Joey Molland

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Joey Molland
Joey molland-1547296158.jpg
Molland in 2018
Background information
Birth nameJoseph Charles Molland
Born (1947-06-21) 21 June 1947 (age 77)
Edge Hill, Liverpool, England, UK
Genres
Occupations
  • Guitarist
  • singer-songwriter
Instruments
Years active1965–present
Labels

Joseph Charles Molland (born 21 June 1947) is an English songwriter and rock guitarist whose recording career spans five decades. He is best known as a member of Badfinger, the most successful of the acts he performed with. Since the death of Mike Gibbins in 2005, Molland is the last surviving member from the band's classic line-up.

Contents

Career

Molland's recording career began in earnest in 1967 when he joined Gary Walker (formerly of the Walker Brothers) for the group 'Gary Walker & The Rain'. The Rain released several singles, an EP, and an album on the Polydor and Philips labels in the UK and Japan between 1967 and 1969. Titled #1, the album featured four Molland songs and was especially well received in Japan, [1] but a lack of success in their UK homebase caused the band to disband by 1969.

During Molland's association with Apple, he made guest appearances on two George Harrison albums, All Things Must Pass and The Concert For Bangla Desh, and the 1971 John Lennon album, Imagine , including the single "Jealous Guy" released in 1985. [2]

Molland left Badfinger in late 1974 due to disagreements over management. In 1975, he joined with Jerry Shirley (formerly of Humble Pie) and formed a group called Natural Gas. The band released their self-titled album on Private Stock Records in 1976, and enjoyed a successful tour with Peter Frampton the following year. According to Molland, a general lack of organisation led to the band's demise late in 1977. [1]

Molland and former Badfinger bandmate Tom Evans recorded two albums under the Badfinger name, Airwaves in 1979, and Say No More in 1981. He and Evans split after Say No More and the two performed in rival touring Badfinger bands until Evans' suicide in 1983. [3]

Molland's solo recordings have been well received. His first, After The Pearl, was released in 1983 [4] on Earthtone Records. His second, The Pilgrim, was released in 1992 on Rykodisc. His third, This Way Up, was independently released in 2001. His 2013 album, Return To Memphis, was released on 13 December. [5] His latest album Be True To Yourself on Omnivore Recordings was released 12 July 2021, featuring the single ″Rainy Day Man."

Molland went back into the studio in 2015 with members of 10,000 Maniacs (Ladies First) to release a new version on the classic song, "Sweet Tuesday Morning" from Badfinger's 1972 album Straight Up. [6]

In late 2019 Molland toured with Todd Rundgren, Jason Scheff, Micky Dolenz and Christopher Cross in celebration of the Beatles' self-titled double album, under the banner "It Was Fifty Years Ago Today – A Tribute to the Beatles' White Album". Molland performed the Badfinger songs "Baby Blue" and "No Matter What". [7]

He continues to tour under the name Joey Molland's Badfinger. [8]

Health issues

As of early 2025, Molland had been facing health issues since December 2024. His girlfriend Mary stated on Facebook on 8 December, "Joey is in the ICU. A higher level ICU than when we were admitted. He is battling multiple fronts right now, but seems more comfortable. Thankfully they have not had to resort to a ventilator". [9] The exact details of what happened or what he has been diagnosed with is undisclosed, but Molland has been doing gradually better as of 1 January 2025.[ citation needed ]

Discography

With The Masterminds

With Gary Walker & The Rain

With Badfinger

With Natural Gas

Solo

As a guest artist

Songs of note

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Badfinger</span> Welsh rock band

Badfinger were a Welsh rock band formed in Swansea in 1961. Their best-known lineup consisted of Pete Ham (guitar), Mike Gibbins (drums), Tom Evans (bass), and Joey Molland (guitar). They are recognised for their influence on the 1970s power pop genre. It is estimated that the band sold 14 million records.

<i>No Dice</i> 1970 studio album by Badfinger

No Dice is the third studio album by British rock band Badfinger, issued by Apple Records and released on 9 November 1970. Their second album under the Badfinger name, but their first official album under that name, and first to include guitarist Joey Molland, No Dice significantly expanded the British group's popularity, especially abroad. The album included both the hit single "No Matter What" and the song "Without You", which would become a big hit for Harry Nilsson, and later a hit for Mariah Carey.

<i>Straight Up</i> (Badfinger album) 1971 studio album by Badfinger

Straight Up is the fourth studio album by the Welsh rock band Badfinger, released in December 1971 in the United States and February 1972 in Britain. Issued on the Beatles' Apple record label, it includes the hit singles "Day After Day" and "Baby Blue", and the similarly popular "Name of the Game", all of which were written by singer and guitarist Pete Ham. The album marked a departure from the more rock-oriented sound of Badfinger's previous releases, partly as a result of intervention by Apple Records regarding the band's musical direction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pete Ham</span> Welsh musician (1947–1975)

Peter William Ham was a Welsh singer, songwriter and guitarist best known as a lead vocalist of and composer for the 1970s rock band Badfinger, whose hit songs include "No Matter What", "Day After Day" and "Baby Blue". He also co-wrote the ballad "Without You", a worldwide number-one hit for Harry Nilsson that has become a standard covered by hundreds of artists. Ham was granted two Ivor Novello Awards related to the song in 1973.

<i>Ass</i> (album) 1973 studio album by Badfinger

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Gibbins</span> Welsh musician (1949–2005)

Michael George Gibbins was a Welsh musician, most notable for being the drummer of Badfinger.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Jackson (musician)</span> English musician

Robert Jackson is an English rock musician most famous for being a member of Badfinger from 1974–75 and 1981–83, and of The Fortunes from 1995–2019. He currently tours under the name Badfinger in the United Kingdom.

<i>Wish You Were Here</i> (Badfinger album) 1974 studio album by Badfinger

Wish You Were Here is the seventh studio album by rock band Badfinger and their third consecutive album produced by Chris Thomas. It was recorded in the spring of 1974 at Colorado's Caribou Ranch and released in November of that year on Warner Bros. Records. Wish You Were Here was the second and last album the band released on the Warner Bros. label.

<i>Badfinger</i> (album) 1974 studio album by Badfinger

Badfinger is the sixth studio album by British rock band Badfinger. The album was recorded in autumn 1973 and released in 1974 on Warner Bros. Records. It was the first of two albums released by the band on the Warner label. The cover art for the album shows a woman wearing a riding outfit and hat from the 1920s and smoking a cigarette in a cigarette holder.

<i>Magic Christian Music</i> 1970 studio album by Badfinger

Magic Christian Music is the second studio album by the British rock band Badfinger, released on 9 January 1970 on Apple Records. It was their first release under the Badfinger name, having previously released the album Maybe Tomorrow in 1969 under the name The Iveys. It includes the band's first international hit, "Come and Get It", written and produced for them by Paul McCartney.

<i>Head First</i> (Badfinger album) 2000 studio album by Badfinger

Head First is the tenth and final studio album by British rock band Badfinger, released on 14 November 2000. It was recorded over 25 years earlier at the Beatles' Apple Studios in London, but was not released at the time. Originally intended to be Badfinger's third LP under its six-album contract with Warner Bros. Records, the recordings were shelved when legal difficulties erupted between the band and the label.

<i>Day After Day: Live</i> 1990 live album by Badfinger

Day After Day: Live is a CD release by Rykodisc in 1990 of live recordings made by the British rock group Badfinger in 1974.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No Matter What (Badfinger song)</span> Single by Badfinger

"No Matter What" is a song originally recorded by Badfinger for their album No Dice in 1970, written and sung by Pete Ham and produced by Mal Evans.

Thomas Evans was an English musician. He is best known for his work as the bassist of the band Badfinger. He also co-wrote their 1970 song "Without You," which has been recorded by over 180 artists — most notably Harry Nilsson and Mariah Carey. Evans died by suicide in 1983, one of two members to do so.

<i>BBC in Concert 1972–1973</i> 1997 live album by Badfinger

BBC in Concert 1972–1973 is a CD of live recordings by the British rock group Badfinger released in 1997 by Strange Fruit Records and then re-released in 2000 by Fuel 2000 Records. The recordings were made for the BBC in 1972 and 1973, in two separate concerts at the Paris Theatre in London. The album also includes a 1970 BBC recording of Badfinger's first Top 10 hit, "Come and Get It".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baby Blue (Badfinger song)</span> 1972 single by Badfinger

"Baby Blue" is a song by Welsh rock band Badfinger from their fourth studio album, Straight Up (1971). The song was written by Pete Ham, produced by Todd Rundgren, and released on Apple Records. As a single in the US in 1972, it went to #14.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Apple of My Eye (song)</span> 1973 single by Badfinger

"Apple of My Eye" is a song recorded by the rock/pop band Badfinger for inclusion on their 1973 album, Ass. The song was written and sung by Pete Ham, produced by Chris Thomas and Badfinger, and released on Apple Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Name of the Game (Badfinger song)</span> 1971 song by Badfinger

"Name of the Game" is the sixth track from power pop band Badfinger's 1971 album, Straight Up. The song was written by Pete Ham.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Miss You (Badfinger song)</span> 1974 single by Badfinger

"I Miss You" is a song by the British power pop band Badfinger. Written by Pete Ham for their first Warner Bros. LP, Badfinger, it served as the opening track and sole U.S. single for said album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Love Is Easy (Badfinger song)</span> 1973 single by Badfinger

"Love Is Easy" is a song by the British power pop band Badfinger. Released on their album Badfinger, the song was written by one of the band's guitarists, Joey Molland.

References

  1. 1 2 Matovina, Dan. Without You: The Tragic Story of Badfinger. Francis Glover Books
  2. ↑ "imagine john yoko", John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Thames & Hudson Ltd (2018), page 196 ISBN   978-0-500-021842
  3. ↑ Matovina, Dan (2000). Without You: The Tragic Story of Badfinger. Frances Glover Books. p. ii. ISBN   9780965712224.
  4. ↑ "Joey Molland - After the Pearl". Discogs . 1983.
  5. ↑ JOEY MOLLAND – Return To Memphis Review by LEE ZIMMERMAN on Blurt Magazine Online. Accessed via the internet 18 October 2016
  6. ↑ "New version of Badfinger's Sweet Tuesday Morning to benefit WhyHunger". Badfingersite.com. Archived from the original on 14 April 2015. Retrieved 12 April 2015.
  7. ↑ "Dolenz, Rundgren, Molland Begin Beatles Tribute Tour". Bestclassicbands.com. 30 July 2015.
  8. ↑ "Obituary Guestbook". Legacy.com. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
  9. ↑ "Mary's Facebook Post". Facebook.com. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
  10. 1 2 "Timothy Schools - artist and musician". Timschools.com. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  11. 1 2 3 "Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Review of No Dice". AllMusic. 15 March 2023.
  12. 1 2 "Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Review of Straight Up". AllMusic. 15 March 2023.
  13. 1 2 "John McLean, Review of Ass". AllMusic. 25 March 2023.
  14. ↑ "Wayne Klein, Review of Badfinger". AllMusic. 15 March 2023.
  15. ↑ "Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Review of Badfinger". AllMusic. 19 September 2022.
  16. ↑ "Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Review of The Very Best of Badfinger". AllMusic. 8 September 2022.
  17. ↑ "Alex Henderson, Review of The Pilgrim". AllMusic. 19 September 2022.
  18. ↑ "Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Review of Be True to Yourself". AllMusic. 15 March 2023.
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