![]() This was definitely an end of the era, as at this time also AOR was somewhat overshadowed by Grunge and ultimately nu-metal bands of the early millennium. Hart had a more soulful delivery, closer to Rodgers on songs like ‘Judas My Brother’, ‘Little Martha’ and ‘Gimme Gimme’ whilst ‘Abandoned And Alone’ and ‘Down And Dirty’ bring us back to the raunch ‘n’ roll of the previous albums in glorious style. The album Company Of Strangers appeared in 1996. ![]() The one-time Distance frontman has more recently worked with Manfred Mann’s Earth Band. This album doesn’t fall short of its predecessor in terms of the quality department with superb songs such as ‘Stranger Than Fiction’, ‘Little Angel’ and ‘Brokenhearted’.īad Company continued, recruiting Robert Hart in 1994. The original band members evidently hasd misgivings about the band’s musical direction with Howe. ‘Stranger Stranger’ and ‘Never Too Late’ are particularly fine examples of the band’s raunch ‘n’ roll typical of the period.ĭuring this time Ralphs took some time out from the touring band and his place was taken by Geoff Whitehorn and then Dave ‘Bucket’ Colwell joined on second guitar.įollowing the next album – 1992′s Here Comes Trouble – Brian Howe left the band, apparently frustrated about the lack of songwriting contribution from Ralphs and Kirke (Howe had written the previous albums with Thomas). Several singles emerged including the title track, and ‘If You Needed Somebody’. The most successful album of the Brian Howe-era and arguably the strongest – Holy Water – was released in 1990 right in the middle of a golden age for AOR/guitar rock with bands such as Winger, Whitesnake and Giant whom Terry Thomas also produced. Brian Howe reminded of that other great AOR crooner Lou Gramm. 1988′s Dangerous Age also yielded some airplay and MTV “hits” including ‘No Smoke Without Fire’. It was the next series of albums with producer Terry Thomas that offered more consistency and a return to a guitar-driven sound. Perhaps unsurprisingly, sitting at the production controls was Keith Olsen who by this time had worked with genre heavyweights Foreigner. Ralphs and Kirke remained from the original line-up whilst there was a revolving door for the bass position ultimately settling with one-time Foreigner Rick Wills in 1992.įame And Fortune chimed with the late eighties demand for melodic hard rock with keyboards (and sax!) and vocalist Brian Howe (ex- Ted Nugent) gave the sound a more melodic pop/rock gloss. And a style that was definitely aimed at the American FM radio and AOR market. The first album with a new vocalist ushered in a new era in 1986. Paul Rodgers had gone by 1983 and with him the classic sound that made Bad Company one of the early UK arena-filling bands. The later life of the band is often overlooked. ![]() The eponymous and classic first album yielded a handful of airplay and chart hits and set the template – bluesy and soulful hard rock elevated by a good tune. ![]() Share the post "Feature: Bands that time forgot – BAD COMPANY (1986-1996)"įor most, Bad Company conjures up the classic seventies line-up fronted by Paul Rodgers and with Mick Ralphs, Simon Kirke and Boz Burrell. ![]()
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