Picture caption - 14 years on: Mike Badger recording a new album.
The stripes are on the paper.. 

• PUBLICATION - The Journal (North of England regional newspaper)
• ORIGIN - UK
• DATE OF PUBLICATION - Friday, January 15, 1999
• SUBJECT - Mike Badger's past, legacy.. and his new album..
• TITLE - Acoustic sound of success is music to Badger's ears
• AUTHOR - Jon Bennett
• CONTENT - Badger meets Mavers, Badger's success as a sculptor and solo artist.
• PHOTO - No credits given.

The 34-year-old left the group in late 1986 but, after his acclaimed transformation of junk metal into rockets and cars was featured on Space’s Avenging Angels video, he was known as an award-winning sculptor.

With an exhibition on show in Bristol and galleries across the country interested in his work the Huyton-born singer may see the funny side of putting out his acoustic debut, Volume, now but is clearly delighted to have completed the album.

“It’s great to be in this position because it’s so hard to get the music out,” he said
“I needed a bit of pushing to go in the studio but I recorded and mixed the songs in three days because I wasn’t going to be precocious about it and I really enjoyed it.”

It is a quiet, beautiful album made in the spirit of Astral Weeks which grows with every listen and sounds as if it were made for dark evenings or the quiet of Sunday morning.

“Some of these songs have been knocking around for quite a while and I wanted to do them all
acoustically because the acoustic sound never seems to date,” said Mike.

“I don’t suppose the record fits into any category, they just all suited a night-time feel, but ultimately it is what it is. It’s not perfect but I like that.”

Picture caption - Mike Badger playing with Lee Mavers in his back garden in 1985.

Mike admits he is slightly weary of being asked about the La’s but the fascination with them is understandable as they have always been surrounded by mystery which has added to their legend.

The Liverpool group may have only had one hit, and even the wonderful There She Goes only reached number 20, but few bands have inspired such sustained intrigue.

There have been no new recordings since Go-Discs over-ruled Lee Mavers, regarded as the driving force in the group after Mike’s departure, in 1990 to release their fantastic eponymous debut.

Although Mavers angrily disowned the record it is rightly renowned as a hugely influential classic but barely anything has been heard of the frontman since.

Three years ago he made a shambolic appearance at the Riverside during a brief comeback, and rumours of heroin abuse, unfinished recordings, raging eccentricity and perfectionism continue.

Other members of the group have gone on to do well, with bassist John Power forming Cast and drummer Paul Hemmings, who produced Volume, working with the Lightning Seeds.

But it was the influence of Badger - who named the group and asked Lee to join after noting their mutual obsession with Captain Beefheart, but left after disagreements before they had signed a deal - which has brought much speculation.

Rumours abound the 34-year-old co-wrote many of the songs on the La’s but his contribution was uncredited - Mike won’t talk about this although Volume has a melodic deftness which confirms his talents.

Otherwise chatty and enthusiastic, Mike talks about Mavers and his own input into the La's with care and you sense he doesn’t want to be seen as grasping at their legacy or stoking old embers.

“I’ve recently seen Lee and it was really nice, we’re mates again and it feels good. I feel really proud to have been part of something so influential but doing just one album - there’s something radically wrong there.

“They deserved to be more than a one-hit wonder because there was so much more there it deserved to reach it’s full potential.

“If I had stuck around perhaps there would have been a continuation - there should have been two and Lee and I could write.

“I have a lot of respect for him not playing the game and if he doesn’t feel like writing nobody has
the right to say he should. He’s got his legendary status and the less he does the more it grows.”

Volume also features the distinctive sound of Space’s Tommy Scott on backing vocals, a relationship which dates back to 1984.

“I’ve known Tommy since we were on a music course run by the dole and I was made up with
their success.

“I hadn’t seen him for a while but he has no airs and graces and when I did see him he was asking about my music and the sculpting.

“When they went in the video and on the cover it was fantastic to see them on billboards and for him then to come in the studio was great as well. He’s a great talent.

“And it’s great to have the record out.

“After years of being on the dole really it’s very satisfying to be busy, to be thinking about touring and still carrying on the sculpting. ”

Jon Bennett.