Do we really need THIS tribute album?

[Basvarken]

Paul Rogers has been at it too long a time and sounds like it. Listen to the Free catalog and you might think better of him.

Yep, I like his Free stuff (very much). And I do like to think it's because Andy Fraser had a hand in the writing...

[uwe]

With Andy you never knew where his hands would be!

[dadagoboi]

Yep, I like his Free stuff (very much). And I do like to think it's because Andy Fraser had a hand in the writing...

...and Kossof and Kirke didn't hurt!  The recent live DVD compilation is amazing.

[PhilT]

Plant's led Zep lyrics always sounded to me like he was making them up as he went along.

[lowend1]

Yep, I like his Free stuff (very much). And I do like to think it's because Andy Fraser had a hand in the writing...

Free had the raw, visceral swagger of youth, while BadCo retained the soul but added the commercial success that comes with the natural "refinement" that most good bands go through. Much is made of Fraser's writing in Free (and deservedly so), but Mick Ralphs proved to be a similar catalyst in BadCo, albeit in a more commercial way. His presence was not felt so profoundly during his time With Mott Der Hoople, so it seems logical that it was Rodgers that gave his material its voice (no pun intended).

[dadagoboi]

Free had the raw, visceral swagger of youth, while BadCo retained the soul but added the commercial success that comes with the natural "refinement" that most good bands go through. Much is made of Fraser's writing in Free (and deservedly so), but Mick Ralphs proved to be a similar catalyst in BadCo, albeit in a more commercial way. His presence was not felt so profoundly during his time With Mott Der Hoople, so it seems logical that it was Rodgers that gave his material its voice (no pun intended).

In an interview on the aforementioned every available snippet of Free live DVDs, Free is asked about commercial success and I'm expecting Rodger's to say "That would be the next band."

I love the first few Bad Co albums and indeed Ralphs' input was a great catalyst but to me the "soul" of Free was gone.  Kossoff was a singular talent as are Fraser, Rodgers and Kirke.  Before and after nobody has made quite the kind of noise they did together.

I have a buddy who's a member of the R'n'R hall of fame.  He fills in Free's name in every available space every year on his ballot.  He better or I'll kill him!

[lowend1]

In an interview on the aforementioned every available snippet of Free live DVDs, Free is asked about commercial success and I'm expecting Rodger's to say "That would be the next band."

I love the first few Bad Co albums and indeed Ralphs' input was a great catalyst but to me the "soul" of Free was gone.  Kossoff was a singular talent as are Fraser, Rodgers and Kirke.  Before and after nobody has made quite the kind of noise they did together.

I have a buddy who's a member of the R'n'R hall of fame.  He fills in Free's name in every available space every year on his ballot.  He better or I'll kill him!

BadCo never had the unbridled emotion that Free harnessed, but Free never had the "walking bounce" that made the "next band" so infectious. Anytime you hear Rodgers speak about Free, he does it with great reverence - probably because it represents (to him) promise that was never fully realized. OTOH, I feel that they did exactly what they were supposed to do. Kossoff, an undeniably brilliant player, never got close again - and neither has Andy Fraser - both were tormented souls, but in different ways. Fortunately, Fraser seems to have righted his ship for the most part.
With regard to the RRHOF - in the Behind the Music BadCo piece, John Mellencamp muses that Paul Rodgers was the greatest rock singer ever, in that he could sing with power, soul and passion - "and do it in a three-minute pop song. Why isn't he in the f'ing RRHOF?" But the less said about that "institution", the better. There are plenty of bands that deserve to be in - enough to fill another thread.

[dadagoboi]

BadCo never had the unbridled emotion that Free harnessed, but Free never had the "walking bounce" that made the "next band" so infectious. Anytime you hear Rodgers speak about Free, he does it with great reverence - probably because it represents (to him) promise that was never fully realized. OTOH, I feel that they did exactly what they were supposed to do. Kossoff, an undeniably brilliant player, never got close again - and neither has Andy Fraser - both were tormented souls, but in different ways. Fortunately, Fraser seems to have righted his ship for the most part.
With regard to the RRHOF - in the Behind the Music BadCo piece, John Mellencamp muses that Paul Rodgers was the greatest rock singer ever, in that he could sing with power, soul and passion - "and do it in a three-minute pop song. Why isn't he in the f'ing RRHOF?" But the less said about that "institution", the better. There are plenty of bands that deserve to be in - enough to fill another thread.

Rodgers was voted best British singer of the '70's by Melody Maker or something similar.  That's pretty high praise.  The US RRHOF is a joke.

[Hornisse]

  The US RRHOF is a joke.

+1.

[Highlander]

There is a bar I once carried out some service work in, somewhere way out in the English countryside, frequented by the aforementioned singer who also lives nearby... the landlord is a fan and has/had been given stacks of unreleased demos - heard a few - no chance of a copy, though...

[uwe]

A lot of Ralphs' work with Hoople was binned due to Hunter's limited range. He'd invite Ralphs to sing his own stuff, but he didn't have the necessary range either. Joining Bad Co was a revelation to him because Rodgers could sing his stuff with ease. He als recycled old Mott riffs for, eg, Can't get enough of your love and Ready for love.

That said, the Rodgers/Ralphs songwriting team dried out pretty quickly - Straight Shooter was the last brilliant Bad Co album and two albums further onwards there wasn't a single Ralphs (co-)composition featured. Though the album Burning Sky has its charma, it's essentially a Rodgers solo album.

[lowend1]

That said, the Rodgers/Ralphs songwriting team dried out pretty quickly - Straight Shooter was the last brilliant Bad Co album and two albums further onwards there wasn't a single Ralphs (co-)composition featured. Though the album Burning Sky has its charma, it's essentially a Rodgers solo album.

Looking back at the catalog, a good portion of the best stuff was written by either Ralphs or Rodgers, not so much as a songwriting team. Most bands don't have more than a couple of "brilliant" albums in them. Even Deep Purple, with its longer bloodline, really has only three - In Rock, Made In Japan and Burn. Live albums don't really count as they are usually comprised of previously released songs. Sure, there are exceptions, but consistent brilliance is pretty rare.
While Straight Shooter was undeniably a high water mark, I think you're selling the others short, Uwe - they really didn't have a true dud until "Rough Diamonds".

[Freuds_Cat]

I'm a fan of Mick Ralphs too but it seems to me that he needs that edge that collaboration gives. I have his 1998 solo album "Take this".  My answer to him would be... "er no, sorry". 

[lowend1]

I'm a fan of Mick Ralphs too but it seems to me that he needs that edge that collaboration gives. I have his 1998 solo album "Take this".  My answer to him would be... "er no, sorry". 

"Take This" came out in '85 - I have it on vinyl. Not a stellar effort. That was in the interim between two BadCo incarnations.

[lowend1]

And the album cover artwork...
Nice.
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