Bad Company (album)
Encyclopedia
Bad Company is the eponymous debut studio album by hard rock
band Bad Company
.
The album was recorded at Headley Grange
with Ronnie Lane's Mobile Studio
in November 1973.
The album peaked at #1 on the Billboard 200
. Since then the album has sold in excess of five million copies and has become the 46th best selling album of the 70's. The album spent 25 weeks in the UK Albums Chart
, entering at #10 and reaching its highest position of #3 in the second week. Kerrang!
magazine listed the album at No. 40 among the "100 Greatest Heavy Metal Albums of All Time".
The singles "Can't Get Enough
" and "Movin' On" peaked at #5 and #19 on the Billboard Hot 100
, respectively. "Rock Steady", "Bad Company
" and "Ready for Love" (the latter originally recorded by guitarist Mick Ralphs
during his tenure with Mott the Hoople
on All the Young Dudes
) are also "classic rock" radio staples.
In 2006 a limited edition CD of 24K Gold was released. It had taken over a year to find the original master tapes, then the analog masters were put through proprietary A/D
converter
. Another remaster was previously released in 1994.
Singles
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
band Bad Company
Bad Company
Bad Company were an English rock supergroup founded in 1973, consisting of two former Free band members — singer Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke — as well as Mott the Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs and King Crimson bassist Boz Burrell. Peter Grant, who, in years prior, was a key component of...
.
The album was recorded at Headley Grange
Headley Grange
Headley Grange is a former poorhouse in Headley, East Hampshire, England, UK. It is best known as a recording and rehearsal venue in the 1960s and 1970s for bands such as Led Zeppelin, Bad Company, Fleetwood Mac, Genesis, Peter Frampton, the Pretty Things, Ian Dury and Clover.-Early history:Built...
with Ronnie Lane's Mobile Studio
Ronnie Lane's Mobile Studio
Ronnie Lane's Mobile Studio, also known as LMS, is a mobile recording studio originally owned by Ronnie Lane.Lane acquired the studio in 1972. It was one of the first ever mobile recording studios, and consisted of a 16 track studio housed in a 26' Airstream trailer, with a Helios mixing console,...
in November 1973.
The album peaked at #1 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
. Since then the album has sold in excess of five million copies and has become the 46th best selling album of the 70's. The album spent 25 weeks in the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
, entering at #10 and reaching its highest position of #3 in the second week. Kerrang!
Kerrang!
Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock music published by Bauer Media Group. It was first published on June 6, 1981 as a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper...
magazine listed the album at No. 40 among the "100 Greatest Heavy Metal Albums of All Time".
The singles "Can't Get Enough
Can't Get Enough (Bad Company song)
"Can't Get Enough" is a song by English supergroup Bad Company. It is their biggest-hit and is considered their most popular song which is from their 1974 self-titled debut album. As a single, this song reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and #1 on Cashbox magazine's Top 100 Singles...
" and "Movin' On" peaked at #5 and #19 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, respectively. "Rock Steady", "Bad Company
Bad Company (song)
"Bad Company" is a song from the hard rock band Bad Company. It was released as the third single from their debut album Bad Company in 1974. Co-written by the group's lead singer Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke, the song's meaning comes from the movie of the same name featuring Jeff Bridges...
" and "Ready for Love" (the latter originally recorded by guitarist Mick Ralphs
Mick Ralphs
Michael Geoffrey "Mick" Ralphs is an English guitarist and songwriter, who was a founding member of rock bands Mott the Hoople and Bad Company.-Career:...
during his tenure with Mott the Hoople
Mott the Hoople
Mott the Hoople were a British rock band with strong R&B roots, popular in the glam rock era of the early to mid 1970s. They are popularly known for the song "All the Young Dudes", written for them by David Bowie and appearing on their 1972 album of the same name.-The early years:Mott The Hoople...
on All the Young Dudes
All the Young Dudes
All the Young Dudes is an album by Mott the Hoople, released in 1972. Their initial album for the CBS Records label , it was a turning point for the then-struggling British band. They were about to break up when David Bowie stepped in and gave them the song "All the Young Dudes"...
) are also "classic rock" radio staples.
In 2006 a limited edition CD of 24K Gold was released. It had taken over a year to find the original master tapes, then the analog masters were put through proprietary A/D
Analog-to-digital converter
An analog-to-digital converter is a device that converts a continuous quantity to a discrete time digital representation. An ADC may also provide an isolated measurement...
converter
Converter
-Electromagnetics:*Frequency converter*"voltage converter", another name for**electromagnetic transformer**switched-mode power supply**DC to DC converter-Electronics:*Digital-to-analog converter*Analog-to-digital converter...
. Another remaster was previously released in 1994.
Side one
- "Can't Get EnoughCan't Get Enough (Bad Company song)"Can't Get Enough" is a song by English supergroup Bad Company. It is their biggest-hit and is considered their most popular song which is from their 1974 self-titled debut album. As a single, this song reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and #1 on Cashbox magazine's Top 100 Singles...
" (Mick RalphsMick RalphsMichael Geoffrey "Mick" Ralphs is an English guitarist and songwriter, who was a founding member of rock bands Mott the Hoople and Bad Company.-Career:...
) – 4:16 - "Rock Steady" (Paul RodgersPaul RodgersPaul Bernard Rodgers is an English rock singer-songwriter, best known for his success in the 1970s as a member of Free and Bad Company. After stints in two less successful bands in the 1980s and early 1990s, The Firm and The Law, he became a solo artist. He has recently toured and recorded with...
) – 3:46 - "Ready for Love" (Ralphs) – 5:01
- "Don't Let Me Down" (Rodgers, Ralphs) – 4:22
Side two
- "Bad CompanyBad Company (song)"Bad Company" is a song from the hard rock band Bad Company. It was released as the third single from their debut album Bad Company in 1974. Co-written by the group's lead singer Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke, the song's meaning comes from the movie of the same name featuring Jeff Bridges...
" (Rodgers, Simon KirkeSimon KirkeSimon Kirke is an English rock drummer best known as a member of Free and Bad Company.-Biography:...
) – 4:50 - "The Way I Choose" (Rodgers) – 5:05
- "Movin' On" (Ralphs) – 3:21
- "Seagull" (Rodgers, Ralphs) – 4:06
Omitted tracks
- "Superstar Woman" (Rodgers) – 5:04
- This was later re-recorded for the Paul Rodgers 1982 solo studio album Cut LooseCut Loose (album)Cut Loose is Paul Rodgers debut solo album. Unlike his other work, Paul Rodgers plays all the instruments on this album. It was recorded at his house in Kingstone....
.
- This was later re-recorded for the Paul Rodgers 1982 solo studio album Cut Loose
Non-album tracks
- "Little Miss Fortune" (Rodgers) – 3:53
- Released as the b-side to the "Can't Get Enough" single.
- "Easy on My Soul" (Rodgers) – 4:11
- Re-recording of an old FreeFree (band)Free were an English rock band, formed in London in 1968, best known for their 1970 signature song "All Right Now". They disbanded in 1973 and lead singer Paul Rodgers went on to become a frontman of the band Bad Company along with Simon Kirke on drums; lead guitarist Paul Kossoff died from a...
track from their 1973 studio album HeartbreakerHeartbreaker (Free album)Heartbreaker is the seventh and final album by English rock group Free, that provided them with one of their most successful singles, "Wishing Well"...
, it was released as the b-side to the "Movin' On" single.
- Re-recording of an old Free
Personnel
Per sleeve notes- Paul RodgersPaul RodgersPaul Bernard Rodgers is an English rock singer-songwriter, best known for his success in the 1970s as a member of Free and Bad Company. After stints in two less successful bands in the 1980s and early 1990s, The Firm and The Law, he became a solo artist. He has recently toured and recorded with...
– vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, second guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
on "Can't Get Enough", pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
on "Bad Company" and "Don't Let Me Down" - Mick RalphsMick RalphsMichael Geoffrey "Mick" Ralphs is an English guitarist and songwriter, who was a founding member of rock bands Mott the Hoople and Bad Company.-Career:...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, keyboardKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
s on "Ready for Love" - Simon KirkeSimon KirkeSimon Kirke is an English rock drummer best known as a member of Free and Bad Company.-Biography:...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Boz BurrellBoz BurrellRaymond "Boz" Burrell was an English musician. Originally a vocalist, Burrell is best known for his bass playing and work with the rock bands King Crimson and Bad Company.-Career:...
– bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Sue Glover and Sunny LeslieSue and SunnySue and Sunny were a vocal duo and session singers operating in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. Although sisters, their full stage names were Sue Glover and Sunny Leslie...
– back up vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
on "Don't Let Me Down". - Mel CollinsMel CollinsMel Collins is a British saxophonist and flautist and session musician.He has worked in a wide variety of contexts ranging from R&B and blues rock to jazz, but is perhaps known for his work in progressive rock, as with King Crimson, Camel and the Alan Parsons Project.-Career:Collins has worked...
– saxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
s on "Don't Let Me Down" - Ron Fawcus – tape operator
- HipgnosisHipgnosisHipgnosis was a British art design group that specialized in creating cover art for the albums of rock musicians and bands, most notably Pink Floyd, T.Rex, The Pretty Things, UFO, 10cc, Bad Company, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Scorpions, Yes, The Alan Parsons Project, Genesis, Peter Gabriel, ELO and XTC...
– sleeve designDesignDesign as a noun informally refers to a plan or convention for the construction of an object or a system while “to design” refers to making this plan...
, photographyPhotographyPhotography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film... - Ron Nevison – engineerAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
, mixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may... - Steve Hoffman – masteringAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
- Barry Diament – mastering
- Beverly Taddei – production coordination
- Bob Wynne – art directionArt directorThe art director is a person who supervise the creative process of a design.The term 'art director' is a blanket title for a variety of similar job functions in advertising, publishing, film and television, the Internet, and video games....
Charts
Album| Chart (1974) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada (RPM RPM (magazine) RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,... ) |
7 |
| Norway (VG-lista VG-lista VG-listen is a Norwegian record chart. It is weekly presented in the newspaper VG and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation program Topp 20. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continent around the world. The data is collected by... ) |
17 |
| UK (The Official Charts Company UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... ) |
3 |
| US Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
1 |
| Chart (1975) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| New Zealand (RIANZ Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... ) |
27 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | "Can't Get Enough" | Pop Singles | 5 |
| 1975 | "Movin' On" | Pop Singles | 19 |