Joe Meek had shot himself (and his unfortunate landlady) in 1967 but lived on through this badge as did the green Mekon...Gary Wright has a fan website and still tours Europe. Little is known of the SHF band and the 'Life is a Fight' badge probably refers to a political campaign of the time...
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ReplyDeleteThe SHF Band was the Souther-Hillman-Furay Band, a country-rock supergroup featuring J.D. Souther (Eagles songwriter), Chris Hillman (Byrds, Flying Burrito Brothers), and Richie Furay (Buffalo Springfield, Poco), that put out two albums in 1974 and 1975, the first of which was a success but the second, Trouble in Paradise, of which this badge carries the logo, was not (for good reason, it's awful).
A die-hard Byrds or Burritos fan might give you a buck for it.
This is an interesting mix of punk badges (those Stiff Records ones pretty much defined the genre of badge style) and corporate bandwagon-jumpers, like that hideous Doobies one.
The "Back To Mono" one is from Phil Spector's Christmas Album, as reissued in the 70s in a new cover featuring Phil in a Santa suit wearing the badge on his lapel. I remember for a while it was an essential accessory for even the normally-non-badge-wearing cognoscenti.
Thanks Fnarf - as a former admirer of the Burritos I should have known this about SHF. I have 3 'Back to Mono' badges and might wear one as the battle is not yet won...N
ReplyDeleteThe memory of Joe Meek is certainly strong in his home town of Newent, in south Gloucestershire daffodil country. The town has fixed a blue plaque on his father's shop in the market-place and if you peep over the wall you can see the shed where the young Meek experimented with electronics.
ReplyDeleteLife Is a Fight was a 1976 album by the J.A.L.N. Band from Birmingham. Included is their hit "Disco Music - I Like It" which reached No. 21 on the singles chart.
ReplyDeleteOn Discogs, the record collector's AbeBooks, you can get a copy for £2.99, but the Joe Meek double LP which his badge promoted is selling for £30 and upwards. Proving that he does indeed live.
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ReplyDeleteLapel Badges