Badfinger (album)
Encyclopedia
Badfinger is the fifth album by rock band
Badfinger
. The album was recorded in autumn 1973 and released in 1974 on Warner Bros. Records
. It was the first of two albums released by the band on the Warner label. The cover art for the album is a woman wearing a riding outfit and hat from the 1920s
and smoking a cigarette in a cigarette holder
.
, Badfinger's manager, Stan Polley, signed the band to a three-year, six-album deal with Warners. As a result, shortly after the band and producer Chris Thomas
completed recording of Ass, they found themselves back in the studio making a new album for Warner.
Although the album is technically untitled, it is referred to as Badfinger as this is its only identification outside its matrix number. The intended title, For Love Or Money, was rejected by the label at the time of production and was never used. The intended title referred to Badfinger's label change from Apple Records
to Warner Brothers.
Like Ass, Badfinger received weak reviews in the influential American music magazine Rolling Stone
upon its release. A UK single released prior to the album, "Love Is Easy", failed to chart. A subsequent single released in the US, "I Miss You", also failed.
The album only reached #161 in the Billboard Hot 200, making it Badfinger's lowest charting album. Part of the reason for the poor chart performance was that, due to litigation with Apple Records, this album and Ass came out within months of each other; in fact, in the UK, Badfinger actually came out before Ass.
The album was re-released on CD format in the 1990s in Japan and Germany only. The album was eventually released on CD in the United States in 2007. Many tracks from this album have subsequently been released on various Badfinger
compilation records and CDs.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
Badfinger
Badfinger
Badfinger were a British rock band consisting originally of Pete Ham, Ron Griffiths, Mike Gibbins and Tom Evans, active from 1968 to 1983, and evolving from The Iveys, formed by Ham, Griffiths and David "Dai" Jenkins in Swansea, Wales, in the early 1960s. Joey Molland joined the group in 1969,...
. The album was recorded in autumn 1973 and released in 1974 on Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
. It was the first of two albums released by the band on the Warner label. The cover art for the album is a woman wearing a riding outfit and hat from the 1920s
1920s
File:1920s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: Third Tipperary Brigade Flying Column No. 2 under Sean Hogan during the Irish Civil War; Prohibition agents destroying barrels of alcohol in accordance to the 18th amendment, which made alcoholic beverages illegal throughout the entire decade; In...
and smoking a cigarette in a cigarette holder
Cigarette holder
A cigarette holder is a fashion accessory, a slender tube in which a cigarette is held for smoking. Most frequently made of silver, jade or bakelite , cigarette holders were considered an essential part of ladies' fashion from the mid-1910s through the early-1970s, and are still widely popular...
.
History
As Badfinger was completing work on its last album for Apple, AssAss (album)
Ass is the fourth and last album released on Apple Records by power pop band Badfinger. The opening track, "Apple of My Eye", refers to the band leaving the label to begin its new contract with Warner Brothers Records. The cover artwork alludes to Badfinger's feelings that they had been misled by...
, Badfinger's manager, Stan Polley, signed the band to a three-year, six-album deal with Warners. As a result, shortly after the band and producer Chris Thomas
Chris Thomas (record producer)
Chris Thomas is an English record producer who has worked extensively with The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Roxy Music, Badfinger, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Pulp and The Pretenders. He has also produced breakthrough albums for The Sex Pistols and INXS.Thomas is quoted as saying -Early life:Thomas was...
completed recording of Ass, they found themselves back in the studio making a new album for Warner.
Although the album is technically untitled, it is referred to as Badfinger as this is its only identification outside its matrix number. The intended title, For Love Or Money, was rejected by the label at the time of production and was never used. The intended title referred to Badfinger's label change from Apple Records
Apple Records
Apple Records is a record label founded by The Beatles in 1968, as a division of Apple Corps Ltd. It was initially intended as a creative outlet for the Beatles, both as a group and individually, plus a selection of other artists including Mary Hopkin, James Taylor, Badfinger, and Billy Preston...
to Warner Brothers.
Like Ass, Badfinger received weak reviews in the influential American music magazine Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
upon its release. A UK single released prior to the album, "Love Is Easy", failed to chart. A subsequent single released in the US, "I Miss You", also failed.
The album only reached #161 in the Billboard Hot 200, making it Badfinger's lowest charting album. Part of the reason for the poor chart performance was that, due to litigation with Apple Records, this album and Ass came out within months of each other; in fact, in the UK, Badfinger actually came out before Ass.
The album was re-released on CD format in the 1990s in Japan and Germany only. The album was eventually released on CD in the United States in 2007. Many tracks from this album have subsequently been released on various Badfinger
Badfinger
Badfinger were a British rock band consisting originally of Pete Ham, Ron Griffiths, Mike Gibbins and Tom Evans, active from 1968 to 1983, and evolving from The Iveys, formed by Ham, Griffiths and David "Dai" Jenkins in Swansea, Wales, in the early 1960s. Joey Molland joined the group in 1969,...
compilation records and CDs.
Side one
- "I Miss You" (Ham) - 2:36
- "Shine On" (Ham, Evans) - 2:52
- "Love Is Easy" (Molland) - 3:08
- "Song for a Lost Friend" (Ham) - 2:52
- "Why Don't We Talk?" (Evans) - 3:45
- "Island" (Molland) - 3:40
Side two
- "Matted Spam" (Ham) - 3:09
- "Where Do We Go from Here?" (Evans) - 3:25
- "My Heart Goes Out" (Gibbins) - 3:16
- "Lonely You" (Ham) - 3:48
- "Give It Up" (Molland) - 4:34
- "Andy Norris" (J & K Molland) - 2:59
Personnel
- Pete Ham – guitar, piano, vocals
- Tom EvansTom Evans (musician)Thomas Evans Jr was a musician who was most notable for his work with the band Badfinger.- Badfinger :In 1969, The Iveys changed their name to Badfinger and Paul McCartney of The Beatles gave the group a boost by offering them his song "Come and Get It" which he produced for the band...
– bass, vocals - Joey MollandJoey MollandJoseph "Joey" Charles Molland is an English composer and rock guitarist whose recording career spans four decades...
– guitar, vocals - Mike Gibbins – drums, vocals