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Post by madprofessorblyth on Jun 28, 2020 3:52:18 GMT
As a huge Badfinger fan, and someone who really loves Joey Molland's songwriting and guitar playing, it is sad that he will resort to such low levels often when it comes to the Badfinger legacy - even when he was in the band, too. In so many promo clips, you can see the other three are really trying to take things seriously and he just kind of goofs off, makes some sly smirks, winks, etc; at the camera - and comes off as quite attention-seeking (great example: in one clip, miming to "Carry On 'Till Tomorrow", right after he joined the group - it's so apparent that Tom Evans actually nudges him with his arm to give the indication to knock it off...!) It's also been well documented that when it was serious time for the group, he was too playful and not invested and when it came to business he was the most demanding and strict of them - as was his wife, who he increasingly had involved in Badfinger's affairs, particularly on the financial front.
I don't have anything against Joey, but he certainly made things more difficult than they already were for the group and brought a lot of problems onto himself (great example: the reprehensible "live" album on Rykodisc, using a mediocre 1974 live recording of the group, and re-recording *all* of the instruments himself - utilizing awful sampling and a drum machine in the process - just to fulfill a deal so he could release his own studio album on Ryko - causing a horrible release mis-advertised as legitimate Badfinger recordings un-altered and legal troubles for all parties involved in the group's holdings).
Another thing of note is that from every album they made from "No Dice" to "Wish You Were Here", on each one, Joey's amount of songs per LP increased immensely, shutting out the other three to the point that Tom Evans completely stopped contributing material of his own altogether, and only did occasional co-writes. Again, as much as I laud Joey's writing, people certainly came for Pete Ham - who was arguably the best writer of the four, and was the one responsible for all of their big singles besides Macca's "Come And Get It", and "Without You" being a co-write between he and Tom. As it is well documented, both Pete and Tom were too nice and were anything but argumentative and avoided confrontation, which certainly allowed for some of their major financial woes - but also let Joey take advantage of this role to contribute his content more than the other members by a large amount which certainly upset the group balance.
Based on many of their live recordings, promotional appearances and all, it just never seemed to me that with Joey they ever got on as a complete group once he was in the fold. I have always enjoyed the Iveys (Badfinger, before the name change) and their recordings on Apple under that banner as well as before that (as far back as '66 do recordings exist) - with Ron Griffiths on bass, who was extremely close with Pete, as well as Mike Gibbins and that 67 to 70 line-up got on so well - not just as musicians, but as people - Ron has a very adaptable voice (very soulful when he wanted to be!) and a great bass player - on the 'Maybe Tomorrow' LP and therefore, everything on 'Magic Christian Music' (except 'Rock Of All Ages', due to being sick and missing the session) - he is the bass player on 'Come And Get It' and improvised that fantastic rising riff right at the end of the song - not something Macca had on his demo which he wanted them to stick to note for note, but even he liked it so much that he praised Ron for it and kept it for the final take! Ron was kicked out of the band as he had a baby boy on the way, and Tom plus manager Bill Collins thought it would be bad publicity on the group, and that he couldn't devote time to the group with a family - Pete and Mike didn't want him out, so the tie vote was broken by Derek Taylor at Apple who decided to give him the boot over the publicity concerns - and by the time the 'MCM' album came, he was on it in bass and vocals but not mentioned and only the remaining three appear on the back cover.
As much as I love Badfinger as they are, and again - appreciate Joey a lot - I do wonder how history would have been had Ron stayed in, as they gelled so well as a group and had quite a more pop oriented approach to their material, and they all got on really well. Joey has had less than kind things to say about Ron behind the scenes but publicly indicates that there's no issues between them. But of course as we all know - Joey has sycophantic fans that makes Terry's look like unbiased people...! No words can say how despicable they are to true music enthusiasts and go after Dan Matovina - the group's "official" representative, and the guy who runs the Ham and Evans estates for the family - as much as possible, causing a divide wherever possible: making people choose sides over Ham/Evans and Molland, which has gone to make their legacy so hard to follow or understand when the Molland camp attempts to make him the genius behind the group and he has never done a single bad thing in his life or career... despite the fact that the last thing that happened before Tom Evans killed himself was a phone call in which Joey was yelling at Tom over money/legal issues from the Apple years all that time later... not to say he is responsible, but if Tom was already in a bad state, Joey was surely anything but helpful.
I can't say Matovina is perfect or totally unbiased to those he represents as I don't know the guy personally- but at the end of the day, Badfinger is always going to be remembered for Ham and Evans' unfortunate luck in their music ambitions and their tragic demise, and the best remembered songs that aren't 'Come and Get It' are Pete's. I really respect Joey as a musician but it's so sad that a great band has to be dealt with in this way and that, as the last one around today, gets to trophy himself around as if he's somehow the singularly important one in their story. And to add to the confusion, the competing touring 'Badfinger' features three guys and Bob Jackson - the Badfinger member who only appears on their *unreleased* 1975 album 'Head First', which came out in a rough form about 20 years ago and has been totally out of print and unavailable in any form since. In any regard, any claim that Badfinger is "around" today via any ex-member to me is null and void, no matter what Joey does...
As much as what Terry does is pretty hard to deal with and accept as fans, I'll always be glad that whatever happens, this fanbase doesn't have to deal with the shameful pettiness that the Badfinger legacy has to contend with, on top of the already despicable circumstances...
(Also, so sorry for such a long post but I hope this clarifies some of the history...!)
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Post by baz on Jun 28, 2020 9:00:27 GMT
(Also, so sorry for such a long post but I hope this clarifies some of the history...!) Thanks for the detailed clarifications. I was aware of parts of it - notably that awful live album and Molland being paid to do a "greatest hits" album which he did himself and was released as if it was an official product which angered the Ham and Evans families - but had no idea it was following a phone call row with him that led to Tom Evans' suicide. Indeed I had noticed Molland's antics/stance on vintage clips, a kind of "oh, look at me, I'm a star" type attitude that comes across. The whole Badfinger saga is without doubt one of the saddest most tragic affairs in pop/rock history and agreed - it's Tommy and Pete's songs for which they are remembered. One of the few highlights of their short lives being Harry Nilsson playing them his version of "Without You" in the studio just after he'd recorded it. Harry got to number one with it, then Mariah Carey many years later and Evans and Ham never got to enjoy the financial rewards which should have ensured guaranteed income for life.
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Post by gee on Jun 28, 2020 11:25:35 GMT
I now have Dan Mantovina's book and had something of a weird experience re Badfinger some years ago...
I knew of them of course and had the Apple hit singles and Harry's 'Without You' on RCA but whilst I knew the tragic story in truth I had pretty much forgotten them besides Allan Clarke's cover of 'Baby Blue' in 1980
this was my odd Badfinger experience - a run of totally bizarre co-incidences...I think !
first BBC Wales I think screened a short documentary I saw briefly telling the sad story around the time they were honoured re 'Without You' - where Joey Molland 'did a Sylvester' waving his award about as if HE was responsible for the song (shades of LCW later re Terry)
I was interested and assumed that was it - but next day in a old second hand shop I found a excellent condition copy of 'No Dice' on Apple among the Des O'Connor and Harry Secombe LPs...
about a week later a record shop in my city that sold all sorts of albums had a copy of 'Shine On' a compilation on Edsel records
then I found a USA copy of 'Ass' in another obscure second hand record shop, and CDs of 'Best of Badfinger', 'Straight Up' and even 'Maybe Tomorrow' by The Iveys - all within a month !
a few months later I found a copy of 'Badfinger in Concert' LP plus the warners single 'Loving is Easy' and later got European issues of the two Warners albums
another record shop in my town then had a USA copy of 'Magic Christian Music'...
it was strange, the Badfinger / Iveys records and CDs just kept turning up as if presenting themselves to me....where as before I had not seen any or heard / thought of the band in many years
then I got a copy of Dan Mantovina's book 'Without You'
there was a further odd thing that I won't mention here as it's not re music as such or appropriate for a public forum but if anyone wants to know just pm me - tho' what anyone chooses to believe is up to them of course !
Anyway over a few months I went from having three Badfinger singles and Nilsson's 'Without You' plus some old memories and 'why' questions...to pretty much a full Badfinger collection and Dan's great book
it was strange how the thing just seemed to evolve...
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Post by baz on Jun 28, 2020 12:05:25 GMT
I now have Dan Mantovina's book and had something of a weird experience re Badfinger some years ago... That sure is weird. In my main years of record collecting 1988-2001, I only ever encountered 2 battered copies of "Come And Get It" in second hand stores, charity shops etc. Was utterly impossible to find anything else by Badfinger... hundreds of copies of Nilsson's single, sure but Badfinger? Nothing. It was as if they never existed. There was an Edsel compilation of their Warners work in the late 80's, then there were the Apple reissues whenever it was in the early to mid 90's but otherwise, finding any original vinyl was like mission impossible.
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Post by gee on Jun 28, 2020 16:57:15 GMT
For British fans it was like the band sort of completely disappeared after their cameo at George's 'Concert For Bangla Desh' film and the third big UK hit 'Day After Day'- much as with The Rickfors Hollies after 'The Baby'
They were of course fully concentrating on the USA over 1974 until Pete's tragic death - which only made a small news story in the national press at the time if I remember correctly tho' the music press probably covered it more
Later there was the Elektra album 'Airwaves' of course but that too was quickly gone
the group's back catalogue was off the market for many years due to the Apple situation plus Warners legal bods had them withdraw the latter two seventies Warners albums I think - certainly you never saw anything by Badfinger in second hand record shops for a long time until the later CDs finally appeared with 'Best of..' then 'Best of vol 2'which had a poorly mixed version of 'Lay Me Down' from the ill fated 'Head First' album
in retrospect Badinger seemed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory - chiefly due to that American manager who conned them but music wise they seemed to get it wrong on singles after 'Day After Day' - a similar tale to The Hollies on Polydor around 1974
Joey's song 'Loving is Easy' had a terrible mix and no way was a single - while songs such as Pete's 'Lonely You', Pete and Tom's 'Shine On', Pete's 'Know One Knows', 'Just A Chance' and 'Lay Me Down' all had chart hit potential
and Badfinger really needed a few more chart hit singles then..
If only they could have extracted themselves from the contractual mess they found themselves in and got to a record company like say Island or A & M records etc things might have been different
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Post by thejanitor on Jun 28, 2020 17:00:51 GMT
I'm quite divided on what to think of Joey as well, but you've already outlined a lot of my exact reasons. I'm guessing Denny Laine is the only one who hasn't been under constant fire out of the Terry-ble (sorry! 😆) touring trio?
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Post by gee on Jun 28, 2020 17:06:25 GMT
I quite like Joey's songs - 'Love is Gonna Come At Last' is excellent - with a 'Pete Ham' melodic atmosphere about it..!
but I suspect, per Dan's book, Joey's wife played a part in their group problems
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Post by JamesT on Jun 28, 2020 17:06:29 GMT
Badfinger are a band I've always meant to investigate a bit more. I'm reasonably familiar with the sad deaths of the two main members, but having done a bit of reading online today - blimey. I recall seeing an excellent documentary a few years back (BBC?). Enjoying reading your comments and opinions, folks.
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Post by Mevrouw Bee on Jun 28, 2020 17:47:48 GMT
Badfinger are a band I've always meant to investigate a bit more. I'm reasonably familiar with the sad deaths of the two main members, but having done a bit of reading online today - blimey. I recall seeing an excellent documentary a few years back (BBC?). Enjoying reading your comments and opinions, folks. Same one The Dude and I saw on BBC 4 probably. It was very good.
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Post by cameron on Jun 29, 2020 7:49:29 GMT
Another parallel there re Joey’s wife causing problems for Badfinger and the Hollies. Bobby explains how much of a pain in the backside Terry Sylvester’s first wife was for the group, leadings to recount the time that Tony swore at her, I think just about the only time he used an expletive in his autobiography.
Funny how Terry has had nothing to say about this!
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Post by madprofessorblyth on Jun 29, 2020 19:12:35 GMT
I'm quite divided on what to think of Joey as well, but you've already outlined a lot of my exact reasons. I'm guessing Denny Laine is the only one who hasn't been under constant fire out of the Terry-ble (sorry! 😆) touring trio? Well I don't want to turn this into some sort of gossip column of sorts, but Denny has run into his own set of troubles when it comes to this sort of thing too - albeit, much less dramatic and no real "tension" with other ex-group members from his career - but still worthy of note when he's in the company of Terry and Joey... The most notable one (at least to me - because I witnessed it in person) is the drama surrounding his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - another shared issue like Terry, eh? As I'm guessing some here are already familiar with: when the Moody Blues were finally (and arguably belated) inducted into the HoF, they initially did not include Denny as one of the members to be put in the Hall, going for the later, more well known, and commercially successful line-ups - which certainly bit a nerve with Denny... and his friends (anyone remember Terry's tweet, showing his own handwritten ballot, in which he says he wouldn't vote for the Moodies unless they added Denny?). I suppose getting his friends with ties to the HoF, plus moving and shaking the fan base enough, that at some point later before the actual ceremony, Denny was added to the list of inductees. (And, I concur, rightfully so - he was the heart and soul of that original lineup!) Well, I guess this went to his head, because immediately after, when he came back (as he always does) to The Fest for Beatles Fans, he started charging $25 per autograph...!! I personally went to see him in concert around this time last year, at a really cool, small and intimate venue in which a lot of Beatle-related artists make the rounds - so I was not surprised when Denny was one. It was not his "Moody Wing Band" but a solo acoustic show, where he played songs and told stories - which I *really* enjoyed, and he was a real treat on stage. It's also a small 'given' at this place that, likely in part due to the venue size, the artist sticks around afterward to meet at least some (usually many, and sometimes all) of the fans present and do autographs, take pictures, etc; (can't hold more than 100 people tops, methinks). Well...not Denny. After his great show plus encore, he immediately said "thank you", and quickly walked straight through the audience with his guitar in hand (passing right by me, no less!) and through to a small room (usually where a merch shop is set up if the artist has one) where the door shut - and he was gone in mere seconds! Myself, along with many of the other patrons, had some memorabilia that we were hoping he would sign (I had just incidentally bought the DVD of Wings' "Rockshow" the previously day and thought it would look fantastic if he could sign it...also brought my 'Go Now' single to be safe, haha) - and after some waiting and more waiting, no sign of Denny coming back out. We asked one of the people from the venue what the deal was, and after a small period of time, were told - I kid you not - "now that Denny is in the Hall of Fame, he is more careful with his time around fans and doesn't sign very often..." followed by some pretty lame excuses for why he would choose not to do it. I know it's not the venue's fault - and they intimated they really would have loved him to come and interact with their community of repeat customers/Beatles lovers - but the fact they had to give us such excuses was unfortunate. Beyond myself though - maybe this is the real kicker here - another guy brought an LP of "Back To The Egg" that he desperately wanted signed, and another guy from the venue told him that Denny now straight up refused to come out and sign whatsoever. This fan said, "I don't even need to meet him, I'd just like my album signed 'to (whatever his name was)' - can you just run it back to him quickly and ask him to sign it?'" The guy from the venue said he'd bring it back to him but that he couldn't promise anything. Well, this fan was standing around for about 10 minutes, before the venue guy comes out of the room that Denny's in - with the album and Sharpie in hand - and said "sorry man, he just won't do it". I just couldn't believe this had just happened. The guy looked so disappointed, and I really felt bad... To think his copy was literally there in front of the guy, with a pen ready, just ten feet away from him behind a door- and just to have it returned back as is. Despite this, I still inquired further just in case, another 5 minutes later, when they told me "he's just left the building" - before half the audience had finished leaving!! After the fact Denny barely even got into the HoF until pretty late in the game, to use it as an excuse to do this to fans I thought was really downright disgraceful. I still love the guy and respect him as an artist - particularly with the Moodies, even more than Wings for me - and enjoyed seeing him go through his whole career in concert, this was disappointing. On my final note - unlike Terry - he has people run his social media for him, and he's changed the management company who has done that for him once - and neither were that professional, honestly - though the current one is an improvement. They spend a lot of time though pointing out 'fake' accounts pretending to be Denny on Instagram, and trying to get them banned or removed, which seems like a waste of time to make posts and stories about instead of just his music and whatnot. He does have some strong fans who comment on all of his posts and whatnot, but nothing sycophantic like Terry or Joey, and he never has anything bad to say (at least publicly) about anyone he's worked with previously and consistently posts pictures from all his ex-groups equally - so I do commend him/his team for that. I know there's some strange rumors and whatnot out there about his personal life (his first wife being a 'famous' ex-groupie is probably the most one needs to know) but, between just straight-up gossip and also the Internet being what it is, I don't know how valid any of it is - nor do I wish to get into his personal life as I don't think it's my place and I'd like him just the same. He does seem very down to earth on stage, and I don't think it's just an act, but I do think when it comes to money and maybe some extra pride, it's hurting him more than helping. Maybe he gets it from Terry - but I think Terry is just concerned with the pride factor!! Anyways, sorry for another huge post...! And I'm really enjoying all of these posts from everyone else, always fun to talk about these guys - especially three who have this weird connection who I all happen to like...haha!
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Post by baz on Jun 29, 2020 20:36:13 GMT
Well, I guess this went to his head, because immediately after, when he came back (as he always does) to The Fest for Beatles Fans, he started charging $25 per autograph...!! Thanks again for another interesting and insightful post which I have to admit made for sad reading though in some ways comes as no surprise either. Way back before he joined the Moodies he was renowned for having a major ego when he fronted Denny and The Diplomats and their drummer Bev Bevan had a few such recollections in his amusing book from 1980 "The Story of ELO" where Denny put himself above everyone else and annoyed his bandmates. Bevan recalled Denny bleaching his hair so he would stand out so Bevan and another member decided to play at that game and went and had their hair bleached as well. Denny was furious with them moaning it would take the spotlight off him. Unfortunately the fourth member of the band who wasn't in on Bev's plan still had his natural dark hair so what happened? Denny laid into him calling him an idiot for standing out and having the wrong coloured hair. That was in 1963 so that says a fair bit about Denny's attitude even before he became famous!
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Post by madprofessorblyth on Jun 29, 2020 22:15:02 GMT
Well, I guess this went to his head, because immediately after, when he came back (as he always does) to The Fest for Beatles Fans, he started charging $25 per autograph...!! Thanks again for another interesting and insightful post which I have to admit made for sad reading though in some ways comes as no surprise either. Way back before he joined the Moodies he was renowned for having a major ego when he fronted Denny and The Diplomats and their drummer Bev Bevan had a few such recollections in his amusing book from 1980 "The Story of ELO" where Denny put himself above everyone else and annoyed his bandmates. Bevan recalled Denny bleaching his hair so he would stand out so Bevan and another member decided to play at that game and went and had their hair bleached as well. Denny was furious with them moaning it would take the spotlight off him. Unfortunately the fourth member of the band who wasn't in on Bev's plan still had his natural dark hair so what happened? Denny laid into him calling him an idiot for standing out and having the wrong coloured hair. That was in 1963 so that says a fair bit about Denny's attitude even before he became famous! Wow, I never knew that before! I'm a huge Move/ELO fan but due just to being born when I was, I never had the chance to find a copy of that book, though I've always wanted to read it (I've heard he goes quite extensively into his own history as well as the Move so I've always been interested in getting it from the horse's mouth - the only member of either the Move or ELO to see through every line-up!) I knew Bev was in Denny and the Diplomats (and Denny made sure to mention Bev when I saw him in concert, talking all about that burgeoning scene...) What a hilarious story, and indeed, you're right - it does go to show what he already was like to begin with even before he got a chance at success...and the lifetime paycheck of being Paul and Linda's sideman
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Post by Mevrouw Bee on Jun 29, 2020 22:23:01 GMT
Anyways, sorry for another huge post...! And I'm really enjoying all of these posts from everyone else, always fun to talk about these guys - especially three who have this weird connection who I all happen to like...haha! Gawd. That was just sad reading. I've always put Terry's weirdness down to drink, mostly because people I know/knew who've met him years ago really liked the guy, and his behaviour at the R&RHoF induction ceremony just gave me that very familiar cringy feeling due to past experience. It was as if his reputation preceded him, and they were nipping it in the bud before he really mucked things up. I could be wrong though, judging from what I read here. I dunno. Some of the Twitter sycophant accounts are really bizarre. Some old ones with no photo and only one or two followers and maybe just following Terry and a couple of others...as if they made the account just to follow him. If he actually takes them seriously then that's really sad.
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Post by baz on Jun 29, 2020 22:37:32 GMT
Wow, I never knew that before! I'm a huge Move/ELO fan but due just to being born when I was, I never had the chance to find a copy of that book, though I've always wanted to read it (I've heard he goes quite extensively into his own history as well as the Move so I've always been interested in getting it from the horse's mouth - the only member of either the Move or ELO to see through every line-up!) I knew Bev was in Denny and the Diplomats (and Denny made sure to mention Bev when I saw him in concert, talking all about that burgeoning scene...) What a hilarious story, and indeed, you're right - it does go to show what he already was like to begin with even before he got a chance at success...and the lifetime paycheck of being Paul and Linda's sideman Bev's book is excellent - a most amusing read but no, not the easiest to find so I treasure my copy as there's all sorts of amusing and sometimes bizarre tales of life in The Move and ELO in addition to his early years and friendship with Jasper Carrott. I bet Denny hasn't signed any copies of that! It sits alongside two other excellent tomes which came out not long after which are also not easy to find - "Thank U Very Much : Mike McGear's Family Album" with wonderful tales of his and Paul McCartney's lives as kids, teens and their famous years (which caused a rift between the brothers as Paul objected to Mike publishing childhood photos) and Pete Shotton's memoir of John Lennon. All worthy of tracking down and ones I enjoy revisiting.
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Post by JamesT on Jun 30, 2020 6:37:27 GMT
Great posts! Of course Bev Bevan has now burned his bridges with both Roy Wood and Jeff Lynne. These daft old rock stars, eh?!
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Post by cameron on Jun 30, 2020 12:01:50 GMT
How funny that you say he left the theatre and wouldn’t sign anything... now which other band does that remind you of?!
When I last saw the Hollies, they literally sprinted off stage and disappeared before we could even get to the stage door. The merch wasn’t there either.
I’ve come to the conclusion that you should never meet your heroes.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 30, 2020 12:54:56 GMT
Some artists simply aren't comfortable with meeting dozens of fans... and why should they?!
For example, on those annual 'Sixties Gold' tours, The Searchers always met fans afterwards, as do The Merseybeats and Marmalade, whereas other such as Steve Ellis and P.J. Proby choose not to. Doesn't mean to say they're b*stards; I've met P. J. Proby several times in the past (even been to his house), and I've had online correspondence with Steve Ellis (who also contributed a foreword to one of my books), and they are very fine people.
Always just go to concerts solely for the performance. Anything else should be treated as an unexpected bonus.
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Post by rokinrobinoflocksley on Jun 30, 2020 13:30:27 GMT
Baz, how much of this Bev book is devoted to The Move, and in particular, the early Move? That's where my main interest would lie. Cheerz !!!
Edit: Well, I may have answered my own question, found a 2 min video of the book on YT:
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Post by Mevrouw Bee on Jun 30, 2020 14:14:23 GMT
Some artists simply aren't comfortable with meeting dozens of fans... and why should they?! For example, on those annual 'Sixties Gold' tours, The Searchers always met fans afterwards, as do The Merseybeats and Marmalade, whereas other such as Steve Ellis and P.J. Proby choose not to. Doesn't mean to say they're b*stards; I've met P. J. Proby several times in the past (even been to his house), and I've had online correspondence with Steve Ellis (who also contributed a foreword to one of my books), and they are very fine people. Always just go to concerts solely for the performance. Anything else should be treated as an unexpected bonus. Works for me. Quite successfully haven't met anybody!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 30, 2020 15:15:11 GMT
Haha! Many I met by "accident", via having a backstage pass for Jerry Lee Lewis concerts and festivals in the 80s and 90s, and working at a theatre for 4 years during the noughties. I met scores of famous people that way, from genuine legends like Little Richard, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and Brian May, down to the latest X Factor/Pop Idol sensations (whom I inevitably had never heard of). Only ones I found totally unlikable were Van Morrison and Jim Davidson.
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Post by Mevrouw Bee on Jun 30, 2020 15:26:08 GMT
Haha! Many I met by "accident", via having a backstage pass for Jerry Lee Lewis concerts and festivals in the 80s and 90s, and working at a theatre for 4 years during the noughties. I met scores of famous people that way, from genuine legends like Little Richard, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and Brian May, down to the latest X Factor/Pop Idol sensations (whom I inevitably had never heard of). Only ones I found totally unlikable were Van Morrison and Jim Davidson. Did you "accidentally" meet Harry Styles? (she asked, temporarily and quite conveniently forgetting how old she was)
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Post by Deleted on Jun 30, 2020 17:21:35 GMT
Not as far as I'm aware... Mind you, I did once refuse entry to members of McFly, at least until they explained to me that they were due on stage that evening! I also asked Alison Moyet for a ticket to her own show (fortunately she took it in good humour), so on reflection perhaps I wasn't quite cut out for the job! ; )
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Post by madprofessorblyth on Jun 30, 2020 17:55:48 GMT
Some artists simply aren't comfortable with meeting dozens of fans... and why should they?! For example, on those annual 'Sixties Gold' tours, The Searchers always met fans afterwards, as do The Merseybeats and Marmalade, whereas other such as Steve Ellis and P.J. Proby choose not to. Doesn't mean to say they're b*stards; I've met P. J. Proby several times in the past (even been to his house), and I've had online correspondence with Steve Ellis (who also contributed a foreword to one of my books), and they are very fine people. Always just go to concerts solely for the performance. Anything else should be treated as an unexpected bonus. Definitely agree with you - good point! Though in my particular case with Mr. Laine, I still feel like there must be a better reason than his HoF 'boost' and deciding it's not worth his time anymore (unless he's paid at Beatle conventions) - even though prior to the induction he's never been said to have ever not met with fans or signed for fans...! And of course, at a very small/intimate venue (in which the fans farthest from the stage are still only 30 feet from the artist). I certainly wouldn't hold it against any performer if they weren't up to meeting fans after a show, though when in such a small venue especially, it just seemed like a nice gesture to show gratitude and appreciation to those who supported them and keep their careers going. Particularly with performers from this era, I would generally assume they've been in show business long enough that it 'comes with the territory' so to speak, so in playing devil's advocate I can see it well both ways...! I certainly don't think any less of Ringo for 'no more autographs' but simultaneously, as long as he's still Ringo, what will one expect... Either way, I'm certainly jealous, due to being in the U.S. because I'd have loved to meet The Searchers in any incarnation...!!
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Post by madprofessorblyth on Jun 30, 2020 17:58:52 GMT
Baz, how much of this Bev book is devoted to The Move, and in particular, the early Move? That's where my main interest would lie. Cheerz !!!
Edit: Well, I may have answered my own question, found a 2 min video of the book on YT:
Thanks for sharing that clip! That's the most of the book I've ever seen, so cheers to that...! Too unfortunate the guy showing it goes back to front and shows more from the end than towards the beginning (the most interesting and/or valuable part, arguably) - I'm confident some of those split-second shown photos from the early years won't be available anywhere else in print or on the web...!
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