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lukpac wrote:I think the "downfall" of any post-Straight Up album is none have a "Baby Blue" or "Day After Day" - those two are (IMO) *so* strong they really anchor that album.

I see what you're saying, and I don't really disagree ... Although for me "Know One Knows" on WYWH comes close to that league. It's the kind of infectious, catchy pop/rock composition that just stays in your head. (And I was really tickled to hear the acoustic demo of it on the Japanese edition of 7 Park Avenue.)

In the Badfinger documentary, Joey Molland really lays the praise on Ham's WYWH compositions, singling out "Know One Knows" and "Dennis" in particular, IIRC. For me, that was spot on ... I felt Ham's WYWH songs were noticeably more potent than anything he'd written since Straight Up. It makes what happened immediately after the album was released especially sad.

J_Partyka wrote:I see what you're saying, and I don't really disagree ... Although for me "Know One Knows" on WYWH comes close to that league. It's the kind of infectious, catchy pop/rock composition that just stays in your head.

Again, no accounting for taste..."Know One Knows" (what's with the odd spellings on that album?) is probably my least favorite song on there. "Just A Chance" seems more like the "hit" to me.

In the Badfinger documentary, Joey Molland really lays the praise on Ham's WYWH compositions, singling out "Know One Knows" and "Dennis" in particular, IIRC. For me, that was spot on ... I felt Ham's WYWH songs were noticeably more potent than anything he'd written since Straight Up. It makes what happened immediately after the album was released especially sad.

I like the second half of "Dennis" a lot, but IMO the first half drags a bit. While I do agree that WYWH is a stronger album than Badfinger, I honestly like "Shine On", "Song For A Lost Friend" and "Lonely You" better than his WYWH songs ("Matted Spam" is catchy, and I like it, but it isn't quite as strong).

Do you have Head First? Pretty short, and there are a couple of weak songs, but "Lay Me Down" is a great lost single, IMO.

lukpac wrote:Do you have Head First? Pretty short, and there are a couple of weak songs, but "Lay Me Down" is a great lost single, IMO.

I have it, but I haven't spent enough time listening to it. I do remember liking that song best, by some distance. That's another disc I should put back into rotation.

J_Partyka wrote:I have it, but I haven't spent enough time listening to it. I do remember liking that song best, by some distance. That's another disc I should put back into rotation.

"Hey, Mr. Manager" is pretty good, as is "Keep Believing". The "demos" disc doesn't do all that much for me, but disc 1 is pretty good.

I remember liking "Keep Believing" as well. Wasn't that the song Ham wrote for the departed Molland?

That's how the story goes, yeah.

"Hey, Mr. Manager" and "Rock 'N' Roll Contract" were both about Stan Polley...

lukpac wrote:"Hey, Mr. Manager" and "Rock 'N' Roll Contract" were both about Stan Polley...

Yeah. That whole Polley nightmare just defies belief ... particularly the fact that he doesn't ever seem to have been held appropriately accountable for his actions. (Is he even still around?)

I was chilled by Stan Poses' story in the Behind the Music episode about seeing Polley after Ham's suicide, and just telling him "You killed my fuckin' friend," and then walking away ... I was wondering if anyone had ever had the guts to say something like that to him.

I'm reading the Matovina book, but haven't gotten that far yet. There doesn't seem to be much on Google. It sounds like he was around back when the VH1 special was being put together.

Ah. I quite enjoyed the Matovina book, so much so that I bought (and read) both editions. (Just wait 'til you read about Polley's post-Badfinger scams.)

I wonder what happened to the Harrison interview that was supposed to happen for the VH1 special, according to the info you linked to. I suppose he may have been too ill at that point.

So I just read this:

Dan Matovina wrote:"Money" was re-cut, but Rundgren kept the earlier Emerick version of "Flying" and continued to bridge the two as a medley. "Todd changed the key," said Joey. "He was obsessed with keeping them together. That's why my voice is sped up higher than I can sing."

Now, when I read that, I thought he was full of shit. The Emerick version (bonus track) just sounds too different. But then I started listening for some cues, and sure enough - same damn recording, only a LOT faster. There are a few mix differences, and the Rundgren mix has a longer fade, but other than that, yeah...same recording.

J_Partyka wrote:I don't have the Rhino disc myself anymore. I'm curious, do you have Apple's Very Best of Badfinger disc to add into your comparisons? (I don't have that disc anymore either, but I know I do still have a few cuts from it I burned onto some mix CD-Rs.)

Some samples of Meanwhile Back At The Ranch:

US WB LP
WB CD
WB CD w/EQ
The Best Of Badfinger Volume II
The Very Best Of Badfinger

My LP isn't in very good shape at all, FYI. The EQ on the third sample was what I used to match the CD to the LP for In The Meantime - it's probably a bit different for MBATR, but I didn't bother to tinker tonight.

Anyone seen this before?

Badfinger Outtakes and Rough Mixes

I fixed the sound clip links above if anyone cares.

lukpac wrote:Anyone seen this before?

Badfinger Outtakes and Rough Mixes

That is a track listing and not a CD per se. Those tracks (and many more) are on a 6 CDr set that I obtained in 2002 from a Badfinger person. I never saw any mention of it until about a year after I lent it to a friend. It's a great set with quality material throughout.

J_Partyka wrote:I wonder what happened to the Harrison interview that was supposed to happen for the VH1 special, according to the info you linked to. I suppose he may have been too ill at that point.

George turned down the request to talk about Badfinger, as he has numerous times since Pete died.

22d row wrote:

lukpac wrote:Anyone seen this before?

Badfinger Outtakes and Rough Mixes

That is a track listing and not a CD per se. Those tracks (and many more) are on a 6 CDr set that I obtained in 2002 from a Badfinger person. I never saw any mention of it until about a year after I lent it to a friend. It's a great set with quality material throughout.

Can I get my hands on this Badfinger bootleg?

- JWB