Customer Reviews

Golders Green

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This longawaited second collection of Pete Ham demos comes two and a half years after the release of the first, 7 Park Avenue. I hope we don?t have to wait that long for third, because this one certainly lives up to the expectations I had in the light of 7 P.A.

What strikes me after the first listen to Golders Green is the great variety of styles that Pete throws himself into and how brilliantly he does it.

There are pop ballads like "Dawn" and "I`ll Kiss You Goodnight" - Rockers like "Richard" - Pop/rock melodies with hit potential like "Makes Me Feel Good" and "Helping Hand" - mellow folkish songs; "I"ve Waited So Long To Be Free?, "Hurry On Father" and "A Lonely Day". There are demos of well-known Badfinger tunes like "Midnight Caller" and "Without You" ( actually "If It`s Love" - before it was paired with Tom Evans` chorus ). A new new aspect which did not show very much on 7PA is the bluesy side of Pete Ham which here is represented by "Whiskey Man" and "I`m So Lonely". A few tracks are very short fragments or unfinished demos such as "Shine On" and "Pete`s Walk". "When The Feeling" and "Gonna Do It" show Pete having fun and experimenting, when recording.

One thing all tracks have in common is the great sense of melody which is characteristic for Pete`s songwriting and singing. Many tracks are greatly inspired by The Beatles but they never come off just as poor imitations of the Fab. Four`s work. Compared to 7 Park Avenue the sound quality is slightly better - a few tracks are almost in professional studio quality. The songs on Golders Greens equals those of 7PA in quality - there are no signs that the well is drying up. The overdubbing and general production is similar to that of its predecessor - you actually never really know for sure when the drums, bass or keyboards are Pete himself or if they were added later. A few tracks feature great guitar solo playing by Pete e.g. "I`m So Lonely", "Helping Hand" and "Pete`s Walk".

All in all I think Dan Matovina has done an excellent job again - we know that many of the tapes that contained these great songs were in poor condition and that it took a look of time, skill and love for Pete`s music to restore them to this highly listenable level!

Makes Me Feel Good (track 1), A Lonely Day, I've Waited So Long To Be Free, Helping Hand and I'm So Lonely

Golders Green, a northern Jewish suburb, is where Badfinger used to live, a place where Ham could record his little songs on a Revox tape. Some of the songs the guy wrote are amazing. He was defiently one of the best songwriters to come out of Britain. His material on Badfinger's "Straight up" and "Wish you were here" are 100% superb. Perfect pop songs. "Golders Green" is a really good album, it shows Ham's songwrting and performance talents. "Dawn" is a beutiful Psych ballad,"Makes me feel so good" could have been easily 'The first Power Pop anthem' if was released at that time. The rest is quite the same, Very Mccartney in total, similar to Mcca's early solo albums, sometimes even better.

There's that mixture of joy and sadness again, last heard in Bryan McLean's madly-inspired home demos (Ifyoubelievein). This batch of almost-theres and not-quites works wonderfully as a melancholic souvenir of Ham's could-have-been-brilliant career, which was tragically cut short by his suicide. This second collection of private tapes is a trip to a better musical place --- for both Badfinger obsessives and pop lovers who never really cared about the group or its wonderful guitarist/writer. A listen to such beautiful works-in-progress as Dawn, Where Will You Be and Makes Me Feel Good (two versions of which bookend the disc) should convert even skeptics.

The second offering from Badfinger's leader, whom sadly is no longer with us. These demos really show how great Pete's writing was. Without You's demo is one of two that he made (The other is available with the OOP first issue of Matovina's book). Although the overdubs are clearer than on 7PA cos they were recorded on an ADAT machine, while the 7PA overdubs were taped on an 8 track reel to reel, which is why I gave it a 4 plus I think it shouldve had more completed songs, plus he's singing about his willy ('Why Pete?', i ask)! (Goodbye John Frost and Hurry On Father were edited to make them longer, if you didnt know). But overall, this is almost as good as 7PA, just barely.

Many heartfelt thanks from fans of Pete Ham and Badfinger are once again due producer Dan Matovina. His efforts and dedication have resulted in the release of "Golders Green," the second disc of home demos (the first being "7 Park Avenue") featuring the heart and soul of Badfinger, the late Peter William Ham. Highlights on this collection are the could-have-would-have-should-have been top forty hit "Makes Me Feel Good," the jazzy and majestic "Dawn," the melancholy "Where Will You Be," and the blues of "Whiskey Man." Also included are two beautiful early versions of future Badfinger classics "Without You" and "Midnight Caller." While "Golders Green" boasts the same highly quality performances and posthumous production of its predecessor it differs in its overall feel and ambience. "Golders Green" is more quick-paced, varied, experimental, and ultimately uplifting than "7 Park Avenue." Both albums, however, are equally indepensible and, if forced to choose, it would be most difficult to select one over the other. The solution? Buy both! You will not be disappointed! Also, those in search of definitive information about Pete Ham and Badfinger should buy the book "Without You: The Tragic Story of Badfinger," also buy Dan Matovina.

I bought this CD completely cold, knowing nothing about Pete Ham or his music beyond the Badfinger hits. I listened to it in my car on the way home, and by the third track I noticed that every hair on my body was standing on end. For fans of late 60s pop (Beatles, Beach Boys, Kinks) this CD is a revelation. It also foreshadows 90s home recordist songwriters like Liz Phair, Elliot Smith, and Jack Logan.

After purchasing both CD's of Pete's unreleased demos I am left with one overriding impression - the man was amazing. He wrote lovely melodies that even Gershwin would have admired. He was an above average guitarist and blessed with a beautiful voice. Such a rare jewel deserves a better epitaph than "wrote hit songs and died penniless due to a rogue manager." If you are a Badfinger fan then I would strongly recommend buying these two CD's.

How can one express the absolute angst about the loss of Pete Ham without wanting to finish off those who took away his dersire to live?

These tracks are rejects for Badfinger releases (except for 3 tracks on this disc that did make it, Midnight Caller, Without You and Shine On). No doubt rejected in favor of lesser tracks by the least talented songwriters in a democratic band, it shows Pete Ham could have and should have done a solo deal.

This album kicks *** in the kindest of ways.

Buy it, buy it, buy it.

It's amazing the tracks that Pete (or the band) felt weren't up to Badfinger's standard. This follow up to 7 Park Ave has a number of fine moments, but is more fragmented than its predecessor.

While, from a historical perspective, all the tracks are essential there are a number that could have been removed without effecting the overall quality of the disc. Producer Dan Matovani deserves praise for returning to the well of Pete Ham songs to produce this for the fans. It puts the Badfinger legacy into better perspective. While the other members of the band were important, clearly Ham was both the most prolific and talented member.

Pete Ham has the most wonderful voice of anyone I listen to. It can be plaintive, soulful, and every facet in between . His voice is one that has that untouchable quality. It`s fullness engulfs the senses and carries the listener away to where he is when he sings out a tune either joyous or deeply personal. I love this voice and I recommend anyone wanting to hear it`s purity, check out this, his second volume of home-made demos, that includes a couple more gems on the Japanese release. It`s more gold from Pete Ham! And if you didn`t already notice, I didn`t mention he was gone, because his voice will always keep him heard and with me! :)