WITHOUT YOU (THE TRAGIC STORY OF BADFINGER)
Bonus CD review
by Tom Brennan

last revised: January 10, 2010

Track Listings:

01. Good Times Together [demo] (Evans) [2:08]

02. Uncle C [demo] (Evans) [1:24]

03. If It's Love [acoustic guitar demo] {"Without You" verses} (Ham) [1:33]

04. I Can't Live [demo] {"Without You" chorus} (Evans) [1:28]

05. Carry On Til Tomorrow [demo] (Evans/Ham) [4:26]

06. Just How Lucky We Are [acoustic guitar demo] (Ham) [5:07]

07. It Doesn't Really Matter [acoustic guitar demo] (Ham) [2:54]

08. Ringside [acoustic guitar demo] (Ham) [3:54]

09. Lost Inside Your Love [demo] (Evans) [2:44]

10. Won't Forget You (Jackson) [4:07]

Track Descriptions:

01. Tommy's July 1967 demo audition at 7 Park Avenue for The Iveys. An Everly Brothers inspired number composed by Tommy a few years earlier. Tommy plays electric guitar and double-tracks his own voice. This is the highlight of the disc for me.

02. An abandoned early solo demo from 1970 about Bill Collins which has been partially erased on the original tape. Tommy sings & plays acoustic guitar. It is easy to see why this was being erased, as this is not a very good song. The chorus sounds like "All The Young Dudes" by Mott The Hoople.

03. Pete's 1969 demo, inspired by Bev Ellis, which provide the verses for "Without You". This is the acoustic guitar version. The electric puano demo can be found on "Golders Green."

04. Tom's partially erased demo from 1969 which provided the chorus that Pete was looking for to complement his verses for "If It's Love". This survives from an Iveys demo tape which had the instrumental track wiped out, leaving only the vocal track with the instrumental backing leaking over from Tommy's headphones. From what can be heard of the backing track, it sounds as if the entire band (The Iveys) is playing. It's played as a heavy Rock arrangement.

05. This is Tommy & Pete's 1969 Simon & Garfunkel inspired demo for Paul McCartney to hear, intended for "The Magic Christian" soundtrack. The demo has alternate lyrics throughout compared to the finished studio recording. My second favorite track on this disc. It features Tommy & Pete singing with acoustic guitars and percussion.

06. This acoustic demo of Pete's features him on acoustic guitar and includes extra verses not heard on the "7 Park Avenue" CD.

07. Another "7 Park Avenue" alternate, again featuring Pete on acoustic guitar.

08. Yet another "7 Park Avenue" alternate, again featuring Pete on acoustic guitar. This time the song is played at a faster. less depressing tempo. This take includes an instrumental break.

09. Tommy starts out this 1977 demo by saying "I just did this one last night, let's see if I remember it." Tommy sings and plays piano. He ends by saying, "Well, there you go. See you soon. Hope it's all there. Goodbye. God bless."

10. Bob Jackson's tribute to Pete Ham with Tommy Evans singing harmony. Newly remixed in 1997 with overdubbed synthesizer strings and added reverb.

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