Bad Company Still Rock Steady

As any ‘70s rock fan can tell you, Bad Company was one of the loudest, tightest and toughest bands of the decade, chalking up best-selling albums like the group’s eponymous debut effort as well some of the era’s most notable works like Run With The Pack, Straight Shooter and Burnin’ Sky.

Considered to be one of the first “supergroups” of the ‘70s, Bad Company was formed by former Free members Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke with Mott The Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs. Rounding out the original lineup was former King Crimson bassist Boz Burell.

These days, Bad Company’s core is made up of three original members – Rodgers, Kirke and Ralphs. The band recently played the United Kingdom, bringing their tight, no-holds-barred signature rock sound to new fans as well as those who have loved the band for more than three decades. Fans like Sting, Robert Plant, Tony Iommi and Jimmy Page.

For Plant and Page there’s a somewhat deeper connection between the Led Zeppelin artists and Bad Company than their British heritage. Bad Company’s ‘70s releases appeared on Zeppelin’s Swan Song imprint, and both bands were handled by the same man – uber-manager Peter Grant. The Zep / Bad Co. relationship even endured into the mid ‘80s when Rodgers and Page joined forces for The Firm, which put out two albums – 1985’s self-titled effort and 1986’s Mean Business.

The upcoming North American tour begins in Indio, Calif., at Fantasy Springs Casino July 16, plays Costa Mesa at the Orange County Fair July 17 and hits Lakeland, Fla., for a show at the Jenkins Arena July 22. Other U.S. stops include Boston, Atlanta, Milwaukee and Catoosa (Tulsa) Okla., while Canada plans include Ontario towns Rama and Port Dover.

Bad Company has partnered with Abbey Road Live to record and sell live concert CDs onsite at each tour stop. For more information about the band, the tour and everything, click here for the Bad Company website.