Badfinger
| Company type | Rock band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1961 in Swansea, Wales |
| Headquarters | Swansea , Wales, United Kingdom |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
Badfinger was a rock group originating from Swansea, Wales, established in 1961. The most recognized ensemble featured Pete Ham on guitar, Mike Gibbins handling drums, Tom Evans on bass, and Joey Molland playing guitar. Initially known as the Iveys, they adopted the name Badfinger inspired by the provisional title "Bad Finger Boogie" used during the creation of the Beatles' 1967 track "With a Little Help from My Friends". From 1968 through 1973, Badfinger produced five albums under Apple Records and embarked on extensive tours prior to the label's dissolution. Their work significantly impacted the 1970s power pop movement, with estimated sales reaching around 14 million records.
Between 1970 and 1972, Badfinger secured four successive international hits: "Come and Get It" (written and produced by Paul McCartney, 1970), "No Matter What" (produced by Mal Evans, 1970), "Day After Day" (produced by George Harrison, 1971), and "Baby Blue" (produced by Todd Rundgren, 1972). Their composition "Without You" (1970) achieved number-one status in both the UK and US when covered by Harry Nilsson in 1972, and again topped the UK charts for Mariah Carey in 1994. In recognition of their songwriting, Ham and Evans were honored with the Ivor Novello Award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically in 1972.
Following the collapse of Apple Records in 1973, Badfinger encountered significant legal, managerial, and financial difficulties largely attributed to their deceitful manager Stan Polley. These challenges culminated in Ham’s tragic suicide in 1975. The remaining band members faced ongoing litigation that hindered royalty distributions, while subsequent albums failed to achieve commercial success. Molland and Evans alternated between collaboration and discord as they sought to sustain the band's heritage. Evans died by suicide in 1983; Gibbins passed away from a brain aneurysm in 2005; Molland succumbed to diabetes-related complications in 2025, marking him as the final surviving member of the classic lineup.
The track "Baby Blue" experienced a resurgence in popularity after being featured in the finale of the American television drama Breaking Bad, thereby introducing Badfinger’s music to a new audience.
Formation and Early Years
Originating in Swansea, Wales, in 1961, the band initially known as the Panthers evolved into what became the Iveys. This original lineup included Pete Ham on lead guitar, Ronald "Ron" Griffiths playing bass, David "Dai" Jenkins on rhythm guitar, and Roy Anderson on drums. After experimenting with several monikers such as the Black Velvets and the Wild Ones, they ultimately adopted the name Iveys around 1964, inspired by a local Swansea street.
In March 1965, drummer Mike Gibbins joined their ranks. The group began securing performance opportunities throughout Swansea, supporting prominent British bands including the Spencer Davis Group, the Who, the Moody Blues, and the Yardbirds.
By June 1966, management duties were taken up by William Daniel "Bill" Collins. Later that year in December, the band relocated to Collins’s residence at 7 Park Avenue, Golders Green, London—a shared house also occupied by the Mojos. The living situation was cramped, offering only a small room equipped with a two-track recorder for private rehearsals.
Their repertoire consisted of varied covers spanning Motown, blues, soul, Top 40 hits, psychedelia, and Beatles songs performed on the London music scene. This diversity attracted record label interest. Notably, Ray Davies of the Kinks auditioned as their potential producer and recorded three demo tracks in January 1967: Ham’s compositions "Taxi" and "Sausage And Eggs," along with Griffiths’s "I Believe in You Girl." On December 8, 1966, Collins formalized a five-year contract with the band that granted him a 20% share of net earnings after management expenses—a significant business commitment given uncertain prospects at that time. Collins assured his dedication to guiding their career forward. Concurrently, the band supported singer David Garrick while continuing performances across the UK under the Iveys name.
In August 1967, Liverpudlian guitarist Tom Evans—formerly with Them Calderstones—replaced Dai Jenkins. Griffiths later noted that Jenkins was "politely asked to step down," as his priorities had shifted away from pursuing music actively.
Signing with Apple
Following an invitation from Collins, Beatles roadie Mal Evans and Apple Records A&R chief Peter Asher attended a performance by the Iveys at London’s Marquee Club on 25 January 1968. Evans championed their demo tapes to the Beatles, securing approval to sign the group. These demos were captured using a mono "sound-on-sound" tape recorder. The Iveys officially signed with Apple on 23 July 1968, becoming the label's first artists outside of the Beatles themselves, with each member also entering publishing agreements with Apple Corps. Initial recording sessions were overseen by either Tony Visconti or Evans.
Their first single, "Maybe Tomorrow," produced by Visconti, was released internationally on 15 November 1968. It achieved Top Ten status across Europe and Japan but only reached #67 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and did not chart in the UK. Apple’s US manager Ken Mansfield ordered 400,000 copies, securing radio airplay and critical reviews; however, he observed that the band struggled to gain commercial momentum. Another track by Tom Evans, "Storm in a Teacup," appeared on an Apple EP promoting Wall's Ice Cream alongside other label artists. The success of "Maybe Tomorrow" in Europe and Japan prompted a follow-up single in July 1969, Griffiths's "Dear Angie," also produced by Visconti. An album titled Maybe Tomorrow was released exclusively in Italy, Germany, and Japan—likely reflecting Apple Corps president Allen Klein's cautious approach to releases.
Frustrated by Apple's minimal promotional efforts, Griffiths voiced his dissatisfaction publicly. In response, Paul McCartney offered the group the song "Come and Get It," originally intended for The Magic Christian soundtrack. McCartney produced the track in under an hour, insisting on strict adherence to his demo version, which greatly energized the band. Additionally, McCartney produced two original Iveys songs for the film soundtrack: "Carry On Till Tomorrow" (the main theme) and "Rock of All Ages" (background music), enlisting George Martin for string arrangements. During these sessions, Evans played bass on several tracks due to Griffiths’ illness.
Name change
Prior to releasing "Come and Get It," both the band and Apple agreed that their existing name was too similar to The Ivy League and felt outdated. Proposed alternatives included Glass Onion and Home. Neil Aspinall suggested "Badfinger," inspired by an early working title of "With a Little Help from My Friends". The group officially adopted the name Badfinger in December 1969.
Griffiths departs; Molland joins
In late October 1969, Ron Griffiths exited the band due to personal challenges involving family matters and management disputes. Drummer Mike Gibbins recalled being left out of this decision-making process. After unsuccessful auditions for a new bassist, guitarist Joey Molland was recruited from Gary Walker & the Rain and other groups; Tom Evans transitioned to playing bass.
Early achievements
The single "Come and Get It" was released in December 1969 in the UK and January 1970 in the US, selling over one million copies worldwide and reaching #7 on the US Billboard chart and #4 in the UK. Badfinger’s debut album Magic Christian Music (1970) combined soundtrack contributions with earlier Iveys material; it peaked at #55 on the US Billboard chart. New recording sessions began with Mal Evans as producer; after some tracks were rejected by Apple, Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick took over production duties for their second album No Dice (1970), which climbed to #28 on the US Billboard chart. The single "No Matter What," remixed by Emerick, became a global Top Ten hit (#8 US, #5 UK). This album also included "Without You," which later became a #1 hit for Harry Nilsson in 1972. Pete Ham and Tom Evans received the 1972 Ivor Novello award for this composition.
Engagement with Stan Polley
In November 1970, Badfinger appointed New York entrepreneur Stan Polley as their business manager, leading to the creation of Badfinger Enterprises Inc., which oversaw revenue streams from touring, recording, publishing, and royalties. The band members later expressed dissatisfaction with their relatively low pay compared to the substantial gross income. Polley, who also represented artists like Al Kooper and Lou Christie, became embroiled in questionable financial activities that contributed to the band's downturn. Financial documents revealed that Polley extracted significant commissions while the band received only small advances.
During late 1970, Badfinger toured the United States amid frequent comparisons to The Beatles; reviewers often highlighted their vocal resemblance.
Collaborations within Apple Records
Members of Badfinger participated in projects for other Apple artists: they played acoustic guitar and percussion on George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass (1970), provided backing vocals for Ringo Starr's "It Don't Come Easy," and contributed to sessions for John Lennon’s Imagine (although Molland stated their parts were ultimately unused). Additionally, they took part in rehearsals for Harrison’s Concert for Bangladesh in July 1971, with Ham performing a duet alongside Harrison during the event.
Straight Up
In 1971, Badfinger resided and recorded at Clearwell Castle in Gloucestershire. Their third album sessions with engineer Geoff Emerick were rejected by Apple Records for lacking refinement; subsequently, George Harrison assumed production duties in spring 1971, enlisting contributions from Leon Russell and Klaus Voormann. Harrison recorded four tracks before his involvement was paused due to commitments with the Concert for Bangladesh. Todd Rundgren then completed the album by mixing Harrison’s recordings, redoing earlier material, and producing new songs.
Released in December 1971 as Straight Up, the album produced two successful singles: "Day After Day," which reached #4 on the US Billboard charts and sold over one million copies globally, and "Baby Blue," peaking at #14 in the US. The album itself climbed to #31 on US charts; however, Apple's collapse in the UK prevented "Baby Blue" from being issued as a single there.
During a 1972 US tour, drummer Mike Gibbins was temporarily replaced by Rob Stawinsky due to internal conflicts but returned after the tour concluded.
Conclusion of Apple Era
In early 1972, Badfinger released their final album under Apple amid label budget reductions overseen by Allen Klein. Polley informed the band that Klein intended to reduce royalty payments and charge studio expenses back to them. Polley’s standing deteriorated amid accusations linking him to organized crime.
The recording of Ass, their fourth Apple album, extended over a year across various studios and encountered multiple producer changes—from Todd Rundgren departing over financial disagreements to initial self-production efforts rejected by Apple—before Chris Thomas co-produced its completion. Meanwhile, Polley negotiated a demanding contract with Warner Bros requiring two albums annually over three years, despite growing mistrust among band members regarding his management.
Released in 1973, Ass reached only #122 on the US Billboard chart; its lead single failed to chart.
Transition to Warner Bros. Records
After completing their obligations with Apple, Polley secured a $3 million contract with Warner Bros., promising large advances ($225,000 per album) and royalties of 12% based on US retail prices but imposing pressure for rapid album releases.
Soon after Ass, Badfinger recorded their Warner debut titled Badfinger (originally named For Love or Money) with Chris Thomas producing; much of the material was written during studio sessions. Despite active touring support, singles from this album did not achieve commercial success.
Their subsequent Warner release, Wish You Were Here (1974), recorded at Caribou Ranch in Colorado and AIR Studios in London with George Martin’s involvement, garnered critical acclaim but suffered from Polley’s failure to disclose escrow accounts containing advance funds. This led Warner Publishing to terminate their contract in April 1974 and refuse delivery of the album tapes by August, causing significant delays in promotion and distribution.
Instability and lineup shifts
Growing internal discord was fueled by Kathie Molland’s expanding role in band decisions, which particularly strained relations with Ham, who briefly left the group before returning due to Warner Bros.' insistence. Keyboardist Bob Jackson joined, expanding Badfinger to a five-piece ensemble. Molland exited in late 1974 to focus on his solo career.
Polley advocated for a swift follow-up album with Warner; producers Kenny Kerner and Richie Wise completed Head First in just eleven days at Apple Studios toward the end of 1974. However, legal complications prevented Warner Bros. from officially accepting the album, and they criticized its hastened production, leading to the withdrawal of promotional support for Wish You Were Here, effectively halting Badfinger’s commercial progress.
Ham’s suicide and band dissolution
By early 1975, financial difficulties intensified; bounced paychecks and ambiguous legal constraints limited management options. Ham encountered growing pressures from buying a new house and impending fatherhood, while his inability to reach Polley deepened his despair.
On 24 April 1975, Ham took his own life at 27; his suicide note attributed blame to Polley. Shortly thereafter, Warner Bros. ended their contract with Badfinger, prompting the band’s breakup and the removal of their albums from Apple’s catalog.
After Badfinger
The members went separate ways: Mike Gibbins joined Flying Aces and did session work including on Bonnie Tyler’s “It’s a Heartache.” Evans and Jackson formed the Dodgers, releasing singles that saw limited success before disbanding; Jackson eventually became part of The Searchers while Molland started Natural Gas with modest results.
By the late 1970s, both Molland and Evans temporarily stepped away from music due to financial struggles; Collins also faced monetary challenges until receiving help from Malcolm McLaren.
Reunion, subsequent split, and Evans’ suicide
In late 1977, Molland revived Badfinger with drummer Kenny Harck and guitarist Joe Tansin; Evans rejoined after a visit to California in 1978. Their comeback album Airwaves (1979) achieved minor chart recognition, followed by Say No More (1981). Touring during this period saw further lineup changes including Tony Kaye on keyboards.
Ongoing legal disputes among Warner Bros., Polley, and band members extended into the late 1970s with partial resolutions but persistent royalty disagreements exacerbated tensions.
During the early 1980s, Molland and Evans led rival Badfinger touring groups, generating personal conflicts amid management problems that resulted in expensive litigation.
On 19 November 1983, Tom Evans died by suicide amid ongoing royalty disputes involving songs like “Without You.”
Post-1984 developments
From 1984 onward, Molland, Gibbins, and Jackson reunited sporadically for tours, including a prominent "20th Anniversary of British Rock 'N' Roll" tour featuring other British artists.
Apple-era recordings were reissued in the early 1990s and again in 2010 within a comprehensive box set alongside compilations covering both labels’ catalogs. Renewed interest was sparked by media exposure such as “Baby Blue” featured in Breaking Bad.
Live albums emerged with mixed critical responses and provoked royalty-related legal battles among surviving members.
Posthumous releases honored Ham’s home recordings while Evans’ final works appeared posthumously in the mid-1990s.
Manager Bill Collins died in 2002; Mike Gibbins passed away from a brain aneurysm in 2005 at age 56.
Subsequent years saw tribute events celebrating Badfinger’s impact including BBC Wales documentaries and official plaques commemorating Pete Ham’s contributions.
Kathie Molland died in 2009; Stan Polley also passed that year amid long-standing controversies.
Joey Molland continued touring as “Joey Molland's Badfinger” until his death in March 2025 at age 77; Bob Jackson established his own version of the band touring extensively since 2015 to honor original members’ legacy.
Members
Original line-up
- Pete Ham – lead vocals, guitar, keyboards (1961–1975; deceased)
- Mike Gibbins – drums, percussion, backing vocals (1965–1975, 1982–1984; deceased)
- Tom Evans – bass guitar, vocals (1967–1975, 1978–1983; deceased)
- Joey Molland – guitar, vocals (1969–1974, 1978–1984; deceased)
Additional members
- David Jenkins – guitar (1961–1967)
- Ron Griffiths – bass guitar (1961–1969)
- Bob Jackson – keyboards, guitar (1974–75, 1984)
- Joe Tansin – guitar (1978)
- Kenny Harck – drums (1978)
- Bob Schell – guitar (1979)
- Tony Kaye – keyboards (1979–81)
- Peter Clarke – drums (1979)
- Ian Wallace – drums (1979–80; deceased)
- Rod Roach – guitar (1980)
- Richard Bryans – drums (1980–81)
- Glen Sherba – guitar (1980–81)
- Randy Anderson – guitar, vocals (1984)
- Al Wodtke – bass, guitar, vocals
Band configurations
| 1961–65 The Iveys |
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| 1965–67 The Iveys |
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|---|---|
| 1967–69 The Iveys |
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| 1969–74 Badfinger |
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| Oct-November 1974 |
|
| Nov 1974-April 75 |
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| Disbanded May '75-78 | |
| 1978 line-ups |
Various combinations including:
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Timeline
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Studio albums
As the Iveys:
| Year | Album |
|---|---|
| 1969 | Maybe Tomorrow |
As Badfinger:
| Year | Album | Australia | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Magic Christian Music | 31 | 55 |
| No Dice | — | 28 | |
| 1971 | Straight Up | 22 | 31 |
| 1973 | Ass | — | 122 |
| 1974 | Badfinger | — | 161 |
| Wish You Were Here | — | 148 | |
| 1979 | Airwaves | 97 | 125 |
| 1981 | Say No More | — | 155 |
Compilations and live albums
| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 1989 |
Shine On (UK release only) |
| 1990 |
The Best of Badfinger, Vol. 2 |
Singles
1969 || "Come and Get It" || 4 || 14 || 4 || 7 || 6 || Magic Christian Music 1970 || "No Matter What" || 5 || 8 || 7 || 8 || 6 || No Dice 1971 || "Day After Day" || 10 || 6 || 2 || 4 || 3 || Straight Up 1972 || "Baby Blue" || 73 || 16 || 7 || 14 || 9 || Straight Up 1973 || "Apple of My Eye" || — || 96 || — || 102 || 88 || Ass 1979 || "Love Is Gonna Come at Last" || — || — || — || 69 || 79 || Airwaves 1981 || "Hold On" || — || — || — || 56 || 67 || Say No More| Year | Song | UK Chart | Australia | Canada | US Hot 100 | US Cash Box Top 100 | Album |
|---|
Sources
External links
- Articles with short description
- 1969 establishments in the United Kingdom
- 1969 establishments in Wales
- Apple Records artists
- Badfinger
- Elektra Records artists
- Mass media and culture in Swansea
- Musical groups disestablished in 1975
- Musical groups established in 1969
- Rock music groups from Swansea
- Warner Records artists
- Welsh power pop groups