Treasured Music

Badfinger - following the Beatles at the Apple Record Label

“Badfinger originated with guitarist/keyboardist Pete Ham and a group called The Panthers formed in 1961, then The Black Velvets and The Wild Ones. Ham, Ron Griffiths (bass guitar) and David ‘Dai’ Jenkins (guitar) went on to form The Iveys, named after a street in Swansea, Wales. By March of 1965, Mike Gibbins had joined as the drummer and the band began playing locally with such groups as the Spencer Davis Group, The Who, The Moody Blues and The Yardbirds. [1] The Iveys moved their base to London in 1966, performing both for David Garrick (a local singer) and as a solo act, and reportedly opening for Pink Floyd on occasion. The following year, Jenkins was asked to leave the group and he was replaced by Liverpudlian guitarist Tom Evans.

Members over time included:
- Pete Ham
- Tom Evans
- Joey Molland
- Mike Gibbins
- Bob Jackson
- Joe Tansin
- Tony Kaye

A respectable stage act on the London circuit, performing a wide range of covers from Motown artists to The Beatles, the group garnered interest from several record labels. However, it was not until Mal Evans (an employee of The Beatles’ Apple label) took up their cause that enabled them to be signed with The Beatles’ record company. They were accepted by Apple in 1968 after several demo tapes were brought in by Mal Evans, finally getting approval from Paul McCartney, George Harrison and John Lennon.(ref: wikipedia)”

In 1970, they sign with a new business manager. Issues confusion over money developed over the next several years. In 1975, Pete Ham hanged himself. The other members wen on to perform with other bands and some took construction jobs.

“On November 19, 1983, Evans and Molland argued on the telephone about the past income still in escrow from the Apple era and the lucrative “Without You” performance royalties Evans was receiving. Following the argument, Evans hanged himself in the garden at his home.(ref: wikipedia)”

Tags: apple record label, Badfinger, beatles, rock and roll