NEW YORK (AP) — Dangerous Firm singer-songwriter Paul Rodgers treasures one in every of his final cellphone calls with guitarist Mick Ralphs. It was to ship the information that, in the end, they’d been inducted into the Rock & Roll Corridor of Fame.
“I said to him, ‘Do you remember when we were looking for a band name and we called each other with silly names?’ And then I just called him up one day and I said, ’Bad Company’ and he dropped the phone and he said, ‘Oh yeah, that’s it. That’s the name,’” says Rodgers.
“I said, ‘From then, it’s a long way, but it seems like we just blinked our eyes a couple of times and here we are at the Hall of Fame.’ So at least I was able to tell him that.”
Ralphs died in June, simply weeks after studying the induction information.
Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke are the final surviving authentic members of the British supergroup that crafted such arena-rock staples as “Feel Like Makin’ Love,” “Can’t Get Enough” and “Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy.” They are going to be a part of the celebrations Saturday on the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, which is able to stream dwell on Disney+. ABC will air a prime-time particular on Jan. 1, out there on Hulu the following day.
“The fans have just been so great throughout the years. We feel like we’re celebrated, but it’s just not been stamped officially. That’s the only difference,” says Rodgers.
Who else made it?
Dangerous Firm will be a part of rock legend Chubby Checker, late soul singer Joe Cocker, pop icon Cyndi Lauper, hip-hop pioneers Outkast, rock duo the White Stripes and grunge masters Soundgarden within the class of ’25.
Salt-N-Pepa, the primary feminine rap act to realize platinum standing, and the late singer-songwriter Warren Zevon will get in through the Musical Affect Award. The late file producer Thom Bell, pianist Nicky Hopkins and bassist Carol Kaye will every get the Musical Excellence Award.
Chappell Roan and The Killers might be particular visitors, as will Elton John, Olivia Rodrigo, Doja Cat, Questlove, Twenty One Pilots, Missy Elliott, Raye, Beck, Brandi Carlile, David Letterman, Flea, Iggy Pop, J.I.D, Killer Mike, Maxwell, Sleepy Brown, Taylor Momsen and Teddy Swims.
Extra stars attending will embrace Avril Lavigne, Bryan Adams, Donald Glover, En Vogue, Feist, Janelle Monáe, Jim Carrey, Joe Perry, Mick Fleetwood, Mike McCready, Nancy Wilson and Nathaniel Rateliff.
Rodgers this month begged off performing on the Rock Corridor “to prioritize my health,” however he mentioned Kirke might be there and “some outstanding musicians.”
Gritty, bluesy rock
Shaped in 1973 in London, Dangerous Firm introduced collectively Rodgers and Kirke from the band Free, Ralphs from Mott the Hoople and bassist Boz Burrell contemporary out of King Crimson. The group was managed by the legendary Peter Grant and signed to Led Zeppelin’s Swan Music label.
“We had everything we needed,” says Rodgers. “You can’t really have a better start than that for a fledgling band. We had the music. We had Atlantic Records behind us. It was a magic roller coaster ride, actually.”
Kirke mentioned Dangerous Firm appeared on a music scene that was then dominated by quite a lot of glam and glitter — assume David Bowie, Queen, T. Rex and Gary Glitter — and went again to fundamentals.
“When we got together, I think the communal goal was we just wanted to do something that was stripped-down, right to the point, gritty and a little cheeky, a bit of fun,” he says.
Proper out of the gate, the band had killer songs of their pockets. Ralphs had “Can’t Get Enough,” “Movin’ On” and “Ready for Love” prepared. Rodgers had “Rock Steady” and, with Ralphs, “Seagull.” And Rodgers and Kirke wrote the track “Bad Company,” with the lyrics “Bad company/’Til the day I die.” The band’s self-titled 1974 debut album hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200, going five-times platinum.
The band made six albums earlier than disbanding following 1982’s “Rough Diamonds.” Dangerous Firm later reformed with lineup adjustments and reunion excursions. Unique bassist Burrell died of most cancers in 2006.
Kirke says Dangerous Firm influenced many bands that adopted, like Foreigner, Iron Maiden and Def Leppard. However he notes that Dangerous Firm was influenced, in flip, by the Beatles and soul and blues artists.
“We just passed it on,” he says.
Tribute album
The induction ceremony comes just a few weeks after the discharge of a tribute album — “Can’t Get Enough: A Tribute to Bad Company” through Main Wave Music, a 10-track set that proves the band’s affect.
Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott and Phil Collen supply a rendition of “Seagull,” Rodgers groups up with Halestorm for “Shooting Star,” The Struts knock out “Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy,” Slash and Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators crush “Feel Like Makin’ Love” and members of Blackberry Smoke deal with “Run with the Pack.”
“What it’s really about is one generation inspiring the next generation and that’s really what Otis Redding did for me,” says Rodgers, honored that he will get to affix Redding within the Corridor of Fame.
“Music was my calling — not to receive accolades — but to express myself, my thoughts and my opinions about love and life through song and hopefully send out a positive vibration from my heart to others.”
