Mike Batt
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Suggest New Bands and Artists
Forum Description: Suggest, create polls, and classify new bands you would like included on Prog Archives
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=76609
Printed Date: December 01 2024 at 22:27
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.01 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Mike Batt
Posted By: kurosawa
Subject: Mike Batt
Date Posted: March 11 2011 at 11:44
| Just joining (about 15 minutes ago) your excellent website, I must say that I´m a little bit surprised not finding any serious article about Mike Batt. Mike Batt is PROG. Period. What´s wrong with you guys! |
Replies:
Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: March 11 2011 at 11:51
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Nothing. What's wrong with you? ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: March 11 2011 at 11:52
...and this thread will be moved.
Edit. Told you.  ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: March 11 2011 at 11:56
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To be honest, I really don't like Mike Batt or anything he's touched. Nothing personal, just find him tiresome and derivative, including Justin Haywards Classic Blue. I haven't forgiven him for All Around My Hat in 36 years and I'm in no mind to start now. ------------- What? |
Posted By: kurosawa
Date Posted: March 11 2011 at 12:22
| Thank God. This is a serious site. I hate the guy. Just listened to Marsian chronicles by Solaris (hungarian band). They still sound great. Now I will get drunk. After all it´s friday : ) |
Posted By: Easy Livin
Date Posted: March 11 2011 at 13:19
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Mr Womble has been discussed a few times:
http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=14779" rel="nofollow - http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=14779
http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12333" rel="nofollow - http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12333
http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10524" rel="nofollow - http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10524
http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3289" rel="nofollow - http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3289
To be fair, he has made quite a few good, perhasp even prog related albums. "Arabesque" is excellent.
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Posted By: kurosawa
Date Posted: March 11 2011 at 13:34
| Actually, the song Ride from Agadir is good, according to me. Anyways, still hate the guy : ) |
Posted By: The Hemulen
Date Posted: March 11 2011 at 13:51
Posted By: Phideaux
Date Posted: March 11 2011 at 13:55
| I love the Boney M version of Ride To Agadir. It's identical to Mike Batt's version, but super fun in the Boney M/Abba way. |
Posted By: Green Shield Stamp
Date Posted: April 20 2011 at 13:27
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This posting has just been moved from a different forum to here. I didn't know that there was already a Mike Batt discussion thread when I wrote this post.
I haven't posted for many months now (since the accident) and I'm not sure if I'm posting this in the right forum but....in the March issue of Classic Rock Presents Prog, there is a substantial feature on Mike Batt. After reading this article, I bought the albums Schizophonia and The Tarot Suite. The magazine describes these works as, 'prog-ish rock with world music textures and neo-classical ambition.' After listening to both albums several times I am inclined to agree with this summation. I know that Mike Batt is not included in Prog Archives, but that (in my mind) doesn't make him any less prog. I know that Batt has produced an enormous range of music over the years - most of which could never be described as prog (the Wombles, Bright Eyes etc), but there are quite a few artists included here that produced proggish albums even though they are not normally considered to be prog.
On the strength of the two Mike Batt albums listed above, should his position in the world of prog be reappraised. Please don't decide one way or the other until you have had an opportunity to listen to the albums? ------------- Haiku Writing a poem With seventeen syllables Is very diffic.... |
Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: April 20 2011 at 14:39
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Dean wrote:Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: April 20 2011 at 14:53
 ------------- What? |
Posted By: Green Shield Stamp
Date Posted: April 20 2011 at 15:35
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He also produced albums for the Groundhogs amd arranged the classic Family album: Music in a Doll's House ------------- Haiku Writing a poem With seventeen syllables Is very diffic.... |
Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: April 20 2011 at 15:50
------------- What? |
Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: April 20 2011 at 16:25
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Without a doubt the Wombles should be here.Not sure about Mr Batt though. Katie Melua is okay. |
Posted By: Green Shield Stamp
Date Posted: April 21 2011 at 04:47
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Sorry Dean. My mistake. The other album I was thinking of was Tony McPhee's 1968 pre-Groundhogs album The Devil and Me. ------------- Haiku Writing a poem With seventeen syllables Is very diffic.... |
Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: April 21 2011 at 06:08
Looking deeper, McPhee also appears on Hapshash & The Coloured Coat's Western Flier album with Batt and on Batt's Tarot Suite album, along with Chris Spedding (who, if I remember correctly, was also a Womble - his famous white Gibson Flying V on TOTP gave the game away a tad). ------------- What? |
Posted By: npjnpj
Date Posted: April 21 2011 at 08:44
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Someone should make a poll: Who do you prefer: 1) Mike Batt for the Wombles 2) Malcolm Mclaren for the Sex Pistols |
Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: April 22 2011 at 03:05
Its still a puzzling comment to me though. Steeleye Span wrote the song yet you are blaming Batt for it? Did he produce it badly? For the record I do actually like this song.Use to be one of my favourites as a kid. Love that 'chugging' rhythm and Maddy's voice.
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Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: April 22 2011 at 03:07
Yeah...I like too. Silly Dean.  ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Icarium
Date Posted: April 22 2011 at 03:14
Katie Melua is a godess
 -------------  
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Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: April 22 2011 at 03:45
 Steelye Span didn't write the song either.  Batt produced the album and he produced a Folk-Pop album, and not the Electric Folk or Folk-Rock of their previous albums (admittedly he/they did try and redress that on Rocket Cottage). Now everyone knows I love pop, especially 60s, 70s & 80s pop, and I have no problems with rock or folk bands "going pop", but this I simply didn't like. No puzzle. ------------- What? |
Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: April 22 2011 at 03:52
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Around_My_Hat_%28song%29" rel="nofollow - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Around_My_Hat_(song)
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Green Shield Stamp
Date Posted: April 22 2011 at 06:54
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After getting the albums Schizophonia and The Tarot Suite (the best albums that The Alan Parsons Project didn't record), I have just acquired Arabesque, which sounds a little like latter day Camel. The strong use of Davy Spillane's Uilleann pipes and low whistle bear similarity to 'Harbour of Tears'. I have also bought Seven Days in Berlin, which is a very experimental orchestral album.
The more I listen to Mike Batt, the less I can understand why he is not considered prog enough to be included in Prog Archives. Is his association with the Wombles something to do with it? If this is the case, then it seems very unfair. It would be like defining Paul McCartney purely by 'The Frog Chorus' or David Bowie by 'The Laughing Gnome'.
Until I read the article on Batt in the March issue of Classic Rock Presents Prog, I had no idea how progressive Batt was as a songwriter, arranger and orchestrator.
I suspect that those who argue against Batt's inclusion here may not be familiar with these more overtly prog aspects of his recorded output. ------------- Haiku Writing a poem With seventeen syllables Is very diffic.... |
Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: April 22 2011 at 07:20
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^ This isn't a "lets include Mike Batt in PA" thread, it's a general discussion about Mike Batt in "General Music DIscussions". I've not given an opinion on whether he should be included, nor cited any of his projects as a musician for reason to include or exclude him. Same is true of any comments about him as an A&R man for Liberty or as a producer (not that either of them would make him eligible for inclusion). ------------- What? |
Posted By: Green Shield Stamp
Date Posted: April 22 2011 at 13:01
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Dean, the thread is locked down in the correct forum even though the opening post is clearly asking why Batt is not in Prog Archives. My original posting also was not placed in the "General Music DIscussions" but was subsequently moved here by an administrator. It seems that Batt can only be discussed at present within this particular forum which does not allow for any discussion concerning his elegibility for inclusion in Prog Archives. So I will drop out of this thread and wait until a future time when maybe the original question will be considered suitable for discussion. ------------- Haiku Writing a poem With seventeen syllables Is very diffic.... |
Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: April 22 2011 at 13:15
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^You didn't start your thread in "Suggest bands and Artists" either. In fact neither you or the originator of this thread have proposed him. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Easy Livin
Date Posted: April 22 2011 at 13:33
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The problem was that the OP opened two identical threads at the same time on Mike Batt in different forums.
As the discussion seems to be in the main about whether he should be on the site or not, I'll relocate this one to the Suggest new bands section, to allow that discussion to continue.
I don't think there's been any great objection to his inclusion so far. His involvement with the Wombles will inevitably lead to jokes being made, especially by those only familiar with that part of his career.
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Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: April 22 2011 at 13:35
No one has actually proposed him, unless I missed it. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: April 22 2011 at 13:59
------------- What? |
Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: April 22 2011 at 14:09
Whaa? What the hell kind of band suggestion is this?   
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Posted By: Andy Webb
Date Posted: April 22 2011 at 14:30
My thoughts exactly ------------- http://ow.ly/8ymqg" rel="nofollow">  
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Posted By: crimhead
Date Posted: April 22 2011 at 15:06
Laughing his way to the bank. Smart to take a percentage on this rather than the money up front. There's money in kids music. |
Posted By: crimhead
Date Posted: April 22 2011 at 15:07
Works for me. I'd buy that for a dollar. |
Posted By: Green Shield Stamp
Date Posted: April 22 2011 at 15:43
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I'd like to hereby propose that Mike Batt be included in Prog Archives. What do you say? ------------- Haiku Writing a poem With seventeen syllables Is very diffic.... |
Posted By: Andy Webb
Date Posted: April 22 2011 at 16:03
Have any samples, youtube videos, links, etc that could help us determine if this music is prog? ------------- http://ow.ly/8ymqg" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Pastor Rex Cat
Date Posted: April 23 2011 at 00:06
------------- http://revbookburn.blogspot.com/ http://www.youtube.com/user/rexcat http://www.myspace.com/prxcat Greetings! And Welcome to The Global Internet Church of Prog! Hail the Prog and Praise "Bob"! |
Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: April 23 2011 at 03:05
From that link:
Songs that refer to All Around My Hat (song)
Jasper Carrot sang a parody "It's my bloody ribbon and it's my bloody hat" at the Cambridge folk Festival in 1976. The Wombles and Jasper Carrot for 'prog related'? You know it makes sense
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Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: April 23 2011 at 03:08
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Posted By: Easy Livin
Date Posted: April 23 2011 at 03:31
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To those ridiculing the suggestion, I would emphasise that this would not lead to the inclusion of the Wombles, Melua, or anyone else Batt has worked with. This is purely about his solo work. If you have not heard his solo albums, you may be pleasantly surprised. They have nothing in common with the other facets of his career.
To reject him on the basis of work which is not being proposed for inclusion would be churlish and misguided. Let him stand or fall for admission based only on his solo albums.
As you will gather, I support his inclusion, either as prog related or in a prog category. More importantly, I think it is important that he is assessed fairly.
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Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: April 23 2011 at 04:22
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^ agreed
My comments regarding Batt as a producer were made before this thread was turned into a suggestion thread and should be ignored., If this had been a suggestion from the outset I would not have made them. My personal likes or dislikes are immateral for the purposes of evaluation.
From the clips I have heard of Arabesque and Tarot Suite I also support his inclusion. ------------- What? |
Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: April 23 2011 at 04:26
Finally some voices of reason. Can you guys help us by pointing in the right direction? A couple of relevant samples would be good. 
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Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: April 23 2011 at 04:32
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Can it be noted that I never pooh-poohed the idea?
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: April 23 2011 at 04:33
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Duly noted.
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Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: April 23 2011 at 04:36
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------------- What? |
Posted By: giselle
Date Posted: April 23 2011 at 05:01
| Some of the attitudes expressed here are unhealthy, and show the worst aspect of creating a genre at all. I don't particularly like some of the stuff Mike Batt does (too sugary for my taste at least), but surely it can't be denied that the man has a high level of talent? Argue about whether it's prog (for inclusion in our church) or not, but please don't devalue our credibility by denigrating his obvious talent because you don't like it personally. |
Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: April 23 2011 at 05:40
------------- What? |
Posted By: giselle
Date Posted: April 23 2011 at 06:57
| Not you Dean, it's fine to have a personal preference. But others express hating the person who created the music they don't like. |
Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: April 23 2011 at 07:04
I didn't like any of these examples. And not prog imo. Especially the first one..yuck ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Green Shield Stamp
Date Posted: April 23 2011 at 08:40
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The problem with YouTube clips is that only the more commercial songs from Batt's solo albums are available. To assess his prog credentials you need to listen to the albums: Schizophonia, The Tarot Suite, Six Days in Berlin and Arabesque. I cannot upload these albums here without risk of being sued for breach of copyright. Can an artist not be considered for inclusion unless actual examples can be provided on this website? Should copyright laws determine whether or not an artist is eligible for Prog Archives? ------------- Haiku Writing a poem With seventeen syllables Is very diffic.... |
Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: April 23 2011 at 08:46
I chose those Batt Video's purely at random trying to get a sample of Schizophonia, The Tarot Suite and Arabesque - whether they were representative I am not qualfied to judge since I've not heard any one album in full. If by searching YouTube you can find more representive samples, please feel free.
http://www.progarchives.com/about_us.asp#add-request" rel="nofollow - http://www.progarchives.com/about_us.asp#add-request
http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=73146&PID=3942751#3942751" rel="nofollow - http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=73146&PID=3942751#3942751
------------- What? |
Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: April 23 2011 at 08:48
------------- What? |
Posted By: Green Shield Stamp
Date Posted: April 23 2011 at 13:55
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http://www.myspace.com/mikebattofficial/music/songs/the-fires-of-rabat-50503523" rel="nofollow -
http://www.myspace.com/mikebattofficial/music/songs/the-fires-of-rabat-50503523
http://www.myspace.com/mikebattofficial/music/songs/insh-allah-50503522" rel="nofollow - http://www.myspace.com/mikebattofficial/music/songs/insh-allah-50503522
http://www.myspace.com/mikebattofficial/music/songs/the-night-of-the-dead-50503535" rel="nofollow - http://www.myspace.com/mikebattofficial/music/songs/the-night-of-the-dead-50503535
http://www.myspace.com/mikebattofficial/music/songs/part-three-50500179" rel="nofollow - http://www.myspace.com/mikebattofficial/music/songs/part-three-50500179
These tracks are more representative of his solo stuff. ------------- Haiku Writing a poem With seventeen syllables Is very diffic.... |
Posted By: progrockfreak
Date Posted: April 23 2011 at 21:09
| Go to grooveshark.com...search for music...Mike Batt. You will find the albums "A Songwriter's Tale", "Caravans", "The Hunting Of The Snark" & "Songs Of Love And War" well represented in the list that it throws back at you, plus a few tracks from "Tarot Suite" and lots of stuff from other artists he has been involved with. The first title is a re-working of many of his best-known songs, and the second a film score he did. You can listen to any song you wish in its entirety just by selecting it and hitting "play song". Should give you a bit an idea of what the guy is all about for evaluation purposes. |
Posted By: Green Shield Stamp
Date Posted: April 24 2011 at 05:00
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I would urge everyone to listen to Six Days in Berlin Part three, which is one of the finest Prog Rock tracks ever produced. ------------- Haiku Writing a poem With seventeen syllables Is very diffic.... |
Posted By: giselle
Date Posted: April 24 2011 at 05:26
| Amen to that. |
Posted By: npjnpj
Date Posted: April 26 2011 at 08:57
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I giggle at his involvement with the Wombles, of course, but to be honest I find that both Schezophonia and Tarot Suite qualify, and as this site's rules are to include artists who only have one album qualifying as Prog can be included here, he qualifies. I suppose the rules here apply to all. The Tarot Suite is a really good listen now and again. I can only urge you people to give it a try. |
Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: April 26 2011 at 10:32
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Dean's samples make this suggestion IMO a valid suggestion for Crossover. Here's one more sample from Tarot Suite: More samples from Schizophonia: ^ awesome stuff I'll notify the Crossover Team for the evaluation. |
Posted By: JeanFrame
Date Posted: April 27 2011 at 09:56
| To some extent, it's Mike Batt's own fault there is such confusion over his worth. He has produced some piffle, but he's also produced some magical stuff too. |
Posted By: Green Shield Stamp
Date Posted: April 27 2011 at 12:14
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^ Absolutely agree with this. I am now listening to the 1980 album Waves, which has some real stinkers on it. Beunos Dias, Capitan is like a poor man's version of the awful 'Illegal Alien' by Genesis. Batt himself says of the album,'It's got some good songs on it, but is rather too much of a hotch-potch of styles for me to be proud of it..'
Having said that, the albums Schizophonia and The Tarot Suite (and to a slightly lesser extent Six Days in Berlin and Arabesque) are sufficient for his inclusion in Prog Archives. ------------- Haiku Writing a poem With seventeen syllables Is very diffic.... |
Posted By: Marty McFly
Date Posted: April 28 2011 at 11:34
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Boy, this won't be easy.
------------- There's a point where "avant-garde" and "experimental" becomes "terrible" and "pointless," -Andyman1125 on Lulu  Even my |
Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: April 28 2011 at 13:22
If it were easy we'd train mice to do it. 
It should be that hard - just ignore the the stuff everyone's said to ignore. ------------- What? |
Posted By: russellk
Date Posted: April 28 2011 at 14:02
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Much of Mike Batt's solo work is clearly tarred with the prog brush. Not prog from the ground up - as say VDGG or GG were - but definitely influenced by prog. Because things were simpler back then we would happily have pronounced his work such as 'Schizophonia', 'Tarot Suite' and 'Six Days in Berlin' symphonic rock. His inclusion would fill nicely an archival gap here particularly in the late 70s - early 80s. Seems perfect, therefore, for crossover. |
Posted By: Marty McFly
Date Posted: April 28 2011 at 19:11
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OK then. After listening Tarot Suite, I'm impressed. Even thought Imbecile sounds to me as Meat Loaf and Lady of the Dawn is ... well, you know what it is. However, there is proggy stuff on this release and whole album feels like rather Prog than not. Will listen 'Schizophonia'. ------------- There's a point where "avant-garde" and "experimental" becomes "terrible" and "pointless," -Andyman1125 on Lulu Even my |
Posted By: Chris S
Date Posted: May 06 2011 at 15:40
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Rejected by the Crossover team.....please for those so motivated, have a Special collaborator make a case to admin for Prog Related ------------- ...As I venture through the slipstream, between the viaducts in your dreams...[/COLOR] |
Posted By: Easy Livin
Date Posted: May 07 2011 at 03:10
| I've asked the admin team to consider for prog related. |
Posted By: Marty McFly
Date Posted: May 07 2011 at 04:18
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^ Very good, he deserves place here, in PR (in my opinion).
------------- There's a point where "avant-garde" and "experimental" becomes "terrible" and "pointless," -Andyman1125 on Lulu Even my |
Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: May 07 2011 at 09:01
| will that include The Wombles as well? |
Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: May 07 2011 at 09:55
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nope. ------------- What? |
Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: May 07 2011 at 16:11
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Posted By: Easy Livin
Date Posted: May 08 2011 at 09:58
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Mike Batt has been approved for prog related.
This is strictly on the basis that the entry, covers only his solo career. Any additions which are not credited simply to "Mike Batt" will be deleted.
Whoever is doing the addition should add this condition to the biography please.
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Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: May 08 2011 at 10:48
Nice! 
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Posted By: Green Shield Stamp
Date Posted: May 08 2011 at 10:59
Great news! I'm so glad that Batt's solo work is getting recognition here. Hopefully it will encourage people to explore some of his excellent music and will make them realise that there is far more to Mike Batt than The Wombles! ------------- Haiku Writing a poem With seventeen syllables Is very diffic.... |
Posted By: Marty McFly
Date Posted: May 09 2011 at 09:45
I feel like mouse sometimes, running around in circles. Perhaps I've been trained to it ------------- There's a point where "avant-garde" and "experimental" becomes "terrible" and "pointless," -Andyman1125 on Lulu Even my |
Posted By: Easy Livin
Date Posted: December 02 2011 at 14:15
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Just a reminder that Batt was approved for addition, see above. A number of people were very keen to see him added, but he has not appeared to date.
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Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: December 02 2011 at 14:18
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That is so typical. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Easy Livin
Date Posted: April 20 2012 at 11:07
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Almost a year now since Batt was approved. Funny how those who were so keen to see him added have gone to ground!
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Posted By: Easy Livin
Date Posted: May 28 2012 at 14:09
.... and still we wait......
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Posted By: AreYouHuman
Date Posted: May 12 2013 at 23:20
And now it's almost a year later and still no progress. Apparently. 
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Posted By: AreYouHuman
Date Posted: May 15 2014 at 22:57
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HEY! BUMP!!
STILL NOTHIN’!!! Somebody really needs to go back and give a good listen to Six Days in Berlin and Tarot Suite.  ------------- Caption: We tend to take ourselves a little too seriously. Silly human race! Yes is for everybody! |