Mike Batt releases ‘Bright Eyes’ (Piano Solo) the first track from an album (which he calls a “gradualbum”) of piano solos of his songs and works. The album will grow throughout the year with additional solo piano tracks. Originally written in 1976 for the 1979 film ‘Watership Down’ Mike’s song – as produced by him for Art Garfunkel – enjoyed a 6-week run at #1 in the UK singles chart beginning in April 1979, selling 1.6m copies, was CBS/Sony’s first million seller in this country, and was number one in six countries.

Batt says” I’ve fancied recording simple, classically-orientated versions of some of my material for some time, but I always seem so busy, the time to chill out and record something “chillout” has never presented itself until recently, during Covid lockdown. Sitting at the piano and just playing is a real pleasure, without pressure of a time limit. I usually thrive with a deadline but in this case these recordings will occur whenever I feel like “just playing”. One day the “gradualbum” will be deemed, at least temporarily, complete”

Mike is a self- taught pianist, and is also self-taught in orchestration and conducting. He has conducted both classical and popular repertoire with many of the world’s great orchestras including the LSO, LPO, RPO, Sydney Symphony Orchestra , Berlin Opera Orchestra, State Orchestra of Victoria (Melbourne), National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland and Stuttgart Philharmonie. He has composed in almost all genres, from classical and film scores to heavy metal and prog rock and bubblegum pop. Born in Southampton in 1949 his family moved around the country for two or three years at a time, and he went to school in Eastbourne, York, Bradford, Coventry and Winchester. He did not go on to further education, preferring to enter the music business aged eighteen straight after passing A levels in Music, Art and English. He was immediately signed as an artist by Liberty/UA and became their head of A&R six months later.