WISH YOU WERE HERE
April 7-July 27, 1974
Caribou Ranch Studios, Colorado, U.S.A. and AIR Studios, London
Chris Thomas

Expanded Edition released on November 2, 2018 on Real Gone/Rhino RGM-0758


Tracks:
01. Just A Chance (2:58)
02. Your So Fine (3:03)
03. Got To Get Out Of Here (3:30)
04. Know One Knows (3:16)
05. Dennis (5:15)
06. In The Meantime/Some Other Time (6:45)
07. Love Time (2:18)
08. King Of The Load (3:30)
09. Meanwhile Back At The Ranch/Should I Smoke (5:18)

Bonus Tracks:
10. Queen Of Darkness (Evans) [unreleased song] (2:38)
11. Just A Chance [2018 alternate mix] (3:18)
12. Your So Fine [2018 alternate mix] (3:04)
13. Got To Get Out Of Here [2018 alternate mix] (3:28)
14. Know One Knows [2018 alternate mix] (3:20)
15. Dennis [2018 alternate mix] (6:03)
16. In The Meantime/Some Other Time [2018 alternate mix] (6:57)
17. Love Time [2018 alternate mix] (2:36)
18. Meanwhile Back At The Ranch/Should I Smoke [2018 alternate mix] (5:29)

Studio work: Dan Matovina
Reissue Design: Tom D. Kline
Thanks to: Chris Thomas and Tom Brennan

So Fine (Record Store Day 2019 red vinyl limited edition of 2000 copies) - Sides C and D
released on April 13, 2019 on Real Gone Music/Rhino Custom Projects OPLP-9028
Laquer Cutting by John Golden at Golden Mastering

Front cover photo courtesy of Barry Wentzell
Gatefold photo courtesy of Michael Putland
Compilation produced by Gordon Anderson and Dan Matovina


These 2018 remixes by Dan Matovina were done from the original Wish You Were Here multi-tracks in order to showcase unused, hidden, or buried parts. They are designed partly for the pure enjoyment of fans and partly for Badfinger scholars to study the process of the creation of the record, as produced by Chris Thomas. These were not done as competitive or alternate mixes of a “final” new mix, as the Giles Martin remixes of The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and The White Album were...

Just A Chance – alternate mix
On this 2018 remix, you first hear the band warming up to play the song. Soon thereafter, you hear horns as played by The Average White Band’s horn section, Malcolm Duncan and Roger Ball (as arranged by Roger Ball). These parts are turned up louder than on the record. The acoustic rhythm guitar that plays the basic riffs and some accented strums is raised, as are unison lead vocals of Pete Ham with Tom Evans. There is a long electric guitar slide part into the guitar solo section here that was not heard on the record, and a bit of Joey Molland’s alternate attempt at a guitar solo is now merged into Pete Ham’s guitar solo from the original record.

Your So Fine – alternate mix
This remix brings to the fore harmonica parts by Pete Ham, which were not used or quite buried on the original release. There was a second take of the guitar solo and you hear both the original and outtake solos mixed together. There is also turned up a blanket pad of background vocal “ahh”s that come in twice, of which Tom Evans is the most prominent voice.

Got To Get Out Of Here – alternate mix
The highlight here is a fantastical arrangement of horns, mini-moog, harmonium, and organ parts that ended up essentially gone or buried on the original record. A little “Penny Lane” in its approach, but these parts were thought to take away from Joey Molland’s intense lyrical expression of his frustrations of what was going on around him. Organs remained on the final version, but you can hear his voice a bit clearer here.

Know One Knows – alternate mix
This remix showcases a previously unused, ARP Odyssey Synthesizer part on the intro. Pete’s lead vocal can now be heard, as joined by unisons from Tom Evans. In the solo section, Japanese singer Mika’s controversial talking-bit is taken out. The unison leads by Pete Ham are brought forward. Anne Odell, who wrote, arranged, and conducted all of the string parts on the record (as played by the Martyn Ford Orchestra) are now up louder, or, where they were missing on the original record. On the tail-out ending fade, you hear Tom Evans mimic a horn bit and Pete Ham chuckle in response.

Dennis – alternate mix
Here the lead vocal by Pete Ham is louder, as are his harmonies. This change emphasizes the intense lyrics about Pete’s paternal love of Blair, son of his new beau at the time, Anne Ferguson. There are fills and mini-lead guitar parts by Ham brought up. The “dit dit” background vocals also are up. The end of the original version has a long drawn out build in which elements were subtly brought in. On this remix, these parts, as played by piano, electric piano, organ, guitar, and harpsichord, are at times recorded at half-speed and then sped up to brighten the playback sound. Some extra effects are brought in even louder than before and more dramatically. You also get to hear the full, six-minute extended version of the take.

In The Meantime / Some Other Time – alternate mix
On this remix, Anne Odell’s creative orchestral warming-up intro is a bit longer, with the Average White Band horns up, too. The constant winding lead guitar in the song by Pete Ham is up in the mix, and whereas before, the orchestra and horns burst in and out, those parts are now modified to allow some new nuances in the arrangement to be heard. Background vocals are also up to hear the words more clearly. When Joey’s “Some Other Time” kicks in on the medley, his harmony vocal is made more prominent and the lead vocal is brought behind. At the end of the original was a lead backward guitar played by Ham; you now hear an unheard second take added. The end ringing chords by the horns are extended a bit, instead of the abrupt end of the original.

Love Time – alternate mix
Joey Molland’s pretty ballad is embellished here with examples of his carefree humor to break the studio monotony, as he riffs vocally with non-sequiturs on a track while waiting to sing. Pete’s background vocals are now clearly distinguishable by him on bridges. The lead guitar by Pete is used here with Molland’s harmony, creating a nice effect.

Meanwhile Back At The Ranch / Should I Smoke – alternate mix
Pete Ham plays all leads on this medley. On an earliest Caribou rough mix, you hear him singing the guitar solo melody he wanted. Later, for effect, Thomas had Pete singing simultaneous to his mid-point lead with a simultaneous blowing in paper-and-comb buzzing effect. In this remix, you can hear him take a breath from his breathing into the paper-and-comb halfway through. Thomas also claimed there could be as many as six guitars subtly mixed together to help get Pete’s “big” guitar sounds. The Average White Band horn section is brought up louder here. Finally, the long resting notes of all the instruments are run out until they disappear, similar to the final chord of The Beatles’ “A Day in the Life.”

Queen Of Darkness – previously unreleased song mixed 2018
This Tom Evans song was never fully completed, so you hear a scratch lead vocal. This straightforward rocker has lead guitar by Pete Ham and sounds much like a song from the Ass era. An acoustic demo from that time, without the bridges here, came out on release in 2000. A snappy, good-timey addition for the fans of Tom and Badfinger.

Original vinyl releases:
U.S. release on October 14, 1974 on WB BS 2827 [Test pressing information for U.S.: August 1, 1974] [front cover | back cover] [promo stickers]
U.S. RCA Music Club Edition R113746 [side 1 label | inner groove RCA matrix number | credits]
Billboard chart positions: #173 (Nov. 9, 1974), #162 (Nov. 16, 1974), #151 (Nov. 23, 1974), #148 (Nov. 30, 1974), #172 (Dec. 7, 1974), #165 (Dec. 14, 1974).
Cash Box chart positions (top 175 album chart): #175 (Nov. 16, 1974), #173 (Nov. 23, 1974), #173 (Nov. 30, 1974).
Special edition green vinyl release on January 23, 2018 on Rhino/Ada RHO1-2827: [full cover and side 1 vinyl | front cover | back cover | side 1 label | side 2 label]
U.K. release circa December, 1975 on WB K56076 [side 1 label | side 2 label | release announcement from Music Week, 1976 Jan 10]

Side One [label]:
Just A Chance (Ham)
Your So Fine (Gibbins)
Got To Get Out Of Here (Molland)
Know One Knows (Ham)
Dennis (Ham)
Side Two [label]:
In The Meantime (Gibbins)
Some Other Time (Molland)
Love Time (Molland)
King Of The Load (Evans)
Meanwhile Back At The Ranch (Ham)
Should I Smoke (Molland)

Average White Horns played on "Just A Chance" and "Should I Smoke," arranged by Roger Ball
Orchestrations by Anne Odell (Martyn Ford Orchestra)

Engineers: Que Guercios [Jeff Guercio] (Caribou), Chris Thomas (Caribou), Bill Price (AIR), Garith Guinness (AIR)

Art Direction: Michael Doud (AGI)
Photography: Joe Gaffney
Design: Geoff Halpin (Bloomsbury Group)

Tom Evans story thanks to Lee Shafer (Kingston, PA):
"Tom said a funny thing happened. During the cover shoot, it took a long time to make the table look messy like a long drinking session had been going on, and it took SO long that they all had been drinking all day and Tom said "I spewed" so they had to set the table up again!"

CDs

Japanese release on July 25, 1991 on Warner Brothers WPCP-4082
German release on January 17, 1997 on 7599-26540-2 (WE 835)
release on July 1, 1997 on WEA 265402
release on March 18, 1998 on Warner Brothers 7599265402
U.S.? release on April 25, 2000 on Warner Brothers 26540
release on September 23, 2003 on WEA 7599265402
U.S. release on November 30, 2004 on Rhino/Warner Brothers
U.K. release on July 23, 2007 on Collector's Choice CCM-810
U.S. release on September 18, 2007 on Collector's Choice CCM-810
U.K. release on October 28, 2013 on Rhino/Edsel EDSK 7036
U.S. release on November 5, 2013 on Rhino/Edsel EDSK 7036 (U.K. import)
U.S. release (Expanded Edition) on November 2, 2018 on Real Gone/Rhino RGM-0758

Cassette tape
WB MS-2827

8-track tapes
WB M-82827

Program 1:
Just A Chance
Your So Fine
Know One Knows
Program 2:
Got To Get Out Of Here
Dennis
Program 3:
In The Meantime/Some Other Time
Love Time
Program 4:
King Of The Load (T)
Meanwhile Back At The Ranch/Should I Smoke

Studio tapes


AIR Studios stereo mix tape copy from July, 1974:
Just A Chance
You're So Fine
Got To Get Out Of Here
No One Knows



AIR Studios stereo mix tape copy from July, 1974:
Meanwhile, Back At The Ranch, You

Badfinger in AIR Studios, London: July, 1974 thanks to Brooke from Richmond, VA

Album reviews:
Cash Box: October 26, 1974
NME (Imports section): November 9, 1974 (U.K.)
Phonograph: November, 1974
MuziekKrant: November, 1974 (Germany)
Rolling Stone: January 2, 1975 (U.S.)
The Leader Post, Regina: February 07, 1975 (Canada)
Brandon Sun, Manitoba, CANADA: February 08, 1975
Creem: February, 1975
Let It Rock: November/December, 1975 (U.K.)
Review by Jon Ferguson


News:
Badfinger Hit by WB Demand - Billboard: January 11, 1975

above: October 19, 1974 ad from Billboard magazine

One Badfinger can get the whole hand going - ad from Billboard magazine listing previous hit singles

Badfinger did an endorsement for Sunn Amps that included photos of them during the "Wish You Were Here" sessions: Sunn Amp ad by Badfinger

"The Force" promotional ad for October 1974 Warner Brothers album releases - Billboard magazine: October 19, 1974


Record Sales (new releases)
Crazy Bruce's Sound Corner ad from Daily Chronicle, DeKalb, Illinois: October 28, 1974
The Nickelodeon record store ad from The Sheboygan Press: November 07, 1974
Hudson's Bay Company ad from Victoria Times: November 20, 1974
Swallen's Holiday Gift Guide ad from The Cincinnati Enquirer: November 28, 1974
Smitty's Department Stores ad from The Arizona Republic, Phoenix, AZ: December 5, 1974
Big Hits Are On... Warner Brothers. Reprise ad from The Record, Bergen County, NJ: December 11, 1974


Record Sales (clearance)
Opus 69 store, Winnipeg Free Press: March 31-April 05, 1975
The Wherehouse, San Francisco Examiner: December 12, 1975


Radio Spot

The radio commercial used clips from 7 different songs on the LP.
The one-minute commercial consists of the following:
[intro from In The Meantime]..."Badfinger...[excerpt from In The Meantime]...Badfinger...[excerpt from Just A Chance]...Badfinger...[excerpt from Love Time]...Badfinger...[excerpt from Got To Get Out Of Here]...Wish You Were Here...[excerpt from Know One Knows]...a really great new album...[excerpt from Your So Fine]...on Warner Brothers Records and Tapes...[excerpt from Dennis] (fades out)."

CARIBOU RANCH STUDIOS


photo by Brian Gary Varga

Photos of Badfinger at Caribou Ranch
Badfinger taking a break at Caribou Studio: April, 1974 (photo by Koh Hasebe/Shinko Music)

History of Caribou Ranch Studios:
Northwest of Nederland, far from the madding crowds of Los Angeles, Jim Guercio built a recording studio that became the object of desire for some of the '70s most famous musicians. He had already established himself as one of the industry's long ball players, with an extensive history of playing and production credits extending back to the Buckinghams in the mid-'60s, including the Beach Boys, Frank Zappa and especially Chicago, whom Guercio managed from their days as an obscure L.A. club band to mega-stardom through the '70s. Although he is rightly regarded in the rock annals as a top flight producer, successful manager and owner of one of the best recording facilities in America during this period, he is still cheerfully remembered in the press as "ex-Beach Boy Jim Guercio," having filled in on a few early-'70s Beach Boy tours.

Funny, sometimes, the things that stick...

Caribou Ranch was as much spa and mountain retreat for rock superstars during the seventies as it was a place to work. Several comfortably attended cabins dotted the grounds around the studio, which Guercio built inside a renovated barn. The relative proximity of the posh guest cabins-as well as the gated privacy-led inevitably to wave after wave of rumored substance-inspired madness.

Guercio brought the creme of rock super-stardom not just to Caribou, but to Nederland and Boulder as well. You could be walking down Pearl Street one day and pass Mick Jagger or Don Henley or Joni Mitchell or Bernie Taupin, and that was only because Caribou was just up the hill.

The lasting legacy of Caribou, of course, is some of the best-recorded work from some of the best rock players in the '70s. Chicago cut several of its biggest early hits there. Stephan Stills recorded his timeless and still-fresh first solo album at Caribou, and Elton John recorded three massive-selling albums there. When you hear Joe Walsh's immortal "Rocky Mountain Way," guess what his view was.

Lesser known artists also worked there, like George Duke, the German prog outfit Lake, Jan Hammer and Supertramp - who's arguably best LP "Even In The Quietest Moments" features a picture of a snow-draped piano outside Caribou. Lead singer Roger Hodgson, in search of that perfect vocal take, actually recorded part of one song in a freight elevator.

Rumor has it that Caribou had more platinum albums hanging on its walls than any other studio in America. When the studio, along with many irreplaceable master tapes, burned in March of 1985, a piece of rock history danced skyward on its fading embers. Caribou, the Legend had passed into history as one of rock and roll's greatest places, surrounded by one of the greatest places on earth.
thanks to Paul Nyman

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