Life Is a Grand...
Life Is a Grand... is the only full-length release from multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, composer Henry Badowski. Badowski's solo career began in the summer of 1979, with the release of "Making Love With My Wife" on Deptford Fun City label. Recorded at Pathway Studios, the track was performed completely by Badowski and displayed a strong 1960s influence, with airs of Syd Barrett and Kevin Ayers. The B-side "Baby Sign Here With Me", utilized the talents of James Stevenson (bass/guitar) from Chelsea, Alex Kolkowski (violin) and Dave Berk (drums), both from the Johnny Moped  Band. The single drew favourable reviews and within a month he had signed a contract with A&M Records, releasing a further two singles "My Face" and "Henry's in Love", closely followed by the album "Life Is a Grand...", a classic slice of psychedelia that was to signal the end of Badowski's solo career. Badowski's apprenticeship started in several UK bands including Norman Hounds and the Baskervilles, Lick It Dry and the New Rockets, Badowski joined punk band Chelsea on bass, but in mid 1977, after only a few months, he left to enlist as keyboard player for  Stiff Records artist Wreckless Eric. During the summer of that year, he sang and played keyboards with the short-lived King, a punk/psychedelic group that included Dave Berk (drums), Kim Bradshaw (bass) and ex-Damned, Captain Sensible (guitar). Consequently, when King folded, Badowski took up the bass with the re-formed the Damned offshoot, the Doomed. With the new year came the new position of drummer with the Good Missionaries, an experimental band created by Mark Perry from Alternative TV. Track listing. All tracks composed by Henry Badowski; except where indicated