New definitive version of Badfinger's "Head First" coming out?

Perhaps they may have wanted to showcase the fact that they now had a full-time keyboard player in the band. It's also possible that they thought they needed to compensate for the fact that the previous few albums had lots of Joey which was now absent -- maybe they wanted something different than "just another Pete song". Pete certainly had lots of stuff lying around, but then again, it wasn't unusual for him to hold back and leave some great material unrecorded. I get the impression that Pete really didn't know quite how talented he was.

 

It would be great for some more Stellar releases in 2014:

A couple SHM-CD Remasters in April 2014

Wish You Were Here (maybe? Vinyl Deluxe)

Headfirst Restored/Remastered (hope the original album graphics are used!)

Tom Evans Demos release (similar 7 Park Avenue!!)

 

What's wrong with the sound on the 2000 CD? I've always thought it sounded pretty good. I just listened to Lay Me Down above, and other than the cold ending (which does sound pretty rough), I prefer the sound on the 2000 CD. It seems like the tape is a bit shaky at the start, but otherwise it sounds nice.

 

It sounds like what it is: a (non-digital) copy of a copy of a tape.

 

I agree. I never had an issue with the sound especially considering we know that the source isn't the master tapes.

 

Can't say I ever cared for this album. Very short, lots of filler, and a track that was better as re-made on Airwaves. Sure it has a wimpy sound, but fixing that still leaves you with the worst collection of Badfinger studio material released (unless you count re-recordings of their hits with what sound like 80s drum machines).

 

Opinions are just those, but I like Head First far more than anything on Airwaves or Say No More. I don't think there's anything wimpy about the sound, and while some tracks aren't as strong as others, I think "lots of filler" is quite an overstatement. And I think the best songs hold up with some of Badfinger's best.

 

To me, only the Gibbins tunes are really memorable.

 

Wow.

 

Fixed it for you.

 

I've heard this album probably close to 100 times in the past ~11 years, and I had to look up the title of "Back Again" just now (which is a decent enough song, albeit with a terrible vocal), and I couldn't hum "Rockin' Machine" with a gun to my head.

 

I couldn't agree more. I think it's a great album considering ALL OF IT was done in 2 weeks time. Lay Me Down, Passed Fast, and Mr. Manager are all really great songs to me. They are not produced like Wish but like I say, 2 weeks. Nowadays one verse of a song is not done that fast.

 

So, yes the masters have been found (I think they were found in 2010) and a full remix is being prepared with extra bonus tracks that are not on the snapper release from 2000. I just spoke with Dan last night and he told me this as well as several other projects are in the works right now. It sounds like he pretty much does all the work himself, especially on the business end, and it takes time for the legal hassles to get cleared but from what he said, he is working on it. I can't wait!!! I'm so happy that "several" projects are in the works although he shared no details on them.

 

If you get a chance to bend his ear again, can you ask him what the chances are for a vinyl release?

 

If they've found the Warner Bros. masters, I wish they would release the album as it is on that tape (exception being the 'Lay Me Down' tape damage if it's present on this tape as well). It's my understanding the album was fully mixed and submitted to Warner Bros. for release. If they're going to remix it and have bonus tracks, give us the original mix as well. I'm just not a fan of remixes.

 

If the final mixes were what was used on The Best of Badfinger vol. 2, I'd rather have the rough mixes used on the old CD or remixes. Those mixes didn't sound very good.

 

The unreleased vintage mix may not necessarily be good. I trust Dan and his judgement when it comes to all things Badfinger.

 

I do too. I know he will get it done and get it done right. It just takes time to make everything happen.

 

I would also prefer the original Warner mix but I'm not sure that will be used. The multi-tracks have been found but I'm not sure about the 2 track stereo master mix. Warner still may have that. Obviously it was used for Best of Vol II but I'm not sure how it was obtained or the licensing issues that would be involved. But yes, I'd love to have that mix as well but a remix will be welcome nonetheless.

 

This

 

I'm charged this looks like it's going to happen! And maybe more? Bring it on!

 

As much as I absolutely love the first two WB albums -- especially Wish You Were Here, their best album all the way through start to finish -- is how indifferent/bored I am with Head First. Everything I love about Badfinger before that point is mostly missing from it. As someone else said earlier, it was like a completely different band. Apparently Joey makes a much larger black hole by his absence than I was expecting. It could partly be the change in producer/producing styles too. Jackson added nothing positive to the band for me either.

 

Badfinger's unreleased album from 1971 was just uploaded to YouTube:



'I'll Be The One'
'Name Of The Game'
'Money/Flying'
'Baby Please'
'Suitcase'
'No Good At All'
'Sweet Tuesday Morning'
'Loving You'
'Mean Mean Jamima'
'Perfection'
'Sing For The Song'

I love 'I'll Be The One,' 'Baby Please,' 'No Good At All,' and 'Sing For The Song.' 'Name Of The Game' is one of my absolute favorite songs - especially the version on Straight Up.

 

That isn't the correct song order.

 

I made this album years ago with all the bonus tracks from the 90s reissues.