Dr. Feelgood

William "Willie" Lee Perryman (October 19, 1911 - July 25, 1985), who was usually known professionally as Piano Red and later in life as Dr. Feelgood, was an American blues musician, the first to hit the pop music charts. He was a self-taught pianist who played in the barrelhouse blues style. His simple, hard-pounding left hand and his percussive right hand, coupled with his cheerful shout brought him considerable success over three decades.

Biography

Willie Perryman was born on a farm near Hampton, Georgia. He was an albino African American, as was his older brother Rufus, who also had a blues piano career as "Speckled Red". Rufus, 19 years older than Willie, had left home before his little brother and took up the piano. They never recorded together. However, the family had a piano originally bought to give Rufus a musical education, and as a child Willie watched Rufus play on it. In 1918 the family moved to Atlanta.

Perryman cited Fats Waller as his main influence. By the early 1930s, he was playing at house parties, juke joints, and barrelhouses in Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee, often working with other Georgia bluesmen, including Barbecue Bob, Curley Weaver, and Blind Willie McTell. He also began performing before white audiences in the resort town of Brevard, North Carolina, and by 1934 had begun to play at white clubs in Atlanta, developing a repertoire of pop standards. Around 1936 he began to be billed as "Piano Red", and made his first recordings with McTell in Augusta for Vocalion Records, although these were never released. He also began working as an upholsterer, a trade which he occasionally maintained through later years.

In 1950 after spending the last 14 years upholstering and playing music on weekends, Red recorded "Rockin' with Red" and "Red's Boogie" at the WGST radio studios in Atlanta for RCA Victor. Both songs became national hits, reaching # 5 and # 3 respectively on the Billboard R&B chart, and "Rockin' with Red" has since been covered many times under many titles. This success, and further hits "The Wrong Yo Yo" (allegedly written by Speckled Red), "Laying The Boogie" and "Just Right Bounce", allowed him to resume an active performing schedule. He also recorded sessions in New York and Nashville during the early 1950s.

In the mid 1950s he also worked as a disc jockey on radio stations WGST and WAOK in Atlanta, broadcasting The Piano Red Show, later The Dr. Feelgood Show, directly from a small shack in his back yard. A young James Brown made an appearance on his show in the late 1950s. His involvement had him appearing on a flatbed truck in many parades, which led to his song "Peachtree Parade". From the mid 1950s until the late 1960s, he recorded for several companies, including Columbia, for which he made several records, Checker, for whom he recorded 8 sides with Willie Dixon on bass, and Groove Records,a subsidiary of RCA Victor, producing the first hit for that label.

On Okeh Records, in 1961, he began using the name Dr. Feelgood and the Interns, releasing several hits, including the much-covered "Doctor Feel-Good". The persona was one he had initially adopted on his radio shows. The new career was short-lived, though, and Piano Red was never able to regain his former stature. In 1966, the popular folk-rock group The Lovin' Spoonful, recorded his song "Bald Headed Lena" on their second album, Daydream.

He continued to be a popular performer in Underground Atlanta, and had several European tours late in his career, including appearances at the Montreux Jazz Festival, Berlin Jazz Festival, Chancellor Helmut Schmidt's inauguration, and on BBC Radio.

He was diagnosed with cancer in 1984 and died the following year. Among those who attended his funeral were the Governor of Georgia and the Mayor of Atlanta.

Legacy

Dr. Feelgood are a British pub rock band, which was formed in mid 1971. The name of the band, Dr. Feelgood, is slang for heroin, or for doctors who are prepared to over-prescribe drugs. Piano Red's song "Dr Feel-Good" was covered by several British beat groups including Johnny Kidd & The Pirates, who used it as the b-side to their 1964 single "Always and Ever", from where it was chosen by the band.

Wikipedia

Jimmy McCracklin

Jimmy McCracklin (born 13 August 1921, St. Louis Missouri) is an American pianist, vocalist, and songwriter. His style contains West Coast blues, Jump blues, and R&B. Over a career that has spanned seven decades, he says he's written almost a thousand songs and has recorded hundreds of them. McCracklin has recorded over 30 albums, and owns four gold records.

Biography

McCracklin joined the United States Navy in 1938, he later settle in Richmond, California, and began playing at the local Club Savoy owned by his sister-in-law Willie Mae "Granny" Johnson. The room-length bar served beer and wine, and Granny Johnson served home-cooked meals of greens, ribs, chicken, and other southern cuisine. A house band composed of Bay Area--based musicians alternated with and frequently backed performers such as B.B. King, Charles Brown, and L. C. Robinson. Later in 1963 he would write and record a song "Club Savoy" on his I Just Gotta Know album.

His recorded a debut single for the Globe Records "Miss Mattie Left Me" in 1945, and recorded "Street Loafin' Woman in 1946. McCracklin recorded for a number of labels in Los Angeles and Oakland, prior to touching down with Modern Records in 1949-1950. He formed a group Jimmy McCracklin and His Blues Blasters in 1946, with guitarist Lafayette Thomas who remained with group until the early 1960s.

His popularity increased after appearing on the TV pop Dick Clark's American Bandstand in support of his self written single "The Walk" (1957), a good groove that Checker Records put on the market in 1958. It went to #5 on the R&B chart and #7 on the pop charts, after more than 10 years of McCracklin selling records in the black community on a series of small labels. Jimmy McCracklin Sings, his first solo album, was released in 1962, the style is of West Coast blues. In 1962, McCracklin recorded "Just Got to Know" for his own Art-Tone label in Oakland, after the record made No. 2 on the R&B charts. For a brief period in the early 1970s Jimmy McCracklin ran the Continental Club in San Francisco, dubbed "the Coliseum of the Oakland blues". He booked major blues acts like T-Bone Walker, Irma Thomas, Big Joe Turner, Big Mama Thornton, and Etta James. In 1967, Otis Redding and Carla Thomas had success with "Tramp", a song credited to McCracklin and Lowell Fulson. Salt-n-Pepa made a hip-hop hit out of the song in 1987. Oakland Blues (1986) is an album arranged/directed by McCracklin, and produced by World Pacific.

McCracklin continued to tour and produce new albums in the 1980s and 1990s. Bob Dylan has cited McCracklin as a favorite. He has played at the legendary San Francisco Blues Festival in '73, '77, '80, 81, '84 and 2007. He was given a Pioneer Award by the Rhythm and Blues Foundation in 1990, and the Living Legend and Hall of Fame award at the Bay Area Black Music Awards, in 2007.

Selected discography

Year	Title	Genre	Label
2007	1951-1954	West Coast blues	Classics
2004	1948-1951	West Coast blues	Classics
2003	1945-1948	West Coast blues	Classics
2003	Jumpin Bay Area 1948-1955	West Coast blues	P-Vine Japan
1999	Tell It to the Judge!	West Coast blues	Gunsmoke
1997	The Walk: Jimmy McCracklin at His Best	West Coast blues, Soul-Blues	Razor & Tie
1994	A Taste of the Blues	West Coast blues	Bullseye Blues
1992	The Mercury Recordings	West Coast blues, Soul-Blues	Bear Family
1991	Jimmy McCracklin: My Story	West Coast blues	Rounder
1991	My Story	West Coast blues	Rounder
1981	All His Bluesblasters	West Coast blues	Ace
1978	Rockin' Man	West Coast blues	Stax
1972	Yesterday Is Gone	West Coast blues	Stax
1971	High on the Blues	West Coast blues	Stax
1969	Stinger Man	Soul-Blues	Minit
1968	Let's Get Together	West Coast blues	Minit
1966	New Soul of Jimmy McCracklin	West Coast blues	Imperial
1966	My Answer	West Coast blues	Imperial
1965	Think	West Coast blues	Imperial
1965	Every Night, Every Day	West Coast blues	Imperial
1963	My Rockin' Soul	West Coast blues	United
1963	I Just Gotta Know	West Coast blues	Imperial
1962	Jimmy McCracklin Sings	West Coast blues	Chess

Wikipedia

John Tavener

Sir John Tavener (born 28 January 1944) is a British composer, knighted in 2000 for his services to music.

Biography

Tavener was born on 28 January 1944 in Wembley, London, England, and is a direct descendant of the 16th century composer John Taverner. He was educated at Highgate School (where a fellow pupil was John Rutter) and at the Royal Academy of Music, where his tutors included Sir Lennox Berkeley. He first came to prominence in 1968 with his dramatic cantata The Whale, based on the Old Testament story of Jonah. It was premièred at the London Sinfonietta's début concert and later recorded by Apple Records. The following year he began teaching at Trinity College of Music, London. Other works released by Apple included his Celtic Requiem. In 1977, he joined the Russian Orthodox Church. Orthodox theology and Orthodox liturgical traditions became a major influence on his work. He was particularly drawn to its mysticism, studying and setting to music the writings of Church Fathers such as St John Chrysostom.

One of Tavener's most popular and frequently performed works is his short unaccompanied four-part choral setting of William Blake's The Lamb, written for his nephew, Simon, on his third birthday one afternoon in 1982. This simple, homophonic piece is usually performed as a Christmas carol. More important, however, were his explorations of Russian and Greek culture, as shown in "Akhmatova Requiem" and "Sixteen Haiku of Seferis". Later prominent works include The Akathist of Thanksgiving (1987, written in celebration of the millennium of the Russian Orthodox Church); The Protecting Veil (first performed by cellist Steven Isserlis and the London Symphony Orchestra at the 1989 Proms); and Song for Athene (1993, memorably performed at the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997). Following Diana's death he also composed and dedicated to her memory the piece Eternity's Sunrise, based on poetry by William Blake.

It has been reported, particularly in the British press, that Tavener left Orthodox Christianity to explore a number of other different religious traditions, including Hinduism and Islam, and became a follower of the mystic philosopher Frithjof Schuon. While he has in recent years incorporated elements of non-Western music into his compositions, Tavener remains an Orthodox Christian though his brother, Roger, tended towards Sufi. In 2003 he composed the exceptionally large work The Veil of the Temple, based on texts from a number of religions. It is set for four choirs, several orchestras and soloists and lasts at least seven hours. The 2004 premier of his piece 'Prayer of the Heart' written for and performed by Björk, was featured on CD and incorporated as the soundtrack to Jake Lever's powerful installation 'Centre + Circumference' (2008, Wallspace, All Hallows on the Wall, City of London).

While Tavener's early music was influenced by Igor Stravinsky, often invoking the sound world of the Requiem Canticles and A Sermon, a Narrative and a Prayer, his recent music is more sparse, uses wide registral space and is usually diatonically tonal. Some commentators see a similarity with the works of Arvo Pärt, from their common religious tradition to the technical details of phrase lengths, diatonicism and colouristic percussion effects, though the similarities between their outputs are quite superficial. Olivier Messiaen has also been suggested as a strong influence on his earlier work.

Tavener has Marfan syndrome. His wife, Lady Maryanna Tavener, broadcast a charity appeal on BBC Radio 4 in October 2008 on behalf of the Marfan Trust.

Career highlights

* 1969 - The Whale premièred by the London Sinfonietta and subsequently recorded on The Beatles' Apple label.
* 1971 - Celtic Requiem recorded by Apple.
* 1973 - Thérèse, the story of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, commissioned by the Royal Opera, London.
* 1989 - première of The Protecting Veilat the Proms in London.
* 2000 - received a knighthood in Millennium Honours List.
* 2003 - première of the all-night vigil The Veil of the Temple by the Holst Singers and the Choir of the Temple Church at the Temple Church, London.
* 2005 - première of Laila (Amu), Tavener’s first dance collaboration, with Random Dance company and Wayne McGregor's choreography.
* 2006 - contributed Fragments of a Prayer to the Alfonso Cuarón film Children of Men.
* 2007 - première of The Beautiful Names by the BBC Symphony Chorus and Orchestra at Westminster Cathedral. The work, sung in Arabic, is a setting of the 99 names of Allah found in the Qur'an. Awarded honorary degree by the University of Winchester.
* 2008 - World premier of "the anthem" sung in St Paul's Cathedral in the presence of HM Queen Elizabeth II and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh
* March 2009 - The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia presents the world premiere of Tu ne sais pas, a work for mezzo-soprano, timpani, and strings. Katherine Pracht will sing the texts, which are drawn from poems by French poet Jean Biès, (one of the work's dedicatees), and from Islamic and Hindu sources.

Key works

* The Whale (1966; soloists, speaker, SATB choir, children's choir, orchestra)
* The Protecting Veil (1988; cello, strings)
* Ikon of the Nativity (1991; SATB choir, a cappella)
* Song for Athene (1993; SATB choir)
* The Veil of the Temple (2002; soprano, SATB choir, boys' choir, ensemble)
* Schuon Lieder (2003; soprano, ensemble)
* Laila (Amu) (2004; soprano, tenor, orchestra)
* Lament for Jerusalem (2006; soprano, countertenor, SATB choir, orchestra)

Wikipedia

The Sundown Playboys

The Sundown Playboys are a Cajun music band still active in Louisiana.

Originally founded in 1945 by accordionist Lionel Cormier, the band has been performing almost continuously throughout the United States. After the death of Lionel Cormier in the early 1970s, Lesa Cormier decided to carry on the tradition of his father's band. With the help of two other band members and his own son, the tradition of the Sundown Playboys continues.

Over the years, several accordion players have filled the big shoes that Lionel Cormier behind, but for 60 years three core members of the group have continued playing. Lesa Cormier has played drums since the beginning with his father. He was seventeen when he started. Wallace "Red" Touchet plays the fiddle and Larry Miller plays the steel guitar. After leading a band of his own, accordionist August Broussard joined the band in 2000. In the 1980s, Lesa's son, Danny, joined the band as a bass player and sometimes steel guitar, but now plays steel guitar with Jackie Caillier and the Cajun Cousins. A few years ago, Danny's son joined the band as bass player. Brian Cormier is a fourth generation member of the Sundown Playboys.

Trivia

* Former Smiths frontman and solo star, Morrissey, included their song "Saturday Nite Special" (which, notably, was released by The Beatles' Apple Records label) on his Under the Influence album.

Wikipedia

Beatle People: Victor Spinetti

Victor Spinetti (born 2 September 1933) is a Welsh comic actor.

Early life

Spinetti was born in Cwm, Wales of Welsh and Italian heritage from a grandfather who was said to have walked from Italy to Wales to work as a coal miner. His parents, Giuseppe and Lily (née Watson), owned the chip shop in Cwm, over which premises the family lived and where Spinetti was born. He was educated at Monmouth School and the Cardiff College of Music and Drama, of which he is now a Fellow. Early on he was a waiter and a factory worker.

Film career

Spinetti sprang to international prominence in three Beatles' films in the 1960s, A Hard Day's Night, Help! and Magical Mystery Tour. He also appeared on one of The Beatles' Christmas recordings. The best explanation for this long-running collaboration and friendship might have been provided by George Harrison, who said, "You've got to be in all our films ... if you're not in them me Mum won't come and see them—because she fancies you." But Harrison would also say, "You've got a lovely karma, Vic." Sir Paul McCartney described Spinetti as "the man who makes clouds disappear". Spinetti would later make a small appearance in the promotional video for Paul's song, 'London Town', off the 1978 album of the same name. Spinetti has appeared in more than 31 films, including Zeffirelli's The Taming of the Shrew, Under Milk Wood with Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, Becket, Voyage of the Damned, The Return of the Pink Panther, Under the Cherry Moon, The Popular Hanna-Barbera One called The Further Adventures of SuperTed - Leave It to Space Beavers (VHS, 1990) in the US and The Krays.

Theatre

Spinetti's work in Joan Littlewood's Theatre Workshop produced many memorable performances including Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'Be (1959, by Frank Norman, with music by Lionel Bart), and Oh! What a Lovely War (1963), which transferred to New York City and for which he won a Tony Award for his main role as an obnoxious Drill Sergeant. He has appeared in the West End in The Odd Couple (as Felix); Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in the West End; as Albert Einstein in a critically lauded performance in 2005 in a new play, Albert's Boy at the Finborough Theatre in 2005 and in his own one-man show, A Very Private Diary.

One of Spinetti's most challenging theatre roles was as the principal male character in Jane Arden's radical feminist play Vagina Rex and the Gas Oven, which played to packed houses for six weeks at the Arts Lab on Drury Lane in 1969. In 1980 he directed The Biograph Girl, a musical about the silent film era, at the Phoenix Theatre. He has also appeared on Broadway in The Hostage and The Philanthropist. He has also acted with the Royal Shakespeare Company, in such roles as Lord Foppington in The Relapse and the Archbishop in Richard III.

Spinetti co-authored In His Own Write, the play with John Lennon which he also directed at the National Theatre, premiering on 18 June 1968, at the Old Vic. Spinetti and Lennon appeared together in June 1968 on BBC2's Release. During the interview, Spinetti said of the play,

"it's not really John’s childhood, it's all of ours really, isn’t it John?" John Lennon, assuming a camp voice answered "It is, we're all one Victor, we're all one aren't we. I mean 'what's going on?'" Spinetti said the play "is about the growing up of any of us; the things that helped us to be more aware."

He also directed Jesus Christ Superstar and Hair, including productions staged in Europe. His many television appearances on British TV, include Take My Wife in which he played a London-based booking agent and schemer who was forever promising his comedian client that fame was just around the corner, and the sitcom An Actor's Life For Me. In September 2008 Spinetti reprised his one-man show, A Very Private Diary, touring the UK, as A Very Private Diary ... Revisted!, telling his life story.

Television

Between 1969 and 1970 Spinetti appeared on Thames Television, alongside Sid James, as one half of Two In Clover over two series. A sitcom about two office workers who jack it all in to become farmers, he starred in all but one of the 13 episodes. His absence in episode #3 of the second series was covered by fellow Welsh actor Richard Davies, playing Spinetti's character's brother.

In the 1970s Spinetti appeared in a series of television advertisements for McVities' (now United Biscuits) Jaffa Cakes, as "The Mad Jaffa Cake Eater", a Mexican bandit style character who surreptitiously stole and ate other people's Jaffa Cakes, prompting the catchphrase "There's Orangey!" He hosted Victor's Party for Granada. More recently he voiced arch villain Texas Pete in the popular S4C animated TV series SuperTed and has narrated several Fireman Sam audiobooks. Spinetti also starred in Boobs in the Wood' with Jim Davidson, filmed for DVD in 1999.

From 1999 to 2002 Victor played Max, the 'man of a thousand faces', in the popular Childrens TV programme Harry and the Wrinklies, which also starred Nick Robinson (Goodnight Mister Tom) in the title role.

Writing

Spinetti's poetry, notably Watchers Along the Mall (1963), and prose, have appeared in various publications. His memoir, Victor Spinetti Up Front...: His Strictly Confidential Autobiography, published in September 2006, is filled with anecdotes. In conversation with BBC Radio 2's Michael Ball, on his show broadcast on 7 September 2008, Spinetti revealed that Princess Margaret had been instrumental in securing the necessary censor permission for the first run of Oh! What A Lovely War.

Family

His younger brother, Henry, is a noted drummer.

Wikipedia

Beatle People: Ronnie Spector

Ronnie Spector (born Veronica Yvette Bennett on 10 August 1943 in New York, New York) is an American musician, and was the lead singer of the girl group The Ronettes. She is known as the "original bad girl of rock and roll."

Biography

From a young age, Bennett took to singing, encouraged by her large, close family. The other members of the Ronettes, Ronnie's sister Estelle Bennett (1941-2009) and cousin Nedra Talley, were also encouraged to sing by their family. The Ronettes were a multiracial group, which was unusual during the 1960s. The Bennetts' mother was African-American and Native American; their father was Irish. In her autobiography, Ronnie Spector said that at one point in her childhood, she was not sure if she was black or white.

Bennett was married to Phil Spector from 1968–1974, and took his name professionally. They adopted three children. Phil adopted Gary and Louis as a single parent after Ronnie left.

* Donté Phillip - Born March 23, 1969 (Adopted: Nov 1969 at age 8 Months)
* Louis Phillip - Born May 12, 1966 (Moved in Dec 1971 at age 5½, Adopted at age 8)
* Gary Phillip - Born May 12, 1966 (Moved in Dec 1971 at age 5½, Adopted at age 8)
By her own account, he kept her a near-prisoner and limited her opportunities to pursue her musical ambitions. In her autobiography, she said that he would force her to watch the film Citizen Kane to remind her she would be nothing without him.

Spector's domineering attitude led to the dissolution of their marriage. Bennett was forbidden to speak to the Rolling Stones or tour with the Beatles, for fear of infidelity. Bennett claims Spector showed her a gold coffin with a glass top in his basement, promising to kill and display her should she leave him. During Spector's reclusive period in the late 1960s, he reportedly kept his wife locked inside their mansion. She claimed he also hid her shoes to dissuade her from walking outside, and kept the house dark because he didn't want anyone to see his balding head. Spector's son later claimed that he was kept locked in his room, with a pot in the corner to be used as a toilet. Ronnie Spector did leave the producer and filed for divorce in 1972. She wrote a book about her experiences, and said years later, "I can only say that when I left in the early 1970s, I knew that if I didn't leave at that time, I was going to die there." She and Spector separated in 1973 and divorced one year later.

Her autobiography, Be My Baby, How I Survived Mascara, Miniskirts, and Madness, co-authored by Vince Waldron, was published in 1989. In 2004, Onyx Books republished the book in a revised and updated mass market paperback edition in the USA.

She now lives in Connecticut with her second husband, Jonathan Greenfield, and their two sons, Austin Drew and Jason Charles. She also hosts an annual Christmas party at B. B. King's bar and grill in New York.

Career

The Ronettes were produced and managed by Phil Spector. In the early 1960s, they had huge hits with "Be My Baby", "Baby I Love You", and "Walking in the Rain". The group broke up in 1966 (never to reunite until their 2007 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame), following the semi-retirement of Phil Spector, who was devastated by the lack of success of Tina Turner's "River Deep - Mountain High" {US #88; a UK #3}. A one-off single, sung by Ronnie but credited to "The Ronettes Featuring the Voice of Veronica," appeared in 1969 on Herb Alpert's A&M label, with an old Ronettes B-side as the flip. That single was "You Came, You Saw, You Conquered".
In early 1971, during Phil Spector's tenure as head of A&R at Apple Records, Ronnie recorded the single "Try Some, Buy Some"/"Tandoori Chicken"; released as Apple 33 in the UK, Apple 1832 in the U.S. The A-side of the single was written by George Harrison, and produced by both Harrison and Spector. Although the single was not a big hit, it had one lasting influence: when John Lennon recorded "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" later the same year, he asked Spector to reproduce the same mandolin-laden 'Wall of Sound' that he had created for "Try Some, Buy Some". Lennon liked the rockabilly B-side too, and is reported to have sung it at his birthday party in New York in October 1971.
In the early to mid 1970s, Ronnie briefly reformed the Ronettes (as Ronnie Spector and the Ronettes) with two new members (including Chip Fields, the mother of actress Kim Fields). In her book, she recounted several abortive attempts to recapture mainstream success throughout the 1970's and early 1980's, during which time she was widely perceived as an oldies act.

Billy Joel's 1976 hit Say Goodbye to Hollywood is a tribute to Bennett. Bennett herself covered it (1977), as did Bette Midler and other artists. Ronnie's version failed, however, as did her 1980 solo debut, Siren. In 1986, Ronnie enjoyed a resurgence as featured vocalist on Eddie Money's Top 10 hit "Take Me Home Tonight", singing part of the chorus (where she is introduced by Money singing "just like Ronnie sang...") of "Be My Baby". During this period, she also recorded the song "Tonight You're Mine Baby" (from the film Just One of the Guys) and sang a duet with Southside Johnny on "You Mean So Much To Me Baby".

In 1999, she released the critically acclaimed album, She Talks to Rainbows, which featured a few covers of older songs. Joey Ramone acted as producer, and appeared on stage with her to promote the record. In 2003, she provided backing vocals for The Misfits' album, Project 1950.

Bennett's most recent album Last of the Rock Stars (High Coin Records) has been released. A new single, "All I Want," accompanies the album. Keith Richards and Patti Smith are among Bennett's collaborators on the album. Bennett herself has co-produced two of the songs. In 2005 Bennett sang "Ode to L.A." with the Danish rock group The Raveonettes on their album Pretty in Black.

In 1998, Ronnie Spector and the other Ronettes sued Phil Spector for cheating them of royalties and licensing fees, winning a $3 million judgment; however, an appeals court later reversed the decision, upholding the terms of the group's 1963 contract as binding. In 2007, Ronnie Spector discussed her Ronettes' much-delayed entry into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: "He wrote the Hall of Fame to tell them not to put me in. He did everything he could to stop me. He's bitter that I left him. He wants everyone to think he's the mastermind. He thought everything was because of him."

The Ronettes were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007.

Ronettes and solo album discography

* The Ronettes Featuring Veronica, 1965
* The Fabulous Ronettes Featuring Veronica, 1965
* Siren, 1980
* The Ronettes Greatest Hits - Volume 1, 1981
* The Ronettes Greatest Hits - Volume 2, 1981
* Unfinished Business, 1987
* The Best of The Ronettes, 1992
* She Talks to Rainbows EP, 1999
* Something's Gonna Happen, 2003
* Last of the Rock Stars, 2006

Wikipedia

Plastic Ono Band

The Plastic Ono Band was a conceptual supergroup formed by John Lennon and Yoko Ono in 1969 before the dissolution of The Beatles. Amongst the various members of the band were Eric Clapton, two former Beatles (George Harrison and Ringo Starr), old friend Klaus Voorman, future Yes drummer Alan White, members of Delaney and Bonnie, The Who's drummer Keith Moon, New York band Elephant's Memory, Billy Preston, Nicky Hopkins, Phil Spector, and drummer Jim Keltner.

In 1968, John Lennon began his personal and artistic relationship with Yoko Ono by collaborating on the experimental album Unfinished Music No.1: Two Virgins. After a second volume, Unfinished Music No.2: Life With The Lions appeared in the spring of 1969, Lennon and Ono decided that all of their future endeavours would be credited to the Plastic Ono Band. Its credo, "YOU are the Plastic Ono Band", implied that everyone was part of the group. In fact, the Plastic Ono Band was an identity to describe works by Lennon and Ono and whoever happened to be performing with them. Lennon and Ono would both use the nomenclature for years on their future solo albums. The single release of "Give Peace a Chance" in July 1969, recorded in a hotel room in Montreal, Quebec with many participants, was the first release to bear the credit of Plastic Ono Band.

The only album solely credited to the Plastic Ono Band, Live Peace in Toronto 1969, was recorded during the Toronto Rock and Roll Revival Festival in September that year and featured Eric Clapton on lead guitar, Klaus Voorman on bass (an old friend of Lennon's from Germany, who was famous for the cover art of the Beatles' Revolver album), and Alan White (later of Yes on drums. Fronting the group, naturally, were Lennon and Ono.

Just after its recording, "Cold Turkey", Lennon's tale of breaking his brief heroin addiction, was released as a single under the banner of the Plastic Ono Band, again featuring the Live Peace In Toronto 1969 line-up. By early 1970, Lennon and Ono had begun adding their names to their releases ("Instant Karma!" coming out as "John Lennon with the Plastic Ono Band", and their two proper solo debut albums: John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band and Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band). By 1971 the name was being used as a secondary credit, with Lennon's and Ono's names the most prominent on their solo ventures, and with occasional variances (e.g., "the Plastic Ono Nuclear Band", "the Plastic U.F.Ono Band," or, when they performed with Frank Zappa, "the Plastic Ono Mothers").

Before 2009, the last use of the Plastic Ono Band was credited on Lennon's 1975 retrospective release Shaved Fish. However, recently, Yoko Ono made an appearance on Sean Lennon's new label's album Chimera music release no.0 with the Plastic Ono Band attached to her name for the first time since her 1973 album Feeling the space. She also performed at The Liquid Room in Tokyo, Japan on January 21st with the 2009 line-up of other Chimera Music Artists. She performed as the Plastic Ono Band.

Wikipedia

Radha Krsna Temple

The Radha Krsna Temple was the headquarters of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness in London from the late 1960s. The temple came to prominence when The Beatles and especially George Harrison started to publicly express their interest in Eastern philosophy and Krishna consciousness. The Radha Krsna Temple was also the name of an album of devotional music issued by the Temple on The Beatles' Apple Records label. The album was produced by George Harrison.

The Radha Krsna Temple

The Radha-Krsna Temple at 7 Bury Place, London was the initial headquarters of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness in the UK from the late 1960s.

George Harrison's involvement

Playing a sitar on the set of Help! and receiving a book on Hinduism on a beach in the Bahamas was the beginning of George's interest in Eastern religion and mysticism - which led to a journey to India to meet up with sitar expert Ravi Shankar. In 1967 he met with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and later that year, after they had already played their last concert together, he took the rest of the Beatles to Rishikesh to meet the Transcendental Meditation guru.

George was already aware of the devotees of Krishna before meeting the movements leader A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and had purchased 20 copies of the Happening album, the first recording by Swami Prabhupada and his disciples. But it wasn’t until 1969 that George was to meet Shyamasundara dasa in the London offices of Apple Records, the Beatles’ recording company. “Where have you been? I’ve been waiting two years to meet you fella's” was how he greeted the devotee. Shamwow and vince had come to Billy Mays to start an EPIC BATTLE and they had sent orange freshners and clockwork oranges with the Exodia sutra typed on them to the Rutles at Orange. This initial meeting eventually led to the recording of 'The Hare Krishna Mantra' by the Radha-Krishna Temple with George, Paul, Linda and drummer Ginger Baker all in the studio helping. George produces the song and is believed to have played harmonium and guitar on the "Govinda" and "Hare Krishna Mantra". Harrison also attended the Radha Krsna Temple's Top of the Pops appearance when they performed the single "Govinda", although he did not appear in front of the cameras. It reached the charts in twenty countries it was even sung one afternoon by 40,000 people at Wembley.

Swami Prabhupada made a deep impression on George: “Most of these yogis say ‘Look at me, I am the divine incarnation, let me help you,’” he explained, “Prabhupada said: ‘I am the servant of the servant of the servant.’” When George once asked Srila Prabhupada if he should also shave his head and join the temple, Prabhupada replied that he could do more for Krishna through his music. Many years previously, the great-grandfather of the Hare Krishna movement, Bhaktivinode Thakur, had predicted a day when the Maha Mantra and songs of Krishna would be sung throughout the world in the local musical style and in the local language. George would be one of the first to help towards making that prediction come true. When Prabhupada heard George’s orchestrated version of the Govindam Prayers for the first time he was moved to tears and asked for it to be played every morning in each of the movement’s temples which still happens to this day.

My Sweet Lord

After helping the devotees at the Radha Krsna temple to make an album, George started writing his own songs about Krishna and the philosophy of the Bhagavad Gita. In January 1971 came the album 'All Things Must Pass' which included the classic song 'My Sweet Lord' followed by 'Living in the Material World' which contained 'The Lord Loves The One (That Loves The Lord)'. Both this and the song 'Here Comes the Sun' were inspired by George's meetings with Prabhupada and the Krishna Consciousness philosophy.

Krishna Book

In 1967 Prabhupada had experienced a severe heart attack and wondered whether he would live to present his disciples and the world with a translated version of the divine ‘pastimes’ of Krishna on earth. He had translated the second canto of the Srimad Bhagavatam, but knew that many years of translating remained before he would reach the tenth canto where these accounts are contained. So he decided to write Krishna the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When he was finished, he requested Shyamasundara to ask George if he could help to publish it. Shyamasundara tells that he wished to be careful in making the request, as he didn’t want to give George the impression that the devotees in the temple were after his money. But Srila Prabhupada had asked him and the spiritual master’s desire was the life and soul of the disciple, so he found himself sitting in a restaurant with George one evening. A thunderstorm raged outside, and just as he discreetly asked the question, lightning flashed, there was a loud clap of thunder, and all the lights went out. The two sat in complete darkness without saying anything for a minute or two. When the lights came on, George was smiling and said: “I suppose that means yes!”

Bhaktivedanta Manor

Due to George’s celebrity endorsement, his songs, and the help he’d given the devotees in meeting other famous people who passed on the word, the little temple at 7, Bury Place near the British Museum was becoming too small for the number of devotees who lived there and others who wanted to join. Again, George was asked if he could help. And again he agreed. He told the temple devotees that if they found a suitable building then he would purchase it. Devotees found Piggots Manor, a former nursing home with 17 acres (69,000 m2) of land in the Hertfordshire countryside. George could not spare the time to come and see it, but said if they liked it he would make the arrangements immediately. And so it was that ‘Bhaktivedanta Manor’ was purchased for £230,000. Since that time the Manor has gone on to become one of the most famous Krishna temples outside India.

Over the years, George became a very private person. But it was apparent that he still remained a devotee of Krishna; he visited the Mayapura temple, ISKCON’s international headquarters in West Bengal. After touring the complex and taking prasadam, he spent the remainder of his time talking to the gardener about the many varieties of flowers and fruits growing there. He stayed for a few days in Vrindavan, unrecognised by everyone except the westerners there. He also kept friendships with a number of the devotees he had met in his earlier days such as Mukunda Goswami.

The Apple Records album, The Radha Krsna Temple

In April 1970 an eponymously titled album was released by Radha Krsna Temple on Apple Records produced by George Harrison featuring devotional music. The album sleeve pictures the deities situated in the original temple from whom the temple name derives; these have now been moved to the ISKCON temple on Soho Square in London where they are known as 'Radha-Londonishvara.'

Both "Govinda" and "Hare Krishna Mantra" were released as singles.

The band consisted of George Harrison on harmonium, guitar and bass guitar, Tamal Krishna Goswami on flute, Harivilas, Yamuna, Jivananda, Lilavati, Yogesvara on lead vocals, and assembled Hare Krishna devotees feature on vocals, mridanga and kartals.

The track "Govinda" is played every morning at all of the ISKCON temples around the world, to greet the deities. This was on the request of Srila Prabhupada. The album was later reissued as Goddess of Fortune on the Spiritual Sky record label, and is now available as The Radha-Krishna Temple Album. All royalties went to ISKCON.

Track listing

LP

All songs arranged by Mukunda Goswami.

1. "Govinda" – 4:43
2. "Sri Guruvastakam" – 3:12
3. "Sri Ishopanishad" – 4:03
4. "Bhaja Bhakata-Arati" – 8:24
5. "Bhajahu Re Mana" – 8:53
6. "Hare Krishna Mantra" – 3:33
7. "Govinda Jaya Jaya" – 5:57

CD

All songs arranged by Mukunda Goswami.

1. "Govinda" – 4:43
2. "Sri Guruvastak" – 3:12
3. "Bhaja Bhakata-Arotrika" – 8:24
4. "Hare Krsna Mantra" – 3:33
5. "Sri Ishopanishad" – 4:03
6. "Bhajahu Re Mana" – 8:53
7. "Govinda Jai Jai" – 5:57
8. "Prayer to the Spiritual Masters" – 3:59

Wikipedia

Beatle People: David Peel

David Peel is a New York-based musician who first recorded in the late 1960s, with Harold Black, Billy Joe White, Larry Adams and Dean White performing as The Lower East Side Band. Though his raw, acoustic "street rock" with lyrics about marijuana and "bad cops" appealed mostly to hippies at first, the sound and DIY ethic make him an important early performer of punk rock. He has performed with artists ranging from B. B. King to Stevie Wonder and the Plastic Ono Band.

The band was one of the first to regularly perform on cable TV in Manhattan on the public access channel of Manhattan Cable Television, as well as at the first Smoke-In Concerts sponsored by the Yippies in New York City in Central Park. John Lennon devoted the first stanza of his "New York City" to David Peel. Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono subsequently produced Peel's third album, The Pope Smokes Dope. Concerned about major label censorship, Peel founded Orange Records to release his own recordings and also those of other independent artists such as: GG Allin & The Jabbers and Mozarts People. As of 2006 Peel is still actively recording and performing his music, planning the release of a CD-ROM-based book of photographs and enjoying a new audience through online services such as iTunes. The Japanese label, Captain Trip Records, has released an extensive boxed set of his music.

Peel has appeared in various films as himself, including Please Stand By (1974), Rude Awakening (1989) and High Times Potluck (2004).

Lennon once compared Peel to artist, Pablo Picasso. The former Beatle also confided in Andy Warhol's interview magazine that producing David Peel for Apple Records -- was one of the highest points in his life.

David Peel recorded two successful albums on Elektra records: "Have a Marijuana" and "The American Revolution" , clearly establishing him as one of the founders of what was to become the punk and new wave movements in England and America. Danny Fields recalls in Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk, "I signed David Peel and The Lower East Side, who embarrased them [Elektra] with his record, "Have a Marijuana", which sold close to a million copies and cost three thousand dollars to make."

John Lennon recalled first seeing David Peel perform in front of a large crowd in Washington Square Park in 1971. ``he was shouting: why do you have to pay to see stars? I was embarrassed. I thought surely he must know we are here. Yoko and I love his music, his spirit, and his philosophy of the street."

Ignoring the objections of certain members of the Beatles, John and Yoko, signed Peel to apple records. David's first effort for Apple -- an LP entitled: "The Pope Smokes Dope", immediately set off an international furor. The record was banned in nearly every country of the world, except the United States and Canada.

In a memorable appearance on the nationally televised David Frost Show in 1972, John and Yoko let David Peel and The Lower East Side have the spotlight, choosing instead to perform behind the group while an artist friend of Yoko's tossed paper airplanes from the stage. Peel was partly instrumental in getting John and Yoko and himself as part of the Plastic Ono Band choir to perform at the famous "one to one" concert at Madison Square Garden. He also shared the stage with them at the John Sinclair benefit "ten-for-two" at the University of Michigan's Crysler auditorium in Ann Arbor. John Sinclair was freed from prison a few days after the show.

Later, John Lennon and Yoko Ono produced and recorded David Peel's "America" -- the theme song for Jack Milton's film: "Please Stand By", in which David Peel portrays and stars as a media hippie revolutionary, who hijacks a network television van and jams the airwaves with unauthorized radical broadcasts to the nation.

At one point in their relationship, David Peel, John Lennon, and Yoko Ono, seemed practically inseparable -- so much so that john and yoko thought that they should have used David Peel's photograph as the middle picture on their Some Time in New York City record. John noted that Peel always wore round sunglasses that were a perfect duplicate of the glasses that had become John Lennon's trademark. Lennon also took to wearing Peel's black leather jacket -- a jacket similar to the kind that The Beatles used to wear in the cavern, a small music club in Liverpool, England - where the Beatles got started.This closeness in appearance caused Bob Dylan to refer to a photograph of David Peel as John Lennon, which also fooled the FBI. A photograph of Peel identified as Lennon turned up in the John Lennon FBI files.

David Peel's close association with John Lennon propelled him to celebrity status once again and paved the way for him to perform with such top acts as: Alice Cooper, Dr. John, Elephant's Memory, Dave Brubeck Quartet, Herbie Mann, Rod Stewart, Emerson, Lake and Palmer, B.B. King and other great acts at the "Mar y Sol" rock festival, on the island of Puerto Rico, in the spring of 1972. David Peel has also performed on the same billing with artists such as: Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, Tangerine Dream, Iggy Pop and the Stooges, MC5, Arthur Lee and Love, John Lee Hooker, Roger McGuinn, Richie Havens, Odetta, Melanie, Arlo Guthrie, Rick Derringer, Stevie Wonder, Archie Shepp, Phil Ochs, Joan Baez, Cypress Hill The Ramones, Vince Martell and many more.

When Apple records did not renew David Peel's record contract, he decided to form his own independent company: orange records, which has produced over seventy-five albums, cassette tapes, video tapes, and cds - including the whole rock catalog and the rock street journal magazine.

Several years ago, David Peel and his band took their act from Washington Square Park to Mill’s Tavern, a Greenwich Village pub. More recently, Peel headlined a recent John Lennon tribute concert at the Beacon Theater in New York City. David Peel continues to make public appearances on the concert, college, and nightclub circuit. He also sometimes performs at Strawberry Fields in Central Park, New York City, on John Lennon's birthday.

David Peel's song "I Like Marijuana" was sampled by Technohead in 1995. The single "I Wanna be a Hippie" earned David and Technohead a Gold Record.

Partial Discography

* Marijuana Christmas
* I Love New York
* World Peace
* Rotten To The Core
* Happy America
* Terror In Amerika
* Have a Marijuana
* The American Revolution
* The Pope Smokes Dope
* Santa Claus - Rooftop Junkie
* An Evening With David Peel
* Bring Back the Beatles
* King of Punk
* Death to Disco
* John Lennon for President
* 1984
* Search to Destroy
* John Lennon Forever
* Anarchy in New York City
* The Battle for New York
* War and Anarchy
* Legalize Marijuana
* Long Live the Grateful Dead
* Rock 'N' Roll Outlaw
* World War III
* Live from Japan
* David Peel's Greatest Hits

Wikipedia

Modern Jazz Quartet

The Modern Jazz Quartet was established in 1952 by Milt Jackson (vibraphone), John Lewis (piano, musical director), Percy Heath (bass), and Kenny Clarke (drums). Connie Kay replaced Clarke in 1955. Through the years the quartet had performed in several jazz styles, including bebop, cool jazz and third stream.

History

Milt Jackson, John Lewis, and Kenny Clarke had originally played together in a quartet while in the Dizzy Gillespie orchestra from 1946 to 1950. Together with Ray Brown they played during interludes designed to give the trumpeters time to recover from the challenging upper register trumpet parts. This line-up recorded as the Milt Jackson Quartet in 1951.

Bassist Percy Heath joined the line up in 1952 and the group became known as The Modern Jazz Quartet. Jackson and Lewis originally shared the role of musical director but Lewis eventually took over the entire responsibility of this position.

In their middle years the group often played with classical musicians, but their repertoire consisted mainly of bop and Swing era standards. Among the original compositions from the band's book are "Django" by Lewis (a tribute to the Belgian jazz guitar player Django Reinhardt), "Afternoon In Paris," also by Lewis, and "Bags' Groove" by Jackson (Bags was his nickname).

The group was first signed by Prestige and later in the fifties with Atlantic. In the late 1960s, in between their two periods with Atlantic, they signed with Apple, the Beatles' label (the sole jazz group on the label), and released two albums: Under the Jasmin Tree (1968) and Space (1969).

Jackson left the group in 1974 partly because he liked a freer flowing style of playing and partly because he was tired of playing for little money (compared to rock and roll stars). As there could be no Modern Jazz Quartet without the two principals Lewis and Jackson, the group disbanded. In 1981 the MJQ reorganized to play festivals and later on a permanent six months per year basis. The MJQ's last recording was issued in 1993. Heath, the last surviving member, died in 2005.

Style

The enigma of the MJQ's music-making was that each individual member could improvise with an exciting vibrancy but in toto the group specialised in genteel baroque counterpoint. Their approach to jazz attracted promoters who sponsored "jazz packet" concerts during the 1950s. One show would consist of several contrasting groups. The MJQ were ideal participants because no other group sounded like them. They provided a visual contrast as well, attired in black jackets and pin-striped trousers.

The group played blues as much as they did fugues, but the result was tantalising when one considered the hard-swinging potential of each individual player. Their best-selling record, Django, typified their neo-classical approach to polyphony.

Discography

* M.J.Q. (1952) Prestige Records
* Ben Webster and MJQ - An Exceptional Encounter (1953)
* Django (1953-55)
* Concorde (1955) (first recording featuring Connie Kay on drums)
* Fontessa (1956) (first album on Atlantic Records)
* No Sun in Venice (1957)
* Modern Jazz Quartet: 1957 (1957)
* Third Stream Music (1957)
* Pyramid (1959)
* Odds Against Tomorrow (1959)
* Longing For The Continent (1959)
* European Concert (1960)
* The Modern Jazz Quartet & Orchestra (1961)
* Lonely Woman (1962)
* The Comedy (1962)
* In a Crowd [Live] (1963)
* Collaboration with Almeida (1964)
* Plays George Gershwin's Porgy and Bess (1964)
* The Sheriff (1964) (Atlantic Records)
* Place Vendôme The Modern Jazz Quartet and The Swingle Singers (1966)
* Blues At Carnegie Hall (1966)
* Under The Jasmin Tree (1969) (Apple Records)
* Space (1969) (Apple Records)
* Plastic Dreams (1971)
* Paul Desmond with the Modern Jazz Quartet, Live in New York (1971)
* Blues on Bach (1974)
* The Complete Last Concert (1974)
* Echoes (1984)
* For Ellington (1988)
* Dedicated to Connie (Released 1995. Recorded live in Slovenia in 1960)
* La Ronde: A Proper Introduction to the Modern Jazz Quartet (Released 2006)

Wikipedia

Hot Chocolate

Hot Chocolate are a British pop band popular during the 1970s and 1980s, formed by Errol Brown. The act had at least one hit every year between 1970 and 1984 and their song "You Sexy Thing" made the Top 10 in three decades.

Career

They were originally named 'The Hot Chocolate Band' by Mavis Smith, who worked for the Apple Corps press office. This was quickly shortened to Hot Chocolate by Mickie Most.

Hot Chocolate started their recording career making a reggae version of John Lennon's "Give Peace A Chance," but Brown was told he needed permission. He was contacted by Apple Records, discovered that John Lennon liked his version, and the group was subsequently signed to Apple Records. The link was short-lived as The Beatles were starting to break up, and the Apple connection soon ended.

In 1970 Hot Chocolate, with the help of record producer Mickie Most, began releasing tracks that became hits, such as "Love is Life", "Emma", "You Could Have Been a Lady", and "I Believe in Love." All those releases were on the RAK record label, owned by Most. Brown and bassist Tony Wilson wrote most of their original material, and also provided hits for Herman's Hermits, "Bet Yer Life I Do", and Mary Hopkin, "Think About Your Children".

Gradually the five piece, Brixton, London based, outfit started to become UK Singles Chart regulars. "Brother Louie", which featured a guest spoken vocal from Alexis Korner, and "Emma" introduced their distinctive sound.

It was in the disco era of the mid 1970s onwards, that Hot Chocolate became a big success. A combination of high production standards, the growing confidence of the main songwriting team of Wilson and Brown, and tight harmonies enabled them to secure further big hits like "You Sexy Thing" and "Every 1's a Winner", which were also U.S. hits, peaking at #3 and #6, respectively. After Wilson's departure for a solo career, that included a 1976 album I Like Your Style, Brown assumed songwriting duties.

In 1977, after scoring 15 hits, they finally reached Number One with "So You Win Again". It was one of the few of their recordings that was not penned, at least partly, by Brown. The track was a Russ Ballard composition.

The band became the only group, and one of just three acts, that scored a hit in every year of the 1970s in the UK charts (the other two being Elvis Presley and Diana Ross). The band eventually had at least one hit, every year, between 1970 and 1984. Critically, they were often lambasted or simply ignored, and apart from compilations their albums such as Cicero Park sold modestly.

They continued well into the 1980s, and clocked up another big hit record: "It Started With a Kiss", in 1982, which reached Number 5 in the UK. In all, the group charted 25 UK Top 40 hit singles. Their single "You Sexy Thing" became the only track that made British Top Ten status in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. Its renewed appreciation can be perhaps credited in part to its appearances in a string of successful films starting with the 1997 comedy The Full Monty. From the late 1980s onwards the group experienced a resurgence of credibility: Urge Overkill, PJ Harvey and The Sisters of Mercy all added Hot Chocolate songs to their live sets.

When Hot Chocolate disbanded in 1986, Errol Brown did not have much solo success, although two of his singles did make the UK Singles Chart - "Personal Touch" and "Body Rockin'". The band's enduring popularity was verified when two compilation albums both reached #1 in the UK Albums Chart (see below). In 2003 Errol Brown received the MBE; and in 2004, the Ivor Novello Award for his contribution to British music.

In 1992, with a new line-up, manager and agent, Ric Martin, took control over the band's bookings and live appearances. Today Hot Chocolate are again making live appearances in the UK and Europe.

Discography

Note: chart positions are for the respective UK Albums Chart and UK Singles Chart

Studio albums

* Cicero Park (US #55) (1974)
* Hot Chocolate (UK #34, US #41) (November 1975)
* Man to Man (UK #32, US #172) (August 1976)
* Every 1's a Winner (UK #30, US #31) (April 1978)
* Going Through the Motions (US #112)(1979)
* Class (1980)
* Mystery (#24) (September 1982)
* Love Shot (1983)

Compilation albums

* XIV Greatest Hits (#6) (November 1976)
* 20 Hottest Hits (#3) (December 1979)
* The Very Best of Hot Chocolate (#1) (February 1987)
* Their Greatest Hits (#1) (March 1993)
* Greatest Hits Part Two (January 1999)
* Best of the 70's (2000)
* The Essential Collection (2004)
* A's B's & Rarities (2004)

Singles

* "Give Peace a Chance" (October 1969)
* "Love is Life" (#6) (August 1970)
* "You Could Have Been a Lady" (#22) (March 1971)
* "I Believe (In Love)" (#8) (August 1971)
* "Mary-Anne" (February 1972)
* "You'll Always Be a Friend" (#23) (October 1972)
* "Brother Louie" (#7) (April 1973)
* "Rumours" (#44) (August 1973)
* "Emma" (#3) (March 1974)
* "Changing World" (uncharted) 1974
* "Cheri Babe" (#31) (November 1974)
* "Blue Night" (1975)
* "Disco Queen" (#11) (May 1975)
* "A Child's Prayer" (#7) (August 1975)
* "You Sexy Thing" (#2) (November 1975)
* "Don't Stop it Now" (#11) (March 1976)
* "Man to Man" (#14) (June 1976)
* "Heaven Is in the Back Seat of My Cadillac" (#25) (August 1976)
* "So You Win Again" (#1) (June 1977)
* "Put Your Love in Me" (#10) (November 1977)
* "Every 1's a Winner" (#12) (March 1978)
* "I'll Put You Together Again" (#13) (December 1978)
* "Mindless Boogie" (#46) (May 1979)
* "Going Through the Motions" (#53) (July 1979)
* "No Doubt About It" (#2) (May 1980)
* "Are You Getting Enough of What Makes You Happy" (#17) (July 1980)
* "Love Me to Sleep" (#50) (December 1980)
* "Gotta give up your love" (February 1981)
* "You'll Never Be So Wrong" (#52) (May 1981)
* "I'm Losing You"/"Children Of Spacemen" (1981)
* "Girl Crazy" (#7) (April 1982)
* "It Started With a Kiss" (#5) (July 1982)
* "Chances" (#32) (September 1982)
* "What Kinda Boy You're Lookin' For (Girl)" (#10) (May 1983)
* "Tears on the Telephone" (#37) (September 1983)
* "I'm Sorry" (1983) (#89) (November 1983)
* "I Gave You My Heart (Didn't I)" (#13) (February 1984)
* "Heartache No. 9" (1986) (#76) (March 1986)
* "You Sexy Thing (Ben Liebrand remix)" (#10) (January 1987)
* "Every 1's a Winner (Groove Mix)" (#69) (April 1987)
* "No Doubt About It (remix)" (1987)
* "Heaven Is in the Backseat of My Cadillac (remix)" (1988)
* "Never Pretend" (1988)
* "It Started with a Kiss" (#31) (re-issue March 1993)
* "You Sexy Thing" (#6) (re-issue November 1997)
* "It Started with a Kiss" (#18) (second re-issue February 1998)

Band personnel

The following individuals comprised the band for most of its active period:

* Errol Brown - born 12 November 1948, Kingston, Jamaica. - vocalist / songwriter.
* Tony Connor - born 6 April 1947, Romford - drummer.
* Larry Ferguson - born 14 April 1948, Nassau, Bahamas - keyboards.
* Harvey Hinsley - born 19 January 1948, Northampton - guitarist.
* Brian Satterwhite - born 22 March 1957, Oak Ridge - vocalist / bassist (from 1973-?).
* Tony Wilson - born 8 October 1947, Trinidad - bassist / songwriter (up to 1975).
* Patrick Olive - born 22 March 1947, Grenada - percussionist / took over bass duties in 1975.
* Ian King - born 1947 - drums (1970–1973)

Wikipedia

Black Dyke Mills Band

The Black Dyke Band, formerly the Black Dyke Mills Band, is one of the oldest and best known brass bands in the world. It was formerly the band of the Black Dyke Mills in Queensbury, West Yorkshire, England, a company owned by John Foster. Foster, a French horn player, joined with others in a small band in Queensbury in 1816. This band faltered but finally, in 1855, Foster and other musicians established the new mill band and outfitted it with uniforms made from the mill's own cloth. The band has remained active since that time, and still rehearses in its original rooms.

The band has won many prizes and competitions over the years. In September 1968, it released a single on the The Beatles’ Apple Records label. The A-side was an instrumental composed by Lennon/McCartney called "Thingumybob" (the theme to a Yorkshire Television sitcom of the same name starring Stanley Holloway). The flip side was a brass band instrumental version of another Lennon/McCartney song, "Yellow Submarine." The single was released under the name John Foster & Sons Ltd Black Dyke Mills Band, produced by McCartney, and was one of the first four singles issued on the Apple label.

The Black Dyke Band has made many recordings including classical music. It has recorded with classical bass trombonist Douglas Yeo, and pop acts Tori Amos, Peter Gabriel and The Beautiful South. The band also worked with Gabriel on the highly acclaimed Millennium Show, featured in the Millennium Dome, as well as recording the music for the BBC programme Ground Force.

Black Dyke was the first band to achieve the "Grand Slam" in 1985 by winning the Yorkshire regional, European, British Open and National Championship contests. They were also voted BBC Band of the Year.

In 2008, the band won the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain for a record 21st time.

The "corner-men" of the band's current line up include:

* Principal Cornet: Richard Marshall
* Principal Euphonium: David Thornton
* Principal Trombone: Brett Baker
* Soprano Cornet: Paul Duffy
* Principal Horn: Sandy Smith
* Flugel Horn: Alexandra Kerwin
* Principal Tuba: Joseph Cook

The band's current Musical Director and Professional Conductor is Welsh Euphonium virtuoso, Dr Nicholas Childs. His predecessor was trumpet player James Watson.

Black Dyke Band are the brass band in residence at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, and Nick Childs conducts the RNCM Brass Band.

Wikipedia

Badfinger

Badfinger was a rock band formed in Swansea, Wales in the early 1960s and was one of the earliest representatives of the power pop genre. During the early 1970s the band was tagged as the heir apparent to The Beatles, partly because of their close working relationship with the 'Fab Four' and partly because of their similar sound. However, Badfinger fell victim to some of the worst elements of the music industry, resulting in its two principal singers and songwriters committing suicide in 1975 and 1983.

The Iveys

Badfinger originated with a band out of Swansea, South Wales in 1961 called The Panthers. The Panthers' featured lineup contained Pete Ham (lead guitar), Ron Griffiths (bass guitar), Roy Anderson (drums), and David 'Dai' Jenkins (guitar). After a handful of moniker changes, in 1964 they settled on The Iveys, named after a street called Ivey Place in Swansea.

By March 1965, Mike Gibbins had joined as the drummer and the band graduated to backing locally such UK national groups as the Spencer Davis Group, The Who, The Moody Blues and The Yardbirds. By June 1966, the band had been taken on by a manager named Bill Collins, who was renting a home at 7 Park Avenue, Golders Green, London, where the whole band moved in with another UK act called The Mojos. The group performed briefly as a backing band for David Garrick ("Dear Mrs. Applebee") but continued to perform as themselves across the UK throughout the rest of the decade. In 1967, Jenkins was asked to leave the group due to a lack of seriousness. and he was replaced by a Liverpudlian guitarist Tom Evans of Them Calderstones, the band's first non-Welsh member.

As a well-received stage act on the London circuit, performing a wide range of covers from Motown, blues, soul to Top 40, psychedelic pop, and Beatles, The Iveys consistently garnered interest from record labels. Ray Davies of The Kinks auditioned to produce them by recording three of their songs at a demo studio in London. However, it was not until Mal Evans (the longtime "roadie" for The Beatles and an employee of their Apple Records label) took up their cause, that they were finally signed to a label -- Apple -- on 23 July 1968, thus becoming the first recording artists The Beatles had signed. Griffiths later said in a Mojo magazine interview: "The ultimate goal was to get a recording contract, but to get one from Apple was really exciting. Yet we were still living at Golders Green, getting £8 a week each." Mal Evans had pushed several demo tapes of the group to each of the individual Beatles and got approval for signing them from Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr and John Lennon, who couldn't believe they were recorded on a sound-on-sound 2-track tape recorder. Each of The Iveys was also signed to Apple Corps' Apple Publishing.

The Iveys released their first single worldwide, "Maybe Tomorrow" (a Tom Evans song), in late 1968. It reached the Top Ten in a number of European countries and Japan, but only rated #67 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and failed to chart in the UK. Another Evans composition, "Storm in a Teacup", was included in an Apple EP produced to promote Walls Ice Cream, along with songs by other original Apple artists James Taylor, Mary Hopkin and Jackie Lomax.

Due to the chart success of "Maybe Tomorrow" in Europe and Japan, a follow-up Iveys single was released in July of 1969, "Dear Angie" (a Griffiths song), but only in those markets. The Iveys album, entitled Maybe Tomorrow, was issued only in Italy, Germany and Japan in 1969. Plans to release in the UK and U.S. were halted for reasons never made entirely clear by Apple. The most prominent rumor is that Apple Corps president Allen Klein personally stopped the releases due to his desire to re-organize the label and solidify his control over it.

McCartney gave The Iveys a boost when he offered them the chance to record and release "Come And Get It," a song he had written for the soundtrack of the film The Magic Christian. McCartney went on to produce the song for the band, as well as the group's original compositions of "Carry On Till Tomorrow" (commissioned as the main title theme) and "Rock Of All Ages." These three tracks would appear both in the film and soundtrack album. Ron Griffiths became ill midway during the sessions, and Tom Evans had to play bass on "Rock Of All Ages."

Griffiths left the group shortly after these sessions. Reportedly, the primary reason was because he was the only married occupant of the communal band home, now raising a child there, and this created some friction, mainly between his wife, Evans and manager Collins. Griffiths officially was out of the picture by the beginning of November 1969.

Badfinger: The Apple years

In October 1969, while the release of "Come and Get It" was pending, the band and Apple Records agreed that a name change was critical. "The Iveys" were still sometimes confused with "The Ivy League", and the name was considered too trite for the current music scene. After much debate, the group changed their name to Badfinger. Other suggestions had included: "The Glass Onion," "The Prix", and "The Cagneys" from John Lennon, and "Home" by Paul McCartney.

The name Badfinger was suggested by Apple's Neil Aspinall as a reference to "Bad Finger Boogie," an early working title of Lennon/McCartney's "With a Little Help from My Friends", alleged by Neil Aspinall that Lennon had composed the melody on a piano using his middle finger, after having hurt his forefinger. Later quotes from Paul McCartney suggest it was he who composed the melody.

For over a month the group unsuccessfully auditioned bass guitarists to replace Ron Griffiths. With the release date of "Come and Get It" fast approaching, Badfinger finally hired Liverpudlian guitarist Joey Molland (previously with Gary Walker & The Rain, The Masterminds, and The Fruit-Eating Bears) at the last minute, which required Evans to shift to bass.

"Come and Get It" was released in December 1969 in the U.K. and January 1970 in the U.S. It reached the Top 10 throughout the world, including #3 in the U.S. Billboard charts. The track was also featured in The Magic Christian film. For the group's initial LP release, their three soundtrack songs were remixed and combined with some older Iveys tracks (including seven songs from the rare Maybe Tomorrow album). This was released as Magic Christian Music. The album peaked at #55 on the Billboard album charts in the U.S.

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 it was rejected by Apple. Geoff Emerick then took over as producer; completing the album by late July 1970. No Dice was released in the U.S. in late 1970. It peaked at #28 on the Billboard charts. The newly re-mixed "No Matter What," was released as a single and it peaked at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 while achieving another across-the-board worldwide Top Ten. Another track from No Dice, "Without You", as covered by Harry Nilsson, became an international hit in early 1972, reaching the Billboard #1 slot. The composition was eventually covered by hundreds of artists and has since become an all-time ballad "standard" in the music business.

While in America in April 1970, 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 dueting 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 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.

Badfinger: the Warner Brothers years

Six weeks after the Ass sessions were completed, Badfinger entered the studio to begin recording material for their first Warner Brothers release titled Badfinger (the intended title, For Love Or Money, was excluded from the album pressings). Ass and Badfinger were released almost simultaneously and the accompanying singles from Badfinger, "Love Is Easy" (UK) and "I Miss You" (U.S.), were unsuccessful. Badfinger did manage to retain some U.S. fan support as a result of several American tours. One concert at the Cleveland Agora on March 4, 1974 was recorded on 16-track tape for a possible live album release, although the performance was deemed unsatisfactory at the time.

Following the American tours, Badfinger recorded Wish You Were Here at the Caribou Ranch recording studio in Colorado and AIR Studios in London. The album was extremely well-received by Rolling Stone and other periodicals upon its release in October 1974.

However, internal friction centering on band management, money and group leadership had been growing within Badfinger. Joey Molland's wife, Kathie, had been taking a more assertive role in the band's politics, which did not endear her to the rest of the group, particularly Ham. Just before the band began rehearsals for an October 1974 United Kingdom tour, Ham suddenly quit the band during a management meeting, stating that he didn't want to belong to a band managed by Kathie Molland. He was replaced by guitarist/keyboardist Bob Jackson. During Ham's three-week hiatus from the group, Polley began shopping Ham as a solo act. However, just before the tour began, Ham rejoined the group after he was pressured by Warner Brothers' position that it would have little to no interest in promoting Badfinger if Ham was gone. Jackson remained as full-time keyboardist, making the band a quintet. After the United Kingdom tour, the friction within the group continued. After some unsuccessful power plays by Molland to keep Ham out of the band, Molland quit of his own accord to pursue a solo career.

Over the previous year, Warner Brothers' publishing arm had become increasingly troubled by a lack of communication from Stan Polley regarding the status of an escrow account of advance funds. Per their contract, Polley was to put in safe-keeping $100,000 in a mutually-accessible account that both Warner Publishing and the group could potentially access. But Polley had not revealed the account's whereabouts to Warners Publishing, and he reportedly ignored warnings about this. Unbeknownst to the band, threats of litigation had been going on behind the scenes.

With Molland gone and an increasingly unstable situation overall, Polley's next ploy was to press the band to go back into Apple Recording Studios to record its third album under the Warner contract, instead of a U.S. support tour. Within two weeks, tracks were cut for an album entitled Head First, and rough mixes were distributed to the musicians and Warner Brothers Records in America. Before the album was formally accepted by Warners Records, Warners Publishing had already filed a lawsuit against Stan Polley and Badfinger on December 10, 1974 in L.A. Superior Court. Polley had hoped submitting the Head First tapes would secure at least one more album advance prior to the litigation, but Warner Brothers refused to accept the tapes and never paid for the sessions. The legal action led to Warners Records stopping the promotion of Wish You Were Here and they stopped distribution of Wish You Were Here worldwide, thus completely halting Badfinger's career.

A suicide, a reunion, and another suicide

Badfinger spent the early months of 1975 trying to figure out how to proceed with the unclear legal situation at hand, including the one withdrawn album and the one rejected album. Years earlier, Polley had established Badfinger Enterprises, Inc., which signed the members to various contracts that dictated that receipts of touring, recording, publishing and even songwriter performance royalties would go into holding companies controlled by Polley. This led to a salary arrangement for the group, which various members had at times complained was inadequate compared to their gross earnings. But by April 1975, salaries were no longer arriving and panic set in, especially for Pete Ham, who had recently acquired a house and whose girlfriend was expecting a child that May.

According to their newest member, Bob Jackson, booking agents and prospective managers routinely turned the band away because of their restrictive contracts with Polley and impending legal actions. Ham tried many times to contact Polley by telephone during the early months of 1975, and was never able to reach him.
A photo of Pete Ham, singer, guitarist and keyboard player of Badfinger, who hanged himself in his garage on 24 April 1975

On 24 April 1975, Ham hanged himself in his garage studio in Surrey. His suicide note, addressed to his girlfriend and her son, seemed to blame Polley for much of his internal despair and he cited his lost ability to cope with his disappointments in life. The note read: "Anne, I love you. Blair, I love you. I will not be allowed to love and trust everybody. This is better. Pete. P.S. Stan Polley is a soulless bastard. I will take him with me." Ham had shown a growing mental illness over the past months as he burned cigarettes out on his hands and arms. Ham's daughter Petera was born a month after his death.

After Ham's death, Badfinger dissolved. Late in 1975, Evans and Jackson helped establish a group called The Dodgers. The group released three UK 45's on Island Records in 1976. "Don't Let Me Be Wrong" was the only U.S. release, but it failed to chart. Subsequently, the management of the band fired Evans for insubordination and ordered all his performances deleted from the group's album recordings that later was released as Love On The Rebound. Molland had started a band in 1975 with Mark Clarke (Colosseum) and Jerry Shirley (Humble Pie) called Natural Gas. The group performed a few gigs as an opening act for Peter Frampton in 1976. They released a self-titled album and three singles, but none managed to chart. Gibbins performed session drumming for various Welsh acts, including Bonnie Tyler on her international hit "It's A Heartache," which reached #3 on the U.S. charts.

By 1977, both Molland and Evans were out of the music business; Molland occasionally laid carpet while Evans briefly worked insulating pipes. Molland describes his dire economic circumstances as follows: "Thank God I had guitars and I was able to sell some of that stuff. We were flat broke, and that's happened to me three times, where my wife and I have had to sell off everything and go and stay with her parents or do whatever. I installed carpeting for a while in Los Angeles and stuff like that. You do what you've got to do to survive."

Later in 1977, U.S.-based drummer Kenny Harck and guitarist Joe Tansin recruited Molland to start a new band. When they needed a bass player, Molland suggested Evans, who joined after a visit to California in 1978. Suggestions from record companies led to the decision to rename the new band as Badfinger. Their “comeback” album Airwaves was released in 1979. Harck was fired from the band during the sessions and Tansin left the band immediately after the album was completed.

To tour promoting the album, Molland and Evans recruited Tony Kaye (Yes) on keyboards and Peter Clarke (Stealers Wheel) on drums. The single "Love is Gonna Come At Last" from Airwaves reached #69 on the Billboard charts. The new Badfinger then recorded and released a second album, Say No More in 1981, with Glenn Sherba added on second guitar and Richard Bryans (Aviary) replacing Clarke on drums. This LP was distributed by Atlantic on the Radio Records label. The initial single, "Hold On," reached #56 on the Billboard charts. Ultimately, Evans and Molland split acrimoniously in 1981.

During 1982 and 1983, Molland and Evans then operated what turned out to be rival touring bands, both using the name Badfinger, which caused serious conflict in their relationship. At certain stages, Evans teamed with pre-1975 Badfinger members Bob Jackson, Mike Gibbins, guitarist Adam Allen, guitarist Reed Kailing (The Grass Roots), guitarist Donnie Dacus (Chicago), post-1975 Badfinger members Tony Kaye, guitarist Glenn Sherba and drummer Lenny Campanaro. For a few of his Badfinger band gigs, Molland teamed with post-1975 member Joe Tansin.

In 1982, Evans and Jackson signed a management contract with a Milwaukee businessman John Cass, which led to a disastrous tour. Both were later sued (Evans for U.S. $5 million) when they denied any responsibilities of the contract, due to their stance that management obligations had not been performed. Early in 1983, Evans and Jackson, with assistance from new member Al Wodtke (Kyx, Crow), completed four demos in Minneapolis, Minnesota under contractual obligations to former David Bowie/Stevie Wonder manager Don Powell. These demos included Jackson's "I Won't Forget You," a tribute to deceased band member Pete Ham. These were briefly shopped but failed to generate strong interest.

On November 19, 1983, Evans and Molland had an extensive heated argument on the telephone regarding past Badfinger income still in escrow from the Apple era, and the "Without You" songwriting royalties Evans was now receiving, which Molland, former manager Bill Collins and Gibbins all wanted a share in. Following this argument, Evans hanged himself in the garden at his home.

In 1984, Molland, Gibbins and Jackson reunited as Badfinger, along with Al Wodtke and Randy Anderson(Jesse Brady) of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and played thirty-one dates as part of a 20th Anniversary of British Invasion acts, which included Gerry & The Pacemakers, The Troggs, Billy J. Kramer and Hermans Hermits.

In 1986, Molland and Gibbins reformed another touring band called Badfinger playing very sporadic dates, until Gibbins left for good in 1990.

Subsequent Iveys and Badfinger releases and activities

The first CD collection of Badfinger, entitled Shine On and covering the two Warner Brothers albums, was released in the UK in 1989. In 1990, Rhino Records released another Warner Brothers-era compilation, entitled The Best of Badfinger, Vol. 2, which also included material from both Airwaves and the previously-unreleased Head First.

A greatest hits collection covering Badfinger's four albums on Apple, entitled Come And Get It: The Best Of Badfinger, was released in 1995 by EMI/Apple/Capitol. This release notably was the first since 1973's Ass to have assigned to it a standard Apple catalogue number, SAPCOR 28. A more comprehensive collection, which included tracks from Apple and Warner Brothers, called The Very Best Of Badfinger, was released in 2000.

In 1990 a CD was released by Rykodisc called Day After Day: Live. It was billed as a Badfinger live recording performed from 1974 and received mixed critical reactions. The CD had very substantial re-recording and a rearranged track order by the album's producer Joey Molland. The CD eventually sparked a lawsuit filed by Molland, after the band's accounting firm collecting for the 1985 court-order settlement had re-adjusted against Molland's Apple royalty income by deducting away the percentage amounts of that court order, and then reimbursing those amounts to the other Badfinger parties. As it was, Molland had failed to execute in the Rykodisc contract for them to receive any artist royalties contractually, as per the court order, which he maneuvered by advising Rykodisc he would take care of that distribution himself under another company name. Molland subsequently sued the other members and their estates to re-acquire back his expenses and a producer's royalty. He was awarded some money, as the judge stated the facts against Molland were not explored well enough by the opposition lawyers in court to justify a level of severe penalty. He also cited that because both parties claimed the tapes were of a poor quality, Molland had salvaged them to a commercial level, and that justified some reimbursement.

In 1988, Straight Up had ranked as the most-requested CD release among out-of-print albums in a readers poll for Goldmine magazine; it finally made it to CD in 1993. A re-mastered CD version of the album regularly sells for over $100 as does an original sealed vinyl copy.

In 1995, Molland was paid to re-record ten Badfinger songs, including their hits. The recordings have subsequently been distributed with varying packaging, often displaying the original 1970s version of the group with little or no disclaiming information, although Molland is the only member of Badfinger from that time who appears on the recordings. This has led to licensing of hundreds of various CDs which have severely polluted the market and led to countless protests. SoundScan sales have reflected tens of thousands of sales to an unknowing public and countless protests are posted on iTunes and the internet.

In 1997, a detailed biography on Badfinger written by Dan Matovina came out entitled Without You: The Tragic Story Of Badfinger. It is highly acclaimed for its thoroughness by reviewers and its accuracy by its contributors. A revised edition of the book came out in 2000 with a CD of rare material and interviews.

In 2000, the "rough mix" version of Head First (that had been prepared by Apple engineer Phil McDonald in December 1974) was released on CD, after Warner Brothers refused to make the original master tapes available for remixing, despite their never paying for the original sessions.

In 2002, Mike Gibbins released a two-disk set of an October 19, 1982 Badfinger performance in Indiana made on a consumer cassette recorder, initially inaccurately entitled Live 83 — DBA-BFR. The band at that time consisted of Evans, Gibbins, Jackson, Reed Kailing and Donnie Dacus.

In 2003 and 2006, two separate CDs of related Apple Publishing music, entitled 94 Baker Street and An Apple A Day, were released. These CDs contain nine songs by pre-Badfinger band, The Iveys.

In 2008, another CD of Apple Publishing related songs, Treacle Toffee, was released which included two more Iveys demos.

Post-Badfinger solo activities

Since 1990, Joey Molland has occasionally performed in the United States as "Badfinger" or "Badfinger featuring Joey Molland". He has released three solo albums, After The Pearl (1985), The Pilgrim (1992) and This Way Up (2001). He also released a CD collection of demos called Basil (1998) on his own label Independent Artists. Kathie Molland, the subject of some controversy for the band, died in 24 March 2009.

In 1995, Bob Jackson joined The Fortunes, an English group most successful in the 1960s. Jackson sings lead as they perform three Badfinger songs consistently in the set.

In both 1997 and 1999, posthumous collections of Pete Ham home recordings were released 7 Park Avenue and Golders Green. In 1995, a posthumous Tom Evans CD was released, Over You: The Final Tracks, which was produced by friend and post-Badfinger songwriting partner, Rod Roach.

In 1996, Mike Gibbins contributed two songs on the compilation album Young Savage Florida. In 1997, Gibbins released his first solo album on Forbidden Records entitled A Place In Time. Between 2000-2003, he released three more solo albums on (More Annoying Songs, Archeology, and In The Meantime) on his own label, Exile Music. Gibbins died in his sleep at his home in Oviedo, Florida on October 4, 2005. He was 56.

In May 2006, A Badfinger convention took place in Swansea, Wales featuring a performance by Bob Jackson. it brought together Jackson, Griffiths, and surviving members of the Ham, Evans and Gibbins families. On 1 January 2008, the BBC Wales radio station broadcast an hour-long documentary about Badfinger.

Personnel

Membership of The Iveys/Badfinger underwent numerous personnel changes and, at the end, none of the original members of The Iveys were still in Badfinger.

The Iveys
1965 - 1967

* Pete Ham - vocals, guitar, keyboards
* Ron Griffiths - vocals, bass
* David "Dai" Jenkins - vocals, guitar
* Mike Gibbins - vocals, drums, percussion

The Iveys
1967 - 1969
Badfinger
1969

* Pete Ham - vocals, guitar, keyboards
* Tom Evans - vocals, guitar, bass
* Ron Griffiths - vocals, bass
* Mike Gibbins - vocals, drums, percussion

Badfinger
1969 - 1974

* Pete Ham - vocals, guitar, keyboards
* Tom Evans - vocals, bass, guitar
* Joey Molland - vocals, guitar, piano
* Mike Gibbins - vocals, drums, percussion

Badfinger
Oct./Nov. 1974

* Pete Ham - vocals, guitar, keyboards
* Tom Evans - vocals, bass, guitar
* Joey Molland - vocals, guitar, piano
* Bob Jackson - vocals, keyboards
* Mike Gibbins - vocals, drums, percussion

Badfinger
Nov. 1974 -
April 1975

* Pete Ham - vocals, guitar, keyboards
* Tom Evans - vocals, bass
* Bob Jackson - vocals, keyboards, guitar
* Mike Gibbins - vocals, drums, percussion

May 1975 -
1977

* Disbanded

Badfinger
1978 - 1979

* Tom Evans - vocals, bass, guitar
* Joey Molland - vocals, guitar, piano
* Joe Tansin - vocals, guitar
* Kenny Harck - drums

Badfinger
1979 - 1980

* Tom Evans - vocals, bass, guitar
* Joey Molland - vocals, guitar, piano
* Tony Kaye - keyboards
* Peter Clarke - drums

Badfinger
1980 - 1982

* Tom Evans - vocals, bass, guitar
* Joey Molland - vocals, guitar, piano
* Glen Sherba - guitar
* Tony Kaye - keyboards
* Richard Bryans - drums

Badfinger
1982

* Tom Evans - vocals, bass
* Bob Jackson - vocals, keyboards, guitar
* Mike Gibbins - drums
* Adam Allen - guitar

Badfinger
1982

* Tom Evans - vocals, bass
* Bob Jackson - vocals, keyboards, guitar
* Mike Gibbins - drums
* Reed Kailing - vocals, guitar
* Donnie Dacus - guitar

Badfinger
1982 - 1983

* Tom Evans - vocals, bass
* Bob Jackson - vocals, keyboards, guitar
* Al Wodtke -vocals, guitar

Badfinger
1983

* Tom Evans - vocals, bass
* Bob Jackson - vocals, guitar, keyboards
* Glen Sherba - guitar
* Tony Kaye - keyboards
* Lenny Campanero - drums

Badfinger
1984

* Joey Molland - vocals, guitar
* Bob Jackson - vocals, guitar, keyboards
* Mike Gibbins - drums
* Al Wodtke - vocals, bass
* Randy Anderson - vocals, guitar

Wikipedia