REAL BAD COMPANY
Following up the Burning Sky album, an adventurous excursion into experimentation and wide vista sonic landscapes, Bad Company returned to the charts in a big way with 1979’s Desolation Angels. Bolstered by the smash hit, the Paul Rodgers penned anthem, “Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy” and featuring strong songwriting contributions from the entire band, the album and successive tour proved to be a triumph. Forty years on since its original release comes a new Desolation Angels 2-CD deluxe edition packed by outtakes, alternate versions and two previously unreleased songs (“Rock Fever” and “Smokin’ 45”). We sat down recently with original members Paul Rodgers, Mick Ralphs and Simon Kirke for a look back on a shining achievement in the band’s storied career.
GOLDMINE: Looking back, what was the state of the band during the sessions for the Desolation Angels album?
PAUL RODGERS: The state of the band was very up from my point of view. Time to dust off the equipment, roll up our sleeves and get down to the business that we knew and loved so well, making rock and roll music!
SIMON KIRKE: We had had some time off prior to recording Desolation Angels. So we were much more prepared when we recorded that album.
MICK RALPHS: Not very good. We ran out of material and it showed. It was a hodge podge album and not one of our best.
GM: The Burning Sky album was a much more experimental record for the band and was not a major hit when compared to the three albums that preceded it. What was the thinking going into the studio to record the Desolation Angels album?
Not very strong. We were not really ready to make a record. We’d
