Ron Griffiths (musician)

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Ron Griffiths
Ron Griffiths 2016.jpg
Griffiths in 2016
Background information
Birth nameRonald Llewellyn Griffiths
Born (1946-10-02) 2 October 1946 (age 77)
Swansea, Wales, UK
Instrument(s)bass
Years active1961 –1969
Formerly ofThe Iveys, Badfinger

Ronald Llewellyn Griffiths (born 2 October 1946 [1] ) is a Welsh musician, who was the bass guitarist for Badfinger (originally The Iveys) from 1961 to 1969. He recorded bass on their first hit single "Come and Get It", but had left by the time the song entered the UK charts. When the band was still called The Iveys, Griffiths wrote, composed, and sang lead vocals on the song "Dear Angie",

Contents

Early life

Ronald Llewellyn Griffiths was born in Swansea and sang in a choir as a child. [1] The sound of The Shadows and The Ventures inspired him to pick up bass.

Career

The Iveys: 1961 –1969

In 1961, Griffiths formed The Panthers with Pete Ham, and after three years and a few name changes, settled on The Iveys. [2] They later moved to London, England.

The group performed a wide range of cover tunes on the London circuit, [3] from Motown, blues, and soul to Top 40, psychedelia, and Beatles hits, which garnered interest from record labels. [4] Ray Davies of the Kinks auditioned to produce them, recording three of their songs at a four-track demo studio in London's Old Kent Road on 15 January 1967: "Taxi" and "Sausage And Eggs", songs by Ham; and Griffiths's "I Believe in You Girl". [5]

The group's first single, "Maybe Tomorrow", produced by Visconti, was released worldwide on 15 November 1968. It reached the Top Ten in several European countries and Japan, but only #67 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and failed to chart in the UK. [6]

The chart success of "Maybe Tomorrow" in Europe and Japan led to a follow-up single release in those markets in July 1969: Griffiths's "Dear Angie", also produced by Visconti. [7] Ron sang lead vocals and composed this song.

After the unexpectedly limited releases of "Dear Angie" and Maybe Tomorrow, Griffiths complained about Apple's handling of the Iveys in an interview for the Disc & Music Echo magazine, saying: "We do feel a bit neglected. We keep writing songs for a new single and submitting them to Apple, but they keep sending them back, saying they're not good enough." [8] Paul McCartney read the interview and offered the song "Come and Get It" to the group. [9]

Departure from The Iveys and name change to Badfinger: 1969 –1970

Shortly before the release of "Come and Get It", they changed their name from The Iveys to Badfinger. The song became the bands first band, but by the time it began charting in the UK, Griffiths had left Badfinger; he was the only married member and in December 1968, became a father. His responsibilities created friction, mainly between Griffiths's wife, Evans, and manager Collins. Griffiths later said: "Tommy [Evans] created the bad blood. He'd convinced the others that [I was] not one of the boys anymore." [4]

As the release date of "Come and Get It" was approaching, the Iveys looked for a replacement for Griffiths. After unsuccessfully auditioning a number of bassists, they hired guitarist Joey Molland, who was previously with Gary Walker & the Rain, the Masterminds, [10] and the Fruit-Eating Bears. [11] His addition required Evans to shift from rhythm guitar to bass. [10] Drummer Mike Gibbins spoke about how unfair Griffiths was treated in the end, and was "delighted" when Ron flew to Florida and visited Mike; during the visit, Ron contributed to two songs on Gibbins' album "More Annoying Songs". [12]

Griffiths credits to The Iveys and Badfinger include The Ivey's only studio album, Maybe Tomorrow, and two songs on Badfinger's debut album Magic Christian Music.

Post-Badfinger

Griffiths (second from left) with Bob Jackson's Badfinger in 2016 Badfinger 2016.jpg
Griffiths (second from left) with Bob Jackson's Badfinger in 2016

In June 2006, a Badfinger convention took place in Swansea, featuring a performance by Bob Jackson. The event brought together Bob Jackson, Ron Griffiths, and some members of the Ham, Evans and Gibbins families.

On 27 April 2013 an official blue plaque was unveiled by the Swansea City Council to honour Pete Ham in his home town of Swansea. The public event was also attended by Griffiths and Dai Jenkins, plus former Badfinger member, Bob Jackson. The plaque honored Pete and all the Iveys and Badfinger members of Pete Ham's lifetime. [13]

Discography

The Iveys albums

The Iveys singles

Badfinger albums

Badfinger singles

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References

  1. 1 2 "Ron Griffiths Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & Mo..." AllMusic. Retrieved 2024-06-12.
  2. ↑ Matovina, Dan (2000). Without You: The Tragic Story of "Badfinger". Frances Glover Books. ISBN 978-0-9657122-2-4.
  3. ↑ DiLello 2000, p. 44.
  4. 1 2 Katz 1997.
  5. ↑ Matovina 2000, p. 21.
  6. ↑ "Badfinger Chart History". Billboard. Archived from the original on 16 April 2011. Retrieved 21 April 2011.
  7. ↑ Matovina 2000, p. 54.
  8. ↑ "The Iveys". Badfinger 2011. Archived from the original on 8 November 2011. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  9. ↑ Matovina 2000, p. 64.
  10. 1 2 Eder, Bruce. "Biography". Billboard . Archived from the original on 16 April 2011. Retrieved 21 April 2011.
  11. ↑ Matovina 2000, p. 69.
  12. ↑ "Ron Griffiths". www.mikegibbins.com. Retrieved 2024-06-12.
  13. ↑ "Badfinger's Pete Ham: Beatle widow Olivia Harrison joins plaque tributes". BBC News. 2013-04-27. Retrieved 2024-06-12.
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