Soft Machine founding member and keyboard player Mike Ratledge died on Wednesday, February 5 after a brief illness, according to his former bandmate and guitarist John Etheridge. “Mike was the backbone of Soft Machine in the early years and a man with an absolutely incisive mind – a marvellous composer and keyboardist,” Etheridge wrote on Facebook. “A real renaissance man – so talented, cultured, charming – and a wonderful companion. We used to meet every few weeks for over 40 years – a treat for me. What a loss to all of us and his sisters and wonderful girlfriend Elena, who were with him at the end.” Ratledge was 81.
Formed in 1966 in Canterbury, Kent, Soft Machine made a name for themselves on the London underground circuit playing a jazzy take on psychedelic prog-rock that eventually earned them slots opening for Pink Floyd and, in the U.S., Jimi Hendrix. The thrill of their early discography, especially on songs like “Hope for Happiness” or “Save Yourself,” is largely indebted to Ratledge’s wilding keyboard solos and improvisations. In addition to being the longest remaining original member of Soft Machine—sticking around from their 1966 self-titled debut to 1976’s Softs—Ratledge was also arguably the band’s most recognizable figure, rocking a thick mustache, flowing mane, and darkened glasses.
Born on May 6, 1943, Ratledge learned how to play and appreciate classical music at a young age, as it was the only music his father, a school headmaster, allowed to be played at home. While attending Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys in Canterbury, he met drummer Robert Wyatt and bassist Hugh Hopper, and the trio become fast friends. Just a few years later, in 1961, the boys met Australian poet and musician Daevid Allen, who broadened their horizons by sharing his infectious love of jazz.
Following a short stint of playing in the Daevid Allen Trio, Ratledge stepped back to focus on school while his friends started the Wilde Flowers with bassist Kevin Ayers and several others. Once school wrapped up, Ratledge officially formed Soft Machine with Ayers, Allen, Wyatt, and guitarist Larry Nowlin in 1966. Nowlin quit shortly afterwards, whittling the band down to a quartet—the first of many lineup changeups that would occur over Soft Machine’s long-running career—and they recorded demos, one of which became their debut single, “Love Makes Sweet Music.”
When the time came to track their debut album, The Soft Machine, Allen was busy launching psych-rock favorites Gong in France and was denied re-entry to the UK, so Soft Machine hit the studio as a trio and enlisted tour manager Hugh Hopper to fill in on bass. While members came and went over the ensuing years, Ratledge kept his feet and vision firmly planted in Soft Machine, churning out Volume Two in 1969 and the appropriately titled run of albums that followed: Third, Fourth, Fifth, Six, and Seven. His final album as a full-time member of the band was 1975’s Bundles, although Ratledge did contribute to two songs on 1976’s Softs, despite being replaced by Alan Wakeman—the cousin of Yes’ cloaked keyboardist Rick Wakeman—upon his departure.
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