The New Beatles

I have recently been listening to some of the music made by the Welsh band Badfinger, whose story constitutes one of the more tragic tales of unfulfilled potential and thwarted hopes in music history.

When they first emerged, Badfinger were hailed in some quarters as the heirs apparent to the Beatles, who were nearing the end of their time. Badfinger were signed to the Apple label, had assistance and patronage from George Harrison and other members of the Beatles entourage, and also exhibited some Beatles characteristics, in their songwriting prowess and their facility for performing melodic pop/rock.

It is probably unfair to make definitive assertions about Badfinger's ultimate potential, because of the way in which their career was plagued and punctuated by false starts and assorted contractual hassles. It may be argued that these setbacks and difficulties hindered their artistic development, and inhibited experimentation and progression. Sadly we will never know whether they could have become as versatile as the Fab Four.

So what other bands could conceivably have inherited the mantle of Liverpool's finest? The auguries for the Electric Light Orchestra were propitious, but the early departure of Roy Wood meant that the enterprise became directed wholly by Jeff Lynne. If the Wood/Lynne duo could have been made to work, then who knows what might have transpired.  Such partnerships seemingly require an element of the "yin and yang" about them, complementary and contrasting talents and personalities which balance each other out to create magic. Examples which spring to mind are Lennon and McCartney and Jagger and Richards. Were Roy and Jeff just too similar, meaning that the tension was never dissipated?

Of all the bands around in the early 1970s which might have justified the tag "the new Beatles", 10cc appeared to have the requisite raw material at least.  Songwriting capability in abundance, a quirky sense of humour and lots of instrumental talent. However, whenever I listen to 10cc's music I feel a sense of frustration, rightly or wrongly, that they never quite stretched themselves. Their singles, whilst superbly produced and crafted, and highly entertaining, seemed to focus excessively on pastiche and satire.

Who knows, maybe there is a young band somewhere out there now which has that intangible magic and chemistry, and which will eventually find itself in the right place at the right time. I doubt it somehow, but I hope I'm proved wrong....