Mike Ratledge


Michael Roland Ratledge is a British musician. A part of the Canterbury scene, he was a founding member of Soft Machine. He was the last founding member to leave the group, doing so in 1976.

Biography and career

Ratledge was born in Maidstone, 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 Grammar School for Boys 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 included Robert Wyatt, Daevid Allen, and Kevin Ayers. There were many personnel changes, and by 1973, Ratledge was the only remaining founding member.
In November 1973, Ratledge participated in a live performance of Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells for the BBC. In 1976, Ratledge decided to leave Soft Machine to build a solo career, leaving the band under Karl Jenkins' management. Ratledge built himself a studio, but a solo album was never released.
As Soft Machine's longest-lasting member, he was a part of the band's changes in musical direction from psychedelic music to jazz-rock. In the 1980s, Ratledge was active as a composer and musical producer for commercials and the theatre. In 1995, Adiemus released Songs of Sanctuary, which Ratledge co-produced with Karl Jenkins and for which he programmed the electronic percussion.

Personal life

Ratledge married Marsha Hunt on 15 April 1967.

Discography

YearAlbumArtist
1963Live 1963Daevid Allen Trio
1964–68Canterburied Sounds Vols. 1-3Various artists
1967-68The Wilde FlowersWilde Flowers
1969Joy of a ToyKevin Ayers
1970The Madcap LaughsSyd Barrett
1971Just UsElton Dean & Just Us
1972BananamourKevin Ayers
1974The Confessions of Dr. Dream and Other StoriesKevin Ayers
1977Instructions For AngelsDavid Bedford
1978Planet EarthPlanet Earth
1978Star Clusters Nebulae & Places In Devon / The Song of the White HorseDavid Bedford
1979Push ButtonRubba
1980Wonderin' Rollercoaster
1981Cuts for Commercials Vol. 3Karl Jenkins & Mike Ratledge
1981For Christmas, for ChildrenKarl Jenkins & Mike Ratledge
1982Crystal Gazing Mike Ratledge
1983The Bad Sister Mike Ratledge
1995Adiemus: Songs of SanctuaryKarl Jenkins
2010MovementKarl Jenkins & Mike Ratledge
2010Some Shufflin' Karl Jenkins & Mike Ratledge
2013Riddles of the SphinxMike Ratledge