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Mike Batt is a multi-talented and versatile artist who has been involved in various aspects of the music industry for over five decades. He is best known for creating The Wombles pop act, writing the hit song “Bright Eyes” for the film Watership Down, and discovering Katie Melua. He is also a successful singer, songwriter, musician, arranger, producer, director and conductor, who has worked with artists like Elkie Brooks, Art Garfunkel, Steeleye Span, and David Essex. He has also composed scores for films, musicals, and television shows, and has conducted several orchestras, such as the London Symphony Orchestra and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
Origins and Early Career
Mike Batt was born on 6 February 1949, in Southampton, England. He grew up in a musical family and started singing and playing the piano at a young age. He attended the BRIT School in London, where he studied music and met other aspiring musicians. He began his career in pop music at the age of 18, when he answered an advertisement placed by Ray Williams in the New Musical Express on behalf of Liberty Records. He initially signed as a songwriter and artist to Liberty, but became head of A&R for the label only months later, at the age of 19. He signed and produced Tony (TS) McPhee’s The Groundhogs and produced their first album, Scratching the Surface. He also produced, co-wrote and played piano on Hapshash and the Coloured Coat’s second album, Western Flier. He also released a single, his cover version of The Beatles’ “Your Mother Should Know”, in 1969.
In the early 1970s, Batt was asked by the producers of a new children’s television programme to write the theme music for The Wombles, based on the books by Elisabeth Beresford. Instead of taking his £200 fee, Batt asked for the character rights for musical production. This decision proved to be very lucrative, as he created The Wombles pop act, featuring himself and other session musicians dressed in furry costumes. The Wombles had eight hit singles and four gold albums in the UK, and became a worldwide phenomenon. Some of their most popular songs were “Remember You’re a Womble”, “The Wombling Song”, and “Wombling Merry Christmas”.
Batt also worked with various artists as a songwriter and producer, most notably with Steeleye Span and their single and album All Around My Hat in 1975, which reached number 5 on the UK Singles Chart and number 7 on the UK Albums Chart. He also produced Elkie Brooks’ single, “Lilac Wine”, in 1978, which reached number 16 on the UK Singles Chart.
Subsequent Success and Recognition
Batt achieved his biggest success as a songwriter in 1978, when he wrote the song “Bright Eyes” for the animated film adaptation of Watership Down, based on the novel by Richard Adams. The song was sung by Art Garfunkel and produced by Batt, and became a huge hit, reaching number 1 on the UK Singles Chart and staying there for six weeks. The song also topped the charts in five other countries, and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song. The song sold over one million copies in the UK, and was the best-selling single of 1979.
Batt also composed the score for the film Caravans, released in 1978, starring Anthony Quinn and Jennifer O’Neill, based on the novel by James Michener. The score featured the London Symphony Orchestra and the Iranian singer Hayedeh. Batt also released two solo albums in the late 1970s, Schizophonia and Tarot Suite, both featuring the London Symphony Orchestra. The albums included the European hit songs “Railway Hotel”, “Lady of the Dawn”, and “Ride to Agadir”.
In the 1980s, Batt continued to work as a composer, producer, and performer, working with artists like David Essex, Alvin Stardust, Roger Daltrey, and Cliff Richard. He also composed scores for films, musicals, and television shows, such as The Dreamstone, The Hunting of the Snark, and The Wind in the Willows. He also conducted several orchestras, such as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.
In the 1990s, Batt discovered and signed Katie Melua, a Georgian-born singer-songwriter, who became one of the most successful artists in the UK. He produced and co-wrote her first three albums, Call Off the Search, Piece by Piece, and Pictures, which sold over 10 million copies worldwide. He also wrote and produced the song “Nine Million Bicycles”, which was a hit single for Melua in 2005.
Batt also released several solo albums in the 1990s and 2000s, such as Arabesque, The Very Best of Mike Batt, and A Songwriter’s Tale. He also composed and produced the musical The Hunting of the Snark, based on the poem by Lewis Carroll, which was staged in London in 1991 and 2017. He also composed and produced the musical Men Who March Away, based on the poems of Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon, which was staged in London in 2014.
Future Projects and Plans
Batt is currently working on a new album, which is expected to be released in 2022. He has already released the lead single, “The Closest Thing to Crazy”, which is a re-recording of his song that was a hit for Katie Melua in 2003. He has also teased some of the other songs on the album, such as “The Walls of the World”, “Caravan Song”, and “A Winter’s Tale”.
Batt is also planning to resume his live shows, which were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He has announced dates for his UK tour, which will start in May 2022. He has also expressed interest in performing in other parts of the world, such as Europe, North America, and Australia. He has said that he misses the connection with his fans and the joy of music.
Batt is one of the most creative and accomplished artists of his time. He has proven his ability to create and collaborate on diverse and memorable songs, while staying true to his vision and voice. He has also shown his generosity and passion, by supporting various causes and charities, such as War Child, Amnesty International, and the Teenage Cancer Trust. He is a musical genius with a heart of gold, and a Womble with a soul of fire.
