No Dice is a pop album by 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,...

, issued by 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...

 and released on 9 November 1970. Their second album under the Badfinger name and third album overall, No Dice significantly expanded the British group's popularity, especially abroad. The album included both the hit single "No Matter What" and the song "Without You", which would become one of the most successful compositions of the rock era.

History

Although this was the band's second album released as "Badfinger," it was the band's first album recorded after their name change from The Iveys and also their first with new guitarist Joey Molland

Joey Molland

Joseph "Joey" Charles Molland is an English composer and rock guitarist whose recording career spans four decades...

, who replaced bassist Ron Griffiths after the recording of the previous album, Magic Christian Music

Magic Christian Music

Magic Christian Music is an album by band Badfinger, released in early 1970 on Apple Records. Three tracks from the LP are featured in the film The Magic Christian, which also gives the album its title...

. Molland's addition caused Tom Evans to switch from rhythm guitar to bass. Badfinger would release five albums, generally their most successful recordings, with this line-up.

No Dice peaked at number 28 on the Billboard Hot 200 chart. Widely praised in music reviews at the time, Rolling Stone Magazine

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...

observed that it represented what The Beatles

The Beatles

The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...

 would have sounded like had they retained their initial formula.

The single from this LP, "No Matter What", peaked in the United States at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100

Billboard Hot 100

The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...

 chart in 1970. The song is often regarded as an early offering in the power pop

Power pop

Power pop is a popular musical genre that draws its inspiration from 1960s British and American pop and rock music. It typically incorporates a combination of musical devices such as strong melodies, crisp vocal harmonies, economical arrangements, and prominent guitar riffs. Instrumental solos are...

 genre. Other stand-out tracks are "Better Days", "I Don't Mind", and the closer "We're for the Dark". The album also contains the original version of "Without You". Although Badfinger did not released the song as a single in Europe or North America, it was taken to number one on the Billboard charts in 1972 by Harry Nilsson

Harry Nilsson

Harry Edward Nilsson III was an American singer-songwriter who achieved the peak of his commercial success in the early 1970s. On all but his earliest recordings he is credited as Nilsson...

, and again became a hit for Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...

 in 1994. "Without You" has been the top money-earner for Badfinger in publishing royalties, having been covered by over 180 artists. The song was also picked to provide the title for Dan Matovina

Dan Matovina

Dan Matovina is known for his work as a recording engineer, record producer, author of a book on Badfinger and a music agent.Matovina was born in Cleveland, Ohio...

's 1997 biography, Without You: The Tragic Story Of Badfinger.

'No Dice' is a slang term meaning "not possible." It was the first of three albums titled by bassist 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...

. The term was originally used in dice games: when a throw is out of play or not lying flat, the throw is not valid and is ruled as 'no dice.'

In October 1991, No Dice was digitally remastered at Abbey Road Studio by Ron Furmanek

Ron Furmanek

Ron Furmanek is a Grammy nominated music producer and filmographer who has produced over 200 CDs. His most recent work, which includes six Kingston Trio titles, is currently released on RichKat Records, through Collectors Choice Music in the USA.-Biography:...

. The remastered album was released in 1992 by Capitol Records

Capitol Records

Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...

 and Apple with five previously unreleased bonus tracks (see track listing below). Of the bonus tracks, "Friends Are Hard to Find" was an outtake from the same Mal Evans

Mal Evans

Malcolm Frederick 'Mal' Evans was best known as the road manager, assistant, and a friend of The Beatles: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr....

 produced session that saw the recording of "No Matter What" and "Believe Me". "Get Down" was originally attempted with Evans but the version here was recorded with Geoff Emerick

Geoff Emerick

Geoffrey Emerick is an English recording studio audio engineer, who is best known for his work with The Beatles' albums Revolver, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles and Abbey Road...

. The three remaining tracks, "Mean, Mean Jemima", "Loving You" and "I'll Be the One" were recorded with Emerick between January and March 1971 (after the completion of No Dice) for the intended follow up album that was never released.

Side one

1. "I Can't Take It" (Pete Ham) – 2:57
2. "I Don't Mind" (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...
   
   , Joey Molland
   Joey Molland
   Joseph "Joey" Charles Molland is an English composer and rock guitarist whose recording career spans four decades...
   
   ) – 3:15
3. "Love Me Do" (Molland) – 3:00
4. "Midnight Caller" (Ham) – 2:50
5. "No Matter What" (Ham) – 3:01 +
6. "Without You" (Ham, Evans) – 4:43

Side two

1. "Blodwyn" (Ham) – 3:26
2. "Better Days" (Evans, Molland) – 4:01
3. "It Had To Be" (Mike Gibbins) – 2:29
4. "Watford John" (Evans, Gibbins, Ham, Molland) – 3:23
5. "Believe Me" (Evans) – 3:01 +
6. "We're for the Dark" (Ham) – 3:55

CD bonus tracks

13. "Get Down" (Evans, Gibbins, Ham, Molland) – 3:43
14. "Friends Are Hard to Find" (Molland) – 2:28 +
15. "Mean Mean Jemima" (Molland) – 3:41
16. "Loving You" (Gibbins) – 2:51
17. "I'll Be the One" (Evans, Gibbins, Ham, Molland) – 2:54

CD bonus tracks (2010 remaster; replaces previous bonus tracks)

13. "I Can't Take It (Extended Version)" (Ham) - 4:14
14. "Without You"(Mono Studio Demo Version) (Ham/Evans) - 3:57
15. "Photograph (Friends are Hard to Find)" (Molland) - 3:24
16. "Believe Me" (Alternate Version) (Evans) - 3:04
17. "No Matter What" (Mono Studio Demo Version) (Ham)- 2:57

Digital bonus tracks (2010 remaster)

18. "Love Me Do" (Instrumental Version)
19. "Get Down" (Alternate Version)

Personnel

Badfinger

• Pete Ham – guitar, piano, vocals
• 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...
  
   – bass, vocals
• Joey Molland
  Joey Molland
  Joseph "Joey" Charles Molland is an English composer and rock guitarist whose recording career spans four decades...
  
   – guitar, vocals
• Mike Gibbins – Drums

Other contributors

• Geoff Emerick
  Geoff Emerick
  Geoffrey Emerick is an English recording studio audio engineer, who is best known for his work with The Beatles' albums Revolver, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles and Abbey Road...
  
   – producer
• Mal Evans
  Mal Evans
  Malcolm Frederick 'Mal' Evans was best known as the road manager, assistant, and a friend of The Beatles: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr....
  
   – producer (+)
• Mike Jarrett – mixing
• John Kurlander – engineer
• Richard Lush – engineer
• Steve Kolanijan – liner notes, sleeve notes
• Mike Jarratt – engineer, mixing
• Marcia McGovern – pre-production
• Roberta Ballard – production manager
• Gene Mahon – design
• Richard DiLello – design, photography
• Ron Furmanek – digital mastering, mastering, mixing (CD re-release)