BadFinger

The special love I have for you, my baby blue
“BUZZ: Newspaper Article” Aug- Sep 2011 (#6-F)

This month I’d like to cover my girlfriend’s favorite band “Bad Finger”

so this one’s for you Sweetie !

When I was a kid growing up in Sioux City, Iowa my favorite bands in order where The Monkees, Steppenwolf & The Beatles. Now I spent a whole lotta time in our front entry way listening to a giant AM Radio from the early 50s my Dad picked up somewhere, I used to hear my Favorites like Ringo Starr’s “Photograph” & Gordon Lightfoot’s “Sundown” but I also used to hear a band that kind of sounded like The Beatles, yet wasn’t The Beatles because they had broken up… so I went to Woolco and looked for this band I heard on the radio and it turns out it was in fact “Bad Finger” and oddly enough they were on the very same record label as The Beatles and even had a song written by: Paul McCartney !!!! and so the story goes….kinda like this;

* Ivey Place…1961- 1968

It all started with Pete Ham (Peter William Ham, 27 April 1947, Townhill, Swansea- 23 April 1975) and Ron Griffiths, Roy Anderson & David Jenkins come together in 1961 in Swansea, Wales UK performing under a few names such as “Black Velvets” & “Wild Ones” before they settled on the name “The Iveys” after the name of a street where Pete was from,. sometime in 1964 . Enter Drummer Mike Gibbins (Michael George Gibbins, 12 March 1949, Swansea -4 October 2005) in Mar 1965. Then sometime in 1966 Tom Evans (Thomas Evans Jr., 5 June 1947, Liverpool UK -19 November 1983) joins the band. In Jun 1966 Bill Collins was managing the band and eventually signed the band to a 5 year contact on 8 December 1966. The Beatles confidant Mal Evans & Apple records A&R man Peter Asher saw the band at the Marquee Club in London on 25 Jan 1968. Evans pitched and got approval from all 4 Beatles and “The Iveys” became the 1st non-Beatle act on Apple Records. They’re first single “Maybe Tomorrow” was released 8 Nov 1968 a 2nd single “Dear Angie” was released in Jul 1969 and an LP “Maybe Tomorrow” was released in limited counties.

*If You Want it…1969- 1970

Enter Paul McCartney… and Apple Records’ Neil Aspinall recommended a name change for the band in reference to an old working title of a Beatles song titled “Bad Finger Boogie” which turned out to be “With a Little Help from My Friends” in addition to McCartney offered up a “White Album” out-take titled “Come and Get It” in Aug 1969 to be used in the Ringo Starr film “Magic Christian”, Paul also produced a song “Carry on Till Tomorrow” for the film “Rock of All Ages” with 2 other songs by the band on the soundtrack album as well. In Oct 1969 with the name change also came a band member change out went Ron Griffiths, enter main stay Joey Molland (Joseph Charles Molland, 21 June 1947, in Edge Hill, Liverpool) “Come and Get It’ was released Jan 1970 and sold over a million copies world wide, “Magic Christian” was released in 1970 (without Molland’s musicianship).

March 1970 the band began recording material for they’re new LP “No Dice” featuring “No Matter What” which had been rejected as a single at first, but upon it’s release hit #8 in US. Later in 1970 the band worked with the 3 other Beatles, on Ringo Starr’s 45 “It Don’t Come Easy” George Harrison’s LP “All Things Must Pass” and involvement with John Lennon’s “Imagine” LP. As well as writing “Without You” a #1 hit for singer/ songwriter Harry Nilsson in 1971.

In one of my many conversions with Joey Molland he told me “I still own the Gibson I played on Harrison’s album” While on the band’s first US tour on Fri 16 Oct 1970 St. Thomas College, Gym St. Paul, Minnesota, Molland met his wife of 37 years Kathie Molland (9 Jan 1947- 23 Mar 2009) a former model for “Genie in the Bottle Highlights” hair product. Kathie told me in 2008 interview “His band played the local collage, then they were hanging out at “Depot Club” (now First Ave) Joey saw me and followed me around like a puppy dog” when I asked her about her modeling career she said “Well, the wasn’t much to it, stand here, hold this, bend over that, wasn’t real hard work” and laughed. It was also in Nov 1970 the band signed a deal (with the devil) Stan Polley.

* Can You be Straight Up… 1971-1973

The Spring of ’71 band embarks on recording their 3rd album “Straight Up” released in Dec 1971 produced by: Geoff Emerick, George Harrison & finished up by Todd Rundgren yielding the hits: “Day After Day” a #4 Billboard Hit & “Baby Blue” at #14 on the charts. It was at this time the members of the band were growing weary of the constant comparisons to The Beatles. In addition too, they’re Manager Polley was creating a situation where the band was not receiving their monies due. So in 1972 the band saw constant touring and not many recording sessions. The band attempt to produce themselves which resulted in delaying the final result until Chris Thomas was brought in to finish up their final LP for Apple “Ass” in Nov 1973 with the 45 “Apple of My Eye” the cover is credited to Evans.

* Enter the Rabbit… 1974- 1975

Roughly 6 weeks after the “Ass” album sessions were over in early 1974 the band started work on their next LP “Badfinger” (For Love or Money) for their new record label “Warner Bros” Polley had signed them to what seemed like a lucrative deal (at the time). However because the 2 records were recorded so close together they are very similar in content. Releasing 2 singles “Love is Easy” & “I Miss You” embarking on a US tour a concert in March was recorded at the Cleveland Agora for a potential live album, which did not materialize. Finishing up the Us tour the band started recording their 2nd LP for WB “Wish You Were Here” recorded at Caribou Ranch in Colorado and in London at George Martin’s studios. Released in Fall 1974 to positive reviews the album was withdrawn to avoid further legal entanglement. Inner band turmoil result in a new member Robert ‘Bob’ Jackson (6 Jan 1984 Coventry UK) on keyboards & vocals and the departure of Joey Molland of his own choosing in Dec ’74. Manager Polley pressured the band to return to Apple studios sometime in 1975 to work on their 3rd LP for “WB” recorded in just 11 days “Head First” would not be released until the year 2000. I do remember a story (rumor) in the late 80s that Gibbins was shopping the master tapes around to find a label to release the 1975 LP.

* Looks like The end….1975
Things were not going well for the band at this point. Many law suits being filed, dropped by WB, the last album turned in will not be released. Pete Ham was very despondent. After a night of drinking with band mate Evans on 24 April 1975 around 4am Pete Ham hanged himself in his garage leaving a note to his girlfriend & her son, his daughter Petera was born a month after his death. This was the end of the original “Badfinger”

*A Shiny New Name…1977- 1981
In late 1977 2 US musicians Joe Tansin on guitar & Kenny Harck on drums enlisted Molland and Evans on a California visit to form a new band, christened “Badfinger” at Electra Records suggestion. Their come back album “Airwaves” was released in 1979 with the 45 “Love is Gonna Come at Last” hit #69 on the charts. Then recruiting Tony Kaye (Anthony John Selvidge 11 Jan 1946 Leicester UK) from “YES” on keyboards & Peter Clarke on drums from “Stealers Wheel” It was in 1981 the ‘New’ band releases their next LP “Say No More” on Radio Records the single “Hold On” charted at #56 however now with new members Richard Bryans (Aviary) playing drums and Glenn Sherba on guitar.

*Another Death in the Family…1982- 1983
By 1982 Molland and Evans were touring in 2 separate bands called “Badfinger” with Gibbins and other post- Pete Ham band members and other musicians from bands such as “Grass Roots” & “Chicago” once again plagued by ill will and law suits. It is reported (rumored) that sometime after a heated argument between Evans and Molland, on 19 Nov 1983 Tom Evans hanged himself in his garden at his home in Richmond, UK. It is said that the note he left behind said “He wanted to go out the same way his friend Pete went”

*Day After Day….1984 and on
In the after math Molland, Gibbins & Jackson reform “Badfinger” and play some 31 dates as the “20th Anniversary of British Rock n Roll” they continue to perform together on and off till 1989 when Gibbins departed for the last time. Sometime during this a Local Des Moines, Iowa Guitar Hero Rob Forest (of DVC) was the lead singer and guitarist in the band. I have spoken to Joey many times over the past 8 years, I find him to be of quite good nature and incredibly funny, he once told me one of his favorite films was “Day of the Triffids” from 1962. Joey and his brother live in the Twin Cities area and have a band “Shakespeare’s Peace Pipe”

I approached Joey Molland about an interview for this article Mar 2011 he responded “You know I have talked a lot about this over the years, I’d kinda like to take a break from it till my book comes out” Upon doing my research of this band I have to say in closing the “BADFINGER” story proves the old adage “Truth is Stranger Than Fiction” the band had 5 personnel changes in as many years, 2 less than straight up managers, 2 suicides, and untold lawsuits, in it’s history. Kathie Molland once told me “Wait till the book comes out, it is virtually impossible for us to have done everything, everybody has said we’ve done”

Joey & Badfinger will be in St. Paul, Mn @ The Saints Stadium Sun 29 May 2011

R.L.Schwinden May 2011 (for my Baby Blue)