Throughout our various careers, there are trophies, special moments and great memories we accumulate. During my last few decades doing what I do in show biz, I have been blessed to work with some of the larger-than-life folks who have touched the lives of millions. But defining the “biggest” in the business for me is not by virtue of platinum albums or sold-out arenas. For me, it is the quality of the people involved, individuals or bands as a whole that determines their place in music history.
We lost Joey Molland this week to pneumonia and complications of diabetes at the age of 77. Another wonderful person gone too soon, Joey was best known as the guitarist in the Welsh pop-rock band, “Badfinger.” We not only lost a true pioneer and talent, but also one of the warmest, soft-spoken and sweetest people I have ever been blessed to know.
He joined “The Iveys” in 1969, a band just coming into itself that needed to replace the only bandmember who was married and starting a family. The Beatles took notice of the band and became fans themselves. Paul McCartney wrote a song for a movie, but ultimately gave, “Come And Get It” to the band to record. It became a huge hit for Badfinger.
Interaction with The Beatles happened on several occasions including naming the band itself. As the marketability of “The Iveys” came into question, the original name of the Lennon-McCartney classic, “With A Little Help From My Friends” came up. When John Lennon injured his forefinger on the piano while working on that song causing him to play the melody with his middle finger, the tune was initially called, “Bad Finger Boogie.” When it got changed to its present name, “The Iveys” changed to “Badfinger.”
I was lucky enough to work with Joey on several occasions. Along with the shows came many times just talking about his life, what he had going on, and what he went through to get him where he was.
One particular time together that resounds as a lasting memory was when I was working on a Reality-TV pilot called, “The Backstage Kitchen.” It was a concept where I would work on a recipe with a celeb on stage right at The Arcada just prior to them hitting center stage for their performance. That night, I made “Roast Beef with Yorkshire Pudding” with Joey and the co-founder of The Moody Blues and Paul McCartney’s WINGS, Denny Laine.
It was a wonderful experience as we talked about fast food and growing up in the U.K. “We did not have refrigerators when we were kids,” Denny said. “Whatever we had for dinner was mashed up and put into a frying pan the next day for breakfast. It was called, “Bubbles and Squeek.”
“We had wimpy Burgers, but no hot dogs or pizza,” Joey said. “Pretty boring by today’s standards, I would say!”
“Where is the ‘pudding’ in Yorkshire Pudding?” I asked. “It more referred to the batter of the dough used,” Joey said. “Add some brown gravy and you will not be able to stop eating it,” he said.
Another time we worked together was when a concept called “50 Years Ago Today” came to The Arcada. It was a tribute to The Beatles with Joey, Denny, Todd Rundgren and Christopher Cross.
Before the show, Joey and Todd were in the dressing rooms reminiscing a bit about he past. In 1971, Todd had produced another huge Badfinger hit (my personal fave), “Baby Blue”. “You guys were The Beatles’ favorite band,” Todd said. “Who gets to say that?”
The Badfinger boys interfaced with The Beatles under several circumstances. When they formed Apple Records, A&R head Peter Asher closed Badfinger as its first band signed to the label. He had to get the approval of all four Beatles, which he had no problem receiving.
Joey specifically had some solo projects that were “Beatled” including playing on two cuts on John Lennon’s “Imagine” album. George Harrison produced half of Badfinger’s “Straight Up” 1971 album and enlisted the group to perform at the iconic “Concert for Bangladesh” at Madison Square Garden that same year.
But bad financial management caused horrible stress for the band. So much so that two of the original bandmember committed suicide in 1975 and in 1983.
Badfinger played off and on from 1969-1981, with Joey continuing the legacy from 1981 until his passing this week under the name, “Joey Molland’s Badfinger.”
I would hear from Joey from time-to-time. He would say, “How is Mr. Chicago” with that English accent on an occasional call. The last time I spoke with him was in December of 2023 when we lost our mutual buddy, Denny Laine.
More recently, I have speaking to him through an agent I was working with to bring Joey back to The Arcada. Leni DiMancari and I had it all set for him to come in October of last year. Then Joey began to fall ill, forcing us to move the date to January of this year. But as we continued to plan on dates for his return, he got sicker and sicker.
It is really something about the rate at which we are losing our music heroes. It is an unavoidable destiny, I know. But these folks have always been “Superheroes” with unabashed power to command audiences of thousands. So, to come to the realization that they are humans with a finality is still hard to accept.
I think of Joey’s somewhat crooked smile, his wholesome heart and the brightness he gave to every room he entered, and I also realize that I, and we, were given a great gift. He often reflected on the difficult times he, his wife and two sons had on the roller coaster ride the music industry takes most performers on. He would recall how he had huge hits and sold-out arenas, being rereferred to as a “Mini-Beatles” on occasion, yet he was forced to drive a taxi and tiling roofs to make ends meet.
He was real. I will remember him always and I am sure I will continue to get the warmth he exuded both in person and on the phone. I will toast to Joey Molland, his memory and his music, not with champagne, but with a forkful of Yorkshire Pudding.