I think Paul Rodgers and Free (and all that mob) are severely underrated, perhaps more so in the US than in the UK, but underrated nonetheless. Like, yeah, I heard "All Right Now" all the time on classic rock radio in the States as a kid, and that's a great song of course, but that's all you really run into.
I mean, Zeppelin remain huge in the States compared to the UK in my experience (I was in Colorado last year and walked into a supermarket where I heard "Custard Pie" playing on the store PA!). Where's the Free?
Not until I started going to Gov't Mule gigs did I start getting the sense that there was more to Free than just "All Right Now" (the Mule covered "Mr. Big" often live, and on their first studio album,and the did very Free-influenced versions of "The Hunter". Then I ran out and got a Free compilation, and have been slowly digging deeper since. I
really want to see that DVD that PhilKing mentioned! That's gotta be great.
It's really a shame that Free imploded like they did, since I think they were really poised to go places. Bad Company is pretty respectable, though they were clearly in a bit of trouble towards the end before Paul quit (and though the later, reconstituted version had respectable commercial succcess, they didn't really kick a lot of arses IMO). The Firm ... never really got anywhere, somehow.
As for Rodgers himself, he's still in great shape and has a great voice. As happy as I am for him for his gig with Queen, I can't help feeling it's a bit of an underachievement. I think the man needs collaborative partners and a ripping guitarist, and though Queen to a large degree provide those, I'm not sure they provide them in such a way that really play to his strengths. Hey, wait, maybe he should team up with
Audley Freed (ex-Cry of Love, ex-Black Crowes)? He's just the right kind of guitarist to work with Rodgers, IMO.
