Featuring one of the best singers of all time (according to Rolling Stone), Bad Company is a rock supergroup featuring both Paul Rodgers and Simon Kirke of the band Free and Mick Ralphs of Mott the Hoople. In the past the band has also featured Boz Burrell of King Crimson and Robert Harte of Distance, with further touring and seasoned members joining at various points over the years. They enjoyed widespread success in the 1970s that has allowed them to be highly influential over the decades and retain thousands of fans to the modern day.
Bad Company is a group that is defined by the ages and when it formed in 1973 it spent its first decade in what is now known as the Paul Rodgers era until 1982. Rodgers had decided to form this new rock supergroup and name the band after the movie “Bad Company”. Together, under the watch of Led Zeppelin manager Peter Grant, they had huge success, with their debut release “Bad Company” going straight in at number 1 in the US back in 1974. It has since been certified 5x multi platinum and remains their biggest hit to date. During this time they also found success through singles like “Movin’ On” and “Can’t Get Enough”, which cemented them as a band to keep an eye on.
The 70s saw them release various other albums, including 1975’s “Straight Shooter”, which also enjoyed platinum success in America and Gold success in the UK, with 1976’s “Run with the Pack” repeating this trend. The decade was rounded out by “Burnin’ Sky” in 1977, “Desolution Angels” in 1979 and “Rough Diamonds” in 1982. The latter album was the final time that the original lineup of the group released new songs until a brief stint in the late 1990s. The group disbanded and through the next few decades members would come and go, from Brian Howe (vocals from 1986 to 1994) to Robert Hart (vocals from 1994 to 1997). Eventually, Paul Rodgers would return for a second era as singer in 1998.
From 1982 to 1996 the band released the likes of “Fame and Fortune” (1986), “Dangerous Age” (1988), “Holy Water” (1990), “Here Comes Trouble” (1992), “Company of Strangers” (1995) and “Stories Told & Untold” (1996). Through different line ups and incarnations they have managed to survive for many decades.
Paul Rodgers has remained in the limelight in recent years, with a stint with Queen in 2005 (in which they performed Bad Company songs amongst others) and a return to Bad Company in recent years. When the band take to the stage in 2010, expect a stage show like no other from a band that was playing enormous venues before many current groups were even born.