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Time: 1999-08-31 21:18:56
Comments: Guest: john snow
Email:snots35@aol.com Homepage:
Rate: Did Not Respond
Date: 31-Aug-99 09:17 PM
at first listen,i had a hard time with it....as you can tell they arent completed songs{well some anyway}... would Pete change the chorus on here?...what would he do with the lead break...either way ...now i want more....it's still great to hear his voice....and his playing...and of course how he wrote...and like 7 Park Ave....you have to remember they are demos....."makes me feel good to know that you are here"..and "i remember finding out about you"...same melodies..maybe it was where he got Day After Day from...but hey...it's still PETE!!!!
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Time: 1999-08-30 21:00:09
Comments: Guest: Joe Pellegrino
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Rate: *****
Date: 30-Aug-99 08:57 PM
It's amazing how these "demos" work in their abbreviated formulas. "Makes Me Feel Good" clocks in at only 1:47 but seems entire in it's representation. This 1969 song is a bit more complex than it's earlier version. It's hard to decide which one is better, but Ham puts his signature on the second layed back version, making it nearly impossible for anyone to sing but himself! "A Lonely Day" is a breezy ballad that would have fit nicely on Warner's "Badfinger" album. The third track "Dawn", sounds more like Pete would have had some "experience" that led him to write this mysterious ode, definitely an essential track. Golders Green continues with an early Wurlitzer electric piano version of "Without You", (which may be more appropriately titled "If It's Love"). Pete Ham's soft vocals give this track for his girlfriend Beverly it's feel, but the chorus seems indefinite and incomplete...only a demo. "Pete's Walk" seems like a lost snipit from an Abbey Road jam, while the acoustic "Hurry On Father" has an incompleteness about it...it's a wonder if Ham would have ever completed this. "Goodbye John Frost" is an amusing rocking track and has some McCartney feel. Somewhat later, Golders Green continues with a short but great unplugged guitar blues called "Whiskey Man". "Keyhole Street" is a happy-go-lucky song about an interesting girl noticed on the way home from work. Helped along by original Iveys member Ron Griffiths, this track has Ham's indelible "finger print". The Beatles themselves could be singing the background harmonies on "Where Will You Be". This is reminiscent of Lennon's "Because" (quite intriguing indeed). "Richard" is a rocker, but is less than inspiring. "Helping Hand" is one of the better tracks. It was written in 1975 while Ham's style was developing even further. It's a wonder what Ham would be doing since then if he had held on longer. The exclusive Japanese version has two great bonus songs. The first "Piano Red", was a demo presented to Badfinger for the "Ass" record. This interesting piano boogie was recorded by Badfinger, but has never been released by Apple Records. Finally, "Evening Sky" closes the Japanese edition of Golders Green. This is a melodic classical ballad. It has Ham's golden voice and is a priceless gem!
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Time: 1999-08-30 15:59:52
Comments: Guest: Randy Justesen
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Rate: ****
Date: 30-Aug-99 03:59 PM
I found Golders Green to be more appealing to listen to compared to 7 Park, due mostly to the heavier handed production on some songs on the latter. I also liked what I think shows the more inventive and creative side to Pete which comes out in the many contrasting styles offered in this release. It is always touching to hear Pete sing and play. Obviously, Pete shined most in a real studio with Badfinger and a good producer. Also obvious is that he could have done the solo career pretty easily as well. I still say on most songs to go ahead and push the production further and enhance the sound quality with overdubs and other mixing ehancements for the next release.
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Time: 1999-08-20 15:23:11
Comments: Guest: Jesper
Email:BadfingerNews@forum.dk Homepage:BadfingerNews
Rate: ******
Date: 20-Aug-99 03:22 PM
This new collection of Pete Ham demos once again proves to us all what a big talent Pete Ham was. Pete was not just a mainstream pop writer, his abilities were far beyond that. Golders Green shows us many other sides of the songwriter Pete Ham. Whiskey Man and I'm So Lonely both have a very bluesy feel, and When The Feeling that features Pete singing and playing drums, sounds very inspired of "Why Don't We Do It In The Road" by Paul McCartney. I'm So Lonely also stands out as the perhaps most professional sounding Pete Ham demo released to this date. Like many other songs on Golders Green I'm So Lonely wouldn't have fitted in on 7 Park Avenue - the sound is more thick and some very nice overdubs has been added to it. Richard stands out as the only real rock'n roller on Golders Green - apart from the great instrumental track Pete's Walk. Unfortunately the sound quality of Pete's original demo is not in top and it suffers a bit from that, but it is a really great rocker similar in style to Leaving On A Midnight Train. Of course there are also a whole bunch of classic Pete Ham pop ballads; among the best of them are Hurry On Father, I've Waited So Long To Be Free and Where Will You Be. All three have very little if any overdubs on them. I've Waited So Long To Be Free and Where Will You Be both are very dark but extremely beautiful guitar ballads. Among the full instrumented pop classics are Dawn - extremely good sound quality, and Helping Hand - one of Pete's last songs, definitely a highlight along with the catchy opener Makes Me Feel Good. Keyhole Street and Goodbye John Frost are two very Beatles inspired mainstream pop songs. Both are full instrumented and in good sound quality. And of course there are the three songs that Badfinger recorded and released: Without You, Shine On and Midnight Caller. Shine One is very very short, but you can't help but notice Pete's beautiful voice. Without You (If It's Love) also features a good singing performance by Pete but are not that interesting. Midnight Caller features beautiful harmony singing but are not that exciting either. All in all Golders Green is a great addition to our Badfinger collection, though perhaps not as commercial as 7 Park Avenue. I wouldn't prefer one from the other. Though perhaps it's unfair to compare the two CD's as the circumstances surrounding them are so very different, I'll do it anyway. In 7 Park's favor: the tracks flows greatly together and are not so different in style as on Golders Green where both sound quality and song style varies a lot. Many of the songs on Golders Green are about one minute in play time where most songs on 7 Park Avenue are of a more normal length. In Golders Green's favor: many of the songs have a more thick and finished production and some great overdubs have been added, where 7 Park has a more thin production. Golders Green also has some great fan features - Pete talks and has a good time behind a drum kit (When The Feeling) etc. Perhaps Dan Matovina deserves even more credit this time, for the production than on 7 Park Avenue.
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Time: 1999-08-19 05:39:59
Comments: Guest: Barb Alan Atkinson
Email:baa@webzone.net Homepage:http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/badfingerboogie
Rate: **
Date: 19-Aug-99 05:39 AM
Obviously, Dan had to use the stronger songs for the first disk (Not knowing if there would be a second disk or not) and it certainly shows. This is definately a for fans only release. The disk draws heavily from the Iveys period before Pete had truly developed as a song writer. Most of the songs have that mid sixties bubble gum pop feel to them. Makes Me Feel Good is an extremely catchy song and much better than most of what The Iveys did record. From a songwriting point of view, the strongest song is I've Waited So Long To Be Free but it's still nothing special. Assuming one was available, it would have made the album more accessible if another demo of one of Pete's stronger compositions had been included such was done with If It's Love (early Without You) and No Matter What from 7 Park Ave. Overall, both this album and the earlier 7 Park Avenue are albums that I'm very thankful and glad to have, but which I won't be playing very often.
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Time: 1999-08-17 22:16:17
Comments: Guest: Brennan Engle
Email:brennanengle@hotmail.com Homepage:
Rate: Did Not Respond
Date: 17-Aug-99 10:16 PM
I expected Golders Green to be made up of leftovers from 7 park avenue. This is basically true I think, however there are some real gems on this disc. The sound quality and overdubbing sounds great, much like 7 PA, but it's basic demos like "John Frost" and "Midnight Caller" with just Pete and his piano that really stand out. We definitely see a softer side of Pete Ham on Golders Green, however there is a couple of great rolickers like "Richard" (it's hilarious to listen to this song after reading the liner notes!) Overall, Golders Green is a good cd of Pete Ham solo songs. However it doesn't measure up to the writing on 7 Park Avenue. I would give 7 Park Ave. a 9 out of 10 and Golders Green a 4 out of 10. As for the 3 or 4 song fragments, I would have left them off, they just make me frustrated because we don't get to hear the rest of the song (eg. "Shine On").
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Time: 1999-08-10 16:17:27
Comments: Guest: Morten
Email:WYWH-Pages@forum.dk Homepage:https://www.angelfire.com/nv/Badfinger/Main
Rate: *****
Date: 10-Aug-99 04:16 PM
This longawaited second collection of Pete Ham demos comes two and a half years after the release of the first, 7 Park Avenue. I hope we don’t have to wait that long for third, because this one certainly lives up to the expectations I had in the light of 7 P.A. What struck me after the first listen to Golders Green was the great variety of styles that Pete throws himself into and how brilliantly he does it. There are pop ballads like “Dawn” and “I’ll Kiss You Goodnight” - Rockers like “Richard” - Pop/rock melodies with hit potential like “Makes Me Feel Good” and “Helping Hand” - mellow folkish songs; “I’ve Waited So Long To Be Free”, “Hurry On Father” and “A Lonely Day”. There are demos of well-known Badfinger tunes like “Midnight Caller” and “Without You” ( actually “If It’s Love” - before it was paired with Tom Evans’ chorus ). A new new aspect which did not show very much on 7PA is the bluesy side of Pete Ham which here is represented by “Whiskey Man” and “I’m So Lonely”. A few tracks are very short fragments or unfinished demos such as “Shine On” and “Pete’s Walk”. “When The Feeling” and “Gonna Do It” show Pete having fun and experimenting, when recording. One thing all tracks have in common is the great sense of melody which is characteristic for Pete’s songwriting and singing. Many tracks are greatly inspired by The Beatles but they never come off just as poor imitations of the Fab. Four’s work. Compared to 7 Park Avenue the sound quality is slightly better - a few tracks are almost in professional studio quality. The songs on Golders Greens equals those of 7PA in quality - there are no signs that the well is drying up. The overdubbing and general production is similar to that of its predecessor - you actually never really know for sure when the drums, bass or keyboards are Pete himself or if they were added later. A few tracks feature great guitar solo playing by Pete e.g. “I’m So Lonely”, “Helping Hand” and “Pete’s Walk”. On the negative side I could mention the playing time ( 41 minutes ) - but if more CD’s with Pete demos are coming in near future, “It Doesn’t Really Matter” - that much. The track listing can always be discussed - I would probably have placed the very short fragment tracks otherwise. A few tracks ends very abruptly - I guess that could have been fixed somehow. All in all I think Dan Matovina has done an excellent job again - and we don’t know what condition these tapes were in, when Dan started working with them - I hope he will reveal something about this in the future.
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