Search - Badfinger :: Airwaves

Badfinger's Comeback

D. L. Blair | Katy,Tx. USA | 11/27/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Airwaves" proved that Badfinger could have gone on without Pete Ham. It featured some of the best song writing Tom Evans had done in years and reminded us of the chemistry between him and Joey Molland. Joe Tansin was also an excellent addition with his song writing and guitar playing. His songs "Sympathy" and "The Winner" sounded like Badfinger songs and featured fantastic harmonies between Tom and Joey. This was a very upbeat and significant release that didnt receive fair criticism then or now. Many Badfinger fans dont consider this a legit release which adds to the Badfinger tragedy. The only problem with "Airwaves" is the fact that it short, not enough songs, and yes, Mike Gibbins should have been on the album. Pete Ham's death was a tragedy but Badfinger had the talent to continue.

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Badfinger's "Come-back" Album

Morten Vindberg | Denmark | 09/22/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Airwaves from 1979 was the first Badfinger album to be released without Pete Ham, who tragically committed suicide in 1975. Of course he is sadly missed on this album, which only feaures two members from Badfinger's heyday; Tom Evans and Joey Molland. After Pete's death the group disbanded and both Tom and Joey were in other bands.

In 1978 they felt like reuniting and drummer Mike Gibbins were also invited to a rehearsal before these recordings took place. Unfortunately Mike quickly left again and he is consequently not playing on this album. The line-up is: Tom Evans: bass and vocals; Joey Molland: guitar and vocals; Joe Tansin: lead guitar; Ken Harck: drums; Andy Newmark: drums and Nicky Hopkins: keyboards.



Ken Harck left during the recordings and he was replaced by Andy Newmark who came in to finish the album. Joe Tansin also left soon after the final recordings. Nicky Hopkins only appeared as session musician; he was never a member of the band.



The trends in popular pop/rock music had changed markedly during the 5 years that had passed since the last Badfinger album, so obviously the album had to be different from their earlier albums. Producer David Malloy has often been critizised for poor production on this Badfinger album. "He had not been able to find the real Badfinger-sound". I think that's an unfair and wrong concluson. Actually a lot of the album is really good. Tom Evans' songs like "Lost Inside Your Love" and "Sail Away" are true highlights. Joey's "Love is Gonna Come at Last" is a very commercial number and it was released a single. "The Dreamer", also by Joey, is a nice ballad, and a track you may not discover the first two or three times you listen to the album. Joe Tansin wrote two songs for the album; "Sympathy" and "The Winner". "Sympathy" is too commercial for my taste, almost disco-like; "The Winner" is a rocker similar to many of Joey's songs. Tansin shows on several tracks that he's a fabulous guitarist and some of the weaker tracks are helped a lot from his guitar-playing. The playing time is rather short, so it's a shame that this reisssue version doesn't feature any of the 5 bonus tracks that were added to the 1999 CD version. Especially "Send Me Some Love", "Can You Feel The Rain" and "One More Time" were great additions.





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Glad to have this on CD!

P. Roth | Cary, IL | 07/14/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"To those who are collectors of Badfinger music and yearn for the day when music was primarily guitars, bass, and drums, I would recommend buying this CD! While not the best album Badfinger made it still brought together two founding members to "get back on the airwaves" and make some music. As we all are converting over to remastered CDs from the albums we have or once had, this is a fair mastering of the original album without the hisses and pops from the old vinyl and you don't have to worry about how warped the album was before playing it! Most of all, it took me back to the day in college when I heard this new Badfinger album was released. I stopped at the record store on campus at U of I in Champaign on my way back from class (what was that name of the record store on Green Street???) and was proud to get one of the first copies sold at the store. Taking it back to the dorm, I was anxious about hearing new material from Badfinger. At that time, I was collecting Badfinger albums that had gone out of print at a used record store on campus. I don't believe you will be disappointed with this CD and I would have hoped for some previously unreleased material to be included on the disk. Knowing that Tom Evans left us just a few short years after the release of this album and now Mike Gibbons has left us a few years ago, memories take me back to a simpler time and I can listen to the boys try one more time to get back on the airwaves!"