Ian Cheeseman Talks: Wombles of Wimbledon to Stockport and Oldham

Tameside Radio presenter Ian Cheeseman previews his Saturday afternoon show - with this week's interviewees including singer-songwriter Mike Batt and Stockport County legend Mike Flynn.

Music has always been a huge part of human culture, well I assume it has. 

I know I’m getting on a bit these days, but even I have not been around for all of the time Homosapiens have been roaming the earth so I can’t be sure. 

I assume that singing/chanting has always happened and having watched “2001: A Space Odyssey” I can see that our ancestors knew how to bang bones on rocks, all part of the rich tapestry of music, I’m sure you’ll agree.

In times of high emotion, drama and passion, music has a way of enhancing those feelings, whether it be the soundtrack to a war film, a love song or the happy music that accompanies a Disney parade. 

I love all sorts of music, but of course we all make very different choices when it comes to taste.

During the last few weeks, I’ve had the good fortune to interview a few talented musicians for my Saturday afternoon show on Tameside Radio. 

Francis Rossi from Status Quo, Steve Harley who had that huge hit with his band Cockney Rebel, Britain’s Got Talent winner Susan Boyle and Cheryl Baker, who won the Eurovision Song Contest with Bucks Fizz back in the day, have been just some of those I’ve spoken too.

I’m most impressed by those who write their music as well as perform it. I can never quite get my head around how someone starts with nothing but ends up with beautiful melodies, catchy hooks or inspirational, thought provoking lyrics.

My personal favourite song writers are Benny & Bjorn from Abba, Alan Menken, the man who wrote so many great Disney songs, and a guy called Mike Batt. 

Mike was actually the first song writer I really became aware of. He was the singer, songwriter, producer, instrumentalist and arranger of the hit songs produced by the Wombles back in the 1970s.

I’m sure first impressions, back then, were that these were throw-away songs, but actually there was a musical depth, intelligence and variety to those songs. The lyrics, which might have seemed childish to most, were actually witty and very clever.

I wasn’t even a teenager when their music first impressed me, but I noticed the name Mike Batt and have followed his career ever since. 

It’s been a rich and varied journey through music that might be viewed as experimental with “Zero Zero” and “Hunting of the Snark,” which you’ve probably never heard of, to the huge Art Garfunkel hit “Bright Eyes” (from Watership Down) and “A Winter’s Tale” sung by David Essex to the more recent hits of Katie Melua. 

He also worked alongside my heroes Benny and Bjorn on their early musical Abbacadabra.

What an honour it was for me, therefore, to be able to chat to this living legend recently. 

I felt like a kid in a sweet shop as I asked him my questions about his amazing career. 

I didn’t contact him because he has a brand new anthology of his work out digitally and on CD, but we did briefly talk about that too. 

It’s called “Mike Batt: the Penultimate Collection” and contains 32 songs. I’d already ordered my signed copy before I spoke to him. I highly recommend it.

I’ve also been speaking to another Mike for this week’s show. 

Mike Flynn is a Stockport County legend. He’s an Oldham lad who started his career at the Latics and later played for Stalybridge Celtic and Hyde United. 

He talked me through his career which is full of interesting stories about life away from the riches and spotlight of the Premier League.

So, do join me this Saturday from 1-3pm on Tameside Radio 103.6FM (or via the free app) for two hours of chat, music and sport when “Ian Cheeseman talks to... Mike Batt and Mike Flynn”.