Badfinger...anyone listening lately?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by RoryStorm, Jan 28, 2015.

  1. RoryStorm

    RoryStorm Forum Resident Thread Starter

    I have been on a Badfinger jag lately....what a talented band. And when you learn about their strong potential, being on Apple Records etc, and how their manager screwed them over...it's a classic sad tale. But, man I sure do love the music ! My fave lately has been "Ass". Anyone else a fan of Ass? [let the funny replies begin!]
     
  2. Holy Diver

    Holy Diver Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    Oh yeah! Blind Owl, When I Say, all great. Great production, too.
     
  3. RoryStorm

    RoryStorm Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Love those! Yeah !
     
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  4. Rfreeman

    Rfreeman Senior Member

    Location:
    Lawrenceville, NJ
    Always liked that it came right after an album called "Straight Up" (and right before one called "Badfinger")
     
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  5. Arnold Grove

    Arnold Grove Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    And I thought I had a warped brain... ;)

    Seriously, the album is a bit weak because Pete Ham only contributed 2 songs (although, for me, "Apple Of My Eye" is indeed a great one).

    Arnie
     
  6. RoryStorm

    RoryStorm Forum Resident Thread Starter

    I think the thought was this: 'No Dice' 'Straight Up' 'Ass'....pretty funny !
     
  7. Mike Visco

    Mike Visco Forum Resident

    Location:
    Newark, NJ
    About a year ago I had a iTunes gift certificate and downloaded the Warner debut "Wish You Were Here" released shortly after Ass (which I have on vinyl). It was a solid effort, but I do recall none of the songs really knocking me over. Most recently I've been listening to Ham demos. Some are pretty solid.
     
  8. RoryStorm

    RoryStorm Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Apple of My Eye...is a GREAT song ! Glad you are a fan!
     
  9. CybrKhatru

    CybrKhatru Music is life.

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Love "Timeless"....

    I should do a Badfinger bender soon... :)
     
  10. jacksonwalker

    jacksonwalker Forum Resident

    This is funny. Just last night I pulled out my vinyl copy of "Ass" so I could hear "The Winner" on side one, and wound up listening to the whole side. If you have a copy, check to see if it was mastered by "Wly" (Wally Traugott) like mine was. Sounds great.
     
  11. Mike Visco

    Mike Visco Forum Resident

    Location:
    Newark, NJ
    I generally gravitate towards Ham's songs, though Evans and Molland have a few gems of their own.
     
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  12. Shilling the Rubes

    Shilling the Rubes Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Swindon, UK
    I really like Badfinger. I'll be honest it is mainly Pete Ham's songs that do it for me, with the rest of the band complimenting his abilities. I guess it is something about his powering, thoughtful, world weary yet at times optimistic voice (that became in vogue in the early 2000s thanks to the likes of Chris Martin (Coldplay); Tom Chaplin (Keane); Guy Garvey (Elbow), etc) and his songs were well ahead of the musical curve.

    I've always found Ass to be fairly lacklustre, especially following on from Straight Up the album most people regard as their finest work. However, my favourite remains Wish You Were Here. I like the fact it proves their sound had moved on from the Beatles (thanks to a superb Chris Thomas production). If only the band had not been ruined by "soulless bastard" Stan Polley then that album easily could have been a major success early in 1975.

    In an alternative universe this was a transatlantic Top 5 hit alongside the band Pilot (January, Magic).

    Badfinger - Just A Chance
     
  13. 389 Tripower

    389 Tripower Just a little south of Moline

    Location:
    Moline, IL USA
    Yep! But - Don't have the Ass album. I've always had the Badfinger hits close on hand. Used the "Best Of" CD for several years.

    Most recently I've been listening to my only 3 Badfinger 45's:
    1. Come & Get it / Rock of All Ages (Love that B-side!)
    2. No Matter What
    3. Baby Blue
     
  14. Reader

    Reader Senior Member

    Location:
    e.s.t. tenn.
    I saw them live in the early 70's and they were not a soft, wimpy group. They rocked as hard as the Stones who I saw within the same time period. In fact I think they were louder and harder but that's hard to say because Badfinger was in a much smaller place and I was closer to the stage. I would love to go back and hear them again as they were then because I didn't appreciate them as much then as I do now. Hindsight. I believe this was about the time "No Dice" was released and I was floored by their power live compared to the LP.

    I've been a fan since and need to dig out their stuff and listen more often than I have done in the past couple years. There is never enough time. A GREAT band.
     
  15. Rhett

    Rhett Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cool City
    yup - Crimson Ship was going through my brain this morning. I sent you a pm too.
     
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  16. longdist01

    longdist01 Senior Member

    Location:
    Chicago, IL USA
    Enjoying another listen of both Warner albums, and pulled out an old cassette which had the band interviewed on prior to their "aborted" LIVE recording later that night which aired over Cleveland radio, WMMS.

    I keep hoping Wish You Were Here can get a reissue Remaster on vinyl today, however it appears Warners is still looking for Multi-track Master reels, everything on Rhino, EMI (Universal now) releases is a bit worn LP eq. reels.
     
  17. RickH

    RickH Connoisseur of deep album cuts

    Location:
    Raleigh, NC
    I love the Badfinger band sound, something about the guitars, bass & drums mix or production is extremely distinctive, such as in "Baby Blue" and on the rockin' tracks on "Ass". I'd love to hear someone duplicate that, either with original new songs, or as a Badfinger tribute band, but they would have to be damn good. I, too am partial to the Pete Ham compositions, but they were a tight unit from a musician standpoint.
     
  18. lukpac

    lukpac Senior Member

    Location:
    Milwaukee, WI
    The Warner debut, or Wish You Were Here?

    The Warner debut was Badfinger, released shortly after Ass in the US (and shortly before it in the UK). Some great songs IMO, although slightly uneven. Wish You Were Here was released later that year, and is arguably stronger.
     
  19. Mike Visco

    Mike Visco Forum Resident

    Location:
    Newark, NJ
    It was actually Wish You Were Here from the same year though. Now I am confused, but my computer with all my iTunes is crashed. I think I also bought Badfinger!
     
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  20. Rfreeman

    Rfreeman Senior Member

    Location:
    Lawrenceville, NJ
    I find the work of the three main writers distinct enough that I less often listen to their whole albums and more often listen to 3 comp discs I made of songs of each of the main writers, and a 4th of covers, collaborations, Mike tunes and live versions. I listen to the Pete disc the most followed by the Joey disc. Tom wrote some great tunes early on (probably the star of Magic Christian Music) but his tunes got to sound a bit like more of the same in later years, so when I put that one on it tends to get taken off part way through.
     
  21. RoryStorm

    RoryStorm Forum Resident Thread Starter

    I gotta find me a copy of the Warner's debut !! I only have Wish You Were Here and love it !
     
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  22. Arnold Grove

    Arnold Grove Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    For me, Wish You Were Here is vastly superior to the Warner Bros. Badfinger album. But as you like Ass, then you should too like Badfinger, if you keep your expectations lower than Wish You Were Here.

    Also: Even though Ass was recorded first and came out in the USA in November 1973, the Badfinger album came out in the USA and UK in February 1974. But the UK release of Ass was delayed until March 1974. So these two albums have an entangled history, with much confusion that likely limited the sales of both of them.

    Arnie
     
  23. jacethecrowl

    jacethecrowl Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    I've avoided Ass until now (put off by the title and cover), but just now picked up a clean LP copy for $5. It was about time I got over it, especially since most of their album covers are terrible. It was the last from the original lineup that I still needed, so thanks for the kick in the ass. Will spin tonight. Just hope there are no steel drums.
     
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  24. Haristar

    Haristar Apollo C. Vermouth

    Location:
    Hampshire, UK
    Airwaves is a surprisingly good album considering it only had two members on it.
     
  25. notesofachord

    notesofachord Riding down the river in an old canoe

    Location:
    Mojave Desert
    The 1995 best of CD is probably the most played disc in my collection. Easily 100 - 150 plays.

    I've only recently delved into the full albums though.
     
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