humor

Author Dan Matovina cuts no corners in WITHOUT YOU: THE TRAGIC STORY OF BADFINGER, which details the rise and fall of Badfinger, the pop band whose career spanned from the late 1960s to the early 1980s. You may find yourself staying up late as you turn every compelling page.

And your heart will break as you learn about the trust Badfinger musicians Pete Ham, Mike Gibbins, Tom Evans and Joey Molland put in several con artists who stole almost all the band's earnings. After Ham's resulting 1975 suicide, at times surviving band members end up working against each other for what's left of the money and glory. Instead of standing together, they let the show business parasites continue to divide and conquer.

Even the 1983 suicide of Tom Evans does not inspire enough people to do the right thing. WITHOUT YOU ends on the sad note of certain individuals standing on a bizarre technicality to take songwriting credit for the Pete Ham/Tom Evans standard, "Without You."

At least nothing will change the superb quality of Badfinger's music. Was there any other band where every member composed and sang on every album? Not even the Beatles can say that. In recent years Badfinger's records have been reissued. Get them while you can.

In the way the Securities and Exchange Commission protects investors from swindlers, there ought to be a "Badfinger Commission" to protect young artists from sleazy management. For now, read WITHOUT YOU: THE TRAGIC STORY OF BADFINGER.

I was floored when I saw this book in my local Borders store. I had loved this band in the '70s but had pretty much forgotten about them until I found this book. I bought it along with a few Badfinger CDs, which I have enjoyed since then. I really got a lot out of this book, too.

One truly amazing aspect is the investigative work on the background of their former business manager, Stan Polley. Author Matovina dug up many facts of an apparently shady past of Polley. He was the man that group member Pete Ham named in his suicide note, stating, "Stan Polley is a soulless bastard." This aspect gives more context to what ultimately destroyed these guys. I had always wondered what the story was after reading that quote in Rolling Stone years ago.

I was brought to tears on a number of occasions. The deaths of Pete Ham and Tom Evans were so sad. Apparently, they were tortured, talented, special human beings, and we lost them too early. But their contributions to the music world in writing many of the group's major signature songs, such as "No Matter What," "Day After Day," Baby Blue" and "Without You" will always be part of classic rock 'n' roll.

Thanks to the author for keeping Badfinger's story alive. A superb job, Mr. Matovina! Well, back to Straight Up!

My overwhelming reaction after reading this marvellously researched book,is one of anger.Anger at the torments,both emotional and financial,that all the band members,especially Peter and Tom,must have gone through.It really shows that for all the idealism of the decade that the group came from,the music business,like all others,is filled with unscrupulous individuals with no decency whatsoever when they can smell money.However,against this awful background the group produced much truly marvellous music.Music that varies from the melancholic to the totally uplifting,and that is the bands true legacy and that is what they are remembered for.I have to say though,that the story of Badfinger should serve as a warning to any band entering the music business.Unfortunately,you have to be careful and you have to be clued up.We should be grateful that the full story of the band is available,both as a celebration and as a warning.
Finally,as someone from the same town as the four original Ivey's,my admiration for them has only gone up after reading this book.My beautiful home town of Swansea was not the most affluent place on earth in the sixties,and the part of it that Peter Ham came from was one of the poorer,at least economically,of that town.That a guy from that background wrote such marvellous songs,and even a classic or two,I find fantastic.Read this book,then enjoy the marvellous music of a band that were ahead of their time,and were probably in the wrong place at the wrong time.Ladies and gentlemen...Badfinger.