Ass
album
by Badfinger
compiled by Tom Brennan
last update: August 04, 2022

ASS
recorded: October 22, 1972-May 11, 1973
at Apple Studios, Morgan Studios, and Olympic Studios, London, and The Manor, Oxford
produced by: Chris Thomas & Badfinger (*Todd Rundgren)
mixed by: Chris Thomas & Badfinger
engineered by: John Mills (Apple & Morgan), Antom & Phil (Olympic), Tom Newman & Simon Hayes (The Manor)
thanks to: Fergie, Tag & Nick
original sleeve design by Peter Corriston and David Heffernan of A.G.I.
photographs by Tony Beresford-Cooke and Peter Corriston

U.S. release on November 26, 1973 on Apple SW-3411.
Cash Box top 175 album chart: Peaked at #61 on February 2, 1974. Charted for 10 weeks from December 15, 1973 to February 16, 1974.

U.K. release on March 8, 1974 on Apple SAPCOR 27 (CD: 7243 8 53899 2 4). [promo label side 1 | promo label side 2]

Side One:
Apple Of My Eye
Get Away
Icicles
The Winner
Blind Owl
Side Two:
Constitution
When I Say
Cowboy
I Can Love You
Timeless

Badfinger:
Pete Ham - guitar, piano, synthesizer, vocals
Tom Evans - bass guitar, vocals
Joey Molland - guitar, piano, vocals
Mike Gibbins - drums, vocals


ASS
Apple 8XW-3411

Program 1:
Apple Of My Eye
Icicles
The Winner
Program 2:
Blind Owl
Constitution
When I Say
Program 3:
Get Away
Cowboy
I Can Love You (part 1)
Program 4:
I Can Love You (concl.)
Timeless


U.K. CD release in September, 1996 on Apple CDSAPCOR 27 (7243 8 53899 2 4), reissued on June 19, 2004.

Re-issue digitally remastered by Ron Furmanek and engineered by Peter Mew at Abbey Road Studios, London, England from the original 2-track stereo master mix tapes.
"Do You Mind" was remixed from the 16-track master session tape by Ron Furmanek and Chris Ludwinski.
Re-issue package by Phil Smee at Waldo's Design & Dream Emporium.
Sleeve notes by Andy Davis, August, 1996.

This CD's artwork reproduction is horrible. Instead of the original LP's tan/beige background, it's yellow, and the sky on the front cover looks purple instead of dark blue.

CD bonus track:
Do You Mind

Comments (by Tom Brennan):
The sessions for the album that was to eventually become "Ass" began as an extension of the final "Straight Up" sessions with producer Todd Rundgren in January, 1972. The group had a falling out with Rundgren after only a week of sessions, which resulted in the recording of only two tracks: "I Can Love You" and "The Winner". No further sessions took place for several months while Badfinger went on the road (mainly in the U.S.) to promote "Straight Up". During the second half of the touring period, Mike Gibbins left the group (in June) to spend more time with his family and to make some solo recordings with some of his Welsh mates. When Badfinger returned to Apple Studios to continue sessions for their final album for Apple, they were forced to utilise the services of several different session drummers. In addition, this time they were producing themselves, something they had been requesting for quite some time, so they could have greater control over their own sound. Some of the songs from "Straight Up" had proven difficult to reproduce on stage because of the overdubs and double-tracking techniques that had been used by George Harrison and Todd Rundgren. Gibbins returned to the studio (and the band) in October, 1972. The group were now able to get more serious and complete an album by January, 1973 after accomplishing very little during September, 1972 with several different fill-in drummers. A mixed album was delivered to Apple with excellent songs such as "When I Say" and "Blind Owl" by Tom, "Timeless" and "Apple Of My Eye" by Pete, "Get Away" & the two Rundgren produced songs by Joey, and a Badfinger version of Mike's "Cowboy" which he had recorded solo in 1972. It was quickly rejected [see next section for rejected track listing], much like their follow-up to "No Dice" back in 1971, most likely due to the inclusion of weak songs such as "Regular", a novelty song by Joey, and "Piano Red" a blues parody by Pete. To salvage the album, Chris Thomas was brought in to produce, much like Todd Rundgren had been hired to salvage "Straight Up". New sessions took place in April at Olympic Studios which resulted in some new, excellent tracks by Molland: "Constitution" and "Icicles". For some unknown reason, another Molland track, "Do You Mind" was just simply dropped, possibly because the band were not able to come up with the definitive version that was to everyone's satisfaction. The album was finally approved by Apple for release, however, the release was delayed due to a dispute with Apple Publishing, where Badfinger manager Stan Polley was holding back Molland's copyrights from Apple so he could make certain demands from them. Two songs from the sessions that failed to make either cut of the album were "Dreaming" by Joey which was a blues-based rocker with Pete Ham playing lead guitar, and an unfinished song by Tom, called "Rock 'N' Roll" which never had a proper lead vocal recorded. These failed to make the cut yet again in 1996 when they were considered for release as bonus tracks on the CD reissue of "Ass". Luckily, "Do You Mind" was restored as part of the CD release.



U.S. CD release on October 25, 2010 on Apple (5099964243924) [CD label]
Remastered by Guy Massey, Steve Rooke, Sam Okell from the original 2-track stereo master mix tapes
Abbey Road Project Coordinator: Allan Rouse
Audio Restoration: Simon Gibson
Album Reissue Producers: Andy Davis, Mike Heatley
EMI Project Manager: Guy Hayden
Tea, sympathy and guidance: Jeff Jones, Jonathan Clyde & Garth Tweedale
Notes by Andy Davis
Special thanks to Joey Molland
Album Re-design: Darren Evans
Apple archive management: Aaron Bremner
Photo & memorabilia research: Carl Bigmore, Dorcas Lynn & Andy Davis

This CD's artwork reproduction is slightly better than the 1996 edition, but the background color now looks more orange than tan/beige like on the original LP. The darker clouds on the front cover look greenish instead of dark gray and the transition between the two background colors doesn't match the original.

2010 CD Bonus Tracks:
11. Do You Mind [previously unreleased version] produced by Badfinger
12. Apple Of My Eye [previously unreleased early mix] produced by Badfinger
13. Blind Owl [previously unreleased version] produced by Badfinger
14. Regular [previously unreleased] produced by Badfinger
15. Timeless [previously unreleased version] produced by Badfinger
Download-only bonus tracks:
Get Away [in-progress rough version]
When I Say [in-progress rough version]
The Winner [in-progress rough version]
I Can Love You [in-progress rough version]
Piano Red [previously unreleased]

ASS [unreleased version]
recorded: September 9, 1972-February 14, 1973
at Apple Studios, Morgan Studios, Trident Studios, Olympic Studios, and AIR Studios, London, and The Manor, Oxford
produced by: Todd Rundgren & Badfinger
U.K. CD release of "Do You Mind" in September, 1996 on Apple SAPCOR 27.

Side One:
Get Away
When I Say
Apple Of My Eye
The Winner
Blind Owl
Do You Mind
Side Two:
Piano Red
Cowboy
Regular
I Can Love You
Timeless

Foreign pressings:

Australia (1973) on Apple SAPCOR 27 [front cover and side 1 label]
Canada (1973) on Apple SW-3411 [front cover and side 1 label]
New Zealand (1973) on Apple SAPCOR 27 [ back cover | side 1 label (sliced Apple) | side 2 label (whole Apple) ]
Japan (1973) on Apple EAP-80948 [front cover | booklet cover]
France (1974) on Apple 2C 066-95.191 [front cover | gatefold | side 1 label | side 2 label]

Japan (February 23, 2005) on Apple TOCP-67565 (CD in mini-LP format) [front cover | back cover]

Album ads:
JC Penney albums and tapes ad from Van Nuys Valley News: December 27, 1973
LP & Tape Price Blast from Capitol - Apple - Island from The Central New Jersey Home News: January 06, 1974
Korvettes ad from Chicago Tribune: January 31, 1974
Falk's Washington's Birthday Sale ad from The Morning Call, Allentown, PA: February 14, 1974


Album reviews
Billboard: December 01, 1973 (U.S.)
Cash Box: December 01, 1973 (U.S.)
Hyde Park Herald, Chicago, IL: December 05, 1973
Messenger Press, Allentown, NJ: January 17, 1974
Rolling Stone: January 31, 1974 (U.S.)
Calgary Herald: February 22, 1974 (Canada)
Journal Inquirer, Manchester, CT: March 09, 1974
Fusion: March 1974
Miami News, April 03, 1974
Zoo Review: April 11, 1974
New Musical Express: April, 1974 (U.K.)
Melody Maker: April 27, 1974 (U.K.)
Circus: May 1974 (U.S.)
Phonograph: May, 1974
Stereo Review: August, 1974 (U.S.)
thanks to Dan Matovina


publishing lawsuit:
Badfinger Plea on 'Ass ' Denied - Billboard: March 9, 1974


special items:
Album artwork
USA promo poster
Apple acetate of album [side 1 label]
IBC acetate of album [side 1 label]
Trident Studios tape for "Apple Of My Eye" and "The Winner" [tape reel box, back]
AIR Studios tape for "I Can Love You" (good vocal) [tape reel box, back]
"The Manor" studios ad


session photos:
The Manor Studios, stills from the "Love Is Easy" promo film [Badfinger | Pete with cans on | Tom in front of mic | Joey | Mike | The Manor]
filmed by Tony Beresford-Cooke © estate of Tony Beresford-Cooke
Olympic Studios: April, 1973 from back cover of Ass LP, photo by Tony Beresford-Cooke
© estate of Tony Beresford-Cooke
Olympic Studios: April, 1973 (Tom holding microphone) from booklet of 2010 Ass CD, photo by Tony Beresford-Cooke
© estate of Tony Beresford-Cooke
Olympic Studios: April, 1973 (Tom with hand on microphone boom) from Those Were The Days book by Stefan Granados, photo by Tony Beresford-Cooke
© estate of Tony Beresford-Cooke
Olympic Studios: April, 1973 (everyone smiling except Mike) photo by Tony Beresford-Cooke
© estate of Tony Beresford-Cooke

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