Hello folks… Ron Griffiths  , ex Iveys and Badfinger  (for those of you unaware of my back-ground ). With a first ever ‘blog !Before I go any further , I would like it known that I derive no pleasure from publishing what follows.I appreciate that some will be displeased but many I am sure , will take my side and fully understand my putting this in the public domain. 

I have tried to hold back my grievances over the years regarding my replacement back in those heady days at the end of ‘69 into the 1970's ; in spite of being insulted  again and again . But there just had to be yet another proverbial  ''straw to break the camel’s back''  and it has come in the guise of the recent promotion surrounding Joey Molland’s latest recording  ''Return to Memphis''.  Enough is enough , one dig too many I fear , and my Celtic hackles have been stirred into standing up for myself. I am sick of being air-brushed out of my part of the history of the Iveys/ Badfinger story.

Before I get started - and my current inspiration for this 'blog, let me go back a bit …. In March  2013 , there was ‘Beatles themed’ cruise that took place - embarking from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. One of the attractions was Joey Molland. Some months before that was due to take place , his biography on their website noted he was a part of  ''The Iveys’’  …. four lads, Pete Ham, Mike Gibbins ,Tom Evans and  Joey Molland.” . !!  Ummm , that was the band I was in , not Joey.

I contacted those concerned but there was never an effort made to correct the info‘. Therefore , as far as the Joey Molland publicity machine was concerned .. I never existed ,therefore it appears Joey also was a part of the  hard graft /spadework that Pete, Tom and Mike did to get signed to The Beatles label …. with a publishing contract to boot !  I beg to differ.

In Joey’s latest promotional on-line biography for his new CD , you’d expect the focus would be on Joey and his past career.  Instead, references to me start almost immediately on the 'Gonzo Media' site – with implications that I was just a piece of dead wood ,    “ old fashioned even ” – and as such needed to be replaced !! …

“Poor Badfinger; if ever there was a pop group born under a bad sign it was them. Things started off quite auspiciously. As The Iveys they signed to The Beatles’ Apple Records and had a hit single. However, they decided that their name, their image and their guitarist were a little old fashioned so they changed all three. ''

What ?!!  At that time I was regarded as a very capable singing bass-player highly rated by many - not the least by Peter Ham and Mike Gibbins . Our early producer Tony Visconti also was an admirer, offering me session work (turned down by Bill Collins)  and even Tom Evans verbally praised my bassist credentials at a gathering not very long after I had departed. I was as in-vogue as anyone at that time .

That makes hard reading for me  -  but then there is the sheer audacity of the following : 

'' Exit Ron Griffiths (who had the temerity to criticise the way that the band were being treated by Apple) and enter Joey Molland. Badfinger  was born. ''

Temerity to criticise ! I was interviewed by a magazine around at that time ; namely ''Disc and Music Echo'' in which an  off-cuff remark I was quoted on ... after an eight month gap since our first single release (''although we are Apple artists , there is apparent  indifference from The Beatles'' ) which caught the attention of Paul McCartney who was straight on the ‘phone to Bill Collins offering us ''Come and get it '' as a single (provided we supplied two more tunes for The Magic Christian movie ). Some “ temerity “ that turned out to be !! 

Paul had always been an advocate for The Iveys  . He attended early sessions and encouraged us . The Beatles had signed us on the strength of our song-writing and our musicianship ! In fact, they thought so much of us that we were the first band signed to Apple . Paul even treated Mike and myself to a solo piano rendition of “Hey Jude ” before the rest of the world had heard it !! And I'll never forget his words through the studio cans when I improvised the bass run-off at the end of Come and get it- '' Hey  Like that Ron we're gonna keep that son ''. 

Again, why would any commentary attempting to criticise me appear on a Joey album promotion site - is there an agenda ??

Joey is constantly referred as  ( to  his Facebook  readers and elsewhere  ) the only surviving “Original Badfinger member ’’  Really ?? I performed and sang on the first “Badfinger” hit single ''Come And Get It '' and almost all of “Badfinger’s ' Magic Christian' album (Joey didn't play a note on that " Badfinger" album !) – yet , as Joey’s promo states “ enter J.M.. and  Badfinger was born. " Badfinger " had been born, with me !! Joey joined  after my " Badfinger " album and did the tour support .

What is Joey 's reason to constantly preach  " only original" or " only surviving " member ,is it to constantly lessen the history of my work with The Iveys and my Badfinger  recordings I ask ?

I refer you back to earlier events of Joey and me ;  on February 21, 2011 , I had posted a public 'open letter ' on Joey …


http://www.badfingerlibrary.com/SoloBadfinger/RonGriffiths/Ron%20letter%20to%20fans%202011-02-21.html



after which I privately received barbed ripostes back from Joey , along with a few from people I label  his  “ parasitic disciples ”. Joey called me a “dumb fuck” and made a threat he could take me  to court. He also wrote irrelevant despicable comments about Dan Matovina , Mike Gibbins and  Bill Collins .

Later on, via one of his site pages, he claimed he addressed me publicly over the letter content and inferred I had been a coward by not responding to him. 

Here's what he put up for all to see:

He couldn’t justify it apparently , it has since been taken down.

Truth is,  Joey had a real go at me privately - not publicly .  I did not respond because he had emailed me venomously  and I just knew I would receive  bile again back in return. 

In my 2011 ' letter ' I made the point that Joey had been getting my Sound Exchange royalties for the airplay of all the Iveys and Badfinger songs which I performed on and which he did not. 

To explain this …. Sound Exchange collects airplay royalties for people who perform on tracks. But somehow, all of the “ Badfinger “ songs I was on  such as  “ Come And Get It ” , “ Maybe Tomorrow ”  “Carry On Till Tomorrow ” etc,  Joey was being paid as if he were me !!!

With huge thanks to Dan Matovina  who noticed the errors , Joey ‘s pay was deducted from his future earnings until I was caught up with and paid what was rightfully mine . By the way , Dan also oversees Pete Ham copyrights for Pete Ham’s daughter Petera.

The point I’m making is, these statements  clearly show each song of The Iveys and Badfinger and who is getting paid .  Joey received the same royalty statements that Dan would have viewed and he could have seen this and pointed it out that he was getting paid my money. 

I’m showing you a portion of one page from a Sound Exchange Statement 

Joey accepted my money without a word … 

In Joey’s 'excuse' e-mail to me of the February, 2011 commentary , ….. “I've never stolen anything from you Ron, they gave me got job after you were sacked, I make my own money Ron, I do my own work. I never registered for the magic christian royalties at sound exchange why would I? it's like saying I played nothing, grow Ron, your being conned again”  ( His words )

Here's my re-adjusted Sound Exchange statement with the  money directed back to me rather than  Joey :

Joey claimed in his email that I accused him  “never stolen anything ….”  No - I did not use those words. I asked  ‘ Why didn’t you tell Sound Exchange when you saw you were getting my money for the songs that I performed on? ’ !!

Stay tuned for my next blog on Joey . I’ve got a lot more to talk about …