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Badfinger
From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist
Badfinger was a British rock band, formed in 1961 in Swansea in Wales. The best-known line-up consisted of the Welshmen Pete Ham (rhythm guitar and vocals) and Mike Gibbins (drums) and the Englishmen Tom Evans (bass) and Joey Molland (guitar). The group was first called the Iveys, after a street in Swansea, and changed its name to Badfinger, after the working title Bad Finger Boogie of the Beatles song With a Little Help from My Friends from 1967. They played covers of Motown, blues, soul and Beatles in London and in 1967 made demos with Ray Davies of the Kinks.
Music and breakthrough
From 1970 to 1972 Badfinger had four consecutive worldwide hits: Come and Get It, written and produced by Paul McCartney, No Matter What, Day After Day, produced by George Harrison, and Baby Blue, produced by Todd Rundgren. Their song Without You from 1970 was recorded many times and became a number one in Harry Nilsson's version of 1972. Their albums appeared on Apple Records, including Magic Christian Music, No Dice and Straight Up.
Influence
After Apple Records ceased to exist in 1973, the group faced legal and financial problems, mainly through fraud by the manager Stan Polley. In 1975 Pete Ham took his own life. Baby Blue was later heard in the final episode of the television series Breaking Bad, through which a new generation discovered the song. The band played clear guitar pop with three voices in harmony, and shows how the Beatles helped the groups around them and sometimes also crushed them.
Listening
No Matter What · Badfinger, 1970Apple Music ↗
Discography
Studio albums
- 1970Magic Christian Music
- 1970No Dice
- 1971Straight Up
- 1973Ass
- 1974Badfinger
- 1974Wish You Were Here
- 1979Airwaves
- 1981Say No More
- 2000Head First
Mentioned in other articles
- Powerpop Genre
In the early 1970s it was played by Badfinger, Raspberries and Big Star, followed later by Cheap Trick and The Knack.