Just in time for the album’s 50^th anniversary, Badfinger’s legendary “lost” record Head First has been slated for release on December 13, 2024 by Y&T Music. Recorded in December of 1974 at Apple Studios, Head First was planned to be the follow up to Badfinger’s 1974 Warner Brothers album Wish You Were Here. The session tapes were thought to have been lost, now rediscovered, this new collection has been culled from the original multitrack reels. These tapes have been remixed and remastered by Andy Dixon and Badfinger member Bob Jackson.

Badfinger was in a particularly rough state during this era. The group was being severely ripped off by Stan Polley of their management team. Wish You Were Here was pulled from the shelves by Warner Brothers shortly after its release because of a dispute over monies with the group’s crooked management. These stresses would eventually build to unbearable levels and result in the untimely deaths of Pete Ham and Tom Evans.

After the Wish You Were Here debacle, the band immediately went back into the studio with new member Bob Jackson (Original member Joey Molland had left the group) and began recording the follow up to Wish You Were Here … Head First. Because of the ongoing lawsuit between band management and the label, when recording was completed Warner Brothers turned down the record and the tapes were relegated to the vault.

In 2000 Snapper Records officially released Head First from a rough mix cassette given to Bob Jackson on December 14, 1974 after the sessions had been completed. At the time this was an essential release that revealed a band taking another step in redefining their sound. The discovery of the album rectified the loss of the recordings being forgotten for 25 years.

This new imaging of Head First is a proper glimpse into an era of ‘what ifs’ for Badfinger. While the album was considered a rush job so band management could cash out, the group was prolifically collaborating towards a new era. Bob Jackson and Andy Nixon’s new mixing and mastering buffs the dullness out of the previous release and brings a sparkle to the record. It’s like a dirty sonic windscreen suddenly wiped clean of debris. The pianos pop, the acoustic guitars ring and the vocals emit a glassy clarity that allow each nuance to be discerned. Some elements are brand new to my ears and some familiar ones can be heard with exclusive detailing. The new mix is approved by the estates of Ham, Evans, and Gibbons. The track listing has derived elements from the original rough mix cassette and the 2000 Snapper release, but has settled on one that flows with a defined purpose.

The collection opens with Ham’s count off into “Lay Me Down,” a provocative piece of power pop and one of Peter Ham’s most addictive melodies. In the vein of “Baby Blue.” and “Just a Chance,” the song has that certain feel that all the best big songs have. Ham is a master of melodic contrasts, and the new mix brings these components to the fore. The piano part is brought into focus, a hidden guitar motif chimes with definition, and the backing vocals blend into new spaces. Ham’s lead vocals are beautifully crystalized. This song should have been the groups next ‘Baby Blue,’ alas, it ended up being a swan song.

Tom Evans “Hey Mr. Manager,” expresses disappointment wrapped in a swinging groove. The song is a pointed and unabashed attack at Stan Polley delivered with a smile. Ham’s backing vocals recall the classic Evans/Ham blend on “Believe Me,” off of 1970’s No Dice record. A fantastic one, two opening for the record.

Bob Jackson’s “Turn Around,” is the edgy recipient of the group’s musical progression. The song stacks guitars on bombastic drums creating one of Badfinger’s most weighty cuts. The song roars with the same orchestrated guitars that began to flourish on the Wish You Were Here record. It’s a circular song with a progressive feel highlighted by Ham’s guitar playing. Once again, the backing vocals are subject to the newfound clarity of the mix with Evans cloudy high harmonies crisply audible.

Mike Gibbins may have been the band’s drummer, but he was also their secret songwriting weapon. He composed with an agrarian bent and a breezy lilt as illustrated on “Back Again,” a delicate acoustic trellis reminiscent to “My Heart Goes Out,” from Badfinger’s self-titled record. Note the whining Pete Ham harmonica break.

“Rock and Roll Contract,” reverberates with a rubbery groove and is sung by Tom Evans in his best “Long Tall Sally,” voice. Opened by a tensioned prelude and segmented by a dreamy interlude, the band bounces like a super ball tossed into a hallway through the verses that are highlighted by Evans gritty growling. Ham signs on the dotted line with an overdriven scrawl that scribbles under the vocals. Another Evans number that doesn’t mince words and is a welcome recipient of the new sonic sheen.

“Keep Believing,” is a proper beginning of side two of the record. The big mid-tempo ballad is thought to be a note from Ham to Joey Molland about Ham’s regret over their musical separation. Ham’s soft sensitivity is on full display, from the beautifully earnest melody to the honest expression of love for the subject of the song. The new mix reveals an entire slide guitar motif playing with the chorus and the woody tone of the piano underpinning the verses.

“Moonshine,” is a handholding sway, a lunar light illuminating streaking Ham slide guitar work and blended vocals from Evans, Gibbons, and Jackson who cowrote the song together. A bountiful Beatle-esque deep cut.

The second Mike Gibbons song of the LP, “Rockin Machine,” follows and while the track is lighthearted country fare, it fits perfectly in the context of the record. A drumless saloon singalong, the cut provides the proper introduction to the following Evans/Jackson epic.

“Passed Fast,” has same the crunch of “In the Meantime/Some Other Time,” from Wish You Were Here, a testament to Tom Evans influence on the arrangements. Jackson and Evans share the vocals, and Ham takes song to its highest point with an interwoven guitar spot that rises quickly before concluding the track.

“Saville Row,” is a spacy instrumental piece written by Pete Ham. It’s slightly puzzling why he included this in the sessions for the album when he had so much strong material that he was sitting on. Some new cool vocal easter eggs surface through the “Moogy” drift lending a spectral feel to the song. It’s now placed appropriately as the closer of the album and brings Head First to a proper finish after fifty years.

In hindsight, it’s incredible to realize how close to the cutting edge Badfinger was. What’s just as amazing is that 50 years after its creation Head First still feels fresh, contemporary and stunningly creative. The album emits an air of mystery and a quiet foreboding that comes with the knowledge of what awaited the band. Like anything that involves Badfinger, this release is long overdue, but if it touches one existing fan or reaches a new one, it will be a success. It could even get the attention of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but I won’t hold my breath.