http://www.intelligencer.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1666300
By LUKE HENDRY THE INTELLIGENCER
7/22/09
If Joey Molland's act has an expiration date, he'll be the first to know.
Molland, 62, and his version of British rock band Badfinger are part
of the Hippiefest tour, which on Saturday comes to Empire Square.
Make whatever jokes you like about aging rock stars, but Molland said
he's still enjoying and will keep it up so long as he can do it well.
"The moment I can't, I promise you I'll stop," he said in a phone
interview. "I'm not going to ruin that."
His chipper mood belies the band's tragic history.
Founding member Peter Ham killed himself in 1975; guitarist Tom Evans
did the same in 1983. The band also had serious money problems;
Molland remains bitter over that issue, which he attributes to
mismanagement. But he said he remembers the early years fondly.
Molland said he started playing music for fun, and still is.
"I don't know if people dream about being rock stars, but I certainly
didn't ... I was a teenage guy making songs up in the back of taxi
cabs on the way to the studio."
Badfinger took its name from Badfinger Boogie, the working title for
The Beatles' With a Little Help from My Friends. The band was often
linked to The Beatles. Paul McCartney wrote the early hit Come and
Get It; George Harrison served as one of Badfinger's producers.
Badfinger was also signed to The Beatles' Apple Records.
The bandmates also collaborated with solo Beatles, playing on
Harrison's All Things Must Pass and John Lennon's Imagine albums.
Dealing with The Beatles was enjoyable yet intimidating despite the
Fab Four's down-to-earth personalities, Molland said.
"I was never really able to get over the fact that they were the Beatles.
"They were all very regular guys ... There wasn't a big entourage
around them. I saw George load his own guitar and amp into a car on
the All Things Must Pass album."
Badfinger became a hit-making band in its own right, with songs such
as Day After Day, No Matter What and Carry on to Tomorrow.
"Everywhere was sold out for about five years," Molland recalled.
At Badfinger's peak, he said, "we were playing for 7,000 to 10,000
people a day."
Molland is still writing and recording. He'll tour Australia in
November and hopes to soon record with sons Shaun Michael and Joe Molland III.
He's also about to get his first songwriting credits in a movie, when
five tunes are used in the upcoming film Immigration Tango.
"I've got about 28 or 30 new songs that I've demo'd over the last few
years, but I don't go shopping for record deals," he said.
"I don't sell a lot of records any more.
"Of course I'd love to have some more success, but it's a passing
thing anyway."
Having led a relatively normal life -- he was married 39 years to
Kathie, who died in March -- Molland said he's happy.
"I haven't had a heart attack yet. I make a reasonable living. Our
kids are OK, our house is up to date. Our bills are all paid."
--
Molland and Hippiefest hit Empire Square July 25, the second of three
days of Empire Rockfest. Call 613-969-0099 or visit empiresquare.com
for details on all shows.
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