BATRACERS BIO
Memphis was always blessed with musical magic, from the disparate styles that came together
to create a distinct and hybrid style of R and B, to the rock that forced its way out of the rockabilly
charts in the late 50's and early 60's.
Memphis musicians, whether born in the mid-south or transplanted from the bigger
cities, carried with them a unique and powerful presence that could be felt on any Memphis recording.
Stax was the melting pot for a lot of these musicians and often during the wee hours, something special
would happen--a gumbo of R and B, rock, country, a dash of rockabilly and even the English sound was
trying to blow the lid off the Memphis music scene. But when Stax went under, the music had nowhere
to go and it was unfortunate to listen to guys with great chops die on the vine as the recording industry
dried up in Memphis. Some of the best musicians in Memphis had no outlet for some really great stuff.
Michael Enright is a Memphis product by way of St. Louis and Bill Rennie is a Memphis product
by way of New York, N.Y. Michael was in some of the tightest rock outfits that Memphis produced and Bill
prepped with Albert (born under a bad sign) King and a local group called "The Hot Dogs" to have some
regional successes. Enright and Rennie would end up hooking up and created The BatRacers.
By adding Michael's brother Jimmy on keyboards and Robbie Payne on percussion, they created
a totally unique and original sound. The BatRacers were fresh, tight, technically sound and lyrically visual,
(sometimes tongue in cheek). They knocked your feet out from under you with the combination of Rock
and Memphis blood that ran through their music. This is truly tight and challenging stuff, all with that underlying
Memphis pulse. A truckload of songs surfaced recently and is being readied for release. Check them out as soon
as you can--this is Memphis Music as it should be. I'm glad we found it with all its heart and fire intact.
Bill Pierce BPO Records
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