Badfinger Doc 3 of 6

To part 4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyQtnUpMLbA&feature=channel Fr/Wiki: New Badfinger recording sessions commenced in March 1970 with Mal Evans producing. Two songs were completed and submitted for the next single, including "No Matter What." but rejected by Apple. Geoff Emerick then took over as producer; completing the album by late July 1970. No Dice, released in the U.S. in late 1970, peaked at #28 on the Billboard charts. The re-mixed single "No Matter What," peaked at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was another worldwide Top Ten hit. More notably, another track from No Dice, "Without You", as covered by Harry Nilsson, became an international hit in 1972, reaching the Billboard #1 slot. It was eventually covered by hundreds of artists and has become a ballad "standard" in the music business.

While in America in April 1970 and scouting prospects for a tour, Bill Collins was introduced to New York businessman Stan Polley. Polley eventually signed the group to a business management contract in November 1970. Although Polley's professional reputation was touted at the time, his dubious financial practices would only later become known to the group and helped lead to their downfall.

Badfinger toured America for three months in late 1970 and were generally received well, although the group complained of constant comparison to The Beatles. For example, in his rave review of No Dice in 1970, Mike Saunders, a critic for Rolling Stone opined that "it's as if John, Paul, George, and Ringo had been reincarnated as Joey, Pete, Tom, and Mike of Badfinger." Media comparisons between Badfinger and The Beatles would continue throughout Badfinger's career.

During this time, various members of Badfinger also recorded on sessions for fellow Apple Records labelmates, most notably playing acoustic guitars on tracks from George Harrison's "All Things Must Pass" and providing backing vocals on Ringo Starr's single "It Don't Come Easy." Evans and Molland performed on John Lennon's album Imagine, and all four members of the band appeared as backup musicians throughout George Harrison's Concert for Bangladesh in August 1971, with Ham duetting with George Harrison on "Here Comes the Sun".

Badfinger first started recording its third album with Geoff Emerick as producer; however the album was rejected by Apple. George Harrison took over as producer in spring of 1971. Harrison later pulled out of the project due to his Bangladesh commitments and the album was then completed by Todd Rundgren. Straight Up was released in the U.S. in December of 1971 and spawned two successful singles: "Day After Day" (Billboard #4) and "Baby Blue" (#14). The album reached #31. It included some uncredited special guest appearances from George Harrison, Leon Russell and Klaus Voormann.

By 1972, the group was under contract to release only one more album with Apple Records. Despite Badfinger's success, Apple was facing troubled times overall and its operations were dwindling down. Label president Allen Klein informed Badfinger's management that the label would not be as generous regarding a new contract. Although business manager Polley was more openly under a cloak of suspicion for mis-management of finances by other clients of his, such as Lou Christie and music arranger Charlie Calello (one series of allegations published in the New York Times representing him as a one-time "bagman" for the Mafia), the Badfinger members and Collins continued to follow Polley's lead. There was never a clear indication by any member or Collins they knew much of the scandals surrounding Polley at that time.

Badfinger's fourth and last album for Apple, Ass, had begun as far back as early 1972 and would continue at five recording studios over the next year. Rundgren, who was originally hired to produce, quit in a financial dispute during the first week; the band then produced itself, but Apple rejected that version of the album. Finally, Badfinger hired Chris Thomas to co-produce and complete the album. During the recording of Ass, Polley negotiated a deal with Warner Brothers Records that required an album from the group every six months over a three year period. The group signed the deal, despite a highly-suspicious Evans, and the Ass front cover featured his idea, a jackass observing a huge carrot being dangled (a metaphor of the band being enticed by the big money Warner Brothers contract.) The Ass release was held up further by Apple because of legal wrangling, as Polley had used the leverage of Molland's unsigned song publishing as a negotiating ploy. Apple listed the writers on the LP as "Badfinger" to try and cover up discrepancies and get the LP to the market. But both Ass and its accompanying single, "Apple of My Eye", failed to reach the Billboard Top 100.

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[jeffkahl]

may Stan Polley rot in hell!

[strumfellow]

stan polley wasnt a manager he was a leach out to line his own pocket.

[michellesupport89]

When I was working in a Sam Goody in 92 I found No Dice. Had to get it and love the whole entire album.

[sonicsteev]

Wow

[MsFanmail]

So sad about tom and pete.

[classiclistener01]

It's terrible that these 'thrown-together' lousy singers and groups of today can make-a-million off of one bad song that was haphazzardly written FOR THEM; but, talented groups like Badfinger who wrote and recorded their own songs, couldn't make-a-million with four (4) charted hits - that are legendary!?!?

An "ASSHOLE" manager; no laws to protect the band; etc!?!?

This also happened to Creedence Clearwater Revival, and, to John Fogerty; and, I 'believe' to Jethro Tull, at one early time!?

[Geddajunior]

OMG they wrote WithoutYou....I love that song...wtf ? why wasnt this band Rich...they was badly robbed n just fukin awesome.....I am deffo a lifetime fan now

[HCShannon]

@Khultan Don't forget Lou Pearlman!

[Khultan]

I learned about Don Arden not too long ago.. And now I find out about Stan Pauley. : (

[Jethrofinger]

Correction on All Things Must Pass being George's first album: technically, it's his third. The first being the soundtrack to Wonderwall and then the experimental album Electronic Sounds. But what's George's "real" first album? All Things Must Pass.

[Abe91195]

you know who badfinger needed as a manager? richard cole and peter grant, they would've been so rich with them as managers.

[gdfraga]

A PENAS PARA REGISTRAR AS NOVAS GERAÇÕES NÃO SABEM QUEM FORAM OS BADFINGERS, FALTA A NOVA MIDIA MOSTRAR A HISTORIA DO ROCK, VALEU BAD FINGER,