If there was any justice on this Earth – and of course the absence of a supernatural creator merely confirms there isn’t – Badfinger would have been one of the biggest bands of all time. Today it was announced that the last surviving member of the band, Joey Molland, had died. As I wish him to rest in peace, melancholy washes over me. For many people, Badfinger were the next Beatles.
Formed in 1969, having been previously known as The Iveys, Badfinger wrote some of the finest music of their era. Arguably, they wrote some of the finest music of any era. Their tragic story is told here.
Not only did they write and perform gorgeous songs like Day After Day, No Matter What and Baby Blue, they also wrote the magnificent Without You, for which writers Pete Ham and Tom Evans deservedly received Novello awards. Then, in 1975 the band’s founder Ham, impoverished and bankrupt, hanged himself at the age of 27. The remaining members tried to carry on, but it was never the same. Creditably, Molland kept the music alive right up until last year until poor health took him off the road.
I loved their songs as a kid, observing that band members played on John Lennon’s Imagine album and George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass. They were supporting musicians at George Harrison’s great benefit show in 1971, The Concert For Bangladesh.
By rights, the band should have been among the grand old men and women of rock here in 2025, but sadly they are largely forgotten by many of us and not known by the majority.
If you love great and timeless music, then why not give Badfinger a try? There are numerous albums still available and you can always begin with a compilation album, of which this is one.
Joey Molland was part of Badfinger, a final link with that great, albeit short-lived band. While they could have done so much more, we should at least be grateful for what we got from them. They could have been massive. Thank you for the music, Joey and once again, RIP.
