Mike Ratledge was only in Soft Machine for ten of his 81 years on the planet but he’ll be forever remembered as an innovative and energetic force within the progressive community and beyond.

Mike Ratledge, founding keyboardist for influential English group Soft Machine, died on Wednesday following a brief illness.He was 81. The news came via current Soft Machine guitarist John ...

Mike Ratledge, who has died aged 81, was the keyboard player whose sound was at the heart of Soft Machine, the Canterbury band who rapidly moved from quasi-psychedelia to cutting-edge jazz-rock ...

Mike Ratledge, keyboardist and founding member of the English rock band Soft Machine, has died at the age of 81. The musician’s death was confirmed by former bandmate and current Soft Machine ...

Soft Machine’s Mike Ratledge, August 1975 (Gie Knaeps/Getty Images) Soft Machine founding member and keyboard player Mike Ratledge died on Wednesday, February 5, after a brief illness, according to ...

Mike Ratledge, a founding member of Soft Machine, has died. He was 81. Ratledge reportedly died following a short illness. “Incredibly sad news that my great friend and Soft Machine legend ...

Mike Ratledge, a founding member of Soft Machine, has died. He was 81. Ratledge reportedly died following a short illness. “Incredibly sad news that my great friend and Soft Machine legend ...

Soft Machine was formed in 1966 by Robert Wyatt, Mike Ratledge, Kevin Ayers and Daevid Allen. Wyatt had already worked with Allen in the Daevid Allen Trio (which Ratledge occasionally jammed with) in ...

The last time Soft Machine played Phoenix, it was 1968 and the U.K. rockers were touring the States as the opening act for the Jimi Hendrix Experience.

A few months after the recordings that would result in an undisputed classic of progressive rock/jazz, Third, Soft Machine had pared down from an octet to a leaner, meaner quartet.Remaining were ...

Robert Wyatt, Daevid Allen, Kevin Ayers and Mike Ratledge of Soft Machine. John Williams/BIPs/Getty Images Kevin Ayers, best known as a founding member of Soft Machine , has died in France, The ...

While this isn’t your father’s or your father's father's lineup of the band, this new Soft Machine is very much alive and kicking in their own way and on their own terms.