The Bats (South African band)

The Bats were a South African band formed in Johannesburg in 1963. Their 1966 single "Listen to My Heart" was a hit on the Radio London charts.^[1]^[2]^[3]

History

The band is composed of Barry Jarman - guitar, trumpet, assorted instruments; Jimmy Dunning - guitar, replaced by Pete Clifford - guitar, vocals; Paul Ditchfield - bass, guitar, keyboards, vocals; and drummer Eddie Eckstein.^[4]

The Bats re-formed in 2000. Barry Jarman was approached, but said, "Been there, done that," and declined. Unfortunately, Barry later passed on. Derek Gordon took Barry's place in the line-up, and continues to serve in the group. Although the Bats are now not in the mould of high end entertainers, they continue to "wow" audiences with their 1960s and 1970s music. Their music and comedy presentations are still polished shows, fit for Pieter Toerien's Monte Casino Theatre in Fourways, Gauteng, South Africa.

Discography

Albums

Album	Year	Label
A Shabby Little Hut	1965	CBS
All I Got	1965	CBS
That's How I Feel	1966	CBS
Image	1968	CBS
Weltevrede	1968	CBS
The Bats Turn You On	1969	CBS
The Return of Fatman and Bobin	1977	Gallo
Bats About Cricket	2003	Fantasia Records
Good Times	2004	BMG
We Are The Old	2008	Not On Label
All 4 One	?	Not On Label

Singles

Singles	Year	Label
I Just Won't Care / 4th Of July	1964	CBS
Garden Of Eden / Tracy Jane	1965	CBS
A Shabby Little Hut	1965	CBS
That's How I Feel / If You Wanna Play	1965	CBS
All The Good Things	1965	CBS
Say You're Mine / That's Why I'm Low	1965	CBS
All I Got / I Do	1965	CBS
You Can't Blame Me / All Of My Life	1965	CBS
Listen To My Heart / Stop, Don't Do It	1966	Decca
Moonface	1966	CBS
Hard To Get Up In The Morning / Take Me As I Am	1967	Decca
You Look Good Together / You Will Now, Won't You	1967	Decca
Rip Van Willy / Waiting For You	1968	CBS
Love Of The Common People	1968	CBS
Groen En Goud / Wil Jy Weet	1968	CBS
Weltevrede Stasie / My Beste Maat	1968	CBS
Who's That Girl / Stop Exchange (title song of film Stop Exchange)	1969	CBS
The Rock Machine	1969	CBS
Rebecca Stein / Are You A Sad Girl	1969	CBS
Hold Your Head Up	1972	RPM
Invula Manzi (Corn King Song)	1973	RTC
Fat Man And Bobbin / Do Wah Diddy	1973	Gallo
Die Curriebeker '78 / Die Curriebeker Disco Vrot Piesang Polka	1978	Gallo
Bats, The Yellow Band - Vat Hom Gerrie	1979	Rob Roy Music
Una Chocita Abandonada / El Pollito Y El Halcon	?	CBS

Compilations

Compilations	Year	Label
Greatest Hits	1977	Embassy
The Best Of	1996	PolyGram
The Heart & Soul	2003	Gallo
Great South African Performers	2001	Gallo Record Company

^[5]

References

^ Billboard - 17 Dec 1966 - Page 55 "Decca is also releasing a single, "Listen to My Heart," by a South African group, the Bats."
^ History of contemporary music of South Africa Garth Chilvers, Tom Jasiukowicz - 1994- Part1 p7 " in 1968 Before The Bats formed, Eddie Eckstein played in Al Willcox's dance band, Paul Ditchfield was with The Vikings, Barry ... Their single: Listen to My Heart was a hit on the Radio London charts.
^ Chivers, G; Jasiukowicz, T (1994). History of Contemporary Music of South Africa Part 1. Toga Publishing. p. 7. ISBN 0-620-18121-4.
^ Percy Tucker Just the ticket!: my 50 years in show business 1997 - Page 361 "The musicians were a popular group called 'The Bats' - Paul Ditchfield, Eddie Eckstein, Barry Jarman and Pete Clifford. Eddie was the drummer and also something of a comedian with a loveable personality. "
^ "Bats". Discogs. Retrieved 28 December 2020.

External links

http://rock.co.za/files/bats_index.html

This article on an African band or other musical ensemble is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

This article about music in South Africa is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[1] Billboard - 17 Dec 1966 - Page 55 "Decca is also releasing a single, "Listen to My Heart," by a South African group, the Bats."

[2] History of contemporary music of South Africa Garth Chilvers, Tom Jasiukowicz - 1994- Part1 p7 " in 1968 Before The Bats formed, Eddie Eckstein played in Al Willcox's dance band, Paul Ditchfield was with The Vikings, Barry ... Their single: Listen to My Heart was a hit on the Radio London charts.

[History-3] Chivers, G; Jasiukowicz, T (1994). History of Contemporary Music of South Africa Part 1. Toga Publishing. p. 7. ISBN 0-620-18121-4.

[4] Percy Tucker Just the ticket!: my 50 years in show business 1997 - Page 361 "The musicians were a popular group called 'The Bats' - Paul Ditchfield, Eddie Eckstein, Barry Jarman and Pete Clifford. Eddie was the drummer and also something of a comedian with a loveable personality. "

[5] "Bats". Discogs. Retrieved 28 December 2020.

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