LISTEN: Molland, Solem & Miller — Johnny B. Goode
Molland, Solem & Miller brings together three rock and roll veterans: the late Joey Molland of Badfinger, Phil Solem of The Rembrandts and singer-songwriter and guitarist Jeff Miller. Molland and Solem first played together at a benefit show in Minneapolis, the chemistry carried over into a run of acoustic concerts with Miller joining them on the road, and out of that friendship grew a long project: a 12-song tribute to Chuck Berry that took about 15 years to finish. Molland completed it three months before his death in 2025, so these are some of the last recordings he made. "Johnny B. Goode," with Joey on lead vocals, is the first single from the album, out on October 16 through Hygh Tension Records and Virgin Music Group, two days before what would have been Chuck Berry's 100th birthday.
"Johnny B. Goode" is a song about a country boy who dreams that one day his name will be up in lights. Joey Molland got to live that dream. In 1969 he joined Badfinger, the band The Beatles signed to their Apple label, and played on hits like "No Matter What" and "Day After Day." Then the story turned tragic. Years of bad management took the band apart, and Joey lived to see two of his bandmates, Pete Ham and Tom Evans, take their own lives. Joey ended up the last man standing from the classic lineup.
And now we hear his voice on a classic song about the start of the road, sung by someone who walked it all the way to the end. The band doesn't play it as the fast, happy rock and roll number we all know. They slow it down and lean on the blues essence that was always in there, and for me that changed the song. I started hearing something sad in it, which I honestly never heard in the original. It's a song about a kid who wants to make it in show business, and show business is not a very honest or a very happy place. Joey knew it firsthand. And listen to his voice. He doesn't try to sound seventeen. It's a bit rough and a bit tired, and when you know what he went through, the line about his name in lights hits hard. But, despite the sad undercurrent, the three members of the band play the song loose and easy, like old friends who are simply having a good time together. So in the end it leaves you feeling good, not sad.
"Johnny B. Goode" is a song about a country boy who dreams that one day his name will be up in lights. Joey Molland got to live that dream. In 1969 he joined Badfinger, the band The Beatles signed to their Apple label, and played on hits like "No Matter What" and "Day After Day." Then the story turned tragic. Years of bad management took the band apart, and Joey lived to see two of his bandmates, Pete Ham and Tom Evans, take their own lives. Joey ended up the last man standing from the classic lineup.
And now we hear his voice on a classic song about the start of the road, sung by someone who walked it all the way to the end. The band doesn't play it as the fast, happy rock and roll number we all know. They slow it down and lean on the blues essence that was always in there, and for me that changed the song. I started hearing something sad in it, which I honestly never heard in the original. It's a song about a kid who wants to make it in show business, and show business is not a very honest or a very happy place. Joey knew it firsthand. And listen to his voice. He doesn't try to sound seventeen. It's a bit rough and a bit tired, and when you know what he went through, the line about his name in lights hits hard. But, despite the sad undercurrent, the three members of the band play the song loose and easy, like old friends who are simply having a good time together. So in the end it leaves you feeling good, not sad.