Bad Company – Biography, Songs, Albums, Discography & Facts

Bad Company Biography

Bad Company was a British hard rock band formed in 1973 by ex-King Crimson bassist Boz Burrell, ex-Mott the Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs, singer Paul Rodgers, and drummer Simon Kirke, both former members of Free. Bad Company was the first band to be signed to Led Zeppelin‘s Swan Song vanity label, and they were led by Rodgers’ strong vocals and Ralphs’ blues-based guitar skills. Their self-titled first album from 1974 was a worldwide success, topping the US album charts and featuring the number one single “Can’t Get Enough of Your Love.”

Bad Company, the band’s debut album, was recorded in Ronnie Lane’s Mobile Studio at Headley Grange in Hampshire in 1974. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 in the United States and at number three on the UK Albums Chart, where it spent 25 weeks. In the United States, the album was certified five times platinum, making it the 46th best-selling album of the 1970s. The Billboard Hot 100 charted “Can’t Get Enough” at No. 5 and “Movin’ On” at No. 19.

Straight Shooter, their second album, reached No. 3 in the UK and the US in 1975, and was certified platinum in the US. The album also produced two successful singles, “Good Lovin’ Gone Bad” at No. 36 and “Feel Like Makin’ Love” at No. 10.

Straight Shooter, released the following year, was another massive smash, with the single “Feel Like Makin’ Love,” and Run with the Pack, released in 1976, was Bad Company’s third consecutive million-selling album. After 1977’s Burnin’ Sky, Bad Company recorded Desolation Angels in 1979, which added synths and strings to the group’s sound; a three-year gap followed before Rough Diamonds, the group’s final album in its original incarnation.

Ralphs and Kirke recreated the Bad Company identity in 1986, replacing Rodgers with Brian Howe, a former Ted Nugent vocalist. Fame & Fortune, the reconfigured unit’s debut, was a commercial flop, while Dangerous Age, released in 1988, was a small hit. Holy Water, which was released in 1990, did even better, with the power ballad “If You Needed Somebody” being a Top 20 hit.

Here Comes Trouble was released in 1992 and went platinum, with “How About That” becoming another Top 40 success. With the addition of bassist Rick Wills and rhythm guitarist Dave Colwell for their 20th anniversary, Bad Company became a quintet and produced the live retrospective The Best of Bad Company Live…What You Hear Is What You Get.

Two more albums followed, 1995’s The Company of Strangers and the following year’s Stories Told and Untold, and in 1998, the original lineup of Rodgers, Ralphs, Kirke, and Burrell reunited to record a handful of new songs, which were released alongside old material on The Original Bad Company Anthology the following year. That March, Bad Company reunited for a lengthy reunion tour before disbanding once more. Despite the fact that several reunited lineups would appear over the next decade, the 1999 tour would be the final appearance of the four founding members.

Burrell died in 2006 after suffering a heart attack at his residence in Spain. In 2010 and 2011, a set of live albums were released, selected from the same era’s tours. To commemorate Lynyrd Skynyrd‘s 40th anniversary, Bad Company and Lynyrd Skynyrd embarked on a joint headlining tour in 2013. While no new material was released in 2015, the band’s first two albums were reissued in deluxe editions. Brian Howe, a 66-year-old vocalist, died of heart arrest at his home in Florida on May 5, 2020.

Bad Company Discography

Here Comes TroubleSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Holy WaterSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Dangerous AgeSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Fame and FortuneSpotifyApple
Rough DiamondsSpotifyAppleYouTube
Desolation AngelsSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Burnin’ SkySpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Run with the PackSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Straight ShooterSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Bad CompanySpotifyAppleAmazon

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Frequently Asked Questions

How Many Original Members Are Still In Bad Company?

Bad Company currently has 3 original members. Paul Rodgers (lead vocals, keyboards), Simon Kirke (drums, percussion) and Mick Ralphs (guitar, backing vocals). The band has seen many lineup changes over the years, with the most recent being in 2018 when they added a new lead guitarist, Richie Sambora.

Who Is The Lead Singer Of Bad Company?

Paul Rodgers is the lead singer of Bad Company. He has been a part of the band since its inception in 1973. Bad Company is a British rock band that was formed in London. The band has had several hits over the years, including “Can’t Get Enough” and “Feel Like Makin’ Love”.

What Is Bad Company’s Most Famous Song?

Bad Company’s most famous song is “Feel Like Makin’ Love”. The song was released in 1975 and reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

What Is Bad Company’s Biggest Hit?

Bad Company’s biggest hit is “Feel Like Makin’ Love.” The song peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1975.

How Many Albums Did Bad Company Produce?

Bad Company released a total of 10 albums, including their 1974 self-titled debut, which went platinum. The band’s last studio album, “Dangerous Age,” was released in 1988. Bad Company’s final album, ” stories,” was released in 2010 and featured re-recorded versions of some of the band’s biggest hits.

Most Searched For Bad Company Songs

Feel like makin’ LoveSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
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Shooting StarSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Can’t Get EnoughSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Rock ‘n’ Roll FantasySpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
SeagullSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Good Lovin’ Gone BadSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
If You Needed SomebodySpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Ready for LoveSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Silver, Blue & GoldSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon