36 Facts About Mike Batt

Michael Philip Batt was born on 6 February 1949 and is an English singer-songwriter, musician, arranger, record producer, director, and conductor.

Mike Batt previously served as the Deputy Chairman of the British Phonographic Industry.

Mike Batt is recognised for creating The Wombles, a novelty pop band that recorded the theme song for an animated BBC series of the same name.

Mike Batt is credited with launching the career of singer Katie Melua.

Mike Batt has conducted many orchestras, including the London Symphony; Royal Philharmonic; London Philharmonic; Sydney Symphony and Stuttgart Philharmonic.

Mike Batt began his career in pop music when he was 18 while answering an advertisement placed by Ray Williams in the New Musical Express on behalf of Liberty Records.

Mike Batt signed and produced Tony McPhee's band, The Groundhogs and produced their first album, Scratching the Surface.

Mike Batt produced, co-wrote and played piano on Hapshash and the Coloured Coat's second album, Western Flier.

Mike Batt worked with various artists as a songwriter and producer, most notably with Steeleye Span and their album All Around My Hat in 1975.

Mike Batt produced Elkie Brooks' version of "Lilac Wine" in 1978.

Mike Batt wrote the song "Bright Eyes" for the animated film version of Watership Down.

Mike Batt wrote the score for the film Caravans, released in 1978.

Mike Batt worked on these recordings with such fellow artists as Colin Blunstone and Roger Chapman as singers on Tarot Suite.

Mike Batt designed, co-directed and starred in the studio-based production of "Zero Zero" shot at Gore Hill studios in Sydney and aired by Channel 4 TV in the UK in the week of the Channel's broadcast launch in 1982.

However, the album was withheld from sale after a dispute with Sony Music, to whom Mike Batt had leased the self-financed masters.

Mike Batt went ahead with a promotional concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 1987, which he filmed at his own expense and was shown on BBC2.

Mike Batt performed the programme's theme song, Better Than A Dream.

In January 1990, Mike Batt was appointed joint musical director of the Melbourne Summer Music Festival with the State Orchestra of Victoria.

The production was designed and directed by Mike Batt and starred Philip Quast as the Bellman, David McCallum as Lewis Carroll, and Kenny Everett as the Billiard Marker.

Mike Batt was then commissioned to write the official anthem for the inauguration of the Channel Tunnel by the Queen, entitled "When Flags Fly Together".

In 1997, Mike Batt produced an album for the soprano Anna Maria Kaufmann, with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra; an original dramatic song cycle called Blame It on the Moon, from which his song, "Running with a Dream" was taken as the theme for Germany's national football team at the 1998 World Cup.

In 1998, Mike Batt produced, arranged and conducted the album Philharmania with the Royal Philharmonic and guest singers included Joey Tempest, Roger Daltrey, Marc Almond, Bonnie Tyler, Status Quo, Huey Lewis, Kim Wilde, Justin Hayward and others.

Later the same year, Mike Batt relaunched The Wombles pop group, with two hits, "Remember You're A Womble" and "The Wombling Song".

Mike Batt simultaneously dedicated the piece to his own parents, whose Golden Wedding Anniversary happened to be in the same year.

Mike Batt formed his own record label, Dramatico, in 2000, working with a small group of artists including Katie Melua, Carla Bruni, Marianne Faithfull, Caro Emerald, Gurrumul, and Sarah Blasko.

Mike Batt discovered Katie Melua in 2002 while scouting for a new artist with whom to work.

In 2008, Mike Batt performed and released A Songwriter's Tale, a compilation album of his hits, newly recorded with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Henry Spinetti, Ray Cooper, Chris Spedding, Mitch Dalton and Tim Harries.

Mike Batt has served on the boards of many industry organizations including The Performing Right Society, the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors and the British Phonographic Industry, being Deputy Chairman of the BPI from 2007 until November 2015.

Mike Batt has been a member of the Society of Distinguished Songwriters since 1976.

Mike Batt's awards include five Ivor Novello Awards issued by The British Academy Of Songwriters, Composers And Authors, according to their records.

Mike Batt was appointed Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order in the 2013 Birthday Honours for services to the Royal Household.

Mike Batt arranged and conducted a series of concerts of Hawkwind songs featuring the band and orchestra in October and November 2018.

In July 2019, Mike Batt was made a Companion of the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts by co-founder Paul McCartney.

In 2022, Mike Batt launched Croix-Noire, an art project with Jean-Charles Capelli, intended to link music, comics and video games.

In 2025, Mike Batt worked with Justin Hayward to cover Life in a Northern Town, released on March 14th.

Mike Batt published his autobiography, The Closest Thing to Crazy: My Life of Musical Adventures, in 2024.