Bad Company's Mick Ralphs dies aged 81
A message on the band's official website said Ralphs is 'survived by the love of his life, Susie Chavasse, his two children, three step-children', as well as his bandmates Paul Rodgers and Simon Kirke.
Bad Company was formed in 1973 after the members of the bands Free, Mott The Hoople and King Crimson joined forces.
A statement from singer Rodgers on the website said: 'Our Mick has passed, my heart just hit the ground. He has left us with exceptional songs and memories. He was my friend, my songwriting partner, an amazing and versatile guitarist who had the greatest sense of humour.
'Our last conversation a few days ago we shared a laugh but it won't be our last. There are many memories of Mick that will create laughter. Condolences to everyone who loved him especially his one true love, Susie. I will see you in heaven.'
A post shared by Bad Company (@officialbadco)
Drummer Kirke said: 'He was a dear friend, a wonderful songwriter, and an exceptional guitarist. We will miss him deeply.'
Ralphs' final performance with Bad Company was in October 2016, with the musician suffering a stroke the following month.
Free members Rodgers and Kirke had enjoyed success with their 1970s hit song All Right Now.
Ralphs had been part of Mott The Hoople, famed for their 1972 song All The Young Dudes, which was penned by David Bowie.
Vocalist and guitarist Raymond 'Boz' Burrell had been performing as part of rock band King Crimson.
Bad Company are due to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame later this year.
The group rose to fame in 1974 with their self-titled debut album which included hits such as Can't Get Enough and Movin' On.
The album reached number three in the UK albums chart and went five-times platinum.
Bad Company later released Straight Shooter in 1975, followed by Run With The Pack, and both made it into the top five in the albums chart.
They were also known for rock anthems including Ready For Love, Rock Steady and the title track Bad Company.
Among those paying tribute to the late guitarist was Joe Elliott, lead singer of the hard rock band Def Leppard, who shared a post on the group's X account saying: 'I just heard the news … totally heartbroken … Mick has been a constant companion through my musical journey & he was one of the kindest souls I ever met. The world is a poorer place today.'
David Coverdale, lead singer of Deep Purple and then Whitesnake, said on X: 'Heartbreaking News…Loved Mick …Sweet, Sweet Man & Super Songwriter…My Sincere Condolences To His Family, Friends & Fans.'
In another post, he added: 'Mick Ralphs was the first person I played the original song idea to Love Ain't No Stranger before I played it to the band…he was super encouraging…A total sweetheart.'
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STV News
an hour ago
- STV News
Bad Company's Mick Ralphs dies aged 81
Guitarist, songwriter and Bad Company co-founder Mick Ralphs has died at the age of 81, it has been announced. A message on the band's official website said Ralphs is 'survived by the love of his life, Susie Chavasse, his two children, three step-children', as well as his bandmates Paul Rodgers and Simon Kirke. Bad Company was formed in 1973 after the members of the bands Free, Mott The Hoople and King Crimson joined forces. A statement from singer Rodgers on the website said: 'Our Mick has passed, my heart just hit the ground. He has left us with exceptional songs and memories. He was my friend, my songwriting partner, an amazing and versatile guitarist who had the greatest sense of humour. 'Our last conversation a few days ago we shared a laugh but it won't be our last. There are many memories of Mick that will create laughter. Condolences to everyone who loved him especially his one true love, Susie. I will see you in heaven.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bad Company (@officialbadco) Drummer Kirke said: 'He was a dear friend, a wonderful songwriter, and an exceptional guitarist. We will miss him deeply.' Ralphs' final performance with Bad Company was in October 2016, with the musician suffering a stroke the following month. Free members Rodgers and Kirke had enjoyed success with their 1970s hit song All Right Now. Ralphs had been part of Mott The Hoople, famed for their 1972 song All The Young Dudes, which was penned by David Bowie. Vocalist and guitarist Raymond 'Boz' Burrell had been performing as part of rock band King Crimson. Bad Company are due to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame later this year. The group rose to fame in 1974 with their self-titled debut album which included hits such as Can't Get Enough and Movin' On. The album reached number three in the UK albums chart and went five-times platinum. Bad Company later released Straight Shooter in 1975, followed by Run With The Pack, and both made it into the top five in the albums chart. They were also known for rock anthems including Ready For Love, Rock Steady and the title track Bad Company. Among those paying tribute to the late guitarist was Joe Elliott, lead singer of the hard rock band Def Leppard, who shared a post on the group's X account saying: 'I just heard the news … totally heartbroken … Mick has been a constant companion through my musical journey & he was one of the kindest souls I ever met. The world is a poorer place today.' David Coverdale, lead singer of Deep Purple and then Whitesnake, said on X: 'Heartbreaking News…Loved Mick …Sweet, Sweet Man & Super Songwriter…My Sincere Condolences To His Family, Friends & Fans.' In another post, he added: 'Mick Ralphs was the first person I played the original song idea to Love Ain't No Stranger before I played it to the band…he was super encouraging…A total sweetheart.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
NBC News
2 hours ago
- NBC News
Mick Ralphs, founding member of Bad Company and Mott the Hoople, dies at 81
Mick Ralphs, a guitarist, singer, songwriter and founding member of the classic British rock bands Bad Company and Mott the Hoople, has died. A statement posted to Bad Company's official website Monday announced Ralphs' death at age 81. Ralphs had a stroke days after what would be his final performance with the band at London's O2 Arena in 2016, and had been bedridden ever since, the statement said. No further details on the circumstances of his death were provided. Ralphs is set to become a member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Bad Company in November. "Our Mick has passed, my heart just hit the ground," Bad Company singer Paul Rodgers said in a statement. "He has left us with exceptional songs and memories. He was my friend, my songwriting partner, an amazing and versatile guitarist who had the greatest sense of humour." Ralphs wrote the 1970's song "Ready for Love" for Mott the Hoople, later revamped for Bad Company's 1974 debut album, which also included the Ralphs-penned hit "Can't Get Enough." He co-wrote Bad Company's 1975 classic "Feel Like Makin' Love" with Rodgers. Born in Stoke Lacy, Herefordshire, England, Ralphs began playing blues guitar as a teenager, and in his early 20s in 1966, he co-founded the Doc Thomas Group. In 1969, the band would become Mott the Hoople, a name taken from the title and title character of a 1966 novel by Willard Manus. The group's self-titled first album, recorded in a week, won a cult following, but the two that followed were critical and financial flops. They finally found popular success and became glam-rock giants with the 1972 David Bowie-penned-and-produced song "All the Young Dudes." But Ralphs felt creatively cramped in the band led by singer-songwriter Ian Hunter and left in 1973. He would soon form Bad Company with Rodgers, a singer who had left his own band, Free. The two had intended only to write songs together, and possibly to make a one-off album as a project. But when Free drummer Simon Kirke asked to sit in, they realized they were nearly a proper group already and went seeking a bassist. They found him in former King Crimson member Boz Burrell. "We didn't actually plan to have a band," Ralphs said in a 2015 interview with Gibson Guitars. "It was all kind of accidental I suppose. Lucky, really." Kirke said in a statement Monday that Ralphs was "a dear friend, a wonderful songwriter, and an exceptional guitarist. We will miss him deeply." Bad Company found immediate success. its albums were full of radio-ready anthems, and its live sound was perfectly suited to the 1970s height of arena rock. Their self-titled debut album went to No. 1 on Billboard's album chart. And Ralphs' "Can't Get Enough" — often mistakenly called "Can't Get Enough of Your Love" because of its chorus lyrics — would be their biggest hit single, peaking at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. "We actually did the whole thing in one take live," Ralphs said in the Gibson interview. "It wasn't perfect, but we just said, 'Yeah, that's great, it's going to capture the moment.' That's what I like to do in recording. It doesn't have to be perfect as long as it captures the moment. That's what it's all about." Bad Company's 1975 follow-up, "Straight Shooter," was also a hit, going to No. 3 on album charts in both the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. and the UK Albums Chart. Its opening track, "Good Lovin' Gone Bad," written by Ralphs, was a modest hit, and the song that followed it, "Feel Like Makin' Love," was a big one that would remain in rotation on classic rock radio for decades. The band's statement says Ralphs is survived by "the love of his life," his wife Susie Chavasse, along with two children, three step-children and "beloved bandmates" Rodgers and Kirke.
BreakingNews.ie
3 hours ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Bad Company's Mick Ralphs dies aged 81
Guitarist, songwriter and Bad Company co-founder Mick Ralphs has died at the age of 81, it has been announced. A message on the band's official website said Ralphs is 'survived by the love of his life, Susie Chavasse, his two children, three step-children', as well as his bandmates Paul Rodgers and Simon Kirke. Advertisement Bad Company was formed in 1973 after the members of the bands Free, Mott The Hoople and King Crimson joined forces. A statement from singer Rodgers on the website said: 'Our Mick has passed, my heart just hit the ground. He has left us with exceptional songs and memories. He was my friend, my songwriting partner, an amazing and versatile guitarist who had the greatest sense of humour. 'Our last conversation a few days ago we shared a laugh but it won't be our last. There are many memories of Mick that will create laughter. Condolences to everyone who loved him especially his one true love, Susie. I will see you in heaven.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bad Company (@officialbadco) Drummer Kirke said: 'He was a dear friend, a wonderful songwriter, and an exceptional guitarist. We will miss him deeply.' Advertisement Ralphs' final performance with Bad Company was in October 2016, with the musician suffering a stroke the following month. Free members Rodgers and Kirke had enjoyed success with their 1970s hit song All Right Now. Ralphs had been part of Mott The Hoople, famed for their 1972 song All The Young Dudes, which was penned by David Bowie. Vocalist and guitarist Raymond 'Boz' Burrell had been performing as part of rock band King Crimson. Advertisement Bad Company are due to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame later this year. The group rose to fame in 1974 with their self-titled debut album which included hits such as Can't Get Enough and Movin' On. The album reached number three in the UK albums chart and went five-times platinum. Bad Company later released Straight Shooter in 1975, followed by Run With The Pack, and both made it into the top five in the albums chart. Advertisement They were also known for rock anthems including Ready For Love, Rock Steady and the title track Bad Company. Among those paying tribute to the late guitarist was Joe Elliott, lead singer of the hard rock band Def Leppard, who shared a post on the group's X account saying: 'I just heard the news … totally heartbroken … Mick has been a constant companion through my musical journey & he was one of the kindest souls I ever met. The world is a poorer place today.' David Coverdale, lead singer of Deep Purple and then Whitesnake, said on X: 'Heartbreaking News…Loved Mick …Sweet, Sweet Man & Super Songwriter…My Sincere Condolences To His Family, Friends & Fans.' In another post, he added: 'Mick Ralphs was the first person I played the original song idea to Love Ain't No Stranger before I played it to the band…he was super encouraging…A total sweetheart.' Advertisement
