Joey Molland (Badfinger guitarist)

Welcome to the show, very fortunate to have Joey molland a bad finger on the show today. Joey has a new album out called Be true to yourself recorded with some great people. So we'll get to that. And plus we'll talk about the history of his band bad finger. They were a big power pop band in the 70s. The first band signed to the Beatles Apple Records, actually, they had some big hits that I'm sure you all know, like, Come and get it, which was produced

I'm doing pretty good. Thank you. How are you?

I'm doing great. Uh, you know, first off, we just kind of get a let's talk about the elephant in the room. You know, this was a big tragedy two days ago, one of the Greatest Guitarists of All Time, Eddie Van Halen died. And I just I had to get your guitar player. I know this is maybe not certainly your era. But you must have some thoughts on the matter of Do you ever meet Eddie Van Halen or?

No, no, I did meet him the other day. Yeah, it is. It's not easy. You have to does that say Oh, you're Lovely. Lovely. Lovely. Man. I think I've had some read about it. Nice. You know, what I what a great challenge. It's always shocking is a talent like, so. Yeah. So do you kind of change? He kind of changed a lot? He changed music a lot.

Yeah. Do you remember like when that like first Van Halen album came out? I mean, did it kind of I would assume that as a guitar player kind of blew everybody away going what is I mean, it was a totally different sound.

What was kind of my initial reaction was to any. Yeah, you know, I like different stuff from that. Right. Yeah. But I could appreciate what he was doing. But there's no denying that the guy's influence the music world, you know that. There isn't any denial. Right. Like really incredible. Really incredible. Young, you know? Yeah, just disaster relief. Bang. The hands on community in general. Really? Yeah, a great vibe, a great ambassador. There's so many great things about him. You know, is it

Yeah, no, definitely was well, let's, uh, let's go ahead and let's talk about you for you're pretty amazing yourself here. So you grew up in England in the 1950s and 60s. Explain to me what that was like growing up in the 50s and 60s in England.

Well, I had a working class upbringing in Italy, God was up like a garbage mechanic. He was a sergeant in the army and many there's a black and a guy that is doing that stuff with the rest of his life service and cars and stuff. I inherited a few of those talents. But it was an I had a great family. That's five brothers. Number dad Romani for muddied by so many years ago. It was a live everybody exciting place to play a lot of rock, smaller bands, playing with a

right and you actually what's interesting to me is that so you were as a kid, you were just in a normal kid. Things like playing football and bows and arrows, all this stuff. And then one day just by chance you happen to hear from some tiny radius as you happen here Elvis Presley's blue suede shoes. And that's really what kind of changed your course of life. You grabbed your brother's guitar and you taught yourself to play.

That's really yeah. Yeah, that was a little people say that all the time. But in this instance, I had the opposite different kids after that at the end of that record, and really was like, shall I start Atlanta? No, that's all really all. I don't have a sense.

So would he be your favorite guitar player who's your favorite guitar player?

Oh, I had a tough time listening to Scotty Grove was overseas guitar player, okay. And then, you know, buddy, Holly was gonna know the real, real strong influence, Chip barrier course. And all the great American rock and rollers. If you want to talk about the chocolates and people like Steve Cropper for now, don't you know, I can't remember anybody. Can I go? Oh, yeah, I got a bunch of musicians which applies to me life have I got sand on two

So you started building a plugin? Yeah, no, I was just, you know, to tell your story. You play guitar. And then you actually got to jet, you had to get a job on the docks, you didn't start out as a professional musician. And tell me if this is right. You played on street corners. And it took you about two years to get involved in the scene in Liverpool? I mean, I just think and this was at a young age at two years at a teenager early 20s. I mean, that seems like an

no, because I was doing it. Because I'd like I just like to do it. I like to play. Risk is like that a friend who like to play, and then we just go there and sit on the corner. But we weren't doing it to like play to people or anything like that. It was, it was, like you said was a couple of years of doing it before we actually went and played anywhere. You may not try once again. Got the idea? And also, I wasn't I imagined myself as being you know, some fantastic

Yeah. So you you know you joined the profiles. You were in a band called the masterminds, you started to get involved in the scene and then kind of on the off to the side here bad finger started out. They started I was the Ivy's. And so the story goes that it was actually their manager played with Paul McCartney's father and he found out that they were starting a record

interesting, right? Yeah,

yeah. So interesting side note. Yeah. interesting side note on that, too, is the apple record label. I don't know if a lot of people know this. But Apple iPhones. Steve Jobs was a big Beatles fan. And I think they ended up suing him for that name, right.

That's what they did was they did it. Some kind of licensing deal, okay, yeah. The Beatles got paid, got paid like some kind of royalty or something right? It beat the apple being able to use it. Yeah. So

before you joined the band, it was again it was called the Ivy's. They did the song, come and get it. And McCartney produced it. And he told he gave it to the, the band bad finger, but he told them, okay, it's got to be exactly like this demo, and the band was like, Okay, we'll do that. And so I mean, when Paul McCartney tells you to do something, you do it. And so they recorded it.

No, no, no, no. That you've got to spell it like that. I had it yourself. I joined the band. While Liverpool the Ivy's they recorded. They recorded so we get it on hold. So you just shows. Yeah, that happened. They recorded the song and then the bass player left the band right. shows the bass player tip is left. Tommy was tickets off last Tony Evans, he decided he was going to play bass. So the band started looking for a guitar player. But somebody recommended me for the

Gotcha. Okay, that makes sense. Yeah. And that's interesting. So they change the name to bad finger because there's already a band named Ivy League and bad finger you guys thought it sounded more rock and roll is actually from the Beatles when they did a with a little help from my friends. This that song was originally called Bad finger Boogie because john lennon played the piano on a demo. And I guess he screwed up a lot. And so you guys took

Yeah, that's what happened. Yes.

Yeah. And so were the Beatles. And because I heard that john wanted to call you guys the pricks pri x.

So he was he was one of the one of the ideas came up.

And Paul wanted to call you guys mother's little helpers.

Yes.

So they so they both john and Paul, were kind of involved in helping name the band?

Well, yeah, because the band's assigned to Apple. Yeah, as a band wants to change their name. So you know this when any band wants to change their name. Everybody around them comes up with a name for that. Wow. So yeah, yeah. Never say we're trying to think of names. The approach was polish. And Doug Jones was joining me.

So did you have a lot of inner were they pretty hands on with the band at that point in the in your guy's career?

We're not really not really hands on. Not every day. The reasons why Paul took the song over there. There are there are reasons for that. But uh, you've already pretty much told the story. But yeah, they were really hands on later on. After the band had the initial success with coming, get it? And then the latter watch, which was produced by my 11th. One of the Beatle roadies. Yeah. And Geoff Emerick was the engineer. Right after we had the success with those things. We went in the

No, yeah, but so let's back up that first album, no dice, which again includes a monster hit no matter what. That's like one of the first songs you recorded with them. And like you said, you produce it was produced by mail Evans and Geoff Emerick. No. So the Beatles producer George Martin. He called he said about Geoff Emerick that he credited him with bringing a new kind of mind to the recordings always suggesting Sonic ideas, different kinds of reverb, and what we could do with the

he booked is a is a we have thought of him as a producer, Rio's Jeff was the engineer. Okay. We always thought of now as the producer. But I'm sure that when Mel and jack are working on the recording, Jeff had a lot to do with what we sounded like, and a lot to do with, you know, how big a charge we used and how the vocals for affected how to go that? I'm not going to tell you but I never really did talk to Jeff about it a lot. We get several records record within,

It's great. And then you also run this time you played on before George Harrison producer Oh, you actually played on his All Things Must Pass. So album, which also had Eric Clapton, Peter Frampton, Phil Collins, Billy Preston, Ginger Baker, did you have any interactions with those guys? Or did you record separately?

Nobody called into the web about accuse you to say this web but that thing that was doing to George that. We were in the studio that was Joel he was at a clock, flash bomb and planet basically Dustin playing keyboards and Ringo Starr blank. The crew that was there when we did the backpacks because those Yeah, all the other guys. We just found on top. Phil Collins, all that stuff. So we ran in.

Yeah. And then you also played on? You played on john lennon, john Lennon's imagine but you said the tracks were not used. But I'm just curious like, you must have went in there and recorded with john lennon. Now I know you've worked with tons of great musicians over the years but what about recording or if no if you saw any the songwriting process or just any sort of behind the scenes stuff, can you see Tell me about working with john lennon that makes him like that one of the best

drummers

around

thank God on a regular guy he was just a regular guy he was incredible talent you know the songwriting talent right? Be with you. Or simply just a regular book. You know he was really nice. He was aggressive when he spoke he looked like a duck if we get money No no. So did he have a satellite satellites exist? It wasn't like that it was a government and only when they called us to do the session they just was like, do you know cooking cooking down to play good chocolate was like feeling

like you were doing him a favor?

Yeah.

So but he is he like does he is he have a really strong work ethic? Or is it just come so easy to him? Like what made him the What do you think made him the one of the greatest of all time? Was it just as natural talent?

I think so. Yeah. I think so many people said he was like that. regular everyday gun is affected by those with a visit with those people. I know. I can't wait for one guy. Yeah. Okay. But he.

Huh? But yeah, so then, like you said the straight up album 1971 that had two producers. Todd Rundgren ended up finishing it. But you started with George Harrison. And it knows interesting. So you like you said he played the guitar on day after day. But it's kinda like a similar thing with the john lennon. He was so polite. Like, he didn't he asked if it was okay, if he could play guitar because he didn't want to intrude? Because it was your

Yeah, yeah. He didn't abandon his life, you know that he was going to be, you know, the Beatles. Then they weren't rock stars. Were rock stars, you know. I don't think they enjoy being around rock stars. You're very rarely see them. Hanging around audience with rock stars, or rolling stones that were really important. your regular does as well. When you were Mick Jagger, he's just top of the hill. And he can't you just you're

No, yeah. So just

it was just like, it encouraged me a great deal. I don't walk around shouting about what I do. And then we think about it, if I'm going out with the guide, if you don't follow the way it's a way to live all the way to a B. Right. George would come over and sit with us how you're doing what's going on shoes or whatever. Yeah. I became this nougat yada. And then sit down, sit down and record the situation and replay the show. We were doing this the whole big complaint of shunga

you know, all right.

Most English hero musicians, but not that many of them are jealous. You have other influences. Because we've got that table. Maybe we could reel the stoke the phone of the song. You know, the show today? Today. The big show how that went down. Question was ran into some extra costs at that particular myself. And

yeah, so that album, again, I had those two monster hits day after day and baby blue Todd Rundgren had helped finish it. Now you said that he was kind of arrogant and kind of rude to you. This is kind of a funny story. I heard you say that.

It's kind of one.

Yeah. Well, so he. No, no, I just I heard you tell the story that you felt like he was arrogant and kind of rude to you as a producer. He didn't think you guys could play. It was a little awkward, intense. But of course, you know, the results are amazing. It's a great sounding record. But it was years later that you ran into Todd Rundgren in Atlantic City. And I thought that was cool. You came up to him and you call them out on it. You said, hey, why were you so damn rude

I still get lucky. Even

even more than he wouldn't acknowledge the way he treated you.

Don't like that too much. Yeah, I did a joke with him last year. For two shows. Last year. Yeah. And everyone's when we go out with a baby but that's cool. And professional diner. Check it out. Yeah, well, he was it Kiki, she's really conceited. He wasn't even though we went usable the musicians. We recorded ourselves all together as a band. You know, David Cruz pretty much advised record.

Wow, we did over

an acoustic and we get over the jostle. You know, wow. All the recorded procedures were done on the room to us together. I don't think you said we were barely you know, graduated or demo was when he had the wrestlers told me that you can be making excuses for them. But not to say yes. It wasn't, it was not a very pleasant that's

not like working with Joe, which is kind of interesting if you think about it, because if you think of the two people I mean, they're both very obviously very talented people. But you think if anyone had a bigger ego or was could be router it would be George. But George, you're saying George was the nicer of the two? That's kind of interesting.

Yeah, yeah, it isn't. Well, most of them most of the position of my wife is a very nice. Yeah, it's very, you know, very long as they drive themselves around. They don't want to do whatever they do, you know, yeah. The entourage. Get next. Right.

Yeah, so, so that's good. She hung out with his children.

So that song baby blue. I know you didn't write that was written by Peter. But do you know like, what is that about? Exactly what what is the song?

Well, there's some baby blues. about that particular song. He was a, he was in love with a girl addiction

from Tucson Arizona are actually very, very close.

Yeah. Okay, good that she came on the tour with this. And then he brought him over to England for the Beatles record every day during the bands. But they weren't spending time together and what wasn't good enough. That was enough to get it

back to America.

Because he was in love with us. And it was just, it just was not. It did not. Okay, yeah,

cuz it's interesting, that first line, he's like, I guess I got what I deserve. I was like, Oh, it's kind of it's kind of an interesting line. I don't know what that was about. So that's interesting. And then 1973 you guys did? In 1973? You guys did the ass album. I was just curious. Was it hard to get that title out there in the 70s? Like, was there any pushback or fight from the record company? Like, were they worried about like censorship or?

No, no. They weren't, they weren't worried about the more they buy things. They knew what you're singing about. In songs and stuff. No more swear words. So I'm not going to get along with that. But David, the things that we can change about kurbanov the last one was a picture of a donkey. Yeah. But you know, that's what we felt like there.

Gotcha. Yeah. So things are starting to get rough. Now, your manager, Stan Poli, at the time. You said he was kind of like a father figure to you guys. But apparently, uh, I guess people didn't know he had been like a convicted felon. And he set up this corporation and took care of all the money but it basically clean you guys out. Right. And that kind of part of the reason that maybe led to the

he claimed it? Yeah, yeah, he did. The bank side of the factor because people liked him. People did in Japan. And then it turned out to be huge. In one day, it was one we get rid of the warm ups to keep it on. Nobody disagrees. disagreements going on in the back. I hear about it. Know, we had a great deal. We really, I think a really good sign the bad guy. Yeah.

Yeah, it's just sad. And then go ahead. No, saying you know, it's a sad what happened 75 you know, the band breaks up. And so Pete basically thinks everything's over. He thought he got screwed over by Paulie. So he hung himself as a way to kind of try to stick it to somebody else or try to help is like, bring attention to this actress. I mean, it does doesn't really make sense. Like, did you have any warning signs at the time? or red flags with Pete that that's that he was going to

Not really, you know, well, no, later you know, something a little bit with depression.

It was alive, but

I don't know. I never experienced that myself. Because I like it every day. We all live together a little house and look. Sounds like he was the assumption in those days. He was a bit of a practical joker. In all these things. I had the chance to fall down the stairs and I've got blood capsules in his mouth and things like that. of the floor. You know, just kind of do this for fun, you know? So knowing that I'm sure after a year or so, you know, it really sheared out.

And that was all legal. It was all legal for that him to do that.

It's illegal. It's illegal to do that.

The bank expenses. Wow.

You know, that's what businesses like you. Yeah, no, even today, but that's a no, yeah. And that's the fact of it. It's not, it's not you know, it's not the business about its prevent the size of the business. You know, the business does not support the band, or the musicians or the writers, though. The workers. The workers support the business. That's what happens, right?

Yeah. So

yeah. So then this was 75 when Pete hung himself, and then eight years later, then Tom Evans does the same thing. I mean, you must have just been flabbergasted to hear about this, like, really another member of my band is killing themselves. And again, it was about royalties or something like that. I mean, it was a red flag for Tom's death

as well. No, I. Yeah. Yeah. I don't know why. I really don't know. I've got ideas, but said that, that only my ideas. They're not like, No, they're not. That's not why people were talking about here. We're looking at that real child. We don't know what it's like. The job. Yeah. Yeah. I don't know that. I know what I saw.

You know, we thought for a while I was up.

To date, were they into drugs and stuff. Was that a big thing?

They drank whiskey.

But didn't get up.

Get up and

do that.

None of us really did heavy drugs. None of us. Okay.

You know, we did you know we did?

Who would do it if we were? Yeah, we just read like that. No, no, we were we were really, really lightweight. It's fun.

Yeah. So two years later, in 85, you guys went to court and you're able to divide up some of the money from the bad finger royalties. And you were and you moved to American bought? I

don't know. Yeah.

About the money, the royalties. When we got 97 a gold while he was stealing all of it. We went to Apple Records. The last one. He was the head of Apple at the time, and they asked not to pay any more money, anymore royalties out for the devices. Any more money, you make yourself the scope. That's where the money went. So the good, the bad. And the escrow accounts, started putting the money in. And eventually it got to be a lot of money. It took that account to the courts of

and also the deceased people's Tom and Pete's families get their share, right.

Absolutely. Yeah, they got 100%.

That's great. Sad, they're not around.

This children get it? Yeah, that's great. Cool. So

yeah,

so guys.

Yeah,

it's like a lesson. Do you know, if people can persevere through those tough times? There's a light at the end of the tunnel. Because you guys have a legacy that goes on? We're going to talk about that. I mean, did you do some shows with Ringo? Back in the day? Ringo Starr, you have any you've talked about Georgia? No, no.

No, yeah. Know the placement make Bangladesh Cox or Bangladesh. With jewelers, JoJo on a much older anybody. You did you

keep in touch with Paul or Ringo at all or?

No, no. Okay.

So then in 2004, you you re recorded about 10 bad finger songs. And that's helped you guys as well with royalties and stuff, right?

That's exactly right. Yeah.

And then the song let's talk about the song baby blue. So again, we talked about that already. But now it's making a comeback. It was in that movie, The Departed, which was a huge, huge movie. And then 2013 I mean, that was a big thing. The Breaking Bad finale. Definitely the biggest TV event of the year, if not the decade and they played your song baby blue at the end, it went back to the charts. It was like number one for like a week or something

know, they're using Robin. I was recording the episode for my son yet he was breaking records. And yeah, like it don't think about it. But that is when a person dies. That his company like producing the music publishing world, his property rights, event tracking. alters family. Professional. And so kids family, young people songs back when they haven't finished the morning. Okay. And it was Ah, that's the thing. I have no responsibility to tell me. Yeah. Their responsibility is to make

right. So that but that, that having that song and the breaking bedtime that helped boost your concert attendance, right?

Oh, yeah. The concert started to sell out. Wow. The audience the audience's was very, very much stuff and a lot more people will come to see the band. Really cool. I don't know. I don't say Dave. So yeah, yeah, that was great. And then

did you write a book about your bad finger years called When I was a boy, but when I was a boy, that's your whole life story, right?

Was your boy I did. What I did was I did an interview. I did a long, long, long interview. The tire story, journal for my life and experience and everything. I have, again integrated Nigeria. He was trying to make a book out of the interview. But he was like a ghostwriter here if you like, Okay. Then they, they have a study guide after being a doctor Vina. He wrote a book about the band. And much radio was it was worried about the show by reading the book, okay, so we decided to just publish

Yeah, I mean, it's crazy. You know, just the story of the band. I mean, it sounds like a movie or TV movie or something. Yeah, I mean, it's definitely a book for sure. But tell me about your new record coming out of listen to some of it. It's produced by Mark Hudson. And that guy's worked with Aerosmith. Ozzy Osborne, Ringo Starr share. I mean, he's he's pretty. Pretty big name there.

Oh, yeah. Yeah. Public brought to me several years ago, or so? Yeah, I got I got to meet VA appeals tests and things like that. And he only sang with me or saying no matter what they always think he's an incredible singer developed. Yeah. Not yet fabulous singer would sing anything. They get brilliant record position. So I naturally wanted him to produce a record before we move on. No Sure. I kept on it not to produce more. So about eight

Yeah, it's got it's got some good guys. Yeah, there's guests on the album to Mickey Dolan's from the monkeys. Steve Holly who's a drummer in the wings and and elton john and Jason chef from Chicago. So you put together a pretty good group of musicians there.

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, that's not the half of it. That's right. Yeah. Forget Jason chef from Chicago again in China. So yeah, right when these guys came in, Julian was lonely. Mark cold on the camera naturally and when the luck came up, all right, Julian Lennon? Yeah. Yeah. And he came in on Sunday zombies and did his oohs and ahhs. She was a lovely guy. Thank you very much. Do you want to save Mickey gallons? Yeah. Okay, then. It's 43 News, guys. You know, Bob Johnson again? Mm

Yeah, so the album is called Be true to yourself. Now, I mean, assuming concerts at some point, come back. Will you tour? And if you two are where you call it? Joey molland bad finger or Joey molins bad finger or what? What would you two are as

we play these songs and play just about a little feeling moment. Okay. We might have a name for the band or not. But yeah, I've got my own thing with like the records in my own time. That people said to me, I should call it the last thing that if somebody like that, you know what, I really don't want to do that. I've never made a bad finger wrestle. Since the bad thing about Roku, I really don't take the record. But this song is in Nashville.

That's very cool. Is it? Did I hear that you have you own an antique store in St. Paul, or just like antique stores? I heard something about antique stores?

No, no, we've got we've got pixels. And it's like a big antique mall. Yeah. Okay. So we've got a couple of stones in that I got married. ruin them together on the escape. We have fun. We both like jeeps and you know, curios and things like that. As we go through life, as you see something like three months six or a yard sale or something. So yeah, we've got a cut, we're still on that things go in the houses again.

So what do you like? Do you like St. Paul living in St. Paul, do you think that's better than living overseas? In England or what's what's the difference? Is there I

got a career in America. I don't have the same kind of career. Do you really think I had that thing as some success in a group reputation, and our success level was much higher in America and American gal? Well, yeah. When the band won the battle group, well, Kathleen Whitman was my lifestyle. We moved over to America moved to watch actually slip that a couple years now as you can have a hard time and a lot of a destitute there's not any money.

I wasn't planning.

I got a job. People dating people that are working at this federal law. This was the thing Yeah. Wow. It was really a disaster. I think quickly, yes. You can go over there a lot. And I've been working as a conference Oh. Really?

recognized accomplishments.

Do you recognize and say, Hey, aren't you the guy from bad finger? What are you doing? You've got to

pay your bill. Yeah.

You couldn't play the cover band or something like that. Or like play weddings or something?

That a big one, too. I don't know when I like. No one else. Like we didn't even have a show in LA. Well, it's hard enough to go to the grocery store. It's like 10 miles away. Yeah. It was like a different role. He different Well, no, it wasn't when it would bounce around. Like bring her back along quite a bit. That was really about it. I felt like the demos and stuff. No, it's it's a long story as I keep running here. Oh, sure. I did eventually make a negative

Yeah, that's cool.

Yeah. I completely spaced on events. Well, yeah, yes, I did that. Chevy Chevrolet 78 can be kept that all fell apart. So often personalities you might say. And again, management contributed to that. But they all fell apart. I went back out to LA to live in our life. And we got two guys came over to my house one day. Joe can't see me Can you draw a guitar player and they joma respectively. And they told me they wanted to make a band. Join

Wow. Yeah. Yeah.

A lot of money. Right? Yeah.

You made a couple more albums and you end up calling a bad thing, right?

We ended up calling the electric silence. Yeah. It was something. Yes. Because of that thing that we did the record. Yeah.

Yeah. That's great. Well, yeah, you have a lot of Yeah, yeah. You have a lot of great songs, there's a new album, Be true to yourself. Everyone should get that. I always end with charity or nonprofit or caused is or a charity that you work with, or nonprofit or anything like that.

I work with many charities. And I challenge so much. Just when they come up and deal with it. Contribute to charities and things when I've got the money. But that's not the title of the album. No, really, I just, I just do those things like anybody would if they have the opportunity, so that's what I do. Okay.

All right. Well, thank you so much for coming on my show. I really appreciate it. Hope that face if you ever get to Phoenix, I'll come and see you try to bring as many people as I can to come see you perform. I'd be really cool.

Yeah, yeah. Hopefully people like my song. You know, the guts, the singles that they can listen to? Yeah.

The great tunes the old Beatles bad finger kind of 70s melodic power pop stuff. It's great.

You're right. On the show, and all the show.

Ah, no, I don't play music. I'm always scared because I feel like there's some record companies gonna come after me and say that I played the song. I don't know. But people can listen on Spotify. That's what I did.

Yeah. Yeah. That'll make the record company or send your link. Yeah. On the recording, just getting through to them. They'll send you a link to the songs and biography. Yeah. Okay. Sounds good. Yeah.

Thank you so much, Joey.

Well, thank you. He got us off the podcast. Absolutely.

Okay, you too. Thanks.

Bye. Bye.

Thank you. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. So Joey Mullins new album. Be true to yourself. You can hear the songs are out on Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Amazon music and now and hopefully he'll be touring soon. I'd love to hear the new songs as well as the old bad finger stuff. Of course, make sure you follow him. I think he's on Facebook under the name. The page is called original bad finger. I'm on all social media as well. If you'd like to follow me and keep up to date with new