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 Mike
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 Batt 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, 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 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. |
