Pete Ham - Golders Green (1999)

A second collection of unearthed demos from the late Pete Ham, and far more interesting than our first look at these tapes (7 Park Avenue). There are beautiful tunes aplenty here that you'll be humming after this disc spins down. Of particular note are the catchy "Makes Me Feel Good" and a stunning demo of the Badfinger classic "Midnight Caller".

Track Listing

01. Makes Me Feel Good (01:47)
02. A Lonely Day (01:59)
03. Dawn (03:18)
04. Without You (02:16)
05. Pete's Walk (01:27)
06. Hurry On Father (01:38)
07. Goodbye John Frost (01:59)
08. I'll Kiss You Goodnight (02:37)
09. When The Feeling (00:55)
10. Shine On (00:39)
11. Gonna Do It (00:22)
12. Whiskey Man (01:34)
13. Keyhole Street (02:28)
14. I've Waited So Long To Be Free (01:41)
15. Richard (03:10)
16. Midnight Caller (02:42)
17. Helping Hand (03:53)
18. Where Will You Be (01:58)
19. I'm So Lonely (03:14)
20. Makes Me Feel Good '67 (02:05)

Produced by Dan Matovina, Chris von Sneidern, Mike Romanowski, Bennett Bowman

Musicians

• Pete Ham - lead vocals, backing vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, piano, electric piano, organ, harmonica, and drums on "When The Feeling" and "Dawn"
• Ron Griffiths - bass guitar on "Keyhole Street"
• Bob Jackson - piano solo on "Where Will You Be"
• Dan Matovina - guitar (doubling parts), organ on "Goodbye John Frost"
• Chris von Sneidern - organ, guitar, bass guitar
• Mike Romanowski - organ, bass guitar
• Bennett Bowman - drums
• Rick Cammon - drums
• Derek Ritchie - drums, snare drum on "Dawn"
• Jonathan Lea - percussion
• Derrick Anderson - bass guitar on "Helping Hand"

Notes

Overdubs were recorded (some in the last week of August, 1998) using an ADAT digital 8-track machine
Recording Studios: Ord-Upon-Avon, B&B Recording
Recorded in Golders Green, London, England between 1967 and 1975
Includes liner notes by Ken Sharp
All tracks have been digitally mastered using HDCD technology

Album Notes

GOLDERS GREEN is the second album of home demos recorded by the principal singer/songwriter of Badfinger between 1968 and his 1975 suicide. Like Ham's 7 PARK AVENUE, this disc is comprised of superb sounding home demos that have been tastefully augmented by former Badfinger member Bob Jackson and American power pop artist Chris von Sneidern. From "Goodbye John Frost"–a quirky rocker that features clunky piano playing and a drum sound that's pure McCartney circa 1970– to the rousing album closer "Makes Me Feel Good," an upbeat pop song that evokes the Monkees in their prime, Ham's gift for melody and warm, engaging voice make almost every song a winner.
Listeners also have the chance to hear the more experimental side of Ham's music, including, "Gonna Do It," a tantalizing fragment of an eerie multi-track vocal experiment. Packed with unreleased songs and a wonderful early version of the Ham-penned pop standard "Without You," GOLDERS GREEN is a fascinating album that secures Ham's place as one of the great lost talents of rock music.



Many thanks to the original uploader: borsland