Bad Company - Bad Company
This week we dig into the 1973 self-titled debut by Bad Company.
Coming off of the success of Free, Paul Rodgers hooked up with Mott the Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs, and along with former Free drummer Simon Kirk, and King Crimson bassist Boz Burrell, formed what may be the most American-sounding British band ever: Bad Company.
Rodgers soulful and powerful voice and Ralphs crunchy guitars punctuate songs about the old west, ballads about sea birds, and tunes about physical love that don't take much work to interpret. Bad Company was a monster hit, topping the charts in US and reaching # 3 in the UK. It is not an album full deep thought and self reflection, but that doesn't matter because it is and album of catchy licks and high octane fun that helped define the radio-freindy heavy rock of the 1970's.
No Recommendation for this episode.
THINGS WE DISCUSSED ON THIS EPISODE
Bad Company circa 1973.
Pictured (L to R): Boz Burrell, Paul Rodgers, Mick Ralphs, and Simon Kirke.
Paul Rodgers first band the Road Runners circa 1964.
Pictured (L to R): Dave Usher, Collin Bradely, Paul Rodgers, and Mick Moody.
Free, pictured (L to R): Andy Fraser, Paul Rodgers, Paul Kossoff and Simon Kirke
Here’s Free performing “All Right Now” in front of an audience of 600,000 people at Isle of Wight Festival in 1970.
Mick Ralphs was the guitarist for Mott the Hoople. Here is a promotional video for their biggest hit, the David Bowie penned “All the Young Dudes.”
Mike Ralphs brough the song “Ready for Love” to Bad Company for inclusion on their debut LP. Mott the Hoople had already recorded it on their All the Young Dudes album.
You can listen to the Mott the Hoople version below.
Bad Compnay performed “Can’t Get Enough of your Love” on Top of the Pops in June of 1974.
