Bad Company- Straight Shooter 45th- Paul Rodgers, Mick Ralphs, Simon Kirke
Bad Company had elbowed their way to the forefront of the rock world by the April 1975 release of their second album, Straight Shooter , avoiding the sophomore jinx with timeless songs “Good Lovin’ Gone Bad”,”Feel Like Makin’ Love”, and “Shooting Star”. But as my guests Paul Rodgers, Mick Ralphs, and Simon Kirke share here, strange things can happen eventually when that much success is achieved that quickly in lives so young.
The previous year 1974 must have seemed quite a whirlwind for Brit blues-rockers Bad Company. As former members of Free, singer/ songwriter Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke, along with guitarist/ songwriter Mick Ralphs ex-Mott the Hoople, and bass player Boz Burrell who had a stint with King Crimson, had all tasted success in the UK early in their respective careers. But with their 1974 debut Bad Company the London-based quartet had been tagged with the blessing/ curse of “supergroup”. “And we delivered,” Simon Kirke points out emphatically in this classic rock interview, pointing out that after recording their first effort, Bad Company paid additional “rookie” dues by touring the world as a support act even while that eponymous debut rose to #1-seller in both the UK and America. Still, Paul, Mick, and Simon remember it nevertheless as good times for Bad Company. –Redbeard
