  4. Golden Hair – lyrics based on a poem by James Joyce
  5. Dolly Rocker
  6. Word Song
  7. Wined and Dined
  8. Swan Lee (Silas Lang)
  9. Birdie Hop
  10. Let’s Split
  11. Lanky (Party One)
  12. Wouldn’t You Miss Me (Dark Globe)
  13. Milky Way
  14. Golden Hair (instrumental version)

Soft Machine: Bundles

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On March 22, 1975, “Harvest” label released “Bundles”, the eighth Soft Machine  album. It was recorded in July 1974 at “CBS Whitfield St Studios” in London, and was produced by Roy Babbington, Allan Holdsworth, Karl Jenkins, John Marshall and Mike Ratledge.

Personnel:

  • Allan Holdsworth– acoustic, 12-string and electric guitars
  • Roy Babbington– bass guitar
  • Karl Jenkins– oboe, piano, electric piano, soprano saxophone
  • John Marshall– drums, percussion
  • Mike Ratledge– Lowrey Holiday Deluxe organ, Fender Rhodes electric piano, AKS synthesizer
  • Ray Warleigh– alto and bass flute

Track listing

All tracks by Karl Jenkins except where noted.

  1. Hazard Profile Part One
  2. Hazard Profile Part Two (Toccatina)
  3. Hazard Profile Part Three
  4. Hazard Profile Part Four
  5. Hazard Profile Part Five
  6. Gone Sailing – Allan Holdsworth
  7. Bundles
  8. Land of the Bag Snake – Allan Holdsworth
  9. The Man Who Waved at Trains – Mike Ratledge
  10. Peff – Mike Ratledge
  11. Four Gongs Two Drums – John Marshall
  12. The Floating World

Kevin Ayers: Joy of a Toy

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In November 1969, “Harvest” label released “Joy of a Toy”, the debut Kevin Ayers solo album. It was recorded June – September 1969, at “Abbey Road Studios” in London, and was produced by Kevin Ayers and Peter Jenner.

Personnel:

  • Kevin Ayers– vocals, guitars, bass
  • David Bedford– piano, mellotron, arranger
  • Mike Ratledge– organ
  • Hugh Hopper– bass
  • Robert Wyatt– drums
  • Rob Tait – drums
  • Paul Minns – oboe
  • Paul Buckmaster– cello
  • Peter Mews – engineer
  • Laurie Asprey – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Kevin Ayers

  1. Joy of a Toy Continued
  2. Town Feeling
  3. The Clarietta Rag
  4. Girl on a Swing
  5. Song for Insane Times
  6. Stop This Train (Again Doing It)
  7. Eleanor’s Cake (Which Ate Her)
  8. The Lady Rachel
  9. Oleh Oleh Bandu Bandong
  10. All This Crazy Gift of Time

Soft Machine: Softs

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In June 1976, “Harvest” label released “Softs”, the ninth Soft Machine studio album. It was recorded January – March 1976, at at “Abbey Road Studios” in London, and was produced by Roy Babbington, John Etheridge, John Marshall, Alan Wakeman and Karl Jenkins.

Personnel:

  • John Etheridge– acoustic and electric guitars
  • Alan Wakeman– soprano and tenor saxophones
  • Karl Jenkins– piano, electric piano, pianette, string and Mini-Moog synthesizers, orchestrations
  • Mike Ratledge– synthesizer
  • Roy Babbington– bass guitar
  • John Marshall– drums, percussion

Track listing:

All tracks by Karl Jenkins except where noted.

  1. Aubade
  2. The Tale ofTaliesin
  3. Ban-BanCaliban
  4. Song ofAeolus
  5. Out of Season
  6. Second Bundle
  7. Kayoo – John Marshall
  8. The Camden Tandem – John Etheridge, John Marshall
  9. Nexus
  10. One Over the Eight – Karl Jenkins, John Marshall, John Etheridge,Alan Wakeman, Roy Babbington
  11. Etika – John Etheridge

Kevin Ayers: Bananamour

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In May 1973, “Harvest” label released “Bananamour”, the fourth Kevin Ayers studio album. It was recorded September-October 1972, at “Abbey Road Studios” in London, and was produced by Kevin Ayers and Andrew King.

Personnel:

  • Kevin Ayers – vocals, guitar
  • Steve Hillage – lead guitar
  • Mike Ratledge- organ
  • Ronnie Price – piano
  • Archie Legget – lead and harmony vocals, bass
  • Eddie Sparrow – drums
  • Barry St. John- vocals
  • Liza Strike – vocals
  • Doris Troy- vocals
  • Robert Wyatt- harmony vocal
  • Howie Casey- tenor saxophone
  • Lyle Jenkins – baritone saxophone
  • Dave Caswell – trumpet
  • Tristan Fry- cymbal
  • David Bedford- orchestral arrangement

Track listing:

All tracks by Kevin Ayers

  1. Don’t Let It Get You Down (For Rachel)
  2. Shouting in a Bucket Blues
  3. When Your Parents Go to Sleep
  4. Interview
  5. Internotional Anthem
  6. Decadence
  7. Oh! Wot A Dream
  8. Hymn
  9. Beware of the Dog

Soft Machine: Same

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the_soft_machine

In December 1968, “Probe” label released the self titled, debut Soft Machine album. It was recorded April 1968, at “Record Plant Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Chas Chandler and Tom Wilson. It was the first album ever recorded in “Record Plant Studios” and was engineered by the studio co-founder Gary Kellgren.

Personnel:

  • Mike Ratledge – Lowrey Holiday De Luxe organ, piano
  • Kevin Ayers – lead and backing vocals, bass, piano
  • Hugh Hopper – bass
  • Robert Wyatt – lead vocals, drums
  • The Cake – backing vocals
  • Byron Goto, Eli Allman, Henry Epstein – cover art

Track listing

  1. Hope for Happiness – Kevin Ayers, Mike Ratledge, Brian Hopper
  2. Joy of a Toy – Kevin Ayers, Mike Ratledge
  3. Hope for Happines (Reprise) – Kevin Ayers, Mike Ratledge, Brian Hopper
  4. Why Am I So Short? – Mike Ratledge, Kevin Ayers, Hugh Hopper
  5. So Boot If At All – Kevin Ayers, Mike Ratledge, Robert Wyatt
  6. A Certain Kind – Hugh Hopper
  7. Save yourself – Robert Wyatt
  8. Priscilla – Kevin Ayers, Mike Ratledge, Robert Wyatt
  9. Lullabye Letter – Kevin Ayers
  10. We Did it Again – Kevin Ayers
  11. Plus Belle qu’une Poubelle – Kevin Ayers
  12. Why Are We Sleeping – Kevin Ayers, Mike Ratledge, Robert Wyatt
  13. Box 25/4 Ltd. – Mike Ratledge, Hugh Hopper

Soft Machine: Third

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Soft_Machine_Third

On June 6, 1970, “CBS” label released “Third”, the third Soft Machine studio album. It was recorded April – May 1970 at “IBC” in London, “Facelift” was recorded live in Croydon and Birmingham, January 1970, and was produced by Mike Ratledge, Hugh Hopper, Robert Wyatt and Elton Dean.

Personnel:

  • Mike Ratledge – Hohner Pianet, Lowrey organ, piano
  • Hugh Hopper– bass guitar
  • Robert Wyatt – vocals, drums, Hammond organ, Mellotron, Hohner Pianet, piano, bass
  • Elton Dean– alto saxophone, saxello
  • Lyn Dobson– soprano saxophone, flute
  • Nick Evans– trombone
  • Jimmy Hastings– flute, bass clarinet
  • Rab Spall– violin

Track listing:

  1. Facelift – Hugh Hopper
  2. Slightly All the Time – Mike Ratledge
  • Noisette – Hugh Hopper
  • Backwards – Mike Ratledge
  • Noisette Reprise Hugh Hopper
  1. Moon in June – Robert Wyatt
  2. Out-Bloody-Rageous – Mike Ratledge

Soft Machine: Fourth

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Soft_Machine - fourth

On February 28, 1971, “CBS” released “Fourth”, the fourth Soft Machine” studio album. It was recorded October – November 1970, at “Olympic Studios” in London, and was produced by Hugh Hopper, Mike Ratledge, Robert Wyatt, Elton Dean and Roy Babbington.

Personnel:

Personnel:

  • Mike Ratledge – Lowrey organ, Hohner piano, acoustic piano
  • Elton Dean – alto saxophone, saxello
  • Roy Babbington – double bass
  • Hugh Hopper – bass guitar
  • Robert Wyatt – drums
  • Mark Charig – cornet
  • Nick Evans – trombone
  • Jimmy Hastings – alto flute, bass clarinet
  • Alan Skidmore – tenor saxophone

Track listing:

  1. Teeth – Mike Ratledge
  2. Kings and Queens – Hugh Hopper
  3. Fletcher’s Blemish – Elton Dean
  4. Virtually Part 1 – Hugh Hopper
  5. Virtually Part 2 – Hugh Hopper
  6. Virtually Part 3 – Hugh Hopper
  7. Virtually Part 4 – Hugh Hopper