THE CLOSEST THING TO CRAZY My Life of Musical Adventures - Mike Batt

For the first time, singer, songwriter and composer Mike Batt, the man who has written multi-million selling hits for Art Garfunkel and Katie Melua, on the fiftieth anniversary since he shot to fame as part of The Wombles shares his extraordinary life story in The Closest Thing to Crazy.

In The Closest Thing to Crazy Batt gives an honest self-examination of his life featuring stories of studio encounters and relationships with some of the biggest stars in the business from Paul McCartney to Prince. Batt takes us not only on the rocky (and classical) journey of his life but also on a tour around the inside of his head.

Idiosyncratic but mainstream, complicated but compassionate, steadfastly maverick in spirit but avowedly commercial in outlook Batt is a man of great contradictions, but even greater talent. With a zest for adventure and achievement after starting out in the music business as a teenager, Batt shot to fame in the early 1970s for his part in the creation of the Wombles. This success proved to be just the beginning as Batt then went on to work with various artists as a songwriter and producer, including Art Garfunkel, George Harrison, Cliff Richard, Andrew Lloyd-Webber and Katie Melua.

Batt is an incredibly accomplished musician, songwriter, producer and composer, whose career has taken in all aspects of the industry. Described as a 'polymath', a 'renaissance man' and 'one of the most colourful characters in the music business', Mike Batt has led an extraordinarily vibrant and challenging life that has been full of both glorious victories and bitter failures. For better or for worse, he is a man who has always lived life on his own terms.

We have two ticket options available: * Event Only and *Event with Discounted Book Combo deal - books will be available for collection at the Festival.

Our event will be followed by a dedicated signing event with Mike. RRP books will also be available for purchase on the day.

About the Author

Mike Batt is a singer, songwriter, producer and composer who has been making hit records for more than fifty years. As the lead singer and creator of The Wombles pop group in the early 1970s, the multi-Ivor Novello Award winner has written and produced music for many artists, including Art Garfunkel, Cliff Richard, David Essex, and Katie Melua, conducted many of the world’s great orchestras, and worked across many art forms, directing, designing, conducting, and engaging in entrepreneurial activities in the entertainment industry.

Host or Publisher Louder Than Words Festival