Bad Company

This mid-'70s supergroup picks up precisely where lead singer Paul Rodgers old band left off. Bad Company coarsens and distorts Free's economical blooze attack just enough to put it across to a howling, smoke-filled arena. Compared to his shrieking competition (from Ian Gillan in Deep Purple to Sammy Hagar in Montrose and later Van Halen), Rodgers is a remarkably soulful hard-rock frontman. And former Mott the Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs proves an able foil; his stuttering riffs and clipped solos boldly copy Free guitarist Paul Kossoff's signature sound, while ex-Free drummer Simon Kirke provides thundering foursquare rhythms.

Bad Company came as a breath of fresh air amid arena rocks' increasing stench, but this particular breeze quickly turned into a gust of hot air. Rodgers and Company never could get beyond the "Baby I'm a Bad Man" stance of Bad Company. The no-bullshit minimalism and rhythmic thrust of the debut becomes a rut by the third album. The post-Rodgers releases -- beginning with Fame and Fortune -- find Ralphs and Kirke keeping company with a couple of unfortunate Rodgers clones, Brian Howe and later Robert Hart. The albums aren't bad enough to be abominations, or shameless enough to be successes.

That said, there's not a bum riff or bogus groan to be found on 10 From 6, a collection that mixes the full bore earthquakes ( "Can't Get Enough") and half-acoustic lust ballads ("Shooting Star") alongside musings on the road ("Movin' On") and the music ("Rock & Roll Fantasy") -- it's essential to any survey of '70s rock. While The "Original" Bad Company Anthology is overkill, it's a not-bad selection from the band's first five albums plus a handful of B sides and four new Rodgers-fronted tunes. Of the two live discs, only Merchants of Cool is worth hearing, as it brings Rodgers back for some fairly spirited takes on the chestnuts. (Mark Coleman/Mark Kemp)

From The New Rolling Stone Album Guide