Molland and Evans attempted to revive the band in 1979 (Gibbins was invited but dismissed) working with guitarist Joe Tansin and session drummer Andy Newmark, they recorded the weak Airwaves for Elektra. Despite some good songs, the production was weak, and the band suffered from Ham's absence; instead of drawing from their strength as power poppers, much of the album has a limp MOR feel. Given a second chance in 1981, they recorded the final Badfinger album with a new lineup (which included Tony Kaye of Yes on keyboards), Say No More. While stronger than Airwaves, and including a harrowing new version of Evans' "Rock 'n' Roll Contract" (originally recorded but never released during the Head First sessions), a song so full of tortured anguish in the singing and playing it is almost bonechilling, the album failed to sell. It closes with Molland's ominously prophetic "No More", a tough, ominous new wave/power pop rush into oblivion.
Molland and Evans split after that, and both tried leading their own versions of Badfinger on haphazard tours, but it was all over. Their relationship was at a low point in 1983 when Evans followed Pete Ham's lead and hung himself. By this point, the band had been so thoroughly forgotten, his death went by barely noticed by the press.
Molland bravely soldiers on. He released a solo disc After The Pearl on the small Earthtone label in 1983 just prior to Evans' death, and has since released several more. They sell mainly to the diehard fans, but they all have a little of Molland's world-weary tunefulness, and bits of good guitar. Gibbins, also, has released several albums on tiny labels.
Badfinger has finally gotten some of their due (if not much of their money). Now recognized as a band that bucked the trends in the early 70's, sticking to melodic, basic rock in the early 70's when it was considered uncool to do so, they really did help establish the template later power-pop bands would draw from. Their Apple and Warners albums have been re-released with bonus cuts (Straight Up, in particular has good ones; early Geoff Emerick produced versions of songs upon which George Harrison would heap layers of production for the released versions). Head First finally gained its release, a quarter of a century late. They have been the subject of an excellent book, and some smart anthologies. Two albums worth of Pete Ham demos have also been released.
Article comments
1 - Eric Olsen
what a terrific, empathetic career overview/review, and I was quite unaware they had done much of note after Straight Up - will definitely give my Apple Greatest Hits collection another listen. Thanks uao!
2 - The Proprietor
"Without You" is an engaging read, and it's somewhat blood-boiling to see how Stan Polley swindled not only Badfinger but "investors" in other projects and managed to get away scot-free. Joey Molland's spinning Badfinger history towards himself these days, minimizing Pete Ham and Tom Evans' legacy.
"Baby Blue", "No Matter What" and "Day After Day" always are high on my playlists. Terrific stuff that deserves more exposure than it gets.
Great article!
3 - Vern Halen
I remember a friend finding a used copy of Straight Up, & we used to play it all the time. An essential part of a classic rock fan's collection.
4 - uao
Glad to hear from some other Badfinger fans. The Proprietor is right; Stan Polley, the culprit in this story, had also allegedly cheated a sizable number of other investors and musicians, and did get off scot-free.
The book,"Without You", is a good, informative read, too.
5 - Andy DeWitt
Glad to see your article. A nice
overview. However, the book you mention
unfortunately is a self-serving project
by the author, in which certain facts
were glossed over, and some were deliberately ignored as to not affect
it's credibility and intent of the
author. A lot of info was presented,
but with such a slant it taints the
rest, and has readers forming opinions
they wouldn't have, had they been
presented with all the facts.
6 - uao
The slant is certainly there; I realize that the book ("Without You")is controversial among serious Badfinger fans.
For this article, I relied on other sources for facts, and avoided speculating on the motives of the bandmembers, their family members, and their business associates (which the book does).
I still recommend it, since it contains a lot of useful hard facts, and a lot of good photos. Also, since it remains the only book (I'm aware of) about the band.
Andy DeWitt's caveat does have merit though; however, the author's allegiances are evident in the writing (and the accompanying CD), and can be glossed over by an alert reader in favor of the historical events depicted.
As such, it's all there is on Badfinger beyond bio info in music encyclopedias and the like.
If someone writes a better, less biased one, I'll buy it ;-)
7 - John
What facts were glossed over or ignored in Without You? I hear this criticism often, but nobody ever really explains it in detail. "Glossing over" is a phrase I would more associate with Joey's approach to the Badfinger legacy.
8 - John
What facts were glossed over or ignored in Without You? I hear this criticism often, but nobody ever really explains it in detail. "Glossing over" is a phrase I would more associate with Joey's approach to the Badfinger legacy.
9 - Brad
Who is the model on the No Dice Album?
She looks just like Raquale Welsh or a little like Cher.Joey Molland didn't even remember her name.I was told the house hippie at Apple Records hired her and
took the photo.He also took the photo for
the No Dice and Stright Up Album.Joey
did say she wasn't a well know modle.
10 - Cary
3/22-"Joey Molland's spinning Badfimger history towards himself these days, minimizing Pete Ham and Tom Evans' legacy"-The Proprietor
3/25-"'Glossing over' is a phrase I would more associate with Joey's approach to the Badfinger legacy"-John
I have known Badfinger since 1971 and been regarded by all 4, individually and collectively, as though I were family. I have attended well over 100 of their performances over the years, including several which included Pete and Tom in the line-up. I knew the history before there was a book to present it. I can assure you, the Badfinger legacy is reverently kept by Mr. Molland to this day. If Pete and Tom have been minimized, it can be attributed more to the fact that Pete and Tom are no longer with us (as this site's article points out), and to greedy people who took advantage of them along the way. Joey has never ceased to credit both with the authorship of their songs when he performs them (keeping them alive for those who may not have been around 30 years ago to hear for themselves) and he has nothing but admiration and praise for their outstanding musicianship, and the time, and friendship, they all shared together in the band. As for "spinning history toward himself" nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, he tends to divert attention and praise away, even when he is deserving of it. (And if you are among those who consider his exhuberance in accepting the ASCAP award as such, you are mistaken). The whole band was generally that way, especially in the shadow of their mentors, which is partly why they endured such raw deals from the very beginning. If anything, he has been put in the unenviable position of having to reel in the "spinning" that has already occured against him (and his wife, who has been depicted as a meddling menace, rather than a caring person who spoke up when she saw things weren't going well for the band-too bad Pete didn't take her concerns to heart, he might still be here today) and to react to his friends and bandmates being elevated to sainthood, as can happen when public figures die too young. I've heard Joey express many different emotions and his preference is to see the good in people and situations wherever possible and to look optimistically toward the future. If that's "glossing over", then so be it. It comes across to me as not dwelling on the past, or the negative, and I applaud him for the ability to do that amidst the adversity that is dircted his way. He and his wife are not perfect, but they are good, caring people who have been treated rather unfairly in the wake of the tragedies that befell Badfinger, and those of you who have not met these people personally would do well to take hearsay with the proverbial grain of salt.
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12 - uao
Sadly, I read that Mike Gibbins passed away at home on Oct. 4, 2005 from 'natural causes'. He was 56.
13 - uao
I messed up that link for Gibbins' passing. It should be: here
14 - ßill
The Badfinger book is packed with quotes (hundreds of people in/around Badfinger and the music business) and copies of contracts and other documentation. The facts speak for themselves.
15 - meredith
We saw Badfinger about 10 years ago at a pizza place in Dallas, PA for ten dollars.
They signed all of our albums, talked to us at length individually and I even got a peck on the cheek by Joey Molland.
The concert was so awesome. Probably the most humble, but genuinely kind musicians I have ever met. I would easily pay ten times that to see them again.
16 - Vic
Check this out! It sounds like Badfinger with John Lennon.