 Badarou was the long-time associate of the British band Level 42, contributing on keyboards, synthesizers and programming.He has co-written and performed on a number of the band's tracks since their recording début in 1980, later co-producing them.Though never an official member of Level 42, he could be considered a "de facto" "fifth member" of the band's classic line-up from 1980 through 1994, as he played keyboards and synths on all their studio albums, and co-wrote and/or co-produced much of their material.