The Iveys – Maybe Tomorrow (55th Anniversary Box Set)

The history of music is full of stories of musicians being badly treated by the industry, but arguably the most infamous case is that of Badfinger. Originally hailing from Swansea in South Wales, the band went by a few names before settling on The Iveys, named after Ivey Place, a street in their home town. In mid 1966, the band moved to London and started to make a name for themselves on the live circuit. They also converted a room in their shared house in Golders Green into a makeshift studio. This allowed the band to produce a number of demo recordings. Record labels started to show some interest and Ray Davies of The Kinks produced some demos. 

In early 1968, Mal Evans and Peter Asher from Apple Records saw the band at The Marquee Club and this would lead to the band not only securing a recording contract but a publishing deal. The band had a massive backlog of songs that they had demoed as all four members were writers. Over the next twelve months, the band would spend time in the recording studio preparing songs for a debut album. Before 1968 had finished, the band had released their first single. ‘Maybe Tomorrow’ was one of the first UK productions by Tony Visconti and even though Paul McCartney felt sure that the song would be a hit, it failed to make any impression on the UK charts and only managed to reach 67 in the USA. It was more successful in other countries, being number 1 in the Netherlands as well as being a major hit in a few countries in continental Europe and Japan. 

‘Dear Angie’ was selected as the second single and was scheduled to come out on the same day as the parent album, also called ‘Maybe Tomorrow’. Another song by the band was included on an EP from the Apple Records promoting Walls Ice Cream. Things were looking up, but then Allen Klein took over the running of Apple Corps. Apple Corps were haemorrhaging money and Klein was brought in to offer financial as well managerial stability. What this meant though was that the album The Iveys were working on was only released where ‘Maybe Tomorrow’ had been a hit. 

Bass player Ron Griffiths complained in an interview with a music magazine about the band feeling that they were being neglected by Apple. Paul McCartney saw this and offered the band the song ‘Come & Get It’. McCartney had been commissioned to write some songs for the soundtrack of a film called ‘The Magic Christian’. McCartney decided to fulfil this commission by producing two songs The Iveys had written. These songs were ‘Carry On To Tomorrow’ and ‘Rock Of Ages’. 

It was also at this point that the band decided that they needed a change of name. The Iveys sounded a little old fashioned for the time and was quite close to another band, The Ivy League. Numerous names were suggested but they decided to use Badfinger, based on ‘Badfinger Boogie’ which was the working title of The Beatles ‘With A Little Help From My Friends’. 

With a change in the name also came with a change in the lineup. Ron Griffiths was dismissed from the band. Being the only married member of the group and had also recently become a father created some friction with the other members. Guitar player Tom Evans convinced the rest of the group that Griffiths was not one of the boys anymore and a replacement was sought. Guitarist Joey Molland was hired and Evans moved to bass. ‘Come & Get It’ was a major in the US and UK and the band continued to produce quality power pop records for the next five years. This would include writing the song ‘Without You’ which was a massive hit for Harry Nilsson, as well as Mariah Carey. 

The tragic story of what happened to Badfinger is one for another day. This is a box set dedicated to their earlier incarnation as The Iveys. This includes the original album as well as numerous demos, alternative versions and even recording they made under other names. These are The Pleasure Garden and the song Permissive Paradise. This was released on the flip of an obscure flexi single where the A-Side looks a ‘Young London’ as seen though the eyes of DJ Emperor Rosko & Jonathan King. The other is where they were the backing band for the David Garrick LP, ‘Blow Up Live’. On that album, they are known as The Dandy. Well, the internet says they were The Dandy but there isn’t a lot of evidence for this but I included it here anyway. 

Disc 1 – Orignal Album & Mono Mixes

1. See-Saw, Granpa
2. Beautiful & Blue
3. Dear Angie
4. Think About The Good Times
5. Yesterday Ain’t Coming Back
6. Fisherman
7. Maybe Tomorrow
8. Sali Bloo
9. Angelique
10. I’m In Love
11. They’re Knocking Down Our Home
12. I’ve Been Waiting
13. Maybe Tomorrow (Mono)
14. And Her Daddy’s A Millionaire (Mono)
15. Dear Angie (Mono)
16. No Escaping Your Love (Mono)
17. Storm In A Teacup (Mono)
18. See-Saw, Grandpa (Mono)
19. Think About The Good Times (Mono)
20. Yesterday Ain’t Coming Back (Mono)
21. Sali Bloo (Mono Mix with Was Way Intro)
22. Maybe Tomorrow (US Mono Mix)

Disc 2 – Sessions & Alternative Versions

1. And Her Daddy’s A Millionaire (Drum Count In)
2. Storm In A Teacup (Stero)
3. Maybe Tomorrow*
4. Sali Bloo**
5. No Escaping Your Love (Drum Count In)
6. Arthur (Drum Count In)
7. Looking For My Baby
8. Fisherman (Intro Edited)
9. And Her Daddy’s A Millionaire (Stereo Remix)
10. No Escape (No Drum Intro)
11. Mrs Jones
12. I’ve Been Waiting (Unedited Stereo Remix)
13. Clown Of The Party
14. Carry On ‘Till Tomorrow***
15. Crimson Ship***
16. Give It A Try***
17. Midnight Sun***
18. And Her Daddy’s A Millionaire (Alternative Version)

**When the ‘Maybe Tomorrow’ album was re-released on CD, the stereo channels had been reversed on this song (for reasons unknown)

*** When the ‘Maybe Tomorrow’ album was re-released on CD, ‘Salt Bloo’ had the wah-wah into edited (for reasons unknown)

***All of these songs were included on the first Badfinger album ‘Magic Christian Music’. However, each of these songs were cut to acetate with The Iveys name on them. These are included here for completeness. 

Disc 3 – Demos

All are band demos unless noted

1. Take Good Care Of My Baby
2. And I Love Her
3. Walk Out In The Rain
4. Taxi
5. Black & White Rainbows
6. Tomorrow’s Today
7. Mr. Strangeways
8. Maybe Tomorrow
9. I’ve Been There Once Before
10. Man Without A Heart
11. I Believe In You Girl (Version 1)
12. She Came Out Of The Cold (Version 1)
13. The Girl Next Door In A Mini-Skirt (Faded Ending)
14. They’re Knocking Down Our Home (Pete Demo)
15. I’m In Love (Pete Demo)
16. Black & White Rainbows (Pete Demo)
17. Mrs. Jones (Pete Demo)
18. I’ve Been There Once Before (Pete Demo)
19. The Leaves (Version 1) 
20. The Leaves (Version 2)
21. The Leaves (Version 3)
22. The Leaves (Version 4)
23. The Leaves (Version 5)
24. The Leaves (Version 6)
25. Untitled Guitar Demo
26. Words Without You
27. Bingo Comment (Hidden track)

Disc 4 – Radio Sessions & Demos

1. Surrender (Radio Session)
2. Proud Mary (Radio Session)
3. Maybe Tomorrow (Radio Session)
4. Harmonising
5. Man Without A Heart
6. The Girl Next Door In A Mien-Skirt (Unfaded Ending)
7. Turn On Your Lovin’ Mood
8. It Takes So Long
9. Handsome Malcolm (Practise)
10. Handsome Malcolm
11. Hey Baby
12. Mr. Strangeways
13. I’ll Kiss You Goodnight
14. Sausage & Eggs
15. Another Day
16. I Believe in You Girl (Version 2)
17. Love Hurts
18. For My Sympathy
19. How Does It Feel
20. Bittersweet Adieu
21. I’m Too Shy
22. Tube Train
23. She Cam Out Of The Cold (Version 2)
24. Untitled Instrumental
25. Stay By Me
26. Christmas Flexi

Disc 5 – Pseudonyms 

1. See See Rider
2. Mr. Pleasant
3. Words
4. Simon Said
5. If I Were A Carpenter
6. Medley
   • Rainbow
   • Please Mr. Moving Man
   • Lady Jane
   • Dear Mr’s Applebee’s
7. River Deep Mountain High
8. Dandy
9. Gimme Little Sign
10. Dedicated Follower Of Fashion
11. World
12. Bend Me Shape Me
13. Permissive Paradise

Disc 6 – Live At The Empire, Neath (7th June 1966)

1. Keep On Running
2. My Babe
3. Youngblood
4. Love Hurts
5. Buzz With The Fuzz
6. Hey, Girl
7. Crocodile Walk
8. Crawling Up A Hill
9. Daddy Rolling Stone
10. The Fool
11. Tell Me What You’re Gonna Do
12. Stupidity
13. It’s All Right
14. I Go Crazy
15. Sitting On My Sofa
16. See Saw
17. I Just Don’t Know What to Do With Myself
18. Keep A Driving
19. Everything Is Gonna Be Alright
20. What Kind Of Boy
21. Keep On Running

Disc 7 – Live At The Thingamajig Club, Reading (6th September 1968)

1. Walk Away Renee
2. So You Want To Be A Rock ’N’ Roll Star
3. River Deep, Mountain High
4. Crawling Up A Hill
5. Respect
6. N.S.U.
7. Summertime Blues
8. 634-5789
9. Long Tall Sally
10. Purple Haze
11. Stone Free
12. Storm In A Teacup
13. Release Me
14. Hide Away
15. No Escaping Your Love
16. Lady Madonna
17. When Will I Be Loved
18. The Letter
19. And Her Daddy’s A Millionaire
20. It Ain’t Necessarily So/Summertime
21. Needle In A Haystack
22. I Thank You

The cover is the same as the 1968 album

Peter Ham recorded a lot of demos during his life time, and many have been released down the years. However, this might not be a complete collection of the ones recorded during the time when the band were called The Iveys as the collection of these demo recordings do not give dates of when they were recorded.