Underrated pop groups of the 60s: Badfinger

Any serious Beatles fan knows, and likely loves, Badfinger. After all, the band was the first group signed to the Fabs' fledgling Apple Records label.

Those who know rock history also know the sad trajectory of the band: After huge success early on, the band collapsed in poor sales, bankruptcy and the suicides of its two leading members.

Originally named The Iveys the group was rechristened after Paul McCartney's "Bad Finger Boogie," the pre-lyrics working title for the Beatles' "With A Little Help from My Friends."

McCartney also wrote and produced the group's first big single, "Come and Get It," a #7 hit in 1969. If you have the Beatles' third Anthology set, you've heard Paul's own demo of this song. It sounds just like the Badfinger version, but with his own lead vocal.

Badfinger's own music sounded quite Beatley in its own right. After "Come and Get It," the big singles included "No Matter What" (1970, produced by Beatles' roadie Mal Evans), "Day After Day" (1972, produced by George Harrison) and "Baby Blue" (1972).

"Without You," by the band's songwriters Pete Ham and Tom Evans was later covered by Harry Nilsson, becoming a huge hit, also in 1972.

The band signed a big deal with Warner Bros. when Apple imploded in the midst of the Beatles' breakup, but met with little chart success and never recovered. Ham hanged himslef in 1973 and Evans did the same in 10 years later.

Badfinger Book

Without You : The Tragic Story of Badfinger

Badfinger CDs