My old friend Steve Schwartz has been hocking me to post something by Badfinger. Makes sense to me, so here's a nice live clip of "Baby Blue".
I was gonna go with "No Matter What," but I think on balance "Blue" is their best loud guitar song.
Of course "We're For the Dark" is their overall prettiest.....
Interesting that a band that had such a brief shelf life is so crucial to establishing the whole power pop template. And such a sad story. Two suicides? That's got to be some kind of record, even for a business where having a manager who's "a soulless bastard" is par for the course.
Good call Steve. This is a fave Badfinger song of mine. I've always been fond of "I Don't Mind" too.
ReplyDeleteExcellent!
ReplyDeleteAnd about bloody time, too.
I still have a hard time believing that a band that could produce such magnificent pop tunes would also have one of the most tragic group histories in popular music. But at least the songs hold up.
I adore "Baby Blue" as well, but "No Matter What" still reigns as my fave Badfinger song (guess I'm just a sucker for some well-placed stops and starts). Here's a clip of "NMW" from "Top of the Pops":
http://youtube.com/watch?v=sU7NLdMvttY
"No Matter What" is the example I cite to people who do not know what "powerpop" is!
ReplyDeleteKid Charlemagne said...
ReplyDelete"No Matter What" is the example I cite to people who do not know what "powerpop" is!
I use "September Gurls," but we're both right.
Is this from "Rollin'" with Kenny Rogers and the First Edition?
ReplyDeleteWhere I first saw Tina Turner and the Ikettes!
BTW, let's not forget the other "powerpop" connection here: this was produced by Todd the Mod!
It is interesting to me that a band that made some of the quintessential power pop songs was not really a power pop band! Lots of straight pop and non-power ballads. But they did some absolutely KILLER power pop when they put their mind to it.
ReplyDeleteAnd they played with two SGs in this one!
Trey