Bad Company (1974)

Bad Company is the debut studio album by Bad Company, a 1970s English hard rock supergroup. The album was recorded at Headley Grange with Ronnie Lane's Mobile Studio in November 1973, and it was the second album released on Led Zeppelin's Swan Song Records label.

Among the songs recorded during the album sessions were two covers of tracks originally by members' previous bands — specifically, Mott the Hoople's "Ready for Love" (recorded while Mick Ralphs was with the band and released on their 1972 album All the Young Dudes) and "Easy on My Soul" (recorded by Paul Rodgers and Simon Kirke with Free and released on Heartbreaker in 1973). The latter did not make the final album, but was released as the B-side to second single "Movin' On".

Reception and legacy

The album reached the top of the US Billboard 200. Since then, the album has been certified five times platinum by the RIAA, and became the 46th best selling album of the 1970s. The album spent 25 weeks in the UK Albums Chart, entering at No. 10 on 15 June 1974, and reaching its highest position of No. 3 in the second week. Kerrang! magazine listed the album at No. 40 among the "100 Greatest Heavy Metal Albums of All Time". The album was also included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. In 2000 it was voted number 323 in Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums.

The singles "Can't Get Enough" and "Movin' On" peaked at No. 5 and No. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively. "Rock Steady", "Bad Company" and "Ready for Love" are also classic rock radio staples.

Ultimate Classic Rock critic Matt Wardlaw named four songs from Bad Company – "Bad Company", "Can't Get Enough", "Ready for Love" and "Seagull" – to be among Bad Company's 10 greatest songs.

Versions

The album was remastered and re-released in 1994. In 2006 an audiophile mastered 24K gold CD was released by Audio Fidelity.

Non-album tracks

"Little Miss Fortune" (Rodgers, Ralphs) – 3:52

Released as the B-side of the "Can't Get Enough" single.

"Easy On My Soul" (Rodgers) – 4:39

Released as the B-side of the "Movin' On" single.

Personnel

Bad Company

Paul Rodgers – vocals, piano (4, 5), rhythm (1) and acoustic (8) guitars, tambourine (8)

Mick Ralphs – lead guitar (all but 8), keyboards (3)

Boz Burrell – bass (all but 8)

Simon Kirke – drums (all but 8)

Additional personnel

Sue Glover and Sunny Leslie – backing vocals (4)

Mel Collins – saxophones (6)

• Ron Fawcus – tape operator
• Hipgnosis – sleeve design, photography
• Ron Nevison – engineer, mixing
• Steve Hoffman – mastering
• Barry Diament – mastering
• Beverly Taddei – production co-ordination
• Bob Wynne – art direction