Free were an English rock band formed in London in 1968 by Paul Rodgers (vocals), Paul Kossoff (guitar), Andy Fraser and Simon Kirke. They are best known for their hit songs "All Right Now" and "Wishing Well". Although renowned for their live performances and non-stop touring, their music did not sell well until their third studio album, Fire and Water (1970), which featured the hit "All Right Now". The song helped secure them a performance at the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival, where they played to an audience of 600,000 people. In the early 1970s they became one of the best-selling British blues rock groups; by the time they disbanded, they had sold more than 20 million records worldwide and had played in more than 700 arenas and festival concerts. "All Right Now" remains a staple of R&B and rock, and has entered ASCAP's "One Million" airplay singles club.
Paul Francis Kossoff was an English guitarist, best known as the co-founder and guitarist of the rock band Free. He was ranked number 51 in Rolling Stone's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time".
Simon Frederick St George Kirke is an English musician who was the co-founder, drummer, and only continuous member of the rock supergroup Bad Company. Prior to forming Bad Company he was the drummer and co-founder of Free.
Andrew McIan Fraser was a British musician and songwriter, best known as the bassist and co-composer for the rock band Free, which he helped found in 1968 when he was 15. He also founded the rock band Sharks after leaving Free in 1972.
"All Right Now" is a song by English rock band Free, released on their third studio album, Fire and Water (1970). It was released by Island Records, a record label founded by Chris Blackwell. Released as the album's second single, "All Right Now" peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart and number four on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. In July 1973, the song was re-released, peaking at number 15 on the UK chart. In 1991, a Bob Clearmountain remix of the song was released, reaching number eight on the UK chart.
Tons of Sobs is the debut studio album by the English rock band Free, released in the UK on 14 March 1969. While the album failed to chart in the UK, it reached number 197 in the US. Free are cited as one of the definitive bands of the British blues boom of the late 1960s, even though this is the only album of their canon that can strictly be called blues rock. It had the band's first minor hit "I'm a Mover", which was released as a single in December 1968.
Free is the second studio album by English rock band Free, recorded and released in 1969. It saw the burgeoning of the songwriting partnership between Paul Rodgers and 16-year-old bassist Andy Fraser; eight of the nine songs are credited to the two.
Highway is the fourth studio album by the English rock band Free. It was recorded extremely quickly in September 1970 following the band's success at the Isle of Wight Festival but with an attitude of relaxation, the band having achieved worldwide success with their previous album Fire and Water and the single "All Right Now". It is a low-key and introspective album compared with its predecessors.
Free Live! is the first live album by English rock band Free. It was rush-released by Island Records to commemorate the band, who had broken up in April 1971. Possibly because of the publicity caused by their breakup the album was a hit, reaching No. 4 in the UK Albums Chart. It fared less well in the US Billboard 200 however, reaching No. 89.
Free at Last is the fifth studio album by the English rock band Free. It was recorded between January and March 1972, and released in May that year. After breaking up in May 1971 due to differences between singer Paul Rodgers and bassist Andy Fraser, the band had reformed in January 1972.
Heartbreaker is the sixth and final studio album by the English rock band Free, that provided them with one of their most successful singles, "Wishing Well". It was recorded in late 1972 after bassist Andy Fraser had left the band and while guitarist Paul Kossoff was ailing from an addiction to Mandrax (Quaalude) and features a different line up from previous albums. Tetsu Yamauchi was brought in to replace Fraser, while John "Rabbit" Bundrick became the band's keyboard player to compensate for the increasingly unreliable Kossoff. Both Yamauchi and Bundrick had played with Kossoff and drummer Simon Kirke on the album Kossoff, Kirke, Tetsu & Rabbit during that period in late 1971 when Free had broken up for the first time. Also, several other musicians were used on the album. The album was co-produced by Andy Johns as well as Free themselves.
Black Cat Bones were a British heavy blues rock band that existed with various lineups from 1966 to 1970, when they became Leaf Hound.
In Concert: Merchants of Cool is a live album and DVD by English hard rock band Bad Company. It was recorded principally at The Paramount Theater, Denver, Colorado and The Grove of Anaheim, Anaheim, California, in January 2002. It features hits from both Bad Company and precursor band Free as well as two new studio tracks, "Joe Fabulous" and "Saving Grace". It is their only album not to feature guitarist Mick Ralphs; longtime session guitarist Dave “Bucket” Colwell, who had previously appeared on the Here Comes Trouble album, plays in Mick’s place. Additionally, Jaz Lochrie plays bass instead of Boz Burrell. The band covers two songs from the Beatles, "Ticket to Ride" and "I Feel Fine" in a medley with "Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy", as well as one from Paul Rodgers' and Simon Kirke's former band Free, "All Right Now".
Now & Live is a double CD compilation-like album released in 1997 by Paul Rodgers of Free and Bad Company fame. In fact, it is a re-release of the studio album Now including a disc of live material recorded in 1995 and issued on the album Live: The Loreley Tapes. The album's full 24-track version, but as one CD also is known.
Kossoff Kirke Tetsu Rabbit is an album by guitarist Paul Kossoff, drummer Simon Kirke, bassist Tetsu Yamauchi and keyboard player John "Rabbit" Bundrick. The album was released in 1972.
Back Street Crawler is the debut studio album by English guitarist Paul Kossoff, released in 1973; the same year Kossoff's band Free disbanded, Kossoff was able to moderate his drug addiction to record the album, which featured contributions from his former Free bandmates, as well as Yes drummer Alan White.
Free were an English rock band formed in London in 1968, by vocalist Paul Rodgers, guitarist Paul Kossoff, bassist Andy Fraser and drummer Simon Kirke, the group signed with Island Records.
Free – Live at the BBC is a live album by the English rock band Free. It was recorded between 1968 and 1971 on BBC on various occasions both "in session" and "in concert". It was released in 2006 by Island Records.
"My Brother Jake" is a song and single by English band, Free. Written by lead singer Paul Rodgers and bass guitarist Andy Fraser, it was first released in the UK in April 1971 on the Island label.
"Little Bit of Love", also known as "A Little Bit of Love", is a song by English rock band Free. Written by the all four members of the band, it reached #13 on the UK singles chart and stayed on the charts for 10 weeks. Record Mirror said of the song on 13 May 1972, "Having had their fair share of the knocks and problems of fame, Free are back in full swing again. An album on the way – and this single, which should do them a lot of good. It's a relaxed put together production, good lead voice, solid beat – a philosophic song and easy to pick up in the mind. Plus that very distinctive sound." Record World on 27 May 1972 said "the strongest singles of the week come from Free, ...".
