Free and Bad Company in the 1970s
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Free were formed in 1968 towards the end of the British blues boom. After two critically acclaimed albums, the release of ‘All Right Now’ and the album Fire and Water in 1970 brought them major success. Musical and personal differences took their toll and they split after the comparative failure of their next album and single. After starting new bands that never took off they reformed, but following further dissension and guitarist Paul Kossoff’s drug problems they disbanded for good in 1973.
Vocalist Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke then formed Bad Company, who became one of the hottest bands on both sides of the Atlantic, maintaining a stable line-up with ex-Mott The Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs and ex-King Crimson bassist Boz Burrell for the rest of the decade. Each member later pursued outside ventures, although they regrouped at intervals, recruiting new members after Ralphs’ retirement and Burrell’s death. This book examines both bands’ work and career from 1968 to 1980, plus the Kossoff, Kirke, Tetsu, Rabbit album, Kossoff’s solo work and Back Street Crawler, with a chapter on their later history, notably Rodgers’ three years with Queen.
John Van der Kiste has published over seventy books, mostly historical biography and music, including titles on The Beatles, Jeff Lynne/ELO, Led Zeppelin, Lindisfarne and Steve Winwood. He has also reviewed books and records for the local and national press and fanzines, and co-founded and edited the 70s fanzine Keep on Rockin’. He has performed with groups, run mobile discos, and written booklet notes for CD reissues from EMI and other labels. An occasional musician and songwriter, he also co-wrote one track on Riff Regan's Milestones (2015) and played harmonica on London's The Hell for Leather Mob (2020). He lives in Devon, UK