Free | Artist

Free was an English blues-rock band formed 1968 in London by Paul Rodgers (vocals), Simon Kirke (drums), Paul Kossoff (guitar) and Andy Fraser (bass). When they formed Fraser was only 15 years old, Kossoff 17 and both Rodgers and Kirke were 18. Their high standard of musicianship and feel for blues/rock material went far beyond their age. Their first two studio albums, the superb Tons of Sobs and Free, went largely unnoticed at the time of release, but their third album Fire and Water, featuring the massive hit "All Right Now", brought the band to the attention of mainstream rock audiences. The song helped secure them a place at the Isle of Wight Festival where they played to 600,000 people. In the early 1970s Free became one of the biggest-selling of the British blues rock bands. The band split in 1973 after delivering their final album, the excellent Heartbreaker. Guitar virtuoso Paul Kossoff then formed Back Street Crawler but died tragically in 1976 at the age of 25, as a result of prolonged drug abuse. Rodgers and Kirke went on to fame and fortune in the supergroup Bad Company, alongside ex-Mott the Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs and ex-King Crimson bassist Boz Burrell. Fraser joined Chris Spedding in Sharks for a short while, then formed The Andy Fraser Band. All six Free studio albums and their one live album are highly recommended. Standouts include Tons of Sobs, Free, Fire and Water and Free Live!

Artist Website: freetheband.co.uk

Featured Albums: Free

Related Artists: Aardvark, Black Cat Bones, Paul Kossoff, Andy Fraser, Bad Company