Bad Company | ||
| Allmusic Biography : Formed in 1973, the British hard rock outfit Bad Company was a supergroup comprising ex-King Crimson bassist Boz Burrell, former Mott the Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs, and singer Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke, both previous members of Free. Powered by Rodgers muscular vocals and Ralphs blues-based guitar work, Bad Company was the first group signed to Led Zeppelins Swan Song vanity label. Their eponymous 1974 debut was an international hit, topping the U.S. album charts and scoring with the number one single "Cant Get Enough of Your Love." Straight Shooter, issued the following year, was another major success, notching the hit "Feel Like Makin Love," while 1976s Run with the Pack was Bad Companys third consecutive million-selling record. After 1977s Burnin Sky, Bad Company recorded 1979s Desolation Angels, which embellished the groups sound with synthesizers and strings; a three-year hiatus followed before the release of Rough Diamonds, the groups final LP in its original incarnation. In 1986, Ralphs and Kirke resurrected the Bad Company name, enlisting former Ted Nugent vocalist Brian Howe to replace Rodgers. The reconfigured units debut, Fame & Fortune, was a commercial failure, but 1988s Dangerous Age became a minor hit. Released in 1990, Holy Water fared even better, as the power ballad "If You Needed Somebody" became a Top 20 success. Here Comes Trouble, issued in 1992, achieved platinum status, and earned another Top 40 hit with "How About That." On their 20th anniversary, Bad Company expanded into a quintet with the addition of bassist Rick Wills and rhythm guitarist Dave Colwell, and released the live retrospective The Best of Bad Company Live...What You Hear Is What You Get. Two more LPs -- 1995s The Company of Strangers and the next years Stories Told and Untold -- followed, and in 1998 the original lineup of Rodgers, Ralphs, Kirke, and Burrell reunited to record a handful of new tracks that surfaced alongside past material early the following year on The Original Bad Company Anthology. A lengthy reunion tour followed that spring, after which Bad Company disbanded again. Although various reunited lineups would appear over the next decade, the 1999 tour would be the last time the four original members performed together. Burrell suffered a heart attack in 2006 and died at his home in Spain. A pair of live releases in 2010 and 2011 were issued, culled from tours of the same era. In 2013, Bad Company joined Lynyrd Skynyrd on a joint headlining tour to celebrate the bands 40th anniversary. While no new material was released, the bands first two albums received deluxe reissues in 2015. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 25 Title: Extended Versions: Bad Company Released: Tracks: 10 Duration: 54:41 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Cant Get Enough [live] (04:33) 2 Rock Steady [live] (03:59) 3 Seagull [live] (04:37) 4 Rock n Roll Fantasy [live] (04:39) 5 Electric Land [live] (04:53) 6 Simple Man [live] (05:17) 7 Feel Like Makin Love [live] (05:25) 8 Shooting Star [live] (07:12) 9 Ready for Love [live] (08:33) 10 Bad Company [live] (05:28) |
 | Album: 2 of 25 Title: Bad Company Released: 1974-06-15 Tracks: 8 Duration: 34:49 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Can’t Get Enough (04:16) 2 Rock Steady (03:47) 3 Ready for Love (05:02) 4 Don’t Let Me Down (04:21) 5 Bad Company (04:50) 6 The Way I Choose (05:05) 7 Movin’ On (03:24) 8 Seagull (04:02) |
| Bad Company : Allmusic album Review : From the wreckage of Free came Bad Company, a group fronted by singer Paul Rodgers and featuring his drummer bandmate Simon Kirke, Mott the Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs, and King Crimson bassist Boz Burrell. The latter is something of a ringer, suggesting an undercurrent of adventure in the band, but as the groups eponymous 1974 debut decidedly proves, the band is proudly not progressive. If anything, Bad Company excise the excesses of Free -- there are no winding jams and very little added color by way of pianos or even air in the production; those two tricks are evident on their title track/rallying call "Bad Company," and the details make a difference, as do the pastoral acoustics of the closing "Seagull" -- reducing their rock & roll to a strong, heavy crunch; compare "Ready for Love," a tune Ralphs brought over from Mott the Hoople, to the original to see how these quartet members keep their heads down as they do their business. Appropriately enough given their name, theres a sense of slow, churning menace to Bad Company. Even the quickest songs -- the blues boogies of "Cant Get Enough" and "Movin On" -- dont exactly proceed at a rapid clip, a steadiness that makes the quartet seem heavier. Its hard rock painted in stark black & white: cranked guitars mirrored by a deliberate wallop from the rhythm section, a rock & roll so loud and basic it wound up not aging much at all even though it pretty much defined mid-70s album rock. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 25 Title: Straight Shooter Released: 1975-04-12 Tracks: 8 Duration: 38:37 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Good Lovin’ Gone Bad (03:37) 2 Feel Like Makin’ Love (05:13) 3 Weep No More (04:02) 4 Shooting Star (06:18) 5 Deal With the Preacher (05:03) 6 Wild Fire Woman (04:35) 7 Anna (03:44) 8 Call on Me (06:03) |
| Straight Shooter : Allmusic album Review : Cut straight on the heels of Bad Companys 1974 debut -- just a matter of three months later; not quite long enough to know how big a success the first LP would be -- Straight Shooter is seemingly cut from the same cloth as its predecessor. It is, after all, a tight collection of eight strong, steady, heavy rockers that never, ever proceed in a hurry, but from the moment "Good Lovin Gone Bad" kicks off the proceedings, its clear that Bad Company have decided to expand their palette this second time around. Where Bad Company was stark, minimalist hard rock, Straight Shooter bears lots of different, vibrant colors: acoustic guitars are used for light and shade, guitars are channeled through chorus pedals, pianos and organs alternate with the occasional wash of strings, and the entire thing feels bigger and bolder than before. Sometimes, it is also better: the two big hits, "Feel Like Makin Love" and "Shooting Star," became classic rock staples due to this expanded aural vocabulary, and even straight-ahead rockers like "Good Lovin Gone Bad" and "Deal with the Preacher" benefit from this additional muscle, while they feel comfortable enough to settle into a soulful groove on "Anna" and "Call on Me." This dexterity compensates for the occasional stumble -- aka, the hamfisted funk-rock of "Wild Fire Woman" -- and shows that Bad Company can sound just as powerful and threatening when theyre not concentrating on a heavy guitar crunch. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 25 Title: Run With the Pack Released: 1976-02-21 Tracks: 10 Duration: 36:30 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Live for the Music (03:59) 2 Simple Man (03:38) 3 Honey Child (03:17) 4 Love Me Somebody (03:08) 5 Run With the Pack (05:23) 6 Silver, Blue and Gold (05:04) 7 Young Blood (02:41) 8 Do Right by Your Woman (02:53) 9 Sweet Lil’ Sister (03:31) 10 Fade Away (02:52) |
| Run With the Pack : Allmusic album Review : It was no surprise when Straight Shooter, Bad Companys second album, came out sounding like a carbon copy of their first, Bad Company. After all, the first one had topped the charts. And with Straight Shooter also selling well, it was no surprise they wouldnt mess with the formula on this, their third album. But it was becoming increasingly clear that it was a formula, and an unusually restrictive one. (They tried adding strings on the title track, which is one of the rewrites of the song "Bad Company," but that was just a pretension, not a new direction.) With Bad Company slogging through the stadiums of the world and momentum on their side, Run with the Pack shot up the charts, too, but it didnt get quite as high or stay quite as long as its predecessors, mostly because of the lack of really memorable material -- the biggest single was a cover of the Coasters hit "Young Blood," a tired warhorse. "Honey Child," one of the "Cant Get Enough" rewrites that was released as a single, didnt make the Top 40, an ominous sign the band did not heed. For todays listeners, well, you only really need one Bad Company album to get the idea, and why not just get the first one? (Or, for a more complete view, the greatest-hits LP 10 from 6.) Then, if you really love what you hear, this record is more of the same. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 25 Title: Burnin’ Sky Released: 1977-03-03 Tracks: 12 Duration: 45:07 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Burnin Sky (05:19) 2 Morning Sun (03:56) 3 Leaving You (03:24) 4 Like Water (04:19) 5 Knapsack (The Happy Wanderer) (01:20) 6 Everything I Need (03:23) 7 Heartbeat (02:37) 8 Peace of Mind (03:25) 9 Passing Time (02:31) 10 Too Bad (03:53) 11 Man Needs Woman (03:45) 12 Master of Ceremony (07:10) |
| Burnin’ Sky : Allmusic album Review : The string finally ran out for Bad Company with their fourth album, Burnin Sky. Their approach was so simple that it almost inevitably became formulaic, and although Mick Ralphs continued to screech with his sparse guitar leads and Paul Rodgers continued to present his lust in a soulful voice -- well, one had heard it all before several times by now. A band that begins life declaring "I cant get enough of your love" doesnt really have anywhere to go, and by this, their fourth album, Bad Company were getting sloppy around the edges, tossing in a 50s pastiche in "Everything I Need," crooning "The Happy Wanderer" as if they were on a drunken pub crawl. There were plenty of those patented ominous midtempo rockers, too, of course, but nothing youd want to add to the set list. Of course, the real reason this was the first of the bands LPs to miss the Top Ten in the U.S. and the U.K. is that last point: only one hit single in the title track. Clearly, it was time to try something new, but after three years of stadium rocking, what Bad Company wanted to try instead was a vacation; they werent heard from again for two years. | ||
 | Album: 6 of 25 Title: Desolation Angels Released: 1979 Tracks: 10 Duration: 41:01 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Rock ’n’ Roll Fantasy (03:19) 2 Crazy Circles (03:32) 3 Gone, Gone, Gone (03:50) 4 Evil Wind (04:21) 5 Early in the Morning (05:45) 6 Lonely for Your Love (03:25) 7 Oh, Atlanta (04:08) 8 Take the Time (04:14) 9 Rhythm Machine (03:44) 10 She Brings Me Love (04:39) |
| Desolation Angels : Allmusic album Review : By the time Bad Company released Desolation Angels, it was evident that even Rodgers and Ralphs were getting tired of their 70s-styled, conveyor-belt brand of rock & roll, so they decided to add keyboards and some minor string work to the bulk of the tracks. Although this change of musical scenery was a slight breath of fresh air, it wasnt enough to give Desolation Angels the much added depth or distinction that was intended, and only the vocal passion of "Rock n Roll Fantasy" really comes out on top, eventually becoming a gold single. The good news is that Desolation Angels is a noticeable improvement from 1977s Burnin Sky, with Bad Companys sound taking on a smoother, more polished feel than its predecessor. "Gone, Gone, Gone," "Lonely for Your Love," and "She Brings Me Love" work best in Rodgers favor, and fans did prove their loyalty, pushing the album to the number ten mark in the U.K. and to number three in the U.S. The campaign toward a new sound does cause a few of the cuts ("Crazy Circles," "Evil Wind") to appear a bit forced and overly glitzy (especially the use of electronic drums), and the album spawns a smattering of a few attractive moments rather than evolving as a complete, constructive listen. Things didnt get much better for Bad Company, and it was after the release of 1982s Rough Diamonds, a much weaker and unattached effort, that Rodgers decided to call it quits. | ||
 | Album: 7 of 25 Title: Rough Diamonds Released: 1982-08 Tracks: 10 Duration: 38:43 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Electricland (05:29) 2 Untie the Knot (04:08) 3 Nuthin on the TV (03:48) 4 Painted Face (03:28) 5 Kickdown (03:37) 6 Ballad of the Band (02:14) 7 Cross Country Boy (03:02) 8 Old Mexico (03:51) 9 Downhill Ryder (04:14) 10 Racetrack (04:47) |
| Rough Diamonds : Allmusic album Review : The swan song on Swan Song. Bad Company had done well for themselves by laying off for two years after the disappointing Burnin Sky (1977), then coming back with Desolation Angels (1979) and its hit single, "Rock N Roll Fantasy." Instead of capitalizing on this resurgence, they disappeared for another three years before trying it again with Rough Diamonds. Remember, it was not yet common in the music business for major groups to stay away from the marketplace that long. In Bad Companys case, the results were disastrous: the album didnt even make the Top 25 in the U.S. or go gold, much less platinum. And those, of course, were the stakes; if a band like this cant fill stadiums, they might as well stay home on their estates. The real problem was that the band had nothing to say. The music was softer and less distinctive than on their earlier records, and it seemed that the team was not getting along. Why else would the bass player, not previously known as a songwriter, get two sole songwriting credits (both wretched songs -- one about watching TV, the other about being in a rock n roll band, naturally), and why else would the singer be allotted three carefully credited lead guitar spots (except that he wanted them and that the real lead guitarist didnt want anyone to think they were his work)? In any case, Bad Company broke up after this album, with Paul Rodgers going solo and then hooking up with Jimmy Page in The Firm, and Ralphs and drummer Simon Kirke waiting four years and then disingenuously launching a new band under The Bad Company name. Dont be fooled. This is the end, right here. | ||
 | Album: 8 of 25 Title: 10 from 6 Released: 1985 Tracks: 10 Duration: 47:16 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Can’t Get Enough (04:16) 2 Feel Like Makin’ Love (05:13) 3 Run With the Pack (05:23) 4 Shooting Star (06:18) 5 Movin’ On (03:24) 6 Bad Company (04:50) 7 Rock ’n’ Roll Fantasy (03:19) 8 Electricland (05:29) 9 Ready for Love (05:02) 10 Live for the Music (03:59) |
| 10 from 6 : Allmusic album Review : 10 From 6 means ten songs from six albums -- namely, Bad Companys first six records, all of which were big hits on album-oriented rock radio. This brief yet very effective collection gathers all of the groups best-known songs ("Cant Get Enough," "Feel Like Makin Love," "Shooting Star," "Bad Company," "Rock n Roll Fantasy," "Ready for Love") in one place. Although most album-oriented hard rock acts are better heard on the original albums, Bad Companys records tended to be more uneven than those of their peers, making 10 From 6 a valuable collection for the groups casual fans, who will want to bypass the cluttered studio albums and just get the cream of the crop. | ||
 | Album: 9 of 25 Title: Fame and Fortune Released: 1986-10 Tracks: 10 Duration: 38:50 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Burning Up (04:04) 2 This Love (04:06) 3 Fame and Fortune (03:34) 4 That Girl (04:02) 5 Tell It Like It Is (03:45) 6 Long Walk (03:39) 7 Hold on My Heart (04:19) 8 Valerie (03:28) 9 When We Made Love (04:22) 10 If Im Sleeping (03:27) |
| Fame and Fortune : Allmusic album Review : After an extended break from the rock world, Bad Company reconvened in 1985 with FAME AND FORTUNE, but original singer Paul Rodgers failed to make the trip. His replacement, Brian Howe, was briefly the vocalist for Ted Nugents band, and proved to have a flair for melodicism on Bad Co.s seventh release overall. The veteran band couldnt resist sprinkling some then-current rock sounds throughout the album (namely keyboards), but songs such as "This Love," "If Im Sleeping," and "Long Walk" prove to be just as enjoyable as anything else on rock radio circa the mid-1980s. | ||
 | Album: 10 of 25 Title: Dangerous Age Released: 1988-08-23 Tracks: 11 Duration: 45:01 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 One Night (04:41) 2 Shake It Up (03:58) 3 No Smoke Without a Fire (04:39) 4 Bad Man (03:49) 5 Dangerous Age (03:50) 6 Dirty Boy (03:52) 7 Rock of America (03:56) 8 Something About You (04:19) 9 The Way That It Goes (03:27) 10 Love Attack (03:55) 11 Excited (04:33) |
| Dangerous Age : Allmusic album Review : Bad Company launched a major comeback in 1988 with Dangerous Age. It wasnt the original lineup, lacking Paul Rodgers, but Mick Ralphs was still on board, and he could still turn out some pretty solid numbers, like the title track and "One Night." The album also suffers from a slick, late-80s AOR production, but compared to some of the albums that came later, Dangerous Age was satisfying. | ||
 | Album: 11 of 25 Title: Holy Water Released: 1990-06 Tracks: 13 Duration: 53:43 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Holy Water (04:07) 2 Walk Through Fire (04:48) 3 Stranger Stranger (04:52) 4 If You Needed Somebody (04:21) 5 Fearless (03:33) 6 Lay Your Love on Me (04:05) 7 Boys Cry Tough (05:35) 8 With You in a Heartbeat (04:34) 9 I Dont Care (04:33) 10 Never Too Late (03:41) 11 Dead of the Night (03:41) 12 I Cant Live Without You (03:51) 13 100 Miles (01:57) |
| Holy Water : Allmusic album Review : Bad Companys last platinum album, Holy Water is a formulaic yet reasonably engaging collection of AOR hard rock. Although the only original members on Holy Water are guitarist Mick Ralphs and drummer Simon Kirke, the band does a fair job of approximating the sound of classic Bad Company while adding enough elements of 80s pop-metal to make the record appealing to teenagers who grew up on power ballads. And the band does turn in a first-rate power ballad with "If You Needed Somebody," which rose all the way to number 16 on the singles chart. Surprisingly, that was one of three hits from the album -- "Holy Water" and "Walk Through Fire" also received a fair amount of airplay. What that success signals is not a creative rebirth for Bad Company, but that the group knew how to follow a formula very well. Holy Water hasnt aged as well as their original hit albums -- instead of the clean, ballsy attack of Bad Company and Straight Shooter, its awash in echo and synths -- but it is a finely crafted, big-budget record of the late 80s and early 90s. Its just as indicative of its era as Bad Company is. | ||
 | Album: 12 of 25 Title: Here Comes Trouble Released: 1992-09-22 Tracks: 11 Duration: 52:40 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 How About That (05:27) 2 Stranger Than Fiction (05:14) 3 Here Comes Trouble (04:10) 4 This Could Be the One (05:17) 5 Both Feet in the Water (04:44) 6 Take This Town (04:17) 7 What About You (03:55) 8 Little Angel (05:03) 9 Hold on to My Heart (04:40) 10 Brokenhearted (04:48) 11 My Only One (05:01) |
| Here Comes Trouble : Allmusic album Review : Down to a trio of Mick Ralphs, Simon Kirke, and Brian Howe, the band that called itself Bad Company relies on studio musicians to fill out the sound and Howe and producer Terry Thomas to write most of the material on this anonymous-sounding fourth album by the second edition of the group. Even those willing to tolerate Ralphs/Kirke/Howe calling themselves "Bad Company" didnt show much interest, so the band fell off from the platinum showing of 1990s Holy Water to much more modest sales this time around, despite the chart singles "How About That" (number 38) and "This Could Be the One" (number 87). | ||
 | Album: 13 of 25 Title: The Best Of Bad Company Live... What You Hear Is What You Get Released: 1993-11-16 Tracks: 15 Duration: 1:11:22 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 How About That (05:30) 2 Holy Water (04:27) 3 Rock n Roll Fantasy (03:11) 4 If You Needed Somebody (05:12) 5 Here Comes Trouble (04:00) 6 Ready for Love (05:25) 7 Shooting Star (06:28) 8 No Smoke Without a Fire (05:03) 9 Feel Like Makin Love (05:45) 10 Take This Town (05:15) 11 Movin On (03:20) 12 Good Lovin Gone Bad (03:49) 13 Fist Full of Blisters (01:00) 14 Cant Get Enough (04:36) 15 Bad Company (08:13) |
 | Album: 14 of 25 Title: Company of Strangers Released: 1995-07-17 Tracks: 13 Duration: 51:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Company of Strangers (05:14) 2 Clearwater Highway (03:25) 3 Judas My Brother (04:44) 4 Little Martha (02:57) 5 Gimme Gimme (03:33) 6 Where I Belong (04:01) 7 Down Down Down (03:19) 8 Abandoned and Alone (05:39) 9 Down and Dirty (04:50) 10 Pretty Woman (03:32) 11 Youre the Only Reason (03:46) 12 Dance With the Devil (03:06) 13 Loving You Out Loud (02:49) |
| Company of Strangers : Allmusic album Review : Company of Strangers was another generic installment from the reunited Bad Company. While the music is certainly accomplished, and the musicians are all tasteful professionals, very little on the album is noteworthy. None of the songs offer anything distinctive -- there are no memorable melodies and hooks, no impressive guitar solos. Bad Company dont embarrass themselves on Company of Strangers, but they dont offer old fans any reason to get reacquainted with the band. | ||
 | Album: 15 of 25 Title: Stories Told & Untold Released: 1996-10-15 Tracks: 14 Duration: 1:03:27 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 One on One (04:01) 2 Oh, Atlanta (03:41) 3 You’re Never Alone (04:37) 4 I Still Believe in You (04:37) 5 Ready for Love (04:36) 6 Waiting On Love (04:32) 7 Can’t Get Enough (03:41) 8 Is That All There Is to Love (03:33) 9 Love So Strong (03:49) 10 Silver, Blue and Gold (03:38) 11 Downpour in Cairo (03:47) 12 Shooting Star (05:17) 13 Simple Man (04:37) 14 Weep No More (08:57) |
| Stories Told & Untold : Allmusic album Review : The title of Stories Told & Untold refers to the fact that this contains some old songs, and some new -- but these arent old recordings, mind you. Instead, its the 1996 lineup of Bad Company, featuring Robert Hart on vocals, who also contributes several originals to the lineup as well. Those originals naturally arent as good as the hits, but theyre reliable enough, and the band sounds pretty good, even if the production winds up being a bit too slick. Certainly this is one for the diehards, the ones that do want to hear the new band playing the old songs (not the ones that would get angry about that very thing); and while its not one theyll put on a lot, its not bad as far as latter-day platters from arena rock veterans go. | ||
 | Album: 16 of 25 Title: The ‘Original’ Bad Co. Anthology Released: 1999-03-23 Tracks: 33 Duration: 2:17:46 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Can’t Get Enough (04:16) 2 Rock Steady (03:47) 3 Ready for Love (05:02) 4 Bad Company (04:50) 5 Movin’ On (03:24) 6 Seagull (04:02) 7 Superstar Woman (05:05) 8 Little Miss Fortune (03:53) 9 Good Lovin’ Gone Bad (03:37) 10 Feel Like Makin’ Love (05:13) 11 Shooting Star (06:18) 12 Deal With the Preacher (05:03) 13 Wild Fire Woman (04:35) 14 Easy on My Soul (04:11) 15 Whiskey Bottle (03:46) 1 Honey Child (03:17) 2 Run With the Pack (05:23) 3 Silver, Blue and Gold (05:04) 4 Do Right by Your Woman (02:53) 5 Burnin’ Sky (05:03) 6 Heartbeat (02:37) 7 Too Bad (03:53) 8 Smokin’ 45 (03:32) 9 Rock ’n’ Roll Fantasy (03:19) 10 Evil Wind (04:21) 11 Oh, Atlanta (04:08) 12 Rhythm Machine (03:44) 13 Untie the Knot (04:08) 14 Downhill Ryder (04:14) 15 Tracking Down a Runaway (03:40) 16 Ain’t it Good (03:07) 17 Hammer of Love (05:22) 18 Hey, Hey (02:48) |
| The ‘Original’ Bad Co. Anthology : Allmusic album Review : Somehow or other, Bad Company got lumped in with other 70s rock dinosaurs. In a way they were -- not because their music was excessive or dated, but because when Bad Company walked the earth, the ground shook. Featuring the voice of Paul Rodgers, one of rocks greatest singers, the thoroughly excellent Original Bad Company Anthology re-establishes Bad Company as a force in the music world. The 33-song, two-CD set contains all the classic songs that made the band a top-selling recording and concert attraction, as well as four brand new songs and six B-sides and outtakes. The new songs are (surprise!) awesome. All four tracks (two by Mick Ralphs, two by Paul Rodgers) sound like they could be on the bands classic early albums. The first single, "Hey Hey," is a blustery rocker; "Tracking Down a Runaway," a totally exhilarating number, sounds like a future hit. The rarities include "Easy on My Soul," a remade Free song from the Straight Shooter sessions -- complete with Paul Rodgers signature piano -- that blows the Free version out of the water, and might just be the best track Bad Company has ever done. Other highlights include "Superstar Woman," a soulful outtake from the first LP sessions, and "Smokin 45" from the Burnin Sky sessions. "Little Miss Fortune," with its cool lyrics and groove, is a former B-side finally seeing the light of day in the CD age. The set draws from all of their albums, emphasizing the first two, but the band even found two good tracks from the utterly pathetic Rough Diamonds; if those songs are good you can be sure the rest kick some serious butt as well. | ||
 | Album: 17 of 25 Title: In Concert: Merchants of Cool Released: 2002-05-21 Tracks: 14 Duration: 1:11:12 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Burnin Sky (05:35) 2 Cant Get Enough (03:47) 3 Feel Like Makin Love (05:26) 4 Rock Steady (03:49) 5 Movin On (03:10) 6 Deal With the Preacher (04:34) 7 Ready for Love (06:33) 8 Rock and Roll Fantasy (06:29) 9 All Right Now (06:28) 10 Bad Company (05:42) 11 Silver, Blue and Gold (05:02) 12 Shooting Star (06:43) 13 Joe Fabulous (03:39) 14 Saving Grace (04:07) |
| In Concert: Merchants of Cool : Allmusic album Review : Oddly enough, on this 2002 live recording by Bad Company, vocalist Paul Rodgers sounds younger than he ever has on record. And no, thats not necessarily a good thing. Bad Companys original members number two: Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke; bassist Jaz Lochrie and guitarist Dave Colwell have replaced Boz Burrell and Mick Ralphs, who were smart enough to bail after the obligatory reunion tour that resulted in a previous live album. True enough, Bad Company was once able to inspire legions of rock fans with their melodic, memorable, tough, and lean bluesy paeans to lovers, losers, gamblers, and ramblers, and one would hope that even with a new lineup some of that inspiration and fire remained. But those days are long, long gone. One wonders why anyone, even a die-hard fan, would appreciate this tired, plodding, going-through-the-motions set of hits. The singalong on "Cant Get Enough" is nauseating, and the redone "Feel Like Makin Love" sounds like a cover band in a bar doing Bad Company songs. This should have been called Former Merchants of Cool Ready for the Old Rock Stars Home. | ||
 | Album: 18 of 25 Title: Live in Albuquerque 1976 Released: 2006-08-08 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:26:59 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Live for the Music (04:47) 2 Good Lovin Gone Bad (04:04) 3 Deal With the Preacher (04:59) 4 Ready for Love (06:55) 5 Wild Fire Woman (06:15) 6 Young Blood (02:47) 7 Sweet Little Sister (04:11) 8 Simple Man (04:37) 9 Shooting Star (06:22) 10 Seagull (04:07) 1 Run With the Pack (06:22) 2 Feel Like Making Love (05:46) 3 Rock Steady (04:43) 4 Honey Child (04:44) 5 Cant Get Enough (07:47) 6 Bad Company (08:33) |
| Live in Albuquerque 1976 : Allmusic album Review : How is it possible that an arena rock band like Bad Company never left a legit live album in their wake? It certainly wasnt due to lack of touring; beginning with their live debut in Frankfurt, Germany, the group regularly played across Europe, their native U.K., and the States, graduating swiftly from support act to headliner. In 1976, riding high on the success of their Run with the Pack album, Bad Company embarked on their third U.S. tour, a 52-date trawl through the nations stadiums that spring. The Albuquerque gig fell early in their itinerary, so the band was still fresh and raring to go. The recording itself was made by Mick Ralphs, who regularly taped the groups shows, utilizing them as a tool to more finely tune their set and performances. Which means, of course, that not only is the sound quality excellent, but you get Live in Albuquerque 1976 in its entirety spread over two CDs. Bad Company power through 16 songs, drawn from all three of their albums, although not all their hits, "Movin On" being a notable omission. But fans were treated to fabulous versions of "Cant Get Enough," "Good Lovin Gone Bad," "Feel Like Makin Love," "Young Blood," and, of course, the groups eponymous theme song. On record, Bad Company were an unadulterated, hard stompin band, whose sound was built on unquenchable beats, thick bass, hefty rhythm guitar, and Ralphs mortar fire leads. On-stage, the band added another level of excitement, which fed to and from the crowd. Two decades after the fact, the Bad boys of rock finally add a live album to their canon, a potent reminder of classic rocks enduring legacy and the Companys own. | ||
 | Album: 19 of 25 Title: The Hits Released: 2008-11-28 Tracks: 8 Duration: 35:37 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Can’t Get Enough (04:16) 2 Movin’ On (03:22) 3 Feel Like Makin’ Love (05:13) 4 Good Lovin’ Gone Bad (03:37) 5 Run With the Pack (05:21) 6 Burnin’ Sky (05:03) 7 Rock ’n’ Roll Fantasy (03:19) 8 Electricland (05:26) |
 | Album: 20 of 25 Title: Hard Rock Live Released: 2009 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:19:24 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Bad Company (05:48) 2 Honey Child (03:53) 3 Burnin’ Sky (06:07) 4 Gone, Gone, Gone (04:41) 5 Run With the Pack (04:33) 6 Live for the Music (05:14) 7 Seagull (04:20) 8 Feel Like Makin’ Love (04:56) 9 Movin’ On (03:21) 10 Simple Man (04:56) 11 Rock Steady (04:10) 12 Shooting Star (05:47) 13 Can’t Get Enough (04:32) 14 Rock ’n’ Roll Fantasy (04:36) 15 Ready for Love (08:28) 16 Good Lovin’ Gone Bad (04:02) |
| Hard Rock Live : Allmusic album Review : Paul Rodgers made it no secret that Bad Company’s 2008 reunion gig at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino was to “protect the legacy they have built and cement the rights to the trademark Bad Company for touring,” a trademark they capitalized upon the following year with a brief American tour, but the comeback started with that 2008 gig. Florida is where it all started, and that return to glory is documented on the 2010 CD/DVD set Hard Rock Live. This clean, professional performance never strays from the expected, playing all the classics with efficiency instead of flair. It’s certainly not bad, and may even be quite entertaining for die-hard fans, but there’s no denying that it sounds like a band cementing their trademark for future use. | ||
 | Album: 21 of 25 Title: Live at Wembley Released: 2011-06-28 Tracks: 15 Duration: 1:17:06 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Cant Get Enough (04:17) 2 Honey Child (03:39) 3 Run With the Pack (04:20) 4 Young Blood (03:48) 5 Seagull (04:37) 6 Gone, Gone, Gone (04:32) 7 Electric Land (05:05) 8 Simple Man (05:29) 9 Feel Like Makin Love (06:36) 10 Shooting Star (07:24) 11 Rock & Roll Fantasy (04:36) 12 Movin On (04:04) 13 Ready for Love (07:59) 14 Bad Company (05:51) 15 Deal With the Preacher (04:49) |
| Live at Wembley : Allmusic album Review : The six albums released by the original Bad Company between 1974 and 1982 arguably defined arena rock and, by extension, classic rock. The hard-hitting, no-frills, soulful sound created by vocalist Paul Rodgers (who also contributed piano and guitar occasionally), lead guitarist Mick Ralphs, bass guitarist Boz Burrell, and drummer Simon Kirke lives on through eternal radio airplay. Rodgers, Ralphs, Burrell, and Kirke reunited in 1999 to remind the public about the original bands legacy and downplay (if not bury) the Rodgers-less Bad Company lineups that experienced various levels of success from the late 80s through much of the 1990s. Burrell died in 2006, but Rodgers, Ralphs, and Kirke joined forces for a few short tours since then to keep the original Bad Companys musical flag flying proudly. Released in 2011, Live at Wembley captures a concert at Londons Wembley Arena on April 11, 2010. (Since Burrells passing, two members of Rodgers solo band -- former Heart guitarist Howard Leese and bass guitarist Lynn Sorensen -- have supplemented the core surviving trio.) The band turns in a strong performance in its home country with all of the major pop and rock radio hits present and accounted for, often with extended intros and jams: "Cant Get Enough," "Run with the Pack," "Seagull," "Feel Like Makin Love," "Shooting Star," "Rock and Roll Fantasy," "Movin On," "Ready for Love," and "Bad Company." Classics are expected during a concert, of course, but any live performance by a band of Bad Companys stature is fleshed out with album cuts, minor hits, and overlooked gems revered by die-hard fans. Therefore, "Honey Child," the hit cover of the Coasters "Young Blood," "Gone, Gone, Gone," "Electric Land," "Simple Man," and "Deal with the Preacher" truly complete the package, while the underappreciated "Electric Land" from 1982s otherwise lackluster Rough Diamonds is a major treat. [Note: Due to CD playing time limitations, "Burnin Sky" is omitted, but it is included on the Live at Wembley Blu-ray and DVD.] | ||
 | Album: 22 of 25 Title: Original Album Series Released: 2014 Tracks: 48 Duration: 3:16:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Can’t Get Enough (04:16) 2 Rock Steady (03:47) 3 Ready for Love (05:02) 4 Don’t Let Me Down (04:21) 5 Bad Company (04:50) 6 The Way I Choose (05:05) 7 Movin’ On (03:24) 8 Seagull (04:02) 1 Good Lovin’ Gone Bad (03:37) 2 Feel Like Makin’ Love (05:13) 3 Weep No More (04:02) 4 Shooting Star (06:18) 5 Deal With the Preacher (05:03) 6 Wild Fire Woman (04:35) 7 Anna (03:44) 8 Call on Me (06:03) 1 Live for the Music (03:59) 2 Simple Man (03:38) 3 Honey Child (03:17) 4 Love Me Somebody (03:08) 5 Run With the Pack (05:23) 6 Silver, Blue and Gold (05:04) 7 Young Blood (02:41) 8 Do Right by Your Woman (02:53) 9 Sweet Lil’ Sister (03:31) 10 Fade Away (02:52) 1 Burnin’ Sky (05:03) 2 Morning Sun (04:07) 3 Leaving You (03:24) 4 Like Water (04:19) 5 Knapsack (The Happy Wanderer) (01:20) 6 Everything I Need (03:23) 7 Heartbeat (02:37) 8 Peace of Mind (03:25) 9 Passing Time (02:31) 10 Too Bad (03:53) 11 Man Needs Woman (03:45) 12 Master of Ceremony (07:10) 1 Rock ’n’ Roll Fantasy (03:19) 2 Crazy Circles (03:32) 3 Gone, Gone, Gone (03:50) 4 Evil Wind (04:21) 5 Early in the Morning (05:45) 6 Lonely for Your Love (03:25) 7 Oh, Atlanta (04:08) 8 Take the Time (04:14) 9 Rhythm Machine (03:44) 10 She Brings Me Love (04:39) |
 | Album: 23 of 25 Title: Rock ’n’ Roll Fantasy the Very Best of Bad Company Released: 2015-10-02 Tracks: 19 Duration: 1:19:17 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Can’t Get Enough (single edit) (03:30) 2 Bad Company (04:50) 3 Movin’ On (03:24) 4 Ready for Love (05:02) 5 Easy on My Soul (Previously Unreleased version) (04:16) 6 Good Lovin’ Gone Bad (03:37) 7 Feel Like Makin’ Love (05:13) 8 Shooting Star (06:19) 9 Weep No More (04:02) 10 See the Sunlight (Previously Unreleased version) (04:04) 11 Live for the Music (03:59) 12 Simple Man (03:38) 13 Honey Child (03:17) 14 Run With the Pack (single edit) (03:35) 15 Burnin’ Sky (05:10) 16 Rock ’n’ Roll Fantasy (03:18) 17 Rhythm Machine (03:44) 18 Gone, Gone, Gone (03:49) 19 Electricland (single edit) (04:24) |
| Rock ’n’ Roll Fantasy the Very Best of Bad Company : Allmusic album Review : Prior to the 2015 collection Rock n Roll Fantasy: The Very Best of Bad Company, there were only two Bad Company compilations in release: the lean 1985 set 10 from 6, arriving a full six years after their last hit album, and 1999s The Original Bad Company Anthology, a 33-track double-disc set that dug deep into the groups golden years of 1974-1982. Rock n Roll Fantasy occupies a much-needed middle ground, providing 19 songs on a generous single disc. This, like The Original Bad Company Anthology, focuses solely on the six albums Bad Company cut for Swan Song, which means theres nothing from their late-80s/early-90s run on Atco, even though "No Smoke Without a Fire," "Holy Water," "If You Needed Somebody," and "How About That" are also owned by WEA and could easily have been included. So, this is all a matter of aesthetics: a decision to highlight the bands big, brawny arena rockers, the best of which ("Cant Get Enough," "Bad Company," "Ready for Love," "Feel Like Makin Love," "Shooting Star," "Rock n Roll Fantasy") are quintessential classic rock staples. The remaining 13 songs here -- including lesser-known singles "Movin On," "Good Lovin Gone Bad," "Honey Child," and "Gone, Gone, Gone," along with a representative portion of album cuts -- show how Bad Company offered more than those well-known songs, how they moved with a steady macho assurance that stripped British blues-rock down to the loud, churning basics. | ||
 | Album: 24 of 25 Title: Live 1977 & 1979 Released: 2016-04-29 Tracks: 30 Duration: 2:34:55 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Burnin’ Sky (04:49) 2 Too Bad (05:17) 3 Ready for Love (08:03) 4 Heartbeat (04:39) 5 Morning Sun (04:24) 6 Man Needs Woman (04:16) 7 Leaving You (04:28) 8 Shooting Star (06:58) 9 Simple Man (06:09) 10 Movin’ On (03:27) 11 Like Water (05:34) 12 Drum Solo (01:33) 13 Live for the Music (06:31) 14 Good Lovin’ Gone Bad (05:28) 15 Feel Like Makin’ Love (06:40) 1 Bad Company (07:53) 2 Gone, Gone, Gone (04:57) 3 Shooting Star (06:38) 4 Rhythm Machine (05:01) 5 Oh, Atlanta (05:01) 6 She Brings Me Love (05:22) 7 Run With the Pack (05:55) 8 Evil Wind (04:35) 9 Drum Solo (02:36) 10 Honey Child (04:33) 11 Rock Steady (03:47) 12 Rock ’n’ Roll Fantasy (03:26) 13 Hey Joe (04:27) 14 Feel Like Makin’ Love (06:27) 15 Can’t Get Enough (06:01) |
| Live 1977 & 1979 : Allmusic album Review : From the release of their first album in 1974, Bad Company were one of the biggest hard rock bands of the 70s. Featuring former members of Free (vocalist Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke), Mott the Hoople (guitarist Mick Ralphs), and King Crimson (bassist Boz Burrell), Bad Companys straightforward but swaggering attack earned them a steady run of hits. While Bad Company never released a live album with their classic lineup, Atlantic/Rhino Records has delivered something special for the groups fans. Live: 1977 & 1979 features archival recordings of the Rodgers/Ralphs/Burrell/Kirke lineup, drawn from two different concerts, one in Houston, Texas in May 1977, and the other in London, England in March 1979. (The set also includes a bonus track recorded in Washington, D.C. in June 1979.) The set includes live performances of such favorites as "Feel Like Makin Love," "Rock n Roll Fantasy," "Shooting Star," "Movin On," "Run with the Pack," and many more. | ||
 | Album: 25 of 25 Title: An Introduction to Bad Co Released: 2018-03-01 Tracks: 14 Duration: 56:28 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Can’t Get Enough (single edit) (03:31) 2 Bad Company (04:50) 3 Movin On (03:23) 4 Feel Like Makin’ Love (05:13) 5 Wild Fire Woman (04:34) 6 Good Lovin’ Gone Bad (03:37) 7 Whisky Bottle (03:46) 8 Shooting Star (06:16) 9 Honey Child (03:17) 10 Fade Away (02:55) 11 Rock ’n’ Roll Fantasy (03:18) 12 Crazy Circles (03:33) 13 Gone, Gone, Gone (03:49) 14 Electricland (single edit) (04:24) |