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Head First And DiscreditContrary to loose rumours from other Badfinger websites, I can report that at the moment there are no, and it's unlikely that there ever will be, plans to change the following song order for Head First. Do not believe blindly in all Badfinger websites - news are often being turned around in favour of the Mollands. Contrary to the attempts to discredit Dan Matovina, (not only in this matter but certainly also in the VH-1 program) by the Mollands, their associates and supporters, he is the reason that these recordings are being released. Without his assistance, Bob Jackson and the estates of Ham and Evans would have not agreed to any offers made by Forbidden Records. It was only through the trust he has established by being a thorough advocate of accuracy that the agreements were made. Any report to the contrary is an unfounded attack.Remember that it's important to hear both sides of the story......
14/01 1999-thanks to Sean Siever and Dan Matovina
Joey Molland’s new demo cd “Basil” is now availble from Independent Artists. It features demos recorded by Joey from 1972 to 1995. There are some really great tunes on it. The higlight is definitely “Isn’t That A Dream” recorded in 1995.But also “It’s True” and “Mirrors are good tunes. From reading Randy Justesen’s review of these songs I had expected a CD of the same quality as “Over You”. For me that’s unfortunately that’s not the case. As I’ve said before I think Joey should try to put some melody into his rockers, they are just too simple and boring! We know from tracks like “No One Likes The Rain”(The Pilgrim), “The Dreamer”(Airwaves) and others, that he’s able of creating good melodies, so why not try to blend it with his rocking tunes. I know it’s wrong to compare Pete, Tommy and Joey because their songwritings are so different, but as “Moonlight” already has been compared with Pete Ham I will do the same. If there are any Joey tunes who should be compared to Pete’s songs it’s not “Moonlight”. Joey does a fantastic acoustic-guitar job on the song, but in my opinion the melody is too close to the guitar-riff. It’s too boring. I would have liked to hear more early seventies demos! That would have given a better view of which songs Badfinger/Joey decided not to take any further. When Joey has decided to release the 1990-95 songs as demos, it must be because he doesn’t feel they are good enough to be re-recoreded and released in a proper quality. But the songs from Badfinger period could have been dropped by the group. Concluding that, it’s obvious that Basil never could have reached the heights of “7 Park Avenue” and “Over You”. Since Joey needed finances for his coming solo project, “Basil” was a better idea than “Best Of Featuring Joey Molland”.I really like “The Pilgrim” more and more, so if the coming CD has the same quality I can’t wait. My favorite tracks: “Borderline” ,“Isn’t That A Dream” , “It’s True”,”Mirrors”, “What You’re Doin’ ” Number of stars: * out of 6.
14/12 1998
By April 1999 a new collection of Pete Ham demos, called Golders Green, will be out on Rykodisc! It will feature mainly same sort of production, and overdubbing as the first demo collection called 7 Park Avenue. Dan Matovina hopes to have more detailed information on the liner notes regarding the overdubs and background of the tracks, which is really great.A question like who plays lead on Sille Veb, is it Pete or is it overdub? I asked Matovina, and he informed me that Pete slowed the tape deck to half speed and played the lead,then put it back at regular speed, which made the part sound thinner and as if the picking were played faster.It is questions like these that would be great to have the answers on, from the liner notes. The quality of the songs should be the same as the ones on 7 Park, so we have a BIG thing coming here! 30/11 1998-Thanks to Dan Matovina and Sean Siever!
With help from Dan Matovina, Forbidden Records is trying to release the 1974 recorded Badfinger album Head First. Unfortunately the original 16-track master tapes have not been found, which means that real production and mixing can't be done! Instead the rough mixes done by Phil McDonald at Apple studios will be used.No release date and no title has has been confirmed, so for all I know there might still be a chance of it ending up titled Head First ! Demos by Pete Ham, Mike Gibbins,Tom Evans and Bob Jackson are planned to be used as bonus tracks.That means that the CD could end up with about 20 tracks! From what I've heard of the album, it sounds like that though it was recorded under a lot of stress, it features strong performances by all four group members! With only one guitar player left in the group, you could have feared that the quality of the guitar-leads would fall. But on the contrary, it sounds like Pete was getting very inspired by being the only guitar player left in the band, his solo's are better than ever! Bob Jackson shows that though Pete was a good piano player, he couldn't beat a guy who has the piano as his main instrument. The album is bound to be one of my all time favorites. 30/11 1998-Thanks to Dan Matovina and Sean Siever!
VH-1's BEHIND THE MUSIC documentary programVH-1's fantastic Behind The Music documentary series has now confirmed that they have started preparations to do a one-hour program on Badfinger. They will be contacting Joey Molland and Mike Gibbins very soon to work with them on the content of the program. Full production probably won't start until November. It generally takes two to three months to complete the show, so it wouldn't be aired until next February at the earliest. This will be a huge boost to the notoriety of Badfinger, their music and sales of their entire catalog (and current solo projects of Joe's, Mike's and Pete's). Dan Matovina can be credited for helping sell them on the idea (see story below). Thanks are also in line to the fans who wrote the company encouraging them. Dan told me this was definitely a help in getting it through.
Dan Matovina met with the Gay Rosenthal, the program's chief executive producer, in March 1997, totally selling her on the legitimacy of doing a program on Badfinger. An executive meeting was later held and a show on the band was approved. At some point, the wish to see if Beatles would do on-camera interviews, to improve the promotional aspects and marquee value, became an issue to consider, before starting to produce the show. The company is said to be pursuing the Beatles but the issue has lingered on for months now and the Badfinger show may be in danger of not going forward, as many other ideas have come up at the prompting of eager record labels seeking to promote their own artists through this very captivating series. Dan Matovina is trying to use contacts to help get the Beatles involved, but nothing has worked so far. Even if they don't agree, the producer hired to direct the show has said he still thinks it might go through. A letter-writing campaign may help this by keeping the idea in their minds. Very short, to-the-point notes or e-mails, are all that would be necessary. Do not send them your ideas on what they should specifically do. They aren't interested. They know what they like and they know what they are doing. They obviously want to interview Joey and Mike, and are willing to help them promote their new projects on the program. It obviously would do wonders for them and the band's older catalog. Those involved with the show have indicated to Dan some artists portrayed have had their catalog sales increase ten fold for months after a show is aired.
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Latest On Head First And Golders Green
Original Tracks:
1.Lay Me Down
2.Mr. Manager
3.Keep Believing
4.Rock 'n' Roll Contract
5.Passed Fast
6.Savile Row
7.Moonshine
8.Back Again
9.Turn Around
10.Rockin' Machine
Bonus tracks (all are demos):
11.Time Is Mine
12.Smokin' Gun
13.To Say Goodbye
14.You Ask Yourself Why
15.Keep Your Country Tidy
16.Nothing To Show
17.Old Fashioned Notions
18.Queen Of Darkness
19.I Can't Believe In
20.Thanks To You All
21.Lay me Down
Golders Green Dan Matovina has finished the second set of Pete Ham demos!Release will be April 1999.. Golders Green will include songs such as I'll Kiss You Goodnight, Dawn, Makes Me Feel Good, You're Such A Good Woman, and Midnight Caller.
Rumours are that Bob Evans are planning to release a CD called “Perfection”.
It will include music from a live concert recorded in 1981 featuring Mike Gibbins
and Tom Evans. It’s planned that the proceeds will go to “CANCERBACKUP” ,an
organization which tries to help with funds for cancer research. Sean Siever reports that Matovina has been in contact with Marianne Evans, who claims she has no involvement in this project, and has along with Mike Gibbins also expressed an amount of dislike towards Bob Evans. There’s been major delays of this project,and when it will be released is impossible to say.Information on this matter from other Badfinger websites, has quite a few times proven to be wrong. Check out my Bob Evans scans, on this page.
These days Mike Gibbins is mixing the last tracks for his new
album.The title will be "More Annoying Songs"...Much to the horror of his record company!
It features lots of new tunes, plus a vocal/bass appearance by Ron
Griffiths (the talented Ivey who sang Dear Angie). It will be available by
Jan 1999 through Forbidden records. Owen Gibbins reports that
it will be a huge departure from Mike's last release, which was more mellow and
wistful.A few classic sounding tunes, plus a few surprises.
Yet another Badfinger related release that will be out in timing with
the VH-1 tv-program!
Many times I've wondered what the real reason for the editing that takes place at the official guestbook are. I contacted Russ Anderson at the official and here is what that came out of it: I my whole career as a Badfinger fan on the internet I've never succeded in getting one of my comments on the guestbook at the official. The first many times I thought it was my computer there was something wrong with.But then a few weeks ago, my friend (Jim H.) made a comment about 10 lines long (as far as he remember) and the next time he visited the place found out the 9 of them had been removed, that made me wonder! (Jim H. claims that he said nothing that could offend anyone, except the fact that he thought Pete was a great songwritter, and that he had visited other great Badfinger web-sites!) Q: Why does the "Official Badfinger Page" edit its Guestbook? Russ Anderson(webmaster at the official): "The question would be better stated as to why the official page deletes some of its's guestbook submissions, or refuses to publish all guestbook content submitted. Comments to the page are deleted if they contain misinformation, profanity or endorse bootleg merchandise. As the Official voice of Badfinger, we have moral and legal obligations to make sure everything that is released and published on our pages is accurate to the best of our knowledge. Unofficial band tribute pages are not bound by these restrictions. I am sure that you can telephone any newspaper or magazine in America and they will tell you that not all comments or letters to the editor are always published and used for publication. Its a matter of legal obligation and integrity. The Official site maintains a CHAT FORUM page for its fans to congregate and express themselves if they wish to discuss topics not covered on the site. It is also our wish to not get envolved in the petty flame wars and negativity that seems to follow other tribute pages!" A long and good answer! Here is a few examples of comments made by me that never came out: I have always thought that Pete and Tommy's was the main songwriters in Badfinger. Nice page you have here! Hi Everyone I really love Badfinger! I really like Matovina's book, but why did Joey and Kathie not want to be involved with it, do they have a problem? "What is the "Official Badfinger Policy" on Links?" Russ: "Badfinger recognizes that there are indeed other "Badfinger" tribute pages on the Internet. Some are positive, others are negative. Badfinger feels that by publishing the URL's of "Unofficial" links it would in essence be "endorsing" the comments, links, and bootleg material being sold on those pages. It would be a tremendous, tedious job to set and administer guidelines concerning page content. Badfinger instead encourages it's fans to submit it's tributes, HTML. photos, midis, etc to us for use on our pages with proper credit given to the contributor." Additional Comments By Russ Anderson: "Anybody searching the Internet can find many links to other Badfinger tribute sites. Fans should realize that if you visit an unofficial page, you get unofficial information. The Official Badfinger Webpage" has a standard to maintain truth and accuracy, and to discourage negativity, squabbles, fights and factions of misinformation. This is the responsibility that comes with being the anchor point of reference or the "Official word." Mostly you will find that each unofficial tribute site has basically the same information, discography's, etc. Most sites only recognize the band as it was in the time of Pete Ham. The Official site is the only site to recognize Badfinger both yesterday AND today. Although Badfinger sadly misses it's fallen bandmates, life goes on, and so does Badfinger. Badfinger lives, tours, and continues to manufacture fine music as it entertains thousands of fans each year. It's not a question of "Good, bad, or the best line-up" of the band, (For that is opinion and personal preference...) It is instead a matter of who is IS Badfinger. This may sound cold, but people have to realize that Pete made his choices and so did Tommy. Mike is alive but by his choice is no longer a member of the group. Joey continues on and keeps the name (and the music) alive. Mark Healy (Bass and vocals) has been in Badfinger for over 15 years. People get way too emotionally involved in searching for an answer to justify the suicides. In truth, there isn't any answer or justification to the travesty loss of Pete and Tom. Fighting about it isn't going to bring these men back. We must "Carry On Till Tomorrow." To quote John Lennon, "All we are saying is (to) give peace a chance..." Badfinger is doing this. Others are not willing. Still others see a chance to profit off of the deaths of Badfinger's fallen bandmates. They tell stories that make interesting reading, but lack truth. Other websites insist to dwell on the negative and Pete and Tommy's personal demons... This in our opinion is wrong and morbid. Badfinger will not be a part of such endeavors. Badfinger has the right to live, prosper and continue to make music for future generations. We chose to do so with a positive attitude, respecting the past but focusing on the future." If you have a comment to this subject please post it in my guestbook!
Bob Evans Scans1: An advertisement of Bob Evan's (billed as Evans and Evans) this was featured in the Fall 1990 (Volume 1, Number 1 issue) NO MATTER WHAT ("The Official Badfinger Fanzine"). The words above and below are the fanzine's own!2: A fan's question found in the "Know One Knows" section of the Spring/Summer 1991 (vol 1, number 3) edition. 3: A piece of "news" as found in the same 1991 edition. |
