Mike Ratledge
Encyclopedia
Michael Roland "Mike" Ratledge (born April 1943) is a British musician. Ratledge was part of the Canterbury scene
and a long-time member of Soft Machine
.
, Kent
. As a child he was educated in classical music, the only kind of music played in his parents' home. He learned to play the piano, and with his friend Brian Hopper
, whom he had met at Simon Langton School in Canterbury
, played classical piano and clarinet pieces.
Ratledge also met Brian's younger brother Hugh
, and Robert Wyatt
. In 1961 he met Daevid Allen
, who interested them in playing jazz
. Through Cecil Taylor
's piano pieces Ratledge became familiar with the music of Thelonious Monk
, Miles Davis
and John Coltrane
. In 1963 he played in the Daevid Allen Trio
.
Unlike his friends, Ratledge wanted to further his education, and studied at University College, Oxford
, where he earned a degree in psychology
and philosophy
. At the same time he attended music lessons, and was educated by avant-garde
musicians Mal Dean and Rab Spall. After his graduation Ratledge intended to go to a university in the United States
, but his application for a scholarship was filed too late.
In 1966 his friends were forming a new band and asked Ratledge to join. Soft Machine
featured among others Robert Wyatt
, Daevid Allen
and Kevin Ayers
. In the years to follow there were many personnel changes and by 1973 Ratledge was the only remaining member of the original lineup. Ratledge married Marsha Hunt
on April 15, 1967.
In November 1973, Ratledge participated in a live-in-the-studio performance of Mike Oldfield
's Tubular Bells
for the BBC. It is available on Oldfield's Elements
DVD.
In 1976 Ratledge decided to leave Soft Machine to build a solo career, leaving the band under the supervision of Karl Jenkins
. He built himself a studio, but a solo album was never released. Ratledge did however provide film scores for Riddles of the Sphinx (1977), Crystal Gazing (1982). and The Bad Sister (1983). for director Laura Mulvey
.
Ratledge was a seminal figure on the Canterbury music scene. As Soft Machine's longest-lasting member, he evolved with the band from psychedelic music
to jazz-rock. In the 1980s Ratledge was active as a composer and musical producer for commercial
s and the theatre. In 1995, Adiemus
(Karl Jenkins
, Mike Ratledge, Miriam Stockley
), released Songs of Sanctuary, which Ratledge co-produced with Karl Jenkins and for which he also programmed the electronic percussion. The album featured Miriam Stockley on vocals.
Canterbury Scene
The Canterbury scene is a term used to loosely describe the group of progressive rock, avant-garde and jazz musicians, many of whom were based around the city of Canterbury, Kent, England during the late 1960s and early 1970s...
and a long-time member of Soft Machine
Soft Machine
Soft Machine were an English rock band from Canterbury, named after the book The Soft Machine by William S. Burroughs. They were one of the central bands in the Canterbury scene, and helped pioneer the progressive rock genre...
.
Biography and career
Mike Ratledge was born in MaidstoneMaidstone
Maidstone is the county town of Kent, England, south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town linking Maidstone to Rochester and the Thames Estuary. Historically, the river was a source and route for much of the town's trade. Maidstone was the centre of the agricultural...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
. As a child he was educated in classical music, the only kind of music played in his parents' home. He learned to play the piano, and with his friend Brian Hopper
Brian Hopper
Brian Hopper is a British guitarist and saxophonist, and older brother of the late bassist Hugh Hopper. With Hugh, he was a member in the early Canterbury scene band Wilde Flowers. He also played saxophone on Soft Machine's album Volume Two...
, whom he had met at Simon Langton School in Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
, played classical piano and clarinet pieces.
Ratledge also met Brian's younger brother Hugh
Hugh Hopper
Hugh Colin Hopper was a progressive rock and jazz fusion bass guitarist. He was a prominent member of the Canterbury scene, as a member of Soft Machine and various other related bands.-Early career:...
, and Robert Wyatt
Robert Wyatt
Robert Wyatt is an English musician, and founding member of the influential Canterbury scene band Soft Machine, with a long and distinguished solo career...
. In 1961 he met Daevid Allen
Daevid Allen
Daevid Allen , sometimes credited as Divided Alien, an Australian poet, guitarist, singer, composer and performance artist is co-founder of psychedelic rock groups Soft Machine and Gong .-Biography:In 1960, inspired by the Beat Generation writers he had discovered...
, who interested them in playing jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
. Through Cecil Taylor
Cecil Taylor
Cecil Percival Taylor is an American pianist and poet. Classically trained, Taylor is generally acknowledged as one of the pioneers of free jazz. His music is characterized by an extremely energetic, physical approach, producing complex improvised sounds, frequently involving tone clusters and...
's piano pieces Ratledge became familiar with the music of Thelonious Monk
Thelonious Monk
Thelonious Sphere Monk was an American jazz pianist and composer considered "one of the giants of American music". Monk had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire, including "Epistrophy", "'Round Midnight", "Blue Monk", "Straight, No Chaser"...
, Miles Davis
Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,...
and John Coltrane
John Coltrane
John William Coltrane was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Working in the bebop and hard bop idioms early in his career, Coltrane helped pioneer the use of modes in jazz and later was at the forefront of free jazz...
. In 1963 he played in the Daevid Allen Trio
Daevid Allen
Daevid Allen , sometimes credited as Divided Alien, an Australian poet, guitarist, singer, composer and performance artist is co-founder of psychedelic rock groups Soft Machine and Gong .-Biography:In 1960, inspired by the Beat Generation writers he had discovered...
.
Unlike his friends, Ratledge wanted to further his education, and studied at University College, Oxford
University College, Oxford
.University College , is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2009 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £110m...
, where he earned a degree in psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
and philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
. At the same time he attended music lessons, and was educated by avant-garde
Avant-garde
Avant-garde means "advance guard" or "vanguard". The adjective form is used in English to refer to people or works that are experimental or innovative, particularly with respect to art, culture, and politics....
musicians Mal Dean and Rab Spall. After his graduation Ratledge intended to go to a university in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, but his application for a scholarship was filed too late.
In 1966 his friends were forming a new band and asked Ratledge to join. Soft Machine
Soft Machine
Soft Machine were an English rock band from Canterbury, named after the book The Soft Machine by William S. Burroughs. They were one of the central bands in the Canterbury scene, and helped pioneer the progressive rock genre...
featured among others Robert Wyatt
Robert Wyatt
Robert Wyatt is an English musician, and founding member of the influential Canterbury scene band Soft Machine, with a long and distinguished solo career...
, Daevid Allen
Daevid Allen
Daevid Allen , sometimes credited as Divided Alien, an Australian poet, guitarist, singer, composer and performance artist is co-founder of psychedelic rock groups Soft Machine and Gong .-Biography:In 1960, inspired by the Beat Generation writers he had discovered...
and Kevin Ayers
Kevin Ayers
Kevin Ayers is an English singer-songwriter and was a major influential force in the English psychedelic movement...
. In the years to follow there were many personnel changes and by 1973 Ratledge was the only remaining member of the original lineup. Ratledge married Marsha Hunt
Marsha Hunt (singer and novelist)
Marsha Hunt is an American singer, novelist, actress and model.-Early life:Hunt was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1946 and lived in North Philadelphia near 23rd and Columbia then in Germantown and Mount Airy for the first 13 years of her life...
on April 15, 1967.
In November 1973, Ratledge participated in a live-in-the-studio performance of Mike Oldfield
Mike Oldfield
Michael Gordon Oldfield is an English multi-instrumentalist musician and composer, working a style that blends progressive rock, folk, ethnic or world music, classical music, electronic music, New Age, and more recently, dance. His music is often elaborate and complex in nature...
's Tubular Bells
Tubular Bells
Tubular Bells is the debut record album of English musician Mike Oldfield, released in 1973. It was the first album released by Virgin Records and an early cornerstone of the company's success...
for the BBC. It is available on Oldfield's Elements
Elements - The Best of Mike Oldfield (video)
Elements - The Best of Mike Oldfield is a video collection by Mike Oldfield released in October 1993. It was released by Virgin Records on VHS and Laser disc...
DVD.
In 1976 Ratledge decided to leave Soft Machine to build a solo career, leaving the band under the supervision of Karl Jenkins
Karl Jenkins
-Other works:*Adiemus: Live — live versions of Adiemus music*Palladio *Eloise *Imagined Oceans *The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace...
. He built himself a studio, but a solo album was never released. Ratledge did however provide film scores for Riddles of the Sphinx (1977), Crystal Gazing (1982). and The Bad Sister (1983). for director Laura Mulvey
Laura Mulvey
Laura Mulvey is a British feminist film theorist. She was educated at St Hilda's College, Oxford. She is currently professor of film and media studies at Birkbeck, University of London...
.
Ratledge was a seminal figure on the Canterbury music scene. As Soft Machine's longest-lasting member, he evolved with the band from psychedelic music
Psychedelic music
Psychedelic music covers a range of popular music styles and genres, which are inspired by or influenced by psychedelic culture and which attempt to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues-rock bands in the...
to jazz-rock. In the 1980s Ratledge was active as a composer and musical producer for commercial
Advertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
s and the theatre. In 1995, Adiemus
Adiemus
-Concept:Each Adiemus album is a collection of song-length pieces featuring harmonised vocal melody against an orchestral background. There are no lyrics as such: instead the vocalists sing syllables and 'words' invented by Jenkins...
(Karl Jenkins
Karl Jenkins
-Other works:*Adiemus: Live — live versions of Adiemus music*Palladio *Eloise *Imagined Oceans *The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace...
, Mike Ratledge, Miriam Stockley
Miriam Stockley
Miriam Stockley is a British singer. She was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and her work is influenced by the African music in her home country. Her unique vocalese style gained international acclaim when Karl Jenkins' launched the "Adiemus" project with "Songs of Sanctuary", featuring...
), released Songs of Sanctuary, which Ratledge co-produced with Karl Jenkins and for which he also programmed the electronic percussion. The album featured Miriam Stockley on vocals.