Pete Ham / Keyhole Street: Demos 1966-67 / 2CD archive release

Pete Ham, singer and composer in British rock band Badfinger, died too young in 1975, but his songwriting skills and early years are being remembered with a limited edition 50-track double CD set – Keyhole Street: Demos 1966-67.

Released by Pete Ham’s estate, and only available through direct-to-fan specialists PledgeMusic, this set contains songs recorded when Pete would have been aged 19 and 20. The demos were recorded on a two-track recorder with Ham layering performances via the ability to ‘bounce’ tracks. Listeners will enjoy classic balladry, Pink-Floydian psychedelia, rock’n’roll tributes, R&B, Beach Boys type harmonies, interesting instrumentals, music hall stereotypes, an Elvis tribute, blues, humorous lyrical content, Beatle-ish tracks, and a horror film soundtrack.

Various limited editions of this archival release are being made available, some with an exclusive seven-inch vinyl and others with posters or lithographs. All the details can be found here.

Ham is to be awarded a blue plaque at the railway station in his home town of Swansea on 27 April 2013 which will be followed by a concert in memory of Ham, featuring two original Iveys members (they changed their name to Badfinger at the suggestion of Paul McCartney).