Latest news with #Badfinger
The Guardian
19-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Joey Molland obituary
The powerful rock ballad Without You, which was covered nearly 200 times and was a massive hit for both Harry Nilsson and Mariah Carey, was orginally by the Swansea-Liverpool band Badfinger, an early signing for the Beatles' Apple label. Playing guitar on that recording, from the band's second album, No Dice (1970), was Joey Molland, who has died aged 77. As well as their own recordings, Badfinger, including Molland, acted as session musicians for the individual Beatles, playing on John Lennon's Imagine album, George Harrison's All Things Must Pass, and Ringo Starr's hit single, It Don't Come Easy. Of Harrison's international bestseller My Sweet Lord (1970), from the aforementioned album, which was the subject of a plagiarism suit, Molland said: 'Of course we knew it was based on He's So Fine [by the Chiffons], but it wasn't our place to tell George how to write his songs.' Personable and affable, Molland could also be a little cocky, a trait that perhaps did not translate so well in the US. In May 1995 the American songwriting organisation ASCAP held a celebration of Without You, which had been a huge hit for Carey the year before. Although the song was written by Pete Ham and Tommy Evans of Badfinger, who were no longer alive, the band had an agreement whereby royalties were shared with their manager at the time, Bill Collins (father of the actor Lewis Collins), and the rest of the band. So, at the ASCAP awards, five people took to the stage to receive a songwriter's plaque – Molland and Mike Gibbins from Badfinger, Collins, and family members to represent Ham and Evans, who had both taken their own lives, Ham in 1975, and Evans in 1983. Molland triumphantly held his plaque aloft, which some felt to be an insensitive misjudgment, and did not help his standing in the music industry. Maybe he thought that it would increase interest in his own songs. Although Badfinger had other hits, they were not with his compositions, and his solo albums were largely confined to gig sales. His tracks Vampire Wedding (1992) and Walk Out in the Rain (2013) had the makings of hits, but on the whole his songs lacked that spark of originality that would put them ahead of the pack. On the other hand, his career as a journeyman musician tells a compelling story of the 1960s and 70s music scene. One of six boys, Joey was born and raised in the West Derby suburb of Liverpool. He attended Cardinal Allen grammar school but had little interest in education and was in a beat band, the Assassins, when only 12. 'We assassinated music,' Molland told me. He took a job in the city centre as a messenger boy, which enabled him to attend lunchtime sessions at the Cavern. He joined the Masterminds, who were playing late night at the Blue Angel in March 1965 when the Rolling Stones arrived. The Stones' manager, Andrew Loog Oldham, had them record Bob Dylan's She Belongs to Me: 'A nice song with easy guitar parts,' Molland recalled. It made the Top 50 that year following an appearance on ITV's Ready Steady Go! When the Merseys had a hit with Sorrow in 1966, they needed a touring band and selected the Fruit Eating Bears with Molland. Molland then joined Gary Walker and the Rain, who had a minor hit with a version of the Classics IV track Spooky in 1968. The band was highly successful in Japan but disbanded in 1969. The Iveys, a Swansea band that included Ham and Gibbins in its original lineup, then Evans from Liverpool, were on the Beatles' new record label, Apple, in 1968. They changed their name the following year, to Badfinger. Molland joined the band shortly after they recorded Paul McCartney's Come and Get It for the film The Magic Christian, which explains why there are only three group members on the LP cover of the 'pseudo-soundtrack' album Magic Christian Music (1970). Molland was featured, however, on Badfinger's second album, No Dice, which, as well as Without You – an international bestseller for Nilsson in 1972 – featured another Top 10 single, No Matter What. Harrison produced Badfinger's 1972 hit single, Day After Day, from their Straight Up album (1971). Harrison also told Molland he would have to drop the phrase 'Pusher, pusher' from his song Suitcase, as it would never get airplay (it was dropped from the recording, but Molland reinstated it when playing live). After Apple, Badfinger signed a multimillion-dollar deal with Warner in 1973, but the label lost interest when hits were not forthcoming. When Badfinger broke up the following year, Molland formed Natural Gas with Jerry Shirley from Humble Pie and they supported Peter Frampton on his Frampton Comes Alive! tour. Following Ham's death, Badfinger reformed in 1979 for touring dates and a new album, Airwaves, with Molland, Evans and Gibbins. They then made Say No More (1981) without Gibbins. Both Evans and Molland toured with versions of Badfinger before Evans's death. Over the past 40 years, Molland formed several groups for tours of American casinos, usually working as Joey Molland's Badfinger. He made the solo albums After the Pearl (1983), The Pilgrim (1999), This Way Up (2001), Return to Memphis (2013) and Be True to Yourself (2021). He also played at Beatle festivals in the UK, where he had a good rapport with fans and could join in with Beatle tribute bands without any rehearsal. In between playing and recording, Molland would work as a carpet layer. He told me: 'Carpets have such great names. I must make an album around them in the future.' He married Kathie Wiggins in 1972 and they had two sons, Joe and Shaun. She died in 2009, after which he had a longterm relationship with Mary Joyce. Mary, his sons, and a brother, Douglas, survive him. Joseph Charles Molland, musician and songwriter, born 21 June 1947; died 1 March 2025
New York Times
09-03-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Joey Molland of the Power-Pop Band Badfinger Dies at 77
Joey Molland, a guitarist and songwriter who was the last surviving member of Badfinger, one of the first acts signed to the Beatles' Apple Records and a power-pop force in the early 1970s on the strength of hits like 'Day After Day' and 'No Matter What,' died on March 1 in St. Louis Park, Minn. He was 77. His partner, Mary Joyce, said he died in a hospital from complications of diabetes. Mr. Molland joined Badfinger — originally called the Iveys — in 1969. The band had been signed the year before as a marquee act for Apple Records, the much-publicized label formed by the Beatles in 1968 as part of the parent company Apple Corps. 'Badfinger gave me the opportunity to do everything a musician could want,' Mr. Molland said in a 2020 interview with Guitar World magazine. 'I got to make records. I heard my music on the radio, and I toured all over. I couldn't believe the luck we were having. For a time, everything was great.' Apple Corps was a high-minded, if financially dubious, initiative to tap the Beatles' millions to fund unknown talents in music, film and electronics. It was created so that, as John Lennon said at the news conference announcing the venture, 'people who just want to make a film about anything don't have to go on their knees in somebody's office — probably yours.' This experiment in 'Western Communism,' as Paul McCartney called it, involved no shortage of misfires. (The company's retail shop, known as the Apple Boutique, hemorrhaged 200,000 pounds — the equivalent of millions in today's dollars — in a little more than a year.) But Badfinger was a gamble that worked, and its members enjoyed their new status as rock stars. Badfinger in about 1970. From left: Pete Ham, Tommy Evans, Mike Gibbins and Mr. Molland. Credit... via Getty Images Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. Already a subscriber? Log in. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Roy Ayers, Jazz-Funk Virtuoso, Dead at 84
Roy Ayers, the jazz vibraphonist whose smooth fusion planted the seeds of acid jazz and neo-soul, died Wednesday at the age of 84. Ayers's family confirmed his death on the musician's Facebook page. 'It is with great sadness that the family of legendary vibraphonist, composer, and producer Roy Ayers announce his passing which occurred on March 4, 2025 in New York City after a long illness.' A specific cause of death was not immediately available. More from Rolling Stone George Lowe, Voice of Space Ghost on 'Coast to Coast,' Dead at 67 Joey Molland, Badfinger Guitarist, Dead at 77 Angie Stone, Neo-Soul Singer, Dead at 63 Originally a practitioner of hard bop, Ayers eased into jazz fusion in the early 1970s, a transition he underscored by forming the group Roy Ayers Ubiquity. Cultivating a smooth signature sound that wove lush soul, elastic jazz, and tight funk, Ayers emphasized rhythm and texture, a combination that gave him a handful of crossover R&B hits; 'Running Away' cracked Billboard's R&B Top 20 in 1977, with 'Hot' matching that feat in 1985. It was a blend that also made his work ripe for sampling. 'Everybody Loves the Sunshine,' a Ubiquity track from 1976, became a ubiquitous sample in the 1990s after being featured in Mary J. Blige's 'My Life.' Over the years, Ayers's music was sampled by Dr. Dre, Kendrick Lamar, A Tribe Called Quest, Kanye West, Common, and Tyler the Creator, among scores of other acts. 'Roy Ayers was kind of a godfather of the contemporary vibes. He brought a different element to his sound, compared to everybody else,' vibraphonist Warren Wold told the New York Times last year. 'Roy's music is something you can jam to and have a good time, or you can just sit back and hang out with it in the background. The vibe is always strong.' A native of Los Angeles, Ayers was born September 10, 1940. Raised in a musical household, he found himself drawn to the vibraphone after witnessing Lionel Hampton's Big Band when he was five years old. Soon, he learned piano and sang in a church choir but didn't acquire his first vibraphone until he was 17. As he studied music theory at Los Angeles City College, he played jazz in nightclubs. The first time Ayers appeared on record was on a session by saxophonist Curtis Amy. By 1963, he had his own recording contract, releasing his debut album West Coast Vibes in 1963. Ayers began to gain widespread recognition for his collaboration with flutist Herbie Mann. The vibraphonist joined Mann's band in 1966, a favor the flutist returned by producing three albums for Ayers in the late sixties, sessions that helped push the vibraphonist toward funkafied fusion. Signing with Polydor, Ayers released Ubiquity in 1970, swiftly forming a group named after the album. His burgeoning jazz-funk had a cinematic flair that flowered on his soundtrack for the seminal blaxploitation film Coffy in 1973. Ayers hit his groove in the mid-1970s, releasing Everybody Loves The Sunshine, the 1976 album that became the cornerstone of his legacy. Its warm, comforting vibes turned it into an enduring standard that eclipsed its chart position, thanks considerably to it being repurposed on hip-hop records by generations of musicians raised on his music. Ayers continued to play fusion as the cult around his old records coalesced. He embraced the newer musicians who created acid jazz, neo-soul, and jazz-rap out of his albums. He appeared on Guru's pioneering 1993 album Jazzmatazz Vol. 1 and, nearly a decade later, took advantage of his status in neo-soul circles with Mahogany Vibe, a 2004 record featuring appearances by Erykah Badu and Betty Wright. Ayers didn't record more albums after Mahogany Vibe but he didn't become a recluse. He cameoed on Tyler, The Creator's 'Find Your Wings,' then played with Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad on the 2020 album Roy Ayers JID002. Best of Rolling Stone The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Badfinger guitar Joey Molland, the band's last living member, has died
Joey Molland, the last living member of Badfinger and longtime resident of Minnesota, died on March 1, the band announced on social media. Molland was 77. Molland was part of the band's best-known lineup, which also featured guitarist Pete Ham, drummer Mike Gibbins, and bassist Tom Evans. When Gibbins died from a brain aneurysm in 2005, Molland became the last living member of the group. Ham died by suicide in 1975 and Evans also died by suicide in 1983. Molland continued to tour as Joey Molland's Badfinger for years afterward. Late in 2024, Molland became ill. A GoFundMe campaign was established by his longitme girlfriend Mary Joyce to aid with his medical experiences. According to the campaign, Molland developed a bacterial infection due to his diabetes. It caused damage to several organs and led to pneumonia. The campaign raised more than $30,000 to help with his recovery. Molland joined the Welsh band as it transitioned from being called The Iveys to Badfinger, releasing a string of hits starting with their debut as Badfinger, Magic Christian Music, which included the Paul McCartney-penned "Come and Get It." From there, the band hit the charts on their next three albums with songs like "No Matter What," "Day After Day," "Baby Blue," and "Apple of My Eye." 'There are times when it all feels like a dream,' Molland told Guitar World in 2020. "Badfinger gave me the opportunity to do everything a musician could want. I got to make records. I heard my music on the radio, and I toured all over. I couldn't believe the luck we were having. For a time, everything was great." Molland died accompanied by his girlfriend, Mary Joyce, his two sons, and other family members, per the band's announcement.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Joey Molland, a guitarist with 1970s Welsh pop-rock band Badfinger, dies at 77
EDINA, Minn. (AP) — Joey Molland, a guitarist with the Welsh pop-rock band Badfinger that was known for such 1970s hits as 'No Matter What' and 'Day After Day,' has died at age 77. Molland was the last to join and had been the last survivor from the most famous lineup of the group, which recorded for the Beatles ' Apple label. His death was confirmed Tuesday by Sam Sheffield-West, the funeral director at Washburn-McReavy Funeral Chapels in Edina, Minnesota. Molland had lived in the state for decades. Additional details about his death weren't immediately available. Badfinger was a quartet that also included singer-guitarist Pete Ham, bassist Tom Evans and drummer Tom Gibbins. They were among the first acts signed to Apple after the Beatles launched it in 1968 and would remain closely associated with the Beatles — not always to Badfinger's liking — throughout their brief years of success. Molland even grew up near Liverpool's Penny Lane, immortalized in the Beatles song of the same name. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. Badfinger's breakout hit, 'Come and Get It,' was written and produced by Paul McCartney, and another top 10 single, 'Day After Day,' was produced by George Harrison and featured Harrison's slide guitar. 'No Matter What' was produced by Apple official/Beatles assistant Mal Evans, and another Badfinger song, 'Without You,' became a hit for Beatles friend Harry Nilsson. Molland and his bandmates would also appear at Harrison's 1971 benefit concert for Bangladesh and provide backing on two Beatles member's solo albums: Harrison's 'All Things Must Pass' and John Lennon's 'Imagine.' Critics could not stop likening Badfinger's catchy melodies, layered harmonies and tight arrangements to their benefactors: 'It's as if John, Paul, George, and Ringo had been reincarnated as Joey, Pete, Tom, and Mike of Badfinger," Rolling Stone wrote of them in 1970. Even the band's name originated from the Beatles. Badfinger had called itself the Ivies in the years preceding their joining Apple, but, at the suggestion of Apple official/Beatles assistant Neil Aspinall, agreed to change it to Badfinger. (The working title of the Beatles' 'With a Little Help from My Friends' was 'Bad Finger Boogie'). Their time on top ended after 1972. Amid cutbacks at Apple and allegations of financial mismanagement, Badfinger left for Warner Bros., faded commercially and sustained a tragic loss when Ham took his life in 1975. After initially breaking up, the remaining members periodically reunited but never approached their early success. Evans took his own life in 1983 and Gibbins died of a brain aneurysm in 2005. Molland remained active well after Badfinger's prime, touring until his health began to fail last year and releasing such solo albums as 'This Way Up' 'After the Pearl' and 'Be True To Yourself.' 'I was raised to go to work — to get up in the morning and go to work,' he told The Associated Press in 2001.
