The Wombles’ songwriter has destroyed all the gang’s master tapes in a skip to stop endless Beatles-style remaster releases.
Mike Batt, 73 – who also write the million-selling hit Bright Eyes and discovered Katie Melua – junked the originals so people can’t “f**k around with them” after he dies.
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The Wombles released four albums in the 19702 that spanned a string of smash singles including The Wombling Song, Remember You’re A Womble and Wombles Everywhere.
Mike smashed up the masters of the band he masterminded as a series of The Beatles’ albums have been remixed and expanded by Giles Martin, son of late Beatles producer George Martin.
Re-releases have so far included Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, The White Album, Abbey Road and Let It Be – with another ‘deluxe version’ of Revolver on its way this month.
But Mike said: “I’ve destroyed many of the original multi-track tapes for The Wombles and my solo albums so people can’t f**k around with them after I’m gone.
“I mixed them as I wanted them, not how some corporation or great grandchild might like to remix them when I’m not around.
“The Wombles aren’t The Beatles.
“I might look back and say I could’ve done with a clearer bass guitar on that track or I could’ve mixed it differently.
“But if I wanted to go back and change it I would.
“They aren’t perfection but they are a faithful representation of what I offered to the world in 1974 and 1975.”
Mike added his destruction of the Wombles’ masters was “not very Womble-y” and he may have been better just taping over them to maintain the band’s support of being eco-friendly.
But he went on: “Do you think the Eagles would want Hotel California remixed when they’re dead and gone? What’s wrong with it as it is?
“What if the next generation came along and said John Constable was a great painter but these days we like to use a different colour for water, so let’s just paint over that?”
The Wombles were the most successful chart act of 1974 with singles such as The Wombling Song topping the charts and the group having four gold-selling albums.
They ‘split’ in 1976 but reformed for 2011’s Glastonbury Festival.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
