For anyone who likes Baterz and enjoys his music, be sure to join the myspace site of The Bedridden which is run by his bandmates at http://www.myspace.com/thebedridden
Baterz 1969-2002
Anyone who had ever encountered Baterz perform would undoubtedly agree that he was more than just another local singer/songwriter. Born July 3 1969 in Canberra, Barnaby Charles Ward began his life diagnosed with haemophilia, a disorder that affects the blood's clotting mechanism in event of external cuts or internal bruising. From an early age, Baterz showed that having this life-threatening disease, together with the constant need for use of a wheelchair or walking stick, was never going to stop him from doing what he did best: make everyone around him smile and laugh, a gift that he was later to apply to the art and music that drew in so many fans and friends. Baterz arrived in Adelaide in the early '90s as part of legendary cult band The Bedridden, who soon established a place like no other in the local music scene. Known for their infrequent ramshackle performances and their obtuse brilliance, The Bedridden released two albums ('It's All Fun And Games Until Someone Loses An Eye' and 'Big Scary Cow'). A third release, 'I Told You It Wouldn't Work', allowed Baterz to launch his own record label, Army Of Nerds, a moniker that affirmed its creator's love for his fellow geeks and misfits. Fuelled by his love of people, Dungeons And Dragons, Sci-Fi, Lego and his personal trademark fish, Baterz was the coolest of the most un-cool people you were ever likely to meet.
Baterz found no boundaries when it came to offbeat subject matter: whether hemophilia, diabetes, car accident victims, amputees, drowned television personalities or even arachnid mothers, along with many other diseases and mishaps of human condition, probable or otherwise, Baterz was said to have even make pessimism funny - an particularly impressive feat considering that in 1984 he was diagnosed with HIV passed on during a routine blood transfusion a year earlier. Despite this debilitating virus now eating away at his time, Baterz remained tireless both as a constant touring solo artist (releasing three singles and two albums: 'Baterz Out Of Hell' and 'Live And Well') and occasionally reuniting with The Bedridden. March 2002 saw the release of a new Bedridden single, Inland Sea, which was to herald a fourth album. Yet as fate would have it, around the same time lesions were discovered in his brain, hospitalising him for a couple of months and eventually stripping him of all coordination. Diagnosed as suffering from Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (PML), his condition failed rapidly and during the early hours of Monday July 22, 2002 Baterz died in the presence of his parents, his partner Jess and a Royal District Nursing Service nurse. Today, after a service at his home attended by family, former bandmates and innumerable friends and fans, I was left greatly saddened but well comforted, having learned from Baterz's life and work that whichever way life leads you, there's always an askew joke to be found. This was well evidenced in the celebratory tales of his humour and life-long determination told by his parents and friends throughout the afternoon. And while the body of Baterz, dressed in his trademark 18th century French cavalier-style costume laid in an open, message-covered coffin in the front room, past and present members of The Bedridden joyously played on in the backyard. His ashes will be taken back to his parents' property in New South Wales, where he's to be buried alongside his grandparents in a Lego castle (courtesy of long-time supporters three-d radio).
Soon after Baterz' death a 200 kg giant squid was found washed up on the shores of Tasmania, and those familiar with Baterz's work couldn't help but suspect it was one last goodbye. Although sadly missed, Baterz will be fondly remembered by all he's touched.
ARTICLE COURTESY dB MAGAZINE.
Layout made by alvin_ward155 at CreateBlog.com.
hey, anyone interested in buying "out of hell", or other baterz cds, I've still got a few. contact me through the army of nerds myspace or teamdirtbird@yahoo.com.au. cheers from Dave.
THIS IS THE FIRST HALF OF THE SONG AND THE SECOND HALF IS UNDERNEATH THIS ONE
Foreign Objects (Baterz)
There was blood in the bathroom Blood on the tiles Blood in the bedroom And blood in the shag pole
She said ‘Darling I love you But lately you’ve grown so cold Are you no longer attracted to me Have I grown ugly and old?’
He said ‘No darling that’s not true You may be old but you’re still firm and slim I’ve just been a bit busy lately Dividing my time between work and the gym’
She said ‘Oh I understand But I think there’s something you’re not saying I want you to look me right in the eye And tell me is there someone else with whom you are playing’
And he said ……..‘No You’re the only one for me honey But please excuse me now I really have to go to the dunny’
Blood in the kitchen Blood on the stairs Blood in the bed Blood on the chairs
She said ‘You walk around like you’re half dead You haven’t heard a single thing I’ve said You should spend more time with me Instead of spending all your bloody time in the bloody shed’
‘You’d think after the kids left home We’d spend a little more time with each other And every time I pick up the phone There’s a horrible smell when I talk to my mother’
‘You treat me so unkind You don’t understand the state I’m in And if I could only find it I’d hit you on the head with my rolling pin’
‘Darling I love you But you treat me like some kind of ninny’ He said ‘Now that’s not true And what’s for dinner I hope it’s not zucchini
Blood on the veranda Blood on the pail Blood on the towel rails And blood on the transistor radio
She said ‘And anyway you’re not excused I’m quite serious you must believe me I think its time you chose You must love me or leave me’
He said ‘Darling do not go If you leave I will have lost it all But here take the keys to the car And drive me to the hospital’
She said ‘I refuse, I reject This is a situation I can not handle Stop changing the subject Pay attention to me and not to the candle’
Blood on the walls Blood on the ground Blood on the ceiling Blood all over the place
He said ‘I don’t want to have a tiff But you go do what you feel you must It is hardly my fault if You no longer awaken my primitive lust’
She said ‘Alright that’s it I’m going I hope you have a lot of fun I hope you can find a good use for this And she handed him a shot gun’
She slammed the door so hard she broke the glass And she broke away across the manicured grass And when he was quite sure she was gone He took the gun and stuck it up his arse
He said ‘Foreign objects I love you Foreign objects I want you I don’t need anybody else Foreign objects all by myself
Foreign objects’
‘Foreign objects are my one desire And maybe a magazine to have some fun I only need one stick to light my fire I ride my bike in more ways than one
When I was growing up back in 83 My parents said to me ‘Son what are you gunna be?’
Said ‘I’m gunna be a pole sitter, sit on a pole And in the mean time I’ll go on the dole And I’ll take drugs and drink alcohol’
I went to high school and I got so much wiser They made me go and see the careers adviser They said ‘You gotta work 9 to 5 n be an early riser”
And I said ‘No way I’m gunna be a pole sitter Not wast my life like you did and end up bitter’ She looked at me like this and so I hit ‘er
All my life I’ve just wanted to be a pole sitter My life’s choices I can think of nothing better I am determined I am not a quitter
And then school finished I went to centrelink Or the DSS as it was called in those days I think The woman behind the counter gave me a knowing wink
She said ‘We don’t have any vacancies for pole sitter this week But there’s this man to whom you should speak His name is Whitby him out you should seek’
So I sort out this Whitby guy And he said ‘Pole sittings something you must try You’re king of the world up there in the sky’
‘But there’s a few things that you must consider When you embark on a career as a pole sitter’ He said ‘Are you afraid?’ I said ‘I have not one jitter’
Said ‘I’ll introduce you to the pole sitting crew And I’ll make sure they’re all nice to you But you’ve gotta get a cause that’s the first thing to do’
‘You can raise awareness for child hood cancer Or seek asylum for a defecting Russian ballet dancer’ I said ‘Alright that one, I recon that one is the answer’
I am determined my sights are set It’s been 4 years now I haven’t come down yet And you can watch us on the internet
You can watch me and Ury and Cath and Tom At www. polesitter. com Or you can by us on Cd Rom
So tune in with your Mac’s and PC’ Watch us evolve into a new pole sitting species Pass up the food n we’ll pass down the faeces
The sky’s the limit you get the picture My life couldn’
no footage of him but a little negligible tribute of sorts below and a barrel full of great memories...sadly missed...but spreading the word around as much as we can...
There's no past tense around here. Here's to this country's single most under-rated artist. If anyone has any anecdotes / footage / songs they are keen to share with another passionate fan, I'm all ears!
Thanks for the add, I just learned of Baterz genius, and am trying to gobble it all up. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find anything here in the US, but will try to spread the good word as I can.
Hey there - thanks for adding Quayleaf. We used to go to school with Baterz in the very early 80's (Wanniassa High) and were also friends of his but lost touch after moving interstate.
Thanx for givin me somethin to sing all these years when something bad happens (the chorus to 'the drowning of the Daddo bros')It always makes it better. Im still waitin for the UFO's I know they re comin to get me too.. Up yer kilt!
There was blood in the bathroom Blood on the tiles Blood in the bedroom And blood in the shag pole
She said ‘Darling I love you But lately you’ve grown so cold Are you no longer attracted to me Have I grown ugly and old?’
He said ‘No darling that’s not true You may be old but you’re still firm and slim I’ve just been a bit busy lately Dividing my time between work and the gym’
She said ‘Oh I understand But I think there’s something you’re not saying I want you to look me right in the eye And tell me is there someone else with whom you are playing’
And he said ……..‘No You’re the only one for me honey But please excuse me now I really have to go to the dunny’
Blood in the kitchen Blood on the stairs Blood in the bed Blood on the chairs
She said ‘You walk around like you’re half dead You haven’t heard a single thing I’ve said You should spend more time with me Instead of spending all your bloody time in the bloody shed’
‘You’d think after the kids left home We’d spend a little more time with each other And every time I pick up the phone There’s a horrible smell when I talk to my mother’
‘You treat me so unkind You don’t understand the state I’m in And if I could only find it I’d hit you on the head with my rolling pin’
‘Darling I love you But you treat me like some kind of ninny’ He said ‘Now that’s not true And what’s for dinner I hope it’s not zucchini
Blood on the veranda Blood on the pail Blood on the towel rails And blood on the transistor radio
She said ‘And anyway you’re not excused I’m quite serious you must believe me I think its time you chose You must love me or leave me’
He said ‘Darling do not go If you leave I will have lost it all But here take the keys to the car And drive me to the hospital’
She said ‘I refuse I reject This is a situation I can not handle Stop changing the subject Pay attention to me and not to the candle’
Miss you Baterz! Even though you are still here. I remember a tribute night at the Grace when a Baterz doppelganger arrived, walked once around the room and then left!
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