Joey Molland dies in Badfinger, the band admired by the Beatles with the most tragic history of rock

The exact cause of death has not been revealed, but in a Gofundme post in January, his girlfriend Mary revealed that, after feeling “vaguely sick” during the fall after finishing his last tour, he had to be entered into the ICU and had “acquired a very serious bacterial infection due to its diabetes.” The infection caused septicemia and toured his entire body, causing damage to multiple organs and critical bones.

«His recovery has been slow and arduous, with several operations and procedures. As everyone knows, Joey is a strong and independent man. He is struggling with everything he has, but every day is a battle, ”said his partner.

Badfinger became well known in the late 60s and early 70s thanks to songs such as ‘No Matter What You Do’, ‘Day After Day’, ‘Come and get it’ or ‘Baby Blue’. Original from Swansea (Wales), they had the honor of being the first group signed by the Apple Records records of the Beatles, and reached the top 10 in 1969 with ‘Come and Get It’, composed by Paul McCartney, who reached No. 7 in the US and No. 4 in the United Kingdom.

His next success was ‘No Matter What You Do’, who in 1970 obtained almost the same success on both continents, and the band of international hits of the band was completed in 1971 with ‘Day after day’, which provided Badfinger for his greatest success in the Billboard Hot 100 with No. 4. Another of his most famous singles is ‘Baby Blue’ Popularity when sounding in the series ‘Breaking Bad’.

The Beatles members signed them for their seal because they were very fans of their music, and worked with them several times. In addition to McCartney’s contribution as composer of his first success, George Harrison produced part of the group’s second album (which also had the production of Todd Rundgren). Molland and Evans were called Session musicians in two solo projects after the Beatles, ‘Imagine’ by John Lennon and ‘All Things Must Pass’ by Harrison. In addition, Molland was also among the musicians of the Harrison concert ‘Concert for Bangladesh’.

But since 1973, misfortune fell on Badfinger again and again. That same year, Apple entered bankruptcy and they were unable to collect a good part of the royalties of their works, and from there, their manager Stan Polley took them directly to the tragedy. He signed with Warner Music, but the multinational soon discovered that Polley vanished with all the money from the advances, leaving the group without Blanca. Then, guitarist Pete Ham, seeing himself ruined, with a mortgage, a young son and another on his way, succumbed to despair and on April 24, 1975 He hanged himself in the garage of his house leaving a suicide note with a postdata blaming his manager: «Stan Polley is a soulless bastard. I will take it with me ».

Eight years later, with the band already dissolved, bassist Tom Evans, who was also overwhelmed by the debts of his time with Badfinger, was sued by a promoter for breach of contract and could not bear the pressure: on November 19, 1983 he hanged himself in the garden of his house. The other member left, drummer Mike Gibbins, died in 2005 a victim of a cerebral aneurysm.

“People say things like ‘The saddest story of rock’, and I suppose it will always be so,” guitar world magazine Joey Molland, who continued giving concerts playing Badfinger themes until last year. «I can’t help it, but I don’t go around. I try to focus on the good things we did and on all the great songs we recorded. I always know people who know our music. Of course, I would like things not to have come out. Two band members took their lives: it is a human tragedy. Who knows what leads people to do something like that? But I can’t think of “what could have been.” You go crazy if you live your life like this ».