Badfinger Still Keeps A Hand In Rock Music

Whatever happened to Badfinger?

You know, the rock band discovered in the late ‘60s by Beatles road manager Mal Evans that became the only other band signed to the Beatles’ label, Apple.

It collaborated with Beatles members on various solo projects and released a chunk of definitive blockbuster records.

Badfinger, featuring charter member singer-guitarist Joey Molland, is actually still together and tours intermittently. Badfinger returns to Spokane for the second time in two years on Sunday at Mother’s Pub.

Despite releasing a couple of records in the years following its heyday in 1974, the band pretty much faded from the spotlight. A couple of things contributed to its downfall.

There were legal woes with Apple Records in the wake of the Beatles breakup. As a result, Badfinger couldn’t release a new record for a couple of years, and that killed the momentum gained with its first three records, “Magic Christian Music,” “No Dice” and “Straight Up.”

Then, in 1975, guitarist-pianist-vocalist Pete Ham committed suicide. Bassist-vocalist Tom Evans killed himself in 1983.

There were also breakups.

Molland left in 1974. The band officially broke up in 1975. Molland and drummer Mike Gibbins reformed Badfinger in 1978 and again in 1981 but then disappeared until 1986. Since then, it has been a part-time band.

This year, 26 years after the band’s inception, Capitol Records finally released a Badfinger greatest hits package, “Come and Get It: The Best of Badfinger,” which features 10 songs from its four Apple albums.

The Sunday show will be recorded live to 16-track, perhaps for an upcoming Badfinger release.

Buckethead opens. Music starts at 7 p.m.

Advance tickets are available at 4000 Holes and Ray’s CDs for $12. The cost is $14 at the door. You must be at least 21 to attend.