Head First (Badfinger album)
Encyclopedia
Head First is the tenth and final album by rock
band Badfinger
, released on November 14, 2000. It is the last album to feature the original "Iveys" core of Pete Ham, Tom Evans
and Mike Gibbins. It was recorded in December 1974 at The Beatles' Apple Studios in London
and remained unreleased for 26 years. Originally intended to be Badfinger's third album under its six-album contract with Warner Bros. Records
, the recordings were shelved when legal difficulties erupted between the band and WB that year, and the version that was finally released (as Badfinger's eleventh album, including two live albums) was a rough mix of the album made by Phil McDonald, one of the engineers at Apple. The cover art for the album is a lion
roaring.
quit Badfinger, in part over band disagreements regarding management. Because Badfinger's longtime producer Chris Thomas
felt that the band had had too little time to recover after making Wish You Were Here
, Badfinger's management replaced him as producer with Kenny Kerner and Richie Wise, who had just become successful by producing KISS
.
The remaining members and recently-added keyboardist/guitarist Bob Jackson recorded the album in two weeks. The difficult circumstances that surrounded Badfinger at this time contribute to the album's tone and provide the theme for two of its songs.
An investigation by WB's publishing division discovered that approximately $100,000 was missing from a Badfinger escrow account. Inquiries made by WB as to the whereabouts of the money were reportedly met with silence by Badfinger's manager, American Stan Polley
. Suspicions were aroused, and, fed up with what it claimed was a lack of cooperation, WB launched a breach of contract suit against Polley and Badfinger almost simultaneous to the Head First recordings.
Although the tapes of Head First were delivered to and accepted by WB's recording division in Los Angeles, the publishing arm there refused to accept them. With a lack of publishing protection, the record division shelved the tapes and the album was not released.
Unaware of the lawsuit at the time, the group had long argued amongst themselves regarding Polley's honesty and his handling of their money. These sentiments came to the surface in the lyrics for two Head First tracks, "Rock & Roll Contract" and "Mr. Manager", which are indictments by bassist Tom Evans of Polley.
Badfinger became aware of the lawsuit in early 1975, simultaneous to a discontinuation of the group's salary checks from Polley. As financial turmoil mounted for the band and its future became more uncertain, group leader Pete Ham committed suicide only four months after the album was completed. Also because of financial difficulties, Evans followed suit in 1983.
It appeared for many years that Head First would never be released, as the master tapes had been misplaced and the recording quality of copies was so poor as to be unusable. "Head First" was finally released on CD in 2000 on Snapper Records, using rough mixes of the recordings.
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...
band 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,...
, released on November 14, 2000. It is the last album to feature the original "Iveys" core of Pete Ham, Tom Evans
Tom 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...
and Mike Gibbins. It was recorded in December 1974 at The Beatles' Apple Studios in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and remained unreleased for 26 years. Originally intended to be Badfinger's third album under its six-album contract with 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...
, the recordings were shelved when legal difficulties erupted between the band and WB that year, and the version that was finally released (as Badfinger's eleventh album, including two live albums) was a rough mix of the album made by Phil McDonald, one of the engineers at Apple. The cover art for the album is a lion
Lion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
roaring.
History
Shortly before the group entered the studio, long-time member Joey MollandJoey Molland
Joseph "Joey" Charles Molland is an English composer and rock guitarist whose recording career spans four decades...
quit Badfinger, in part over band disagreements regarding management. Because Badfinger's longtime 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...
felt that the band had had too little time to recover after making Wish You Were Here
Wish You Were Here (Badfinger album)
Wish You Were Here is the sixth album by rock band Badfinger and their third consecutive album produced by Chris Thomas. It was recorded in the spring of 1974 at Colorado's Caribou Ranch and released in November of that year on Warner Bros. Records...
, Badfinger's management replaced him as producer with Kenny Kerner and Richie Wise, who had just become successful by producing KISS
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
.
The remaining members and recently-added keyboardist/guitarist Bob Jackson recorded the album in two weeks. The difficult circumstances that surrounded Badfinger at this time contribute to the album's tone and provide the theme for two of its songs.
An investigation by WB's publishing division discovered that approximately $100,000 was missing from a Badfinger escrow account. Inquiries made by WB as to the whereabouts of the money were reportedly met with silence by Badfinger's manager, American Stan Polley
Stan Polley
Stanley Herbert Polley was an entertainment manager from the 1960s and 1970s. His clients included rock band Badfinger, musician Al Kooper, singer Lou Christie, singer-producer Hank Medress, arranger Charles Calello, composer Sandy Linzer, WABC disc jockey Bob Lewis, among others.Polley served in...
. Suspicions were aroused, and, fed up with what it claimed was a lack of cooperation, WB launched a breach of contract suit against Polley and Badfinger almost simultaneous to the Head First recordings.
Although the tapes of Head First were delivered to and accepted by WB's recording division in Los Angeles, the publishing arm there refused to accept them. With a lack of publishing protection, the record division shelved the tapes and the album was not released.
Unaware of the lawsuit at the time, the group had long argued amongst themselves regarding Polley's honesty and his handling of their money. These sentiments came to the surface in the lyrics for two Head First tracks, "Rock & Roll Contract" and "Mr. Manager", which are indictments by bassist Tom Evans of Polley.
Badfinger became aware of the lawsuit in early 1975, simultaneous to a discontinuation of the group's salary checks from Polley. As financial turmoil mounted for the band and its future became more uncertain, group leader Pete Ham committed suicide only four months after the album was completed. Also because of financial difficulties, Evans followed suit in 1983.
It appeared for many years that Head First would never be released, as the master tapes had been misplaced and the recording quality of copies was so poor as to be unusable. "Head First" was finally released on CD in 2000 on Snapper Records, using rough mixes of the recordings.
Track listing
Head First's original tracking order, compiled by Kerner and Wise, was not used on the Snapper release. The following is the Snapper CD order. The songs on the second CD are demo bonus tracks.CD 1
- "Lay Me Down" (Ham) – 3:35
- "Hey, Mr. Manager" (Evans) – 3:34
- "Keep Believing" (Ham) – 4:09
- "Passed Fast" (Evans, Jackson) – 4:19
- "Rock 'N' Roll Contract" (Evans) – 4:44
- "Saville Row" (Ham) :36
- "Moonshine" (Evans, Gibbins, Jackson) – 3:53
- "Back Again" (Gibbins) – 2:54
- "Turn Around" (Jackson) – 4:17
- "Rockin' Machine" (Gibbins) – 1:32
CD 2
- "Time Is Mine" (Ham) – 1:45
- "Smokin' Gun" (Ham) – 1:22
- "Old Fashioned Notions" (Gibbins) – 4:12
- "Nothing to Show" (Ham) – 1:03
- "You Ask Yourself Why" (Gibbins) – 2:17
- "Keep Your Country Tidy" (Ham) – 2:23
- "To Say Goodbye" (Jackson) – 3:46
- "Queen of Darkness" (Evans) – 2:13
- "I Can't Believe In" (Ham) – 2:10
- "Thanks to You All" (Gibbins) – 2:41
- "Lay Me Down" (Ham) – 2:55
Original track listing
The original track listing consisted of the 10 songs on disc one and was originally compiled by Kenny Kerner and Richie Wise.Side Two
- "Saville Row"
- "Moonshine"
- "Rock And Roll Contract"
- "Back Again"
- "Hey, Mr. Manager"
Personnel
- Pete Ham: guitar, keyboards, 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, synthesizer, vocals - Bob Jackson: guitar, keyboards, vocals
- Mike Gibbins: drums, percussion, vocals