The Closest Thing to Crazy cover art

The Closest Thing to Crazy

My Life of Musical Adventures

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The Closest Thing to Crazy

By: Mike Batt
Narrated by: Mike Batt
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About this listen

 'Fabulously readable' STEPHEN FRY

'Wildly entertaining' DAILY EXPRESS

'Rollicking ... ebullient ... Christmas present problems are instantly solved' MAIL ON SUNDAY

Nominated for the 2025 Association for Recorded Sound Collections Awards for Excellence in Historical Recorded Sound Research

Described variously 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. Idiosyncratic but mainstream, complicated but compassionate, steadfastly maverick in spirit but avowedly commercial in outlook. He is a man of great contradictions, but even greater talent.

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 pop group. But this success proved to be just the beginning as he then went on to work with various artists as a songwriter, composer and producer, including Art Garfunkel, George Harrison, Cliff Richard, Andrew Lloyd-Webber and Katie Melua.

Featuring cameos from some of the biggest stars in the business from Paul McCartney to Prince, The Closest Thing to Crazy takes us not only on the rocky (and classical) journey of Mike Batt's life but also on a tour around the inside of his mind.©2024 Mike Batt (P)2024 Bonnier Books UK Entertainment & Celebrities Entertainment & Performing Arts Film & TV Music Funny

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All stars
Most relevant  
Born into a world of Wombling in 1974, my first tune on piano was the Wombles theme tune, and my favourite drunken party tune remains The Orinoco Kid! I was familiar with other work by Mike Batt, but I had no idea of the stories that brought them to life and strung them together, the book is written and performed well, as you join Mike for a guided tour of his life he tells you how he felt at the time, with some thoughts now given the benefit of hindsight. He accepts his history, opportunities, struggles and risks as life experiences, lacking any bitter regrets.

Wombles to worldwide biographical adventure!

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So interesting and so much unknown about Mr Batt, I did as a very young boy living in Surbiton wash his car in the mid 70s

Everything

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An incredibly interesting and sometimes moving memoir read very well by the author. There is a lot more to Mike Batt than just the Wombles! Thoroughly recommended!

Excellent!

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This really is an extraordinary read. There are so many musical layers to Mike Batt before and beyond the Wombles, and it's all in here from the music business in the 1960s, his musical arrangements in the 1970s, the Wombles, wrecked marriages, round-the-world sea voyages, meetings with McCartney, nights out with Abba and shenanigans with Lloyd Webber.

He doesn't pull punches, either, with stories of music industry sharks and the West End critics mafioso

He produced the Kursaal Flyers brilliant 'Golden Mile' album and also, not mentioned here, but four tracks for the Kursaal's Paul Shuttleworth which are one of the best things he ever did. I could listen to them on repeat - as I do with Snark

I would recommend this for anyone interested in the machinations of the music biz over the last 40-50 years, Parts of it are a cautionary tale about what not to do. Restraint, it turns out, is just not Mike's style.

Like a Batt out of Hell

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I always lovedthe Dreamstone as a child and even more so the music. it wasn't until year later when I worked for Virgin Megastores and Mike released his 'A Songwriters Tale' album in 2008 when I truly got to know his music and learned he was the man behind the Wombles music. I became a fan ever since. However until listening to his book, I was not aware he had been a contributer to one of my all time favourite musicals song, Phantom of the Opera. It made me fall in love with him all over again. I love his energy and learning how much I actually have in common with him. And what an inspirational life he's led. Rightly or wrongly, Mike is very open about his personal thoughts, his career, relationships and mistakes. It just goes to show that, no matter who you are, rich or poor, famous or not, successful or bankrupt. Everyone is human and have problems of their own.

Mike reads his book well, almost like listening to a friend. I love his voice, it is hypnotic and unique. A very thoroughly enjoyable listen or read if you own the book itself.

I hope you continue to work your magic Mike, well done. Highly recommend this book to anyone who knows him and doesn't know him.

Remember you're a... Mike Batt?

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I listened to this travelling to and from Scotland and the 5hr plus drives flew by, which is testament to the writing and story, narrated by Mike himself. Like most people i only really knew him from the Wombles but soon you learn there is a hell of a lot more to Mike. A gifted musician from an early age , Mike literally taught himself how to compose and conduct music, may times with the LSO no less. What impressed me most was his absolute zero compromise approach to all of his art, regardless of any finanancial risks to himself. And it pays off too, sometimes - but whatever the result he is never once disheartened enough to pack it all in. Listening to the story about Katy Melua and her first hit i was rooting for him to make her first song a hit and finally, after all that work and belief in the project , it pays off, I was almost in tears! I have since started listening to his back catalogue and have become a fan - i absolutely love the Hunting of the Snark - John Hurt and John Geilgud both reading CS Lewis - whats not to like.
For those wanting rock n roll stories - yes they are also in the book. He has met and worked with some of the greeats.
Overall this is a big recommend - regardless of whether you know him or not.

Birlliantly told tale of the life of an artist

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If someone told you that all these things happened to just one person, you probably wouldn't believe it. That's why the title of this autobiography is so fitting.

Mike Batt narrates in a wonderfully natural way, adding witty asides and chuckling as he relates the craziness of his career. It's not all fun and games, though. There are plenty of trials as well as triumphs that are recounted in this audiobook. It makes you laugh and brings a tear to your eye.

A truly unique life story that, at many points, seems it could only be a kind of dream. This is a remarkable tale of a remarkable career of a remarkable man.

A truly unique life story

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Really entertaining, didn’t know to much about his life or back catalogue of work. But will definitely check it out. And will relisten again at some point.

The Wombles

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It's a wonderful telling of an extraordinary life. Mike's fantastic songwriting, production and orchestration talents combined with his "roulette everything on red" approach to backing his projects makes for a fascinating and enthralling ride.

Just downloaded Snark and a few of his other albums and will get stuck in.

An inspiring listen.

Inspiring

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A delightful listen, with Batt proving to be a fun narrator throughout. Obviously this is one side of any story, and I'm sure people involved may debate some if the facts, but that's true with any autobiography.

The delight of the modern age is pausing to listen to music mentioned in the book, and I've lived finding new songs from the past. I never knew he write Katie Melua's first few albums and enjoyed listening to them for the first time.

A great account of the high and lows of a music man who rushed it all on a regular basis and didn't always win.

Oh, and Wombles... lots of Wombles.

A Life Well Lived

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