THE VERY
BEST OF BADFINGER ON CAPITOL/APPLE IS FIRST MULTI-LABEL HIT COMPILATION BY
ACCLAIMED BRITISH BAND
Hollywood, CA --- August 1, 2000 --- The new and definitive 19 track
compilation, The Very Best Of Badfinger, being released by
Capitol/Apple Records on September 12, will include digitally remastered
versions of all of their hits, "Come And Get It," "No Matter
What," "Day After Day" and "Baby Blue" plus their
version of "Without You," the song which became a #1 hit for
Nilsson. The recording brings together, for the first time, music from all
eight of the charted albums Badfinger recorded for both Apple and Warner Bros.
Records. The release arrives in stores in the midst of the 2000 tour by
original member Joey Molland, and development of a VH1 "Behind the
Music." From their incredibly fortunate beginnings when McCartney heard a
demo tape and they became the first act signed to The Beatles' Apple Records,
to the tragic deaths of two members and the continuation of the group with two
survivors, Badfinger's pioneering Brit pop has never been far from the hearts
of their fellow musicians and fans of well-crafted pop/rock songs.
Pete Ham, Tom Evans and Mike Gibbins originally called themselves The Iveys
when they formed in the mid-'60s in England. After a name change and the
addition of Joey Molland, it was "Come And Get It," written and
produced by Paul McCartney that launched Badfinger's career when it rose to #7
on the charts in 1970. The song was one of several Badfinger songs from the
soundtrack of the Ringo Starr-Peter Sellers film, The Magic Christian.
It was included on their debut album, Magic Christian Music, along with
"Rock Of All Ages," "Maybe Tomorrow" and "Carry On 'Til
Tomorrow," also featured on The Very Best Of Badfinger.
Badfinger quickly racked up another hit before the year was out. Their second
album, No Dice, released in September 1970, demonstrated writing skills
that helped them shed their reputation as "the poor man's Beatles."
Nilsson had a #1 hit with one of the songs from it, "Without You,"
while Badfinger scored a second top 10 hit when "No Matter What"
peaked at #8. Other tracks from No Dice contained on The Very
Best Of Badfinger include "Midnight Caller" and "We're
For The Dark."
George Harrison and Todd Rundgren both produced tracks on Badfinger's third
album, Straight Up. It featured two more of their biggest international
hits, "Day After Day," which reached #4, and "Baby Blue,"
a #14 hit. Other highlights were "Name Of The Game," "It's
Over" and "I'd Die Babe." When they weren't making their own
hits, Badfinger frequently backed the ex-Beatles on tours and records,
appearing at George Harrison's Concert for Bangladesh and on his album,
"All Things Must Pass," as well as on John Lennon's
"Imagine" and Ringo Starr's "It Don't Come Easy."
Ass, Badfinger's fourth and final album for Apple Records, was
released in late 1973 and included "When I Say," which now appears
on The Very Best Of Badfinger. Although it was well received,
Warner Bros. was eager to recapture the momentum of Straight Up and
released their self-titled debut for the label just four months later. It
contained "Lonely You," but failed to set the charts on fire and the
band rushed back into the studio to try again with Wish You Were Here.
The glowing reviews are evidence that some critics believe it is Badfinger's
finest work. The Very Best Of Badfinger contains three songs
from that recording, "Dennis," "Love Time" and
"Meanwhile Back At The Ranch/Should I Smoke."
Unfortunately, due to a combination of circumstances, Badfinger was never
able to recapture their glory days on the charts, but they had developed a
strong, devoted following that remains with them to the present. Joey
Molland's Badfinger 2000 Tour got underway July 1 at the State Fair in
Colorado and will continue to the end of the year with shows in a variety of
clubs, theaters, outdoor venues and amphitheaters. "Day After Day,"
"No Matter What" and "Come And Get It" have become
standards that are heard weekly by more than one million listeners in the top
10 markets, while No Dice, Straight Up and Magic Christian
Music remain in print nearly three decades after their release.
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