 Formed: Liverpool, England . . . 1967 as The IVEYS, by PETE HAM and
MIKE GIBBONS.
They were a melodic pop group in the vein of The
HOLLIES, who had the dubious novelty value of being Welsh. By the time
they'd signed to The BEATLES' fledgling 'Apple' label in 1968, Liverpudlian
TOM EVANS had joined the group, replacing DAVID JENKINS. After one
minor hit 'MAYBE TOMORROW, they ditched the IVEYS moniker in favour
of the more 70's sounding BADFINGER. They scored their first major hit
in the first month of the new decade with the PAUL
McCARTNEY-penned 'COME AND GET IT'. JOEY MOLLAND then replaced other original RON
GRIFFITHS during its chart run, while HAM switched to bass. The BEATLES
comparisons were unavoidable and their next 45, 'NO MATTER WHAT',
was as close an approximation of The Fab Four's mid-60's amphetamine
kick as you're likely to hear. The BEATLES' connection continued with
contributions to the soundtrack for the movie, 'MAGIC CHRISTIAN MUSIC'
and guest appearances on GEORGE HARRISON's 'ALL THINGS MUST
PASS' and JOHN LENNON's 'IMAGINE'. HARRISON returned the favour
by producing 'DAY AFTER DAY', an American Top 5 hit from the
'STRAIGHT UP' album late in '71. The songwriting skills of the HAM /
EVANS team were finally recognised in 1972, when NILSSON transformed
their 'WITHOUT YOU' into his own tortured No. 1 classic. Ironically, the band
failed to capitalise on this and their subsequent material was fairly lacklustre.
A reputed deal with 'Wamer Brothers' for a $3 million advance was struck
prior to their last album for 'Apple', 1973's 'ASS'. However, their 'WISH YOU
WERE HERE' album in '74 was shifting plenty of units in the States when
money in their account went mysteriously missing, the record removed from
retail sale soon after. Frustrated by his band's lack of success and MOLLAND's
departure, and troubled by personal worries, PETE HAM hanged himself on
the 23rd April '75 in his London home. Reeling from this tragedy, the band
split, only to be re-formed by EVANS and part-time
pipefitter, MOLLAND, in 1978. They even secured a deal with 'Elektra' but again failed to achieve
any real success. Incredibly, history repeated itself when, on 23rd November
'83, TOM EVANS also hanged himself amid fits of depression and financial
troubles. Business problems were sorted out around a year and a half later, too
late, of course, to bring back these lost
songwriters of the 70's.
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