27 May 2009

Don't miss the Baterz tribute and CD launch - Great Big Squiddy Fun

| johnboy
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[First filed: April 11, 2009 @ 11:54]

In my mind Baterz remains one of the most brilliant original musicians ever to grace the Canberra scene. I’ve long regretted never getting to meet him before his tragic death in 2002.

I’ve also long wished that there was a definitive compilation of his material so that I might listen to it.

So it was with some great joy that I came across the pictured poster at the Folk Festival yesterday.

If you’ve never heard of Baterz I recommend checking out the website. And if you like quirky, funny music, sometimes with a very serious edge, then get along to the Folkus Room, 78 Franklin St Forrest, on 29 May for the great big squiddy fun. And to get hold of the CD.

UPDATED: Matty Ellis has been in touch with the lineup for this amazing night. And they are:

    Mal Webb, Soursob Bob, Fred Smith, Jet Ward, Guillaime Soloacoustic, The Ellis Collective, Mr Fibby, Andrew Walker and dearest Nikki.

Also I got to briefly paw the tribute CD at 2XX on Friday and there are some big national acts involved as well. It’s going to be one hell of a tribute.

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(Correction – it was Needya, not Indira.)

Just wanted to add a comment. I was Batterz’ (alias Barnaby Ward’s) teacher back when he was in year 10 at Wanniassa High school. He was very bright but pretty bitter about things – it was a bogan place to be in the eighties and he did not fit in. He was in and out of a wheelchair, considered to be a smart alec by his peers and a bit lost. I started taking him and a few of his friends to 2XX and they did the training there. We started doing shows on the weekend thanks to Bill Tully who created a “young writers” slot for them. They were very creative and had a lot of fun. A lot of it was unstructured, sometimes it was silly, but we were tolerated by the culture (thank you Bill especially). I am really happy to see that Batterz kept up the association with 2XX and that it went well.

Twenty years later I tried the same approach with my own son and his friends at Canberra Public Stereo at Curtin. It didn’t go so well. The culture there was supposedly alternative but rigidly dogmatic about what was acceptable. I have always felt sorry for his mate Dom who got roasted by one of the administrators for putting on a silly American accent – something Batterz and Adam, Katie and Indira all got away with when we were doing Goon show type humour at 2xx back in the day. Let’s hear it for public radio, and support for young artists – even if they do get on your nerves some times!

bloodnut said :

sht I forgot to include Guillaime Soloacoustic in the lineup… the man behind tribute album himself.

may find it in his little frenchie heart to forgive me.

I’ve added him in now just in case his heart is vengeful.

Yep – I’ve also got Jet (Baterz’s sister) coming into the studio on the Sunset Show playing live on-air just before the riot-act segment on 2XX, so tune in from 4pm! 🙂

sht I forgot to include Guillaime Soloacoustic in the lineup… the man behind tribute album himself.

may find it in his little frenchie heart to forgive me.

That’s a great idea. Wish I was still in Canberra to be there.

gun street girl5:58 pm 11 Apr 09

You could probably still get your hands on all the Baterz albums from his label, Army of Nerds (similarly, I highly recommend buying The Bedridden’s CDs while you’re at it).

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