Head First

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Artists: Badfinger.

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17 customer reviews.  4.0 out of 5 stars.

The final studio album by Badfinger before vocalist/guitarist Pete Ham's suicide in April 1975 - is certainly one of the most legendary unreleased albums in rock history. For more than two decades Badfinger fans have waited for this album to be issued. Finally, 25 years after it was recorded, this long - lost album can take it's rightful place alongside Badfinger classics as 'No Dice', 'Straight Up', and 'Wish You Were Here'. Fully titled 'Head First-The Last Sessions'. Disc 2 is a bonus CD of rare demos. Double slimline jewel case housed in a slipcase. 2000 release.

If Badfinger never quite shook off the mixed-blessings of its early Beatles associations, they at least carved out a comfortable niche for themselves in the early 1970s, largely by carrying on the sterling pop sense of their famous sponsors. Sadly, the Fab Four parallels wouldn't end there; Badfinger, too, ultimately fell victim to recriminations and rapacious record-biz dealings, but with more tragic results. Just months after finishing the December '74 sessions for this last album, band leader Pete Ham committed suicide (bandmate Tom Evans would follow suit eight years later) and its session tapes would eventually vanish into the mists of memory and mystery. Like many an unreleased project, Head First then became something of a lost legend. This double-disc set marks its first release, packaged with a second disc of album demos and outtakes. Though the album finally presented here is a sonically imperfect rough-mix tape, the band's fabled pop genius still shines through, especially on "Lay Me Down," "Keep Believing," and "Turn Around." Still, there's an inescapable sense of bitterness that bubbles to the surface, especially in Evans's rough-hewn "Hey Mr. Manager" and "Rock 'N' Roll Contract." Only drummer Mike Gibbins seems to shake it all off with the good-natured "Moonshine" and "Rockin' Machine." Fans of Ham's demo anthologies on Ryko will find a few more gems on the second disc, though even his normally upbeat demeanor is laced with frustration on "Smokin' Guns," "Nothing to Show," and "I Can't Believe In." A bittersweet epitaph to a great band--and a sobering lesson in the sordid business of pop music. -Jerry McCulley

This CD bids a sad farewell to guitarist and founding member Pete Ham. Keyboardist Bob Jackson fills in for the departed guitarist Joey Molland, and does a magnificent job, contributing on songs such as PASSED FAST and MOONSHINE, as well as his own TURN AROUND. Each member contributes their own tunes, and there is some collaboration between three of the four bandmates, while Pete Ham writes alone. His guitar playing was just great on this CD, handling the guitars by himself. Tom Evans and Mike Gibbins both step up as bandleaders on their own compositions. LAY ME DOWN and KEEP BELIEVING are kind of sad to listen to, especially the second one, knowing these are Pete's last songs to be recorded. Disc 2 are demos from the sessions.

Head First was the last Badfinger album by the orginal group. Joey Molland had left the group prior to its recording and because of the conflict with their manager and Warner Brothers, it was wasnt released until 2000. It is clear that this recording was rushed and some of the songs sound like it. It has its moments, Pete's songs,"Lay Me Down" and "Keep Believing" are what you would expect from him. Bob Jackson replaced Joey in the line up and wrote "Turn Around", an excellent song but not the "Badfinger" sound we were accustom to hearing. Tom's "Rock and Roll Contract" is rough and much better on "Say No More". "Hey Mr. Manager" is one of Tom's best songs in a couple of albums. But his composition with Bob Jackson, "Passed Fast", is without a doubt one of the best Badfinger songs ever and the reason to buy this cd. Mike's songs sound rough and unfinshed other than "Moonshine" with features vocals by Tom, Bob and himself. The recording of "Head First" was marked by the sad situation the group was in and the absense of Joey Molland and it shows. The second cd is rough demos and fragments which us fans might appreciate. The overall package is nice but I wish they could have put more effort in the artwork, maybe pictures of the group or use Tom's original vision of the cover art. All said, it just doesnt move like any other Badfinger or Badfinger reunion album. Certainly not their best.

Give the band a few more months of rest and this album would have blown away anything in its day. PERIOD. Great album anyways. Puts all of that era's Lennon, Harrison or Starr albums to shame and damn near equals McCartney's.

The final Badfinger album with Pete Ham is very good. Trying to keep the Wish You Were Here (or as Mike Gibbins called it in the Gary Katz documentary "Wish You Were Where?"). Pete's demo of Lay Me Down is in G, while the offical version is in E. These Apple mixes mixed on Dec 15, 1974 are far better than Warner's mixes produced in Feb 75. The Warner mix of Lay Me Down is in mono and has a tape fault right at the start of the song (although if you have the cassette version of The Best of Volume 2, you can somehow get rid of it by playing it a lot like I did before I got the cd). Rock And Roll Contract shouldve had the little speech more upfront (maybe it was in the Warner mix?). Most of the bonus demos werent recorded during that time (as Mike said in a Dan Matovina interview). Keep Your Country Tidy has a bit of Lay Me Down although Pete didnt know it at the time. Anyway, get this disc now! I found it at Circuit City for 18 bucks and i know ill never see that price again, but do compare prices at all the shops. I never pay more than 20 bucks for a double disc set and neither should you!

This was supposed to be Badfinger's 3rd album, but several reasons it was not released until year 2000. But well worth waiting for.

The recordings for Badfinger's third Warner album began at the end of November 1974. You would expect the members of the band at this point to be totally exhausted from touring, financial worries and the departure of Molland; and of course they were. Never the less they were still convinced that they could/had to work their way out of their crisis. For their latest British tour they had recruited Bob Jackson (keyb.), because of a short departure of Pete Ham. This tour had been as a 5-piece and by the end of the tour Molland had left the band. Two you producers were found for the new album; Kenny Kerner and Ritchie Wise - before Badfinger they had produced The Stories.

New songs did not come easily to Pete Ham at this point; he was losing faith in the the whole thing, but he worked hard to come up with more quality material. Of his three contributions for Head First the two of them are among his best ever. The opener "Lay Me Down" is a very catchy and powerful rocker with great commercial potential. "Keep Believing" is a typical Ham ballad; a very beautiful melody. Pete's third track is a short instrumental called "Saville Row". Tom Evans is back as a very important songwriter on the album. He'd written two songs alone and two songs in collaboration with with Mike and Mike/Bob. The first two are angry comments to the music business; both of them very intense; especially Mr. Manager is bound to become an all-time Badfinger favourite. Rock'n Roll Contract was rerecorded for Say No More, but this version is much better - I love the middle part. Passed Fast and Moonshine are well-known from Best of Badfinger Vol 2 - both of them very strong and indicating that this new line-up might have become their most interesting ever. Bob Jackson demonstrates powerful vocals and songwriting abilities on Turn Around; a track that could have been written and sung by Steve Winwood. Mike wrote Back Again and Rocking Machine. Rocking Machine is a charming little tune; I think Mike sounds a lot like George Harrison.

All in all the band play and sing their best on this album that is among Badfinger's strongest. Pete Ham does not sound burdened by having to play all guitars and they all appear extraordinary inspired.
The original master-tapes which have been considered lost seem to have been rediscovered in the vaults of Warner Brothers. This means that they may release the album some time in the future. or maybe license it to another label. Until that may happen luckily we have this Snapper release remastered from Bob Jackson's tape copy of the original Apple mixes.

The bonus tracks are all great songs; some are them are at an early stage and the sound quality is not very good on most of them. Still it's always nice to hear new songs by Pete Ham. I believe his 4 new songs here could have been developed into great Badfinger tracks. "I Can't Believe In" and "Keep Your Country Tidy" are great tunes. Of the other songs I especially like Mike's You Ask Yourself Why

My favourites: Lay Me Down, Mr Manager, Keep Believing, Moonshine, Back Again

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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