Joey Molland, the final surviving member of Badfinger, has passed away at the age of 77. His family confirmed the heartbreaking news, revealing that he died on March 1 while surrounded by loved ones.
“The day we never wanted to see has arrived,” read a post on his official Facebook page. “Long Live Badfinger. Thank you, Joey…for keeping the band’s music alive for so long and for being a friend to us all.”
Molland had been battling serious health issues in recent months, including pneumonia and complications from diabetes. His longtime partner, Joyce, had shared updates on his struggles, describing how an infection had led to septicemia, impacting multiple organs. In a February post, she noted:
“He is very fragile right now… but he is pure Joey when he is more with-it. We just need more of those times.”
Despite these health challenges, Molland’s impact on rock music remains undeniable.
Joey Molland and the Rise of Badfinger
Born in Liverpool, England, Molland’s music career began in the 1960s when he played alongside Gary Walker of The Walker Brothers in the short-lived band Gary Walker and the Rain. But his true breakthrough came in 1969 when he joined the Iveys—a band signed to The Beatles’ Apple Records.
At the time, the group had just recorded “Come and Get It”, a song written and produced by Paul McCartney. By the time the song was released later that year, the band had changed its name to Badfinger. The track became a huge hit, reaching No. 7 in the U.S. and No. 4 in the U.K.
Molland played on seven Badfinger albums, including No Dice (1970), Straight Up (1971), and Wish You Were Here (1974). During the early ‘70s, the band achieved major success with songs like “No Matter What”, “Day After Day”, and “Baby Blue”, solidifying their place in rock history.
Through his connection with Apple Records, Molland also collaborated with former Beatles members. He contributed guitar work on George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass and The Concert for Bangladesh, as well as John Lennon’s Imagine.
The Fall of Badfinger and Tragic Losses
Despite their success, Badfinger’s journey took a dark turn. Apple Records’ decline created financial instability, and things worsened when the band signed with Warner Bros. Their manager, Stan Polley, embezzled much of their earnings, leaving them in financial ruin.
Molland later reflected on the situation, saying:
“It was such a great time that I never really paid attention to contracts and stuff and just kind of blindly trusted the business people we had. I wish it had been different. I wish we would have gotten involved with more honest people, more responsible people, but we didn’t.”
The stress of these struggles took a devastating toll. In 1975, Pete Ham, the band’s lead vocalist and primary songwriter, took his own life. The band broke up shortly after.
Molland and Tom Evans attempted to revive Badfinger in the late ‘70s, releasing Airwaves (1979) and Say No More (1981), but the financial troubles never faded. Eventually, Molland and Evans found themselves leading competing versions of Badfinger, further complicating the band’s legacy.
Tragedy struck again in 1983 when Evans also died by suicide, mirroring Ham’s heartbreaking fate. Mike Gibbins, the band’s drummer, later passed away from a brain aneurysm in 2005, leaving Molland as the last surviving member of the classic lineup.
Molland’s Later Years and Solo Career
Following Badfinger’s turbulent years, Molland continued making music. He formed the short-lived supergroup Natural Gas and later pursued a solo career, releasing six studio albums. His most recent album, Be True to Yourself, came out in 2020.
In recent years, Molland participated in star-studded Beatles tributes, performing alongside Todd Rundgren, Micky Dolenz, and Christopher Cross. He also toured under the name Joey Molland’s Badfinger, keeping the band’s music alive for generations of fans.
Though his journey was filled with both triumph and tragedy, Molland’s contributions to rock history are undeniable. He helped shape the sound of an era, worked alongside legends, and kept Badfinger’s legacy alive until the very end.
His passing marks the end of an era, but his music will continue to inspire fans around the world.