Although regularly referred to in dispatches as co-founder of The La's with Lee Mavers, MIKE BADGER has long since deserved much more than such a brief footnote. After all, his 25-year run- in with the music industry has also featured a lengthy spell as frontman with Country-rock pioneers The Onset, the creation of The Viper Label with fellow ex-La Paul Hemmings and a parallel career as a celebrated sculptor.
Significantly, Badger continues to plough a rich musical furrow too, and his new album 'Mike Badger's Country Side' – just released on the Generator label – is a roots-enhanced treat for all discerning heads out there. It's more than reason enough for us to shoot the breeze with the man himself and, during a fascinating hour on the 'phone, he tells us why the best approach is always to go with the flow and reveals why Nashville will always be closer to Liverpool's heart than London's.
Mike, it's great to speak with you again. Let's start with your new album, 'Mike Badger's Country Side'. I know you're a big fan of Hank Williams and it's interesting that Hank's one of those respected artistic touchstones in Liverpool. Along with the likes of Television and Love's Arthur Lee, it's almost an unwritten law that you need to appreciate his music on Merseyside. Did you have a 'Eureka' moment when you first discovered the power of his work?
“Yeah, and it was a really important discovery for me,” replies Mike, his enthusiasm anything but dampened, despite struggling with a dose of flu.
“You have to remember that I came from listening to Bowie, T-Rex and then the whole Punk thing and I'd always previously dismissed “Country” music as appalling, redneck trash music,” he continues.
“Then, a mate of mine played me 'I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry' by Hank Williams, back in... 1983/84 it would have been...”
And you really sat up?
“Yeah, the moon went behind the clouds...it was so honest and heartfelt and beautiful,” says Mike, with the awe still in his voice.
“He was such a beautiful poet, even though he was only semi-literate himself, and hearing him was such an important moment for me. From there, I realised there was this amazing underworld of renegade characters within the broader Country church...people like Dolly Parton, George Jones, Porter Waggoner...and of course Johnny Cash and Loretta Lynn. All people with fiery, no-bullshit approaches to life and their music. How can you NOT be inspired by such people really?”
Absolutely. Intriguingly, I notice that in his sleeve notes to 'Country Side', respected Radio Merseyside DJ Spencer Leigh points out that Liverpool has always been referred to as “the Nashville of England.” Why do you think this is? Emigration?
“Well, in a sense,” Mike replies. “People left Liverpool for America and also, of course, the first Hank Williams' records came into England via the port of Liverpool. But I think it's more Liverpool's strong Celtic tradition and the fact Country music is directly related to traditional European folk music and the way people have settled here from Ireland and Scotland and the music's evolved as a result of the migration.”
Right. And in their early days The Beatles were obviously influenced by Country music.
“Yeah, I always refer to the fact The Beatles were much more inspired by the likes of Chet Atkins and the Nashville sound,” Mike continues.
“In London, on the other hand, The Stones were much more obviously inspired by Muddy Waters, Chicago blues and black American music when they started out.”
Another – often abused – aspect of Country and Folk music is that they can be great vehicles for Protest. A number of Badger's finest songs are, indeed, written from the point of view of individuals who are dispossessed or have suffered bruising injustice. Several such tunes feature on the 'Country Side' album, not least Mike's enduring eco-anthem 'Trees & Plants' and The Onset's potent 'Another Man's Crime'. This latter relates to the wrongful imprisonment of Michael Hickey, who was sent to jail for the alleged murder of newspaper boy Carl Bridgewater in 1979.
“It was a TV series called 'Rough Justice' with (TV journalist) Paul Foote that drew my attention to the case in a big way,” Mike reveals.
“I'd previously seen the Carl Bridgewater case spattered about, but I was absolutely gutted when I saw that documentary,” he continues.
“The thing is, I was 34 at the time...the same age Michael Hickey was when he was released from his 17 years of wrongful incarceration, so I guess I could totally empathise with him. I just felt for him so much...he took so many beatings and he was branded as a child killer for something he was later proved never to have done. Ultimately, he was an easy target for the authorities, in the same way The Birmingham Six were.”
A similar streak of speaking for those without a voice also runs through one of Mike's new songs, the poignant and sparse 'They're Animals', which reverses the dubious premise of describing despicable people as “animals”.
“It's written from the animals point of view,” Mike points out. “It's them talking about us. It's deplorable for us to describe fellow humans as 'animals' when we don't like the things they do. I mean, think how simple and pure life could be without the bullshit trappings and obstacles we've created for ourselves in life. In so many ways, animals are much more intelligent than us – they can survive all the seasons outside, for example...I can't see most of us humans doing that.”
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Certainly can't myself. But then,again, how does Mike Badger see himself these days? Do you feel many people are more aware of you as primarily 'Mike Badger – sculptor' rather than as a musician at present?
“It's not something I dwell on, really,” Mike muses.
“I've been fortunate in that I've been able to do a lot of things and mostly my philosophy's been to go with the flow and let nature take its' course. I mean, as you know, my big hero is Captain Beefheart and I first met him at an Art Gallery, y'know, so art and music have always gone hand in hand for me.”
“Besides,” he continues, warming to the theme, “we live in a world where people are desperate to categorise people at all times. I mean, as we're speaking there's a Stuart Sutcliffe retrospective on in Liverpool. His work's fantastic anyway, but would it even be in Liverpool if he hadn't been in The Beatles?”
Fair point. Although in Spencer Leigh's sleeve notes, he also makes mention of The Mekons' Jon Langford, another well-respected musician who has been accepted in the Art world. And then there's Billy Childish, too: a musician who's so prolific it would take most of us a lifetime to catch up, yet he's also renowned as a artist. How does Mike feel about being compared with such folk?
“I've no problem with it at all,” says Mike. “I only know their work to a degree. Jon (Langford) I know predominantly for The Mekons' 'Ghost Of An American Airman', which is great, although he seems to have a folk-art thing going too which is intriguing. I know Billy Childish mostly for his woodcuts...I love them, and I like his stuff with The Buff Medways. Having said that, it's still more of a case of an easy category for us all to be slipped into. We're all individuals, that's what it's about for me.”
Mike links up with some hugely talented fellow individuals on 'Country Side' too, not least The Viper Label's Tramp Attack – a band whose earlier line-up featured future Zutons' frontman Dave McCabe. The current incarnation released the great 'Call In Sick' album, which has a fluid, roots-y sound and they bring a similar authenticity to several tracks on 'Country Side', not least the classic drinking song 'Ashtrays & Tables & Barstools'. Are they all big Country heads, Mike?
“Yeah, Bluegrass in particular,” Mike confirms.
“It's not actually all of Tramp Attack playing, just Barry and Chris and their mate Paddy playing fiddle, but they really can play in that Nashville style...they're good enough to play over there and it always pisses me off that there's no infrastructure in Liverpool for these guys to do what they do professionally...at least on a regular basis. Sadly, the reality is they have to hold down day jobs, but they're a pleasure to work with regardless.”
Such unexpected rays of sunshine were sometimes cast across The Onset's history, as 'Country Side”s closing track proves. It's a spirited, Punk-infused live version of Hank Williams' 'Mansion On The Hill', which neatly brings us full circle. But it was recorded in – of all places – The Brewery in Kendal, Cumbria. Wow – rock'n'roll and a giant ale house? Sounds good to me, Mike!
“Yeah, that was a great gig too,” laughs Mike. “Perhaps it's not quite as cool as it sounds 'cos it's actually the Kendal Brewery Arts Centre we played in, but it was a great night. It's weird too, 'cos we were doing country-style stuff back in 1988 when there wasn't such a thing as Americana or Alt. Country or whatever, but when the audience got it like they did that night it was great.”
“We even ended up staying somewhere brilliant afterwards,” he finishes. “We were invited to Lower Graithwaite Hall on the shores of Lake Windermere. Danny (Dean) and I stayed in the Thatcher Room, of all places.”
Huh?? You mean, as in...
“Yeah, THAT Thatcher, “ laughs Mike. “The room was done out in floral blue wallpaper! But what a great experience that was. It was one of those great nights when you just ended up smiling in the face of adversity. That's the way it goes sometimes.”
Indeed it does, but when you've both the talent and the ability to go with the flow, it's amazing what you can achieve. Mike Badger's the living proof of that and his “Country Side” provides a vista full of warmth and great beauty. Take a trip there when you get the chance.
(http://www.myspace.com/mikebadger )
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