The Transformation of Badfinger: Todd Rundgren Steps In After George Harrison’s Departure
todd Rundgren was just 23 years old when he earned acclaim as a prodigious producer, landing a prestigious role with Badfinger, the flagship band of the Beatles’ Apple Records. This British quartet, whose name was inspired by a playful jab at the Beatles’ own song, had already made waves with their debut single, “Come and Get It,” written by Paul McCartney.
Riding the Wave of Success
by early 1971, Badfinger was basking in the success of their hit “No Matter what,” which soared into the top 10 across the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and beyond. Though, the band was eager for a follow-up album that could solidify their place in rock history.
The Birth of *Straight Up*
The album that would emerge from this ambition was *Straight Up*, produced by Rundgren and widely celebrated as Badfinger’s crowning achievement, largely due to its standout tracks: “Baby Blue” and “Day After Day.”
A Rocky Road to Recording
Though, as Rundgren recounts, the path to this success was fraught with challenges. The band, consisting of guitarists Pete Ham and Joey Molland, bassist Tom Evans, and drummer Mike Gibbins, had already attempted to record the album twice before Rundgren took the helm.
Initial Recording Challenges
the first recording sessions kicked off in January 1971 with Geoff Emerick, the innovative engineer behind iconic Beatles albums like *Revolver* and *Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band*. Emerick had previously co-produced Badfinger’s *No Dice*, which featured “No Matter What.” Unfortunately, the new recordings did not meet the expectations of Apple’s U.S.division.
“The distributor was not happy with the results,” Rundgren recalls in an interview with *Guitar Player*. “They felt there was no single to promote, so they decided to scrap it and start anew. That’s when the band began working with George Harrison.”
George Harrison’s Involvement
Harrison joined the project about six months after the release of his monumental solo album, *All Things Must Pass*. Production commenced in May, but Harrison soon became preoccupied with organizing the Concert for Bangladesh after being alerted to the humanitarian crisis by Ravi Shankar.
“They got maybe five songs in, and George got wholly involved in the Concert for Bangladesh. That’s when I got the call – producer number three.”
– Todd Rundgren
Rundgren Takes the Reins
“George informed the band that he couldn’t continue,” rundgren explains. “At that point, I was known for my ability to deliver results quickly and efficiently. The label needed assurance that the album would be completed, which is how I came to inherit the project.”
By this time, Rundgren had already made a name for himself as a talented producer at Bearsville records, the label managed by Bob Dylan’s former manager, Albert Grossman. He had also begun his solo career under the name Runt, releasing two albums that highlighted his innovative songwriting and production techniques.
Crafting a Cohesive Sound
With Apple pushing for a swift release, Rundgren assessed the existing recordings. “There was a complete album recorded by geoff Emerick,and we ended up using a couple of those tracks,” he notes. “One of them was ‘Flying.’ We also incorporated some of the songs George had worked on, although most required re-recording to fit our vision.”
Harrison’s production style, heavily influenced by Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound, had resulted in a layered, reverb-heavy sound that Rundgren needed to refine. “I had to strip back some of that,” he explains.”We recorded about five new songs, with ‘Baby Blue’ being the first track we laid down. My challenge was to unify all these elements into a cohesive album.”
Finalizing the Album
Ultimately, Rundgren completed the album at Bearsville studio. “I took everything back to Bearsville and managed to create a cohesive sound,” he shares. “Geoff Emerick wasn’t credited,but George Harrison received credit for ‘Day After Day.’”
Even after all these years, Rundgren still feels a twinge of irritation over this. “He abandoned the project,” he states. “The only time I met him, he said, ‘I’m done. Do whatever you want with it. Use it or don’t use it.’ He had no time to oversee it, and I didn’t hear from him again during the production.”
Legacy of *Straight Up*
*Straight Up* would go on to yield two major hits: “Baby Blue,” which peaked at number nine in the U.S., and “Day After Day,” which reached number three. Although critics were initially lukewarm, the album has since been recognized as Badfinger’s finest work. “Baby Blue” experienced a significant resurgence in popularity in September 2013 when it was featured in the final scene of the acclaimed series *Breaking Bad*.
Despite their initial success,Badfinger faced severe management issues. Tragically,Pete Ham took his own life in 1975,followed by Tom Evans eight years later.
unfinished Business with Harrison
Rundgren never had the chance to reconnect with Harrison after the album’s completion. “I never had a reason to cross paths with him, even though I spent a lot of time in Hawaii,” he explains. “I would often visit Kauaʻi, while he lived on Maui, but our paths never crossed.”
