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   December 28th, 2000 Hello again. My last newsletter of the year 2000 brings with it the news that we are at 22 in the UK singles chart with "I Wish It Could Be A Wombling Merry Christmas Every Day", and also a picture of my dog, Cassie, enjoying the snow that snew last night and remained throughout today. The view from Batt Control today is of sunny hills and crisp coldness - almost Scandinavian. We spent all of last week doing last-minute television appearances (Top Of The Pops II, This Morning,etc) and watching our single go in at 20 in the midweek chart, then - because we were out of stock at the distributors for three days - Grrrr.... we slipped two places during the week, rather than climbing, before the chart was finally published at the end of the week. Never mind - 22 ain't bad for the Wombles 11th hit!(8 in 1975-6, two in 1989 and one now). Had Christmas very quietly at our London home - just the four of us in the family - and it was peaceful and wonderful. On Boxing Day we went on the tube to The Dome. We were expecting not a lot from the "exhibition" side of it and we weren't disappointed! What a ridiculous waste of space! All too "on message" and worthy. It is as if somebody said "for God's sake don't put anything in there that will result in people enjoying themselves". In one zone - the "Work Zone" you file past a a whole wall covered in post-it notes, and the whole place is like a museum with no content - or not much, anyway, with a few notable exeptions. Still, we had a good day despite that. We were so incredulous that we almost enjoyed the "badness" of it.The sheer ineptness and waste. Then, just to spoil our day, the show at 1pm in the main arena was FANTASTIC!!! It turned out to be worth the whole visit. Peter Gabriel music and concept resulted in a fascinating blend of ballet, abseiling, mime and music - mostly aerial - in a story you couldn't understand but didn't care anyway because the "art" was so good. A reall thrill, and hugely expert achievement. Astonishingly good,in fact - like Cirque de Soleil on an even bigger scale. So that's it for 2000. Next year is going to be a frantic and exhilerating roller-coaster ride in which I have to balance the Wombles (on the lighter side) with several more serious projects including the creation of a new "Bond-style" group in the classical crossover vein. I'm very excited about it - and no doubt you'll be hearing more about it on our site as the year progresses. I hope 2001 brings you all that you wish for - and some nice surprises. Take care. Mike
December 16th,2000 Dear World Thanks for tuning in again. The Wombles single - with Roy Wood - "I Wish It Could Be A Wombling Merry Christmas Every Day" is out on Monday - (18th). That's the day - and this is the week - for you to get all your mates run into Woolworth's and get it - because initial early-in-the-week chart positions count for a lot. It looks as if we've been well and truly overwhelmed by BOB THE BUILDER, though! It seems there's only room on radio for one silly Christmas single and BOB (not being about Christmas, and therefore getting airplay way up front) got off the blocks quicker than we ever will. Also, ours is VERY SILLY and some radio producers didn't get the joke. They thought it was a bit "bolted together" - but that's the whole joke - it sounds like an outrageous paste-up of the two songs from which it is made up! We're getting some airplay at regional radio, though, and we've got some good television shows this week - most of them actually around Christmas Eve,however, so a bit late for the chart! Eee, well, never mind! Onto the next challenge! I'm hoping to escape Wombles a bit next year, bless 'em. Lots more, exciting and stimulating things to get on with. I won't get you too excited by telling you what. By the way, just got my initial promo copies of the "Watership Down" album. I'm really pleased with it. I think it's out about now. It's been gale force winds and horrible cold nights lately. Batt Control has been more like Wuthering Heights lately. Being on top of a hill and facing South makes it fab in the sunny weather, but on a windy night the old windows rattle and whistle! Quite a lot of trees down locally, and my Mum (who lives an hour from here, in Maidenhead) has to wade from her house and down the street in water up to the waist, wearing waders at the age of 75! Good job she's a tough and resourceful old thing. A journalist from the Guardian newspaper arrived by canoe into her garden a week or two ago! Mad World. Stay tuned for more UNBELIEVABLE BUT TRUE stories right here on this website,soon. (Probably). Right well, off you go now and do something useful. See ya soon. Lots of love, Mike.
December 2nd,2000 Evenin' All... Wombles single is now the upcoming event! We are lined up for a great run of TV and radio exposure in the two weeks leading to Christmas (Record of the Year, Generation Game Christmas Special, amongst many) and bookmakers have us at 12-1 for the Christmas Number 1. Of course, the likelihood of that being the case is very small -(well, twelve to one I suppose) - but it's nice that they think we're in there with a chance. On a more immediate practical point - if any of you want the album and can't find it in Woolworth's or W H Smith's - it's on our site here and we'll guarantee delivery by Christmas in UK if orders are placed by 11th. There will be a direct response phone number posted on this site within a few days. Incidentally, check out VIRGIN REVIEW OF WOMBLES COLLECTION The big fun this week was the Wombles appearing at G.A.Y club at the Astoria, London. It's Europe's biggest Gay venue and the place was HEAVING. They were all blowing little whistles (the audience, not the Wombles) and our furry friends did two songs to huge applause and lots of noise. The Independent ran a story today about The Wombles as gay icons. Haha! Lots of fun. (Well, Orinoco can be a bit of a DIVA sometimes). Sunday (today) was a nice, bright, cold winter's day and I went for a run with the dog, and my two kids biking merrily along beside us. Next Saturday is SODS (Society Of Distinguished Songwriters) Ladies' Night and as King Sod I have to organise it. Black tie, lots of music, humour and surprises. It's a welcome diversion. So there it is...your little slice for this week. Be nice to each other stay cool and keep warm. Love Mike Dear World, I'm sorry, but I refuse to start this letter with an apology. It's been a long time between letters, but I'm a busy man with places to go,people to meet,songs to write, stuff like that. Went to the England v Germany game yesterday at Wembley (tickets kindly provided by Bernd Pfaff, the Germany manager) - and my kids and I were the only three people shouting for England and wearing England scarves in the Germany box! I had had dinner with the German team at their hotel two nights ago - all because we got to know each other when I did some music for them a couple of years ago. I said I couldn't wish them luck, but thanked them for their hospitality, and hoped they came second! Anyone who has seen me with my Union Jack shoes on will know I am intensely patriotic, so wanted England to win - but frankly I felt ashamed at Wembley to witness our fans booing the German National anthem. After that, we deserved to lose. I was ashamed to be English - not because of the standard of the football - but because if you boo the other side's national anthem you deserve to lose the game. Another thing was that I was stunned at how bad the presentation was. This was the last Wembley Stadium game ever. There were some pathetic looking fountains at one end, and when Russell Watson sang, you couldn't even work out where he was. There was no stage, no sense of presentation at all. Eventually I spotted him - wearing a dark suit, at one end of the stadium, surrounded by people walking around getting on with their jobs. All very undersold - and so soon after the fantastic Olympic shows put on by the Aussies. Surely at least a band on the pitch or a truck as a stage at one end! Pathetic. Well,
then. The last two or three weeks have been full of frenetic activity
- I've been making two videos. One is for "Wombles on Parade"
(the featured promotional track off the new album) - and the other
is for the new single by THE WOMBLES with ROY WOOD - entitled
"I Wish It Could Be A Wombling Merry Christmas Every Day"
- the very silly record I've made with Roy, and which for we are
planning a Christmas campaign. The Christmas video is a RIGHT
laugh. We did it in a blue-screen situation - that is to say that
the background is all blue, so that later we will key in (replace)
the backgrounds with shots of the Wombles Burrow - from the miniature
TV sets - all done up as a Christmas party. Roy was great. I got into my Orinoco outfit and fun was had. We're now editing - for the next couple of weeks. At the moment we are "selling in" the album to retailers. Some are very enthusiastic but some big and essential-to-us retailers don't think a Womble album will do well this Christmas. In fact ASDA have refused point blank to stock it! They remember the fact that SONY put an album out two years ago and didn't promote it well - but that's exactly why we are doing it ourselves this time! (Grrrr...) So if you want it, don't go to ASDA! Gotta go now, my mum's just come round (not that she was unconscious) - for Sunday lunch. Nice sunny day in Farnham today - better than yesterday when it rained on England's defeat at Wembley! I'll try to write again in a week or so. (By the way, you can check out our new site www.dramatico.com in a day or two, if you feel so inclined). Bye for now. Mike
September 10th, 2000 Dear World, It seems to be a long time since I wrote a newsletter. Well, actually I DID write an update last week but it got wiped as I uploaded it, and I hadn't saved it. Honest! These last
two weeks have been busy ones as we gear up for the launch of
DRAMATICO records with the release of The Wombles Collection'
on October 23rd. I've been working on the package design with
Andy at Stylorouge studios. We've got the front cover design OK,
but now we're working on the CD booklet - and trying to find -
or take - a photograph to fit each of the 34 tracks. We were quite
a few short, and so I got my trusty Mum to dig up all the extra
bits of clothing on Thursday morning - like Jungle loin cloths
and Hawaiian shirts etc, that we have, and so lucky old Steve
(young Steve, actually - our studio engineer) and Nigel, our production
carpenter became two instant Wombles - being Beach Boy wombles,
jungle Wombles, even Chinese Wombles, with me snapping the results
straight into my digital camera, and e mailing them to Andy at
the studio. This 'cottage industry' approach works well, not just
for speed and spontaneity, but cost-wise, too. The 'Christmas'
stuff I shot on video earlier in the year when it suddenly SNEW
in the garden - is the same sort of idea - and we're shooting
the Christmas video in a week's time, adding that footage into
the edit of the final promotional video. Below are one or two
shots from our session this week - The Orinoco kid, The jungle
Wombles and a chinese Womble inviting you to the Ping Pong Ball. In addition to all this, I've had meetings with VITAL - our new distributors - and it just happened to be their sales conference on Thursday, too, so the second half of the day was a visit to that - with two Wombles in tow, to 'mingle' and have their photos taken with all the retail buyers. More meetings with the ad agency who'll be buying our TV, radio and press space for us, and yet more legal and financial meetings! Come back, songwriting - all is forgiven! Also, coming to a record shop near you on October 2nd. is the Watership Down album on Polydor -(see last newsletter). Steve and I are working on getting the master ready for the factory on time, and the CD looks nice.(see Watership Down page). The field that had hay in it last time I wrote is now green again! It needs some sheep, really. Maybe I'll nip down to the pet shop and see what they've got. Have a good week, drive carefully, keep clean, etc... Love, Mike
Saturday,
August 19th 2000 Latest news
from Batt Control (sounds like pest control agency) - is that
we have been HAYMAKING last week. Just managed to find two fine
days and so mobilised a team of lads to help us bring it in, and
they literally followed the tractor with a flatbed truck, bringing
it in as soon as it was baled. Good job, too - many fields near
us weren't so lucky - it rained this week, and there are lots
of bales still sitting there. We have only one biggish - nine
acre - paddock, but I've left it all to grow freely as grass and
wild flowers, clover, etc, and it's yielded a really good, lush
hay - and where the rule of thumb is 100 bales to the acre, we
got 1200 bales from about the eight acres left after the bits
you miss round the edges because of the gradient, trees, etc. Well, I bet you didn't expect the Farmer's Report - but there you go - life's a roller coaster. On the musical front - well, the DRAMATICO label is nearly ready to go. I've been busy with distribution deals, marketing plans and so on. The first release is currently scheduled as THE WOMBLES COLLECTION, and we are planning to support it with lots of 'editorial' television activity - ie, appearances and performances - together with a TV and radio advertising campaign. I've been doing a set of radio ads this week - different experiments from the usual, hard-sell 30 second ones, to more fun, dialogue based , 60 second ones for regional radio. Have been supervising the design for the Wombles and the Watership Down albums. - Both seem - at least on current release dates - to be coincidentally coming out on the same day, October 2nd. The Watership Down album is a great album - I'm really proud of it - but I have my doubts about whether it is much of a priority for Polydor. We'll soon see - but there was a mix-up with the Stephen Gately Bright Eyes track which led to it being relegated to the second track on a 'double A side' which really means it was the B side. I think this decision damaged both Stephen's career and Polydor's bottom line on his solo album and the Watership Down project, but I'd be amazed if the Watership Down album is seen as a priority which might reverse that situation. Still, we'll see. The Wombles album will be a big hit album! Just watch... I am writing this on Saturday morning, 19th August, and it's a nice sunny day, so we're off to look at some bathroom shops! All best wishes, Mike
Saturday,
August 5th 2000 This week
I'm torn between starting my violin concerto and writing a song
for the Wombles for a new single. It's sort of 50/50, artistically.
Both tempt me. The former would need a really good player to cooperate
with me - you know - somewhere between Vanessa and Nigel Kennedy.
He plays the violin better, but she has more showmanship and doesn't
fall off high heels. Difficult decision, and that's even before
I decide the main violin/Wombles direction. Damn. I am planning (subject to many variables) a WOMBLE SPECTACULAR at the Royal Albert Hall between Christmas and New Year - if it all works out well. Loads and loads of Wombles everywhere. Military, ballet, horse-riding, orchestra, James Bond, tap-dancing Wombles etc. Should be a right laugh. Watch this space for details (It will be like the Neurenberg Rallies without the Nazis!) Flags, drums, hey - EVERYTHING! Gotta go now - the nurse comes round at 11 pm and I have to take my tablets. Bye for now. keep coming back Love, Mike.
July 20th 2000 Hello again... Dear Batt-orientated ones, There's a line in Evita (written by Tim Rice and his beautiful assistant, Andrew Lloyd Webber) that goes "We've made the front pages of all the World's papers today". It's Che Guevara talking to the deceased Eva Peron, explaining to her that dying has been her best career move. Well, today - (and they did "die" in the heat yesterday) - I do feel a bit like that. We made the front page of the TIMES and the SUN on the same day! Those kids (all about 14 years old) who were the Womble Guard Of Honour for me at the Queen Mother's parade were absolutely fantastic. They marched in step, looked the part, kept to the ground rules (or should I say "underground rules") of Wombleness and still managed to enjoy themselves. It was a unique event, considering that Royal Family members don't get to be 100 years old very often (or EVER). The bit that impressed me was the military bit - the Marines, RAF, Guards, Household Cavalry. It always leaves me awed and inspired to see such training and discipline at work on a parade ground. I speak as ex-cadet Company Sergeant Major Batt of Peter Symonds (Hampshire Regiment). Haha! Yay! Whooooooo!!!!! It all makes you glad to be alive, eh! Certainly, our "act" was made possible (via the organisation of my mum's sewing workforce) by Sandie Reid, who runs my office, Jo Goodale, my assistant, and lots of others - particularly JUNE RUTLAND - our main costume "operative" and chief Womble-guardian. The Hillingdon/Ealing Boys Brigade - the young men I mentioned earlier - were great! Getting all the papers today even gave me an excuse to buy the Daily Star and the Sport, in which there are pictures which warmed my, er...heart nearly as much as the Womble pictures that appeared in every other national paper. Why would I care what pictures of The Wombles appear in the papers and on TV? Well, Even the most cynical observer must admit that after 25 years of being connected with them and damned by the association - and after all these nice little old ladies have sweated six weeks' worth of sewing time (!) into the project, it's good to see a result. Well, once again, I don't want you all to get too excited so I'll stop here. Take care. Mike
July 3rd 2000 Hello again... This has been an interesting couple of weeks. Last week Steve Harley came and stayed at my house with Jimmy Cregan and others....Jim was producing a song he and Harley have written, called "A Friend For Life" - with Harley singing, of course. Matt Butler engineered. (I hadn't worked with Matt since he was a young engineer at AIR studios (working for George Martin) - when he engineered "Phantom Of The Opera" for me, with Steve Harley and Sarah Brightman singing. So, last week they all dug in for the week, and a sunny happy time was had by all. The song sounds great. I was saying in the last newsletter that we were going to use the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra string quartet - we did - and they were brilliant! Jonathan Carney leading.... great stuff. Then lunch. We also have Womble-costume-sewing ladies all over the house. It's kinda surreal, like a Monty Python sketch. You can just imagine Cleese and Chapman and all, dressed in the washerwoman outfits -all over the house - talking in falsetto...."I think I'll just sew the next one in here, Mavis...oops, sorry, there seems to be a string quartet in that room. Come on, Mavis, we'll try the dining room" This week, more Womble costumes. We're doing a squad of Guards Wombles - with "bearskins" (except with Wombles, it would only be the skins from vegetarian bears) - for the Queen Mother's 100th birthday parade on 19th July. Should be a RIGHT laugh. Last Sunday was the SODS picnic (Society of Distinguished Songwriters) and we had fun playing cricket. Two days later (last Tuesday) we SODS went for our go on the Millenium Wheel and then to the Savoy for a "Wheel Meet Again" dinner. (I know, it's pathetic isn't it?) And now another week has sprung up in front of me...what delights will it bring? Well, I gave up drinking today, but as it's only 8pm I can't really claim success yet. Meeting with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra tomorrow (not all of them, just selected, especially bright ones). Stay cool and don't enjoy yourselves too much. Til next time, Mike Dear Net-navigators, Tonight I've
been for drinks at the local Admiral's house (not all neighbourhoods
have one) - and jolly nice he and his wife are, too. Went to a STEPS concert (being filmed for TV by my mate Jeff Thacker). Good show, it was, as long as you don't mind being patronised by the warm-up man, who got all the dads up -except me, skulking in my seat - to do the moves to YMCA and to sing some stupid nonsense or other! Tidying up a few matters in the office today. Booked a string quartet and flute for a Steve Harley record being produced in my studio by my pal Jim Cregan next week. (Jim is staying with me). Jimmy is dead well known, but in case you've just come back from 23 years on Pluto (the planet, not the dog) - he is the fantastic guitarist who played the stunning solo on "Come Up And See Me (Make Me Smile)" - by Steve Harley, and who was Rod Stewart's main band guitarist/MD for years, writing some of the big hits with Rod, and producing others. Steve Harley(who I've produced twice, including Phantom Of The Opera) is coming over next week, and I'm doing the arrangement for the quartet - on the single he's making.. It's the best quartet you can imagine - Jonathan Carney -leader of the Royal Philharmonic as leader - followed by the principal string players of the RPO - hey, it pays to have friends in high places. Good job for them that they have! Anyway- I think this letter is just long enough or you'll all start getting too excited - so, for your own good, I'll stop now. Have a nice week. See you soon- or sooner. Lotsalove, Mike
Dear Cyber-searchers, Wednesday, 14th June, 2000 Just started writing this newsletter from my home in London, but it's 1am at night and THE WIFE has just come home from a rehearsal...so forgive me if I crash out. Last week's newsletter has been moved to the "PREVIOUS NEWSLETTERS" button, if you want it and I PROMISE I'll do the proper newsletter within a day or so. Honest. Watch this space. Stay cool, hang loose, boogey down, etc, Mike Dear Cyber-searchers, A rainy week in dear old Farnham ,with some little peeks of sunshine. This week we went to the British Academy's Ivor Novello Awards - which I started off in 1976 at the Grosvenor House Hotel - and it's still there, looking very much the same....but with even higher production values. (When I say "I started it off" I mean that the awards existed, but I moved them from the dusty old place they were at, to the Grosvenor, changed the style and directed it for some years to get it going properly). Travis got a couple of awards - including the coveted "Songwriter Of The Year" for their writer- (what's his name again? Genuinely can't remember. Damn. Getting old, I s'pose). Anyway he gave a good speech, and was articulate and genuine. "Why Does It Always Rain On Me" is a great song/record and worthy of the accolade. Elton presented one award and received another - with Tim Rice - for Lion King - a general "international acheivement " award for a theatre piece. Hans Zimmer and Lebo M shared the award; they were on our table, (it's a lunch) - and it was nice to see Hans after many years. He's doing well! They tell me his score for GLADIATORS is pretty damn good. Sir Paul McCartney was there too, to get the very first Fellowship of the Academy. It's the highest honour the academy will bestow on an individual. It's always a good, sociable event - being for writers and publishers. Not like the BRIT Awards, which are full of as much bad behaviour and swearing as possible to prove how hip everyone is. God, there are some horrible people about- not just the lowly ranks either, some of them are running record companies, but don't start me off on that! (And there are some great people too, so I suppose it's like most other industries. It just seems the ugliness of the record business comes out at the BRIT awards shows, and the friendliness of the music business- the warmth and appreciation - comes out at the IVORS). Eh, well, there's another newsletter. Not packed with giggles this time, but hey, there's always next week! Y'all come back now y'hear?* Mike PS *remember that line? It was Jed Clampit of the Beverley Hillbillies, at the end of each episode.
Dear Curbsurfers, Thursday 18th May,2000 This week we're still mixing the club mix of the "Victory" track, by BOND. In fact, Steve (our studio engineer)is thumping away at 120 BPM as I write this...I'm trying to ignore it. Last week I fell in love with the Dixie Chicks. Whey! Great songs and she can really sing! If ever they want to make a classical-based crossover album, I'm their man! (Or even if they don't).(Maybe they'd like a trip to the seaside). Their entire appeal is great country with a fresh, stylish, sexy approach, and great jeans. What you do, is you put on the Dixie Chicks really loud, so you can hear in the kitchen even if your CD player is two rooms away, then you pour a glass of white wine. Petaluma Chardonnay from Australia is the best, but you can use anything. (Try to avoid Methylated Spirits). By the way this all happens about 6.30 pm while it's still sunny, or perhaps 7.30pm. Then you crush three or four big fat garlic cloves, sweat them in butter for a while, add some cream and white wine and then chuck in a couple of white fish fillets. Something like Orange Ruffy from New Zealand is the best, but you can use Cod, Monkfish, etc. (You could get a great effect by pan frying it in flour and egg first, and combining at the last minute., but it's not quite as stylish as bunging it in naked). Of course, with fish, the CRIME is to cook it for too long, so it's worth sacrificing your own portion to cut into it and check that it's just right. Underdone fish is horrible, but overdone is WORSE. This whole operation should take only about ten to fifteen minutes from scratch, so if you are listening to the Dixie Chicks you should only be on about track four or five by now and the sun will probably going down a bit. Then you select some fresh or frozen pasta that isn't too thick (forget Macaroni and Pennae - it takes too long - say fetuccinni or spaghetti - and throw it into some boiling water. Then after about 8 mins you take it off, wash off the starch through a strainer with REALLY HOT water, and when it's drained, add a TINY bit of olive oil. Get two plates and flop the pasta onto the middle of each. Top it with the sauce from the fish, then the fillets of fish across the top. Ring up Elle McPherson or Michelle Pfeiffer. Tell them to get over to your place, like without DELAY. Just before
Michelle and/or Elle get to your place, change the record to Serve with affection. Chat freely. So anyway, that's not quite a newsletter, but it will have to do for now. I am rushing to finish scripting the radio series of ERGO THE SLUG while Steve mixes the dance track for the BOND string quartet. It's tough in the middle! Thanks for your e mails. They matter a lot. Hey! Have fun. All best wishes, Mike. PS. I forgot
to say throw some herbs, (dill or parsley) in with the fish sauce
but if you don't know that... Dear Snarkhunters and Boojum-avoiders, Thursday 11th May,2000 Dropping you another newsletter on this Foggy Farnham morning, where you can only just see your hand in front of your face and there is a broad glare across my field of vision - or vision of field, I should really say, because it is indeed a field I have vision of - or don't really, if you see what I mean.[see chapter one of SLUGS for relevance] Went to see the most fantasic, funny play in London's West End - LYRIC THEATRE - last night. Janie Dee and David Soul in "Comic Potential" by Alan Aykbourne. It's BRILLIANT - so go now if you're in the UK, because they close in a week or two, and it's tragic to see a great play close because of lack of PR. (Janie won Best Actress and loads of other awards). It is coming to Broadway, so maybe you Yanks can get to see it there - Janie is probably going to be in it. David is fantastic in it - too. This week we've delivered a final mix of the BOND (ALL GIRL string quartet) track, which is their next single. The girls are off to Cuba to shoot a video. Lucky Cuba! Other than that I continue to work on scripts for SLUGS because of upcoming sessions - and I can't wait to tell you who the cast are - when it's recorded and it becomes cool to let you know. I've also designated today as the day to write the song "Thinking Of Little Else" - which Ergo the slug sings about Little Else, his (potential) girlfriend. Hope you
escaped the Love bug. I must say our incoming e mail traffic Had a call this week from the organisers of the Queen Mother's 100th Birthday parade, (At Horse Guard's Parade) -in July - and we are going to contribute a military band squad of 12 marching, uniformed Wombles! Should be a laugh! Gotta go and write a song now. Be nice to each other. Bye for now. Mike Tuesday, May 2nd, 2000 Tons of stuff happening at the moment. I have to finish 15 X 20 minute scripts for the Slugs radio series/album in time to record next month so that's a job to fill all the empty bits of time. Also, that slave driver, Mel Bush (Vanessa Mae's manager) - has asked me to finish the mix of the tune "Victory" (terrible title!) - which I arranged and produced for Bond - an all-girl (and believe me they are ALL GIRL) string quartet - changing the intro. [see past newsletters for more details of my producing this delightful combo]. Steve, my engineer and I are well on the way to finishing it. Just needs a little tweak. Universal need it by next week as it is to be the girls' debut single. Finally reached agreement this week with other Universal types about release of "Bright Eyes" by Stephen Gately as a double A side single with his other song "New Beginnings". It's coming out I think about 22nd or 29th May or some time around then. Zippedy Fucking Doo Dah! Sometimes I wish I was a double glazing salesman; life ain't so easy when you're a ghetto child. Went to a FANTASTIC movie this week - if you haven't been, you've GOT to go! GALAXY QUEST. It's fabulous; like Spinal tap meets Star Trek with a bit of Wayne's World in their somewhere. Laugh, we nearly shat. (Sorry my language is getting a bit more rock'n' roll these days but, hell, I'm an artist, and we artists, well., we like to run, you know...FREE)...acchem. Anyway, go and see Galaxy Quest if you are stressed out, in debt, your girlfriend's left you, your girlfriends've left you (geddit, singular and plural alternatives) - or your goldfish've died...once you see this movie you won't CARE that they've died. Hell, you might even be GLAD! Well, TIME FLIES when you're writing the newsletter, I always say. So, have fun, and NEVER GIVE IN... All best wishes, Mike Batt
Hi, again. Saturday April 22nd, 2000 Sorry it's been a couple of weeks since my last "weekly" letter. It's now Easter weekend and I've got a moment so- here I am... Thanks to those who wrote nice e-mails on receipt of your "Bright Eyes at the Railway Hotel" white label CD's. It's good to get feedback- and interesting to see how the web reaches all parts of the world so easily. I've been putting together a new page of the site- the "sleeve notes" for the album- partly finished, so print them out for yourself if you like. It's a good feeling to know that we've made a high quality album especially -initially- for release via internet- (and that the recording isn't owned by a vast, impersonal record company). Eventually I hope it will mean that no record will truly ever be "deleted" because you'll always be able to get it via the artist's own site. On other matters - went to see "American Beauty"- and was very disappointed. It's a beautifully made film in every way, technically and performance-wise - but DEPRESSING. Why? Well, the message. It's saying, "everyone is totally fucked up" and it can't be dismissed as a characature because its message is too cynical and inaccurate, even though it IS funny and thought-provoking; - and it is -shall we say - "hetrophobic" - (and I'm not over-sensitive to this issue - I have heaps of gay friends).. but we did go and see Erin Brockovitch and loved it. Julia Roberts is always great- and the story's good. Trouble is, the film got stuck in the projector and the still frame melted before our very eyes, just at the exciting bit - so we went back another evening just to watch the last half hour. Spending Easter quietly at home and writing the odd script (and "odd" is definitely the word)- for the SLUGS series. Also I've "inherited" a huge tub of Oscietra caviar, so we're going to have some friends round for caviar and chips on sunday night! Have fun, and keep dropping us those e-mails! All best wishes, Mike
Dear Batt-interested Web Wanderers, Tuesday 4th April, 2000 Woke up this morning -to quote the well-known blues song(s)- to a snow-infested garden - which is wierd for April. Immediately realised this was a Godsend because I'd been planning to shoot a succession of Womble pop videos later this year, to add to the two we did in 1998 as a sell-through home video this Christmas, probably. The snow made me think that if I moved very quickly I might be able to shoot some Wombling Merry Christmas snow scenes TODAY! The only things I lacked were a crew, some performers to be Wombles and some costumes! So I got on the phone to my Mum- (who has always made all the Womble costumes) and she got into the car and sped towards my house. Then I phoned June Rutland, our Womble costume wardrobe lady and she went off to grab some costumes- including Great Uncle Bulgaria's Santa outfit.... My assistant,Jo, offered to be Wellington (in fact she was GAGGING to be Wellington if the truth be told)- and June offered to be Great Uncle Bulgaria. Now I just needed a cameraman - so I volunteered myself for the job, using my little JVC digital job, which has come in amazingly handy as a "second unit" camera in the past! I stole the tripod from my telescope and by 12 noon we were out in the garden shooting Wombles sledging and doing other whacky things in the garden. So that's one of the things I did today. The other main thing I did today was to work with Steve, our new engineer, to add sound effects and music to the first episode of SLUGS - which has turned out fantastically...also, I got news of another "yes" from a star cast member for Slugs, so that's a good day's work. Moved another step nearer to the funding of DRAMATICO ENTERTAINMENT, my new company. Am now just updating the website a bit before turning in on Tuesday evening. I have also (this Sunday) initiated the design for my wife Julianne's website which you can go to on www.juliannewhite.com (see LINKS page on this site). Have a good week All best wishes Mike
Dear Batt-Orientated Cybercadets, Here's this week's diary bits at Friday 25th March. My mate John Hurt is in town being brilliant in "Krapp's Last Tape"at the Albury- (I think it's there!)- I saw it on press night and you should go there and see it while it's on- unless you live in Australia or Kentucky or somewhere, because the show only lasts an hour or so and fab as John is, I'm sure even he would understand that it's a long way to come for an hour's bliss. But then, if you were flying that distance to make love to Elle McPherson you'd do it (unless you're a girl...but then again...) so why not get off your butt and go anyway... I'm having dinner with him and Sarah, his delightful girlfriend next week, so I'll give them your love. I'm working on creating my new company, DRAMATICO- well, it's already created but I'm talking to various record companies about the marketing and finance of it. The aim is to put together a substantial fund to market the various projects some of which are mentioned in this site, and to create a "brand" like a mini- Disney audio-led but dramatically based company. I'm enjoying my talks with city people and various potential media partners. Watch this space... My SLUGS project took two great big steps forward this week when I cast two very FAMOUS and talented guys to play ERGO the Slug and the Narrator. But I'm not telling you who they are because that's the sort of bloke I am. I am talking to a major radio station about doing it as 52 X 5 minute spots for radio, and a record to go with it. It'll be like THE GOONS meets JACKANORY (Only English people will understand that description). Let's say it'll be a mad fairy story for Adults, but children can tune in if they like...(see SLUGS page). Also. I'm working on a way of putting the whole book up on this site so if you're sad enough to want to read all of it you can!!!! Other thrilling things happening are that I have appointed a new engineer (Steve) in my recording studio- and am talking to my pal Mel Bush about doing some more VIOLIN based "crossover" projects with him. I'm performing at a charity concert in Southend on this coming Sunday evening (four songs including Bright Eyes of course)- the Three Degrees are topping the bill so I suppose I'm the SUPPORT ACT!!!- or one of them. Good job I'm not proud... Also, I'm KING SOD this year (SODS is the society of Distinguished Songwriters- although "Drunken Songwriters" might be more appropriate) - so I have to organise all the dinners we have (four a year, with jokes and chat- very good fun)...so I've been busy organising the first of our dinners at the IVY restaurant in London.
Monday,
20th March, 2000 Last week I had the pleasure of doing some sessions with BOND, the new string quartet ofyoung ladies who are very severely under-represented in the ugliness department! I've arranged a piece for them, and they came to my studio and we spent a happy day overdubbing their parts. Mixing this week. Also this week the first sessions towards my SLUGS epic, starring the two guys I mentioned in my newsletter a while ago - the ones whose identities I'm not revealing yet... it will be a "concept" album linked to a special sluggy website and a radio series. I've been adapting sections of the book into short radio scripts this weekend, in readiness. Quite a lot of movement this last week on the business reorganisation front. I am getting my new company all ready to launch - it's a new production and marketing company which will enable me to market my projects without always needing an outside record company or TV production company...although we will still work in joint ventures with major labels. Today's a foggy day in Farnham- after a wonderful clear sunny weekend during which I got out my mountain bike and went...er...down to the pub! See ya soon, Mike
Dear Batt-Orientated Cybercadets, Monday, 6th March, 2000 A bit snowed under today by deluge of mail response to the publication of David Hewson's article in THE SUNDAY TIMES yesterday...some very helpful e-mails about how to get prioritised by the search engines. Thanks. This all comes at a time when I have my hands full - being involved in mixing sessions for my album "Bright Eyes At The Railway Hotel- with the Royal Philharmonic. You may have noticed I've taken two titles off the track listing ("The Ride To Agadir" and "If I Had Words")- because they aren't anywhere near ready and I don't want to hold up delivery...so they'll be on the final version but not the White Label. Just written a poem to include on the menu of my next SODS (Society Of Distinguished Songwriters) night -it's at the IVY restaurant- sister restaurant to the Caprice- so that's the relevance in the third verse... If music
be the food of love, Whose songs
are caviar combined Like chefs,
our efforts never cease Well, it keeps me amused. How come we always get more stuff done, the busier we are? I've been arranging a string quartet piece this weekend, to record next week. Also, we've now posted the whole of the SLUGS book up here on the site. Just go to the Slugs page and you can access each chapter. I'd be quite interested in feedback on this. Just drop me or my assistant, Jo, an e-mail saying whether you think it's great, mediocre, terrible, etc...but particularly which age groups go for it. I reckon it's 11 year-olds upwards -there's quite a studenty feel to it, I think. It's definitely for grown ups more than kids, but let me know what you think. After you read or print a chapter you have to go backto the SLUGS button again to find the next chapter because we haven't put the links in yet from page to page...(working on it)... By the way if you have a relevant site and you want to link to us and vice versa let us know. All best wishes, Mike Batt |
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