Free
Band members Related acts
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line up 1 (1968-73) - Andy Fraser
(RIP 2015) --
bass
line up 2 (1973-73) NEW
- John Rabbit
Bundrick -- keyboards
line up 3 (1973) - John Rabbit
Bundrick -- keyboards
line up 4 (1973) - John Rabbit
Bundrick -- keyboards
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-
Back Street
Crawler
(Paul Kossoff)
- Brown Sugar (Paul Rodgers)
- The Firm (Paul Rodgers)
- Paul Kossoff (solo effort)
- John Mayall's Bluesbreakers (Andy Fraser) - The Roadrunners (Paul Rodgers)
- Samurai (Tetsu Yamauchi) - Stray Dog (Snuffy Walden) - Snuffy Walden (solo efforts) - Tetsu Yamauchi (solo efforts)
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Genre: rock Rating: *** (3 stars) Title: Tons of Sob Company: A&M Catalog: SP-4198 Year: 1969 Country/State: UK Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: -- (opened) Available: 1 Catalog ID: 5326 Price: $20.00
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If there's a 1960s era band in need of rediscovery my vote would go to Free. Superbly talented and criminally overlooked, these guys could go head-to-head with most active bands and still kick their collective butts.
Ignoring Blackwell's plea to rename themselves The Heavy Metal Kids, a debut single 'Broad Daylight' b/w 'The Worm' (Island catalog number WIP 6054) did nothing commercially, but Island management nevertheless decided to finance an LP.
First a quick word of warning. Produced by Guy Stevens, 1968's "Tons of Sobs" tends to get critical praise, but to my ears was a competent, if occasionally flat debut. The band's fascination with American blues dominated the sound. Tracks like 'Worry', 'Moonshine' and 'Goin Down Slow' would have sounded right at home at a John Mayall performance. Showcasing largely original material (drawn from their touring set list), the driving, raw sound was certainly different from the competition. Ironically economics apparently played a role in the bare bones sound. Island reportedly earmarked about $1,200 for the record sessions. That said, three characteristics saved the album from falling into the 'also ran' category. 1.) Rodgers' stunning vocals simply had to be heard to be believed. How could this guy have only been 18? Compare his dumbfounding performance on their cover of Booker T. and the MG's 'The Hunter' with that of Robert Plant who covered the track the following year on "Led Zeppelin" and tell me which one's better. 2.) The band's stunning ability to generate a truly molten sound. Fraser, Kirke and Kossoff were talented beyond words, easily out-muscling Cream and other English blues outfits and 3.) Tracks like 'Walk In My Shadow', 'Worry' and 'I'm a Mover' may have displayed the band's blues base, but hinted at their ability to mix it up in a more commercial vein. Commercially the album did nothing in the UK or the States, though roughly a year later it hit # 197 on the US charts.
"Tons of Sobs" track listing:
1.) Over the Green Hills Part 1 (Paul Rodgers) - 1:01 rating: *** stars Mind you 'Over the Green Hills Part 1' was a heavy tune, but I've always been surprised to hear the strong "folk" flavor permeating the track. Nah, you weren't going to confuse them with Fairport Convention, but it was an interesting way to start the album. 2.) Worry (Paul Rodgers) - 3:25 rating: *** stars The transition was somewhat abrupt, but 'Worry' brought the band much closer to their patented blues-rock sound. Again, this track was far heavier than some of their forthcoming tunes. And while Rodgers unleashed some of his power, it was just a snippet of what he could really do. Funny, but powered by Simon Kirke's frenetic drumming, the song's always reminded me of something out the early Cream catalog.
3.) Walk In My Shadow (Paul Rodgers)
- 3:20
rating: **** stars
- 1969's 'Walk In My Shadow' b/w 'The Hunter' (Philips catalog number SFL 1242)
4.) Wild Indian Woman (Paul Rodgers - Andy Fraser) - 3:19 rating: *** stars LOL - perhaps not the most subtle lyric you've ever heard. 'Wild Indian Woman' was interesting for showing they could add a commercial edge to their sound. 5.) Goin Down Slow (James Burke Oden) - 8:33 rating: *** stars Straight
ahead electric blues ... Other than Kossoff's meltdown soloing and
Rodgers' instantly recognizable voice, there wasn't all that much to
distinguish this from dozens of other English blues bands. (side 2) 1.) I'm a Mover (Andy Fraser - Paul Rodgers) - 2:49 'I'm a Mover' was a slice of classic Free blues-rock with that patented commercial edge. The track was tapped as a US promotion single. Always wondered why it was released commercially.
- 1969's 'I'm a Mover' b/w 'Worry' (A&M catalog number 1099-S)
2.) The Hunter (Booker T. Jones - Wllls - Al Jackson - Donald Dunn - Steve Cropper) - 4:11 rating: *** stars While Free's version is awesome, the sad thing is most people have never heard the original Albert Hunter version. Backed by Booker T & the MGS, the original crushes the remake. 3.) Moonshine (Paul Rodgers - Paul Kossoff) - 5:01 rating: *** stars Blues with a darker edge ... Nice showcase for Rodgers to stretch out. 4.) Sweet
Tooth (Paul Rodgers) - 4:43
rating: **** stars 5. Over the Green Hills Part II (Paul Rodgers) - 1:68 Same comments as on Part 1 - atypically folkish.
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Genre: rock Rating: *** (3 stars) Title: Free Company: Island Catalog: SP 4204 Year: 1969 Country/State: US Grade (cover/record): VG / VG Comments: name 'duprerly' on bottom edge Available: 1 Catalog ID: 5291 Price: $20.00
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1969 saw Free get their first shot at securing an American audience via an opening slot on Blind Faith's US tour. Dropping producer Guy Stevens in favor of Chris Blackwell, the cleverly titled "Free" wasn't a major change in musical direction. With Andy Fraser and Paul Rodgers credited with penning all nine tracks (Simon Kirke and Paul Kossoff contributed to one song), the album continued to underscore their blues-rock ambitions. The leadoff track 'I'll Be Creepin'' started things off with a truly ominous and chilling effort - any woman hearing it might have thought twice about getting anywhere near these guys. From there it seldom let up. Material like 'Songs of Yesterday, 'Trouble On Double Time' and 'Woman' all served to spotlight the band's no-frills attack. Sure there were a couple of exceptions to their patented sound. The pretty acoustic ballads 'Lying In the Sunshine' and 'Mourning Say Morning' and the instrumental 'Mouthful of Grass' all demonstrated the group had more than one trick in their collective pockets. Powered by Rodgers rugged voice, Fraser's innovative bass, and Kossoff's tasty lead guitar there simply weren't many competitors who even came close to capturing the quartet's raw power. Island tapped the LP for a single in the form of 1969's 'I'll be Creepin' b/w 'Sugar for Mr Morrison' (Island catalog number WIP 6062)
A
couple of years later A&M reached back to
the album, pulling a single off of it: 'I'll Be Creepin'' b/w 'Mouthful of
Grass' (A&M catalog number AM-1172)
1.) I'll Be Creepin' (Andy Fraser - Paul Rodgers) -
3:15
5.) Mouthful of Grass (instrumental) (Andy Fraser - Paul Rodgers)
- 3:36 (side 2) 1.) Woman (Andy Fraser - Paul Rodgers) - 3:45 2.) Free Me (Andy Fraser - Paul Rodgers) - 5:37 3.) Broad Daylight (Andy Fraser - Paul Rodgers) - 3:33 4.) Mourning Say Morning (Andy Fraser - Paul Rodgers) - 5:03
Here are a couple of YouTube clips capturing the band at their prime - stunning performances of 'I'll Be Creeping' and 'Songs of Yesterday':
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u59eceeqczc ('I'll Be Creeping')
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NX1Kz8p9RQE ('Songs of Yesterday')
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Genre: rock Rating: **** (4 stars) Title: Fire and Water Company: A&M Catalog: SP-4258 Country/State: UK Year: 1970 Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: -- Available: 2 Catalog ID: 5300 Price: $15.00
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Co-produced by Free and John Kelly,
somewhat unexpectedly 1970's "Fire and
Water" proved the band's commercial breakthrough. The
fact they found a wider audience was surprising given that material like 'Mr. Big' (showcasing an amazing
Andy Fraser bass pattern), 'Oh I Wept' and
'Heavy Load' did little to stray far from the band's longstanding blues-rock base. With Fraser and
Paul Rodgers again responsible for the majority of material (they wrote five of seven tracks), the major change was heard in the stunning title track and the top-10 single
'All Right Now'. Both of those tracks revealed a previously unheard commercial edge.
Listening to the album for the first time in a couple of years, it serves to
underscore how much these guys could accomplish by keeping it simple.
Bare bones rock - vocals, drums, bass and guitar (okay there were keyboards
on 'Heavy Load'), have seldom sounded as accomplished. Special kudos
to Paul Kossoff who may have been rock's most economical and tasteful
player. Anyone doubting that comment need only check out his spare,
but stunning solo on 'Remember '. If I were smart enough to play
lead guitar, he'd be the guy I wanted to emulate . In fact the only
pseudo-disappointment was the bland bluesy ballad 'Don't Say You Love Me'
and that one actually grew on you after a couple of spins.. 1.) Fire And Water (Andy Fraser - Paul Rodgers) - 3:41 rating: **** stars If
was in a band, the barebones, blues-rocker 'Fire and Water' would be
one of the cover tunes I'd include in my show. It's simply that
good. I'm not sure how much faith I put in it, but Rodgers
claimed to have written the song with the hope it would be covered by a soul
artist: "[I
wanted to] write
something that one of those soul guys could sing. I didn't think they
actually would! In those days I held them as if they lived in Paradise and I
would never get to be in touch with them."
If you've never seen a live clip of Free, YouTube has an impressive
performance of the tune at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NH5wbYP5xkQ Others
may not agree, but to my ears 'Oh I Wept' was one of their best
ballads. It wasn't particularly fancy, but Rodgers seldom sounded as
good and the tune served to showcase the band's secret
weapon in the form of Simon Kirke's
melodic percussion work. Free
doing their best Faces impression ... That wasn't meant as a
criticism. Like The Faces at their best, 'Remember' has an easy-going,
slightly sloppy flavor that made it a great bar band tune. Add in a
fantastic Kossoff solo and what wasn't there to love on this
one? Showcasing Rodger's amazing voice, 'Heavy Load' has always reminded me of kind of a proto-Bad Company mid-tempo rocker. For a free performance the tune was somewhat atypical in that it featured a heavy piano component. Kicing in at the end of the song, Kossoff's solo was particularly pretty.
(side 2) 1.) Mr. Big (Andy Fraser - Simon Kirke - Paul Kossoff - Paul Rodgers) - 5:52 rating: **** stars I'm
seldom at a loss to talk about a song, but 'Mr. Big' is one of those
exception ... Kicked along by Fraser's growling bass, this was Free at
slinky best. Simply killer. The SongFacts website had this
write-up about the song - not sure it makes a lot of sense, but judge for
yourself: "Speaking
with Uncut magazine,
Paul Rodgers described "Mr. Big" as "a very tough
lyric," which he was amazed he got away with. He added: "I used to
listen to BB King, and I think I was inspired by his approach to womanhood,
if you like (laughs) – his manly stance! And that song is a lesson in
simplicity. Because the simpler the song, the bigger it sounds. The notes
have room to echo." YouTube
has a couple of live performances of the song including this version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FhCilozomo Not
my favorite performance, but I'll admit it got better as it went along and
after a couple of spins it served as decent background music. Today 'All Right Now' stands as their best known song and the only tune that oldies radio seems capable of playing in this day and age ... Drummer Kirke talked about the song on the "Molten Gold" compilation: "All Right Now' was created after a bad gig in Durham, England. Our repertoire at that time was mostly slow and medium paced blues songs which was alright if you were a student sitting quietly and nodding your head to the beat. However, we finished our show in Durham and walked off the stage to the sound of our own footsteps. The applause had died before I had even left the drum riser. When we got into the dressing room, it was obvious that we needed an up-tempo number, a rocker to close our shows. All of sudden, the Inspiration struck (bass player Andy) Fraser, and he started bopping around singing ALL RIGHT NOW... He sat down and wrote it right there in the dressing room. It couldn't have taken more than 10 minutes."
various 'All Right Now' picture sleeves - US, UK, France, Japan, Holland, etc.
- 1970's 'All Right Now' b/w 'Mouthful of Grass' (Island catalog number 1206) Taken from a 1969 Australian television performance, YouTube has a live performance of the song at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htuxb-m4-ng
Propelled by the international hit single, the parent album went top-20, peaking at # 17. Unfortunately finally having achieved international acclaim (including a legendary performance before some 500,000 fans at the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival), chronic drug use (particularly guitarist Kossoff) and personnel problems (notably turf wars between Fraser and Rodgers), began taking their toll on the band's cohesiveness.
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Genre: rock Rating: *** (3 stars) Title: Highway Company: A&M Catalog: SP-4287 Year: 1970 Country/State: UK Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: excellent shape; original inner sleeve Available: 1 Catalog ID: 5301 Price: $20.00
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Recorded in a hurry on the heels of their massive commercial breakthrough with 'All Right Now', 1971's "Highway" reflected the first signs of artistic fatigue. Musically the album wasn't a draconian change from earlier work. Their patented blue-rock sound remained firmly intact. If anything, the album seemed a step backwards with material such as 'The Highway Song' and 'On My Way' returning to a paired back, tougher, blues-oriented sound. Those songs weren't bad, just kind of plain in comparison to recent works. Elsewhere, 'Be My Friend', 'Sunny Day', 'Love You So' and 'Bodie' (the latter sporting an atypically low-key Rodgers vocal and a weird country-rock feel), found the quartet trying their collective hands at ballads. Let's just say the results were mixed. To be honest, the first time I heard the album most of the nine songs simply didn't jump out at me. That said, given a chance the set displayed its consistency and artistic strengths. Andy Fraser's slinky 'The Stealer' was the coolest and funkiest thing they ever did (released as a single how could it not have gone top-10?). Almost as good, propelled by a neat Paul Kossoff riff, 'Riding on a Pony' should have been another massive radio hit. And yes, there were a couple of first-rate ballads. Both 'Love You So' and the closer 'Soon I Will Be Gone' have stood the tests of time. It's an album that has steadily grown on me over the years.
Unfortunately, in spite of a mammoth world tour the collection failed to replicate earlier commercial successes faltering at # 190 on the American charts. Increasingly frustrated with their inconsistent sales and with personality clashes heating up in the midst of a seemingly endless tour, by the time the band hit the Asian leg of the tour they unexpectedly decided to call it quits.
"Highway" track listing: 1.) The Highway Song (Andy Fraser - Paul Rodgers) - 4:14 rating: ** stars Not to sound over harsh, but the the title track wasn't any great shakes. No idea if it was autobographical. Kind of a standard-blues rocker the only thing that saved it from oblivion was Kossoff's wonderful guitar solos. For some reason it was tapped as the leadoff single:
- 1971's 'The Highway Song' b/w 'Love You So' (A&M catalog number AM-1248)
2.) The Stealer (Andy Fraser - Paul Rodgers - Paul Kossoff) - 3:13 rating: **** stars Fraser's bass line and Rodgers slinky delivery made 'The Stealer' the funkiest song they ever recorded. It was also one of the most commercial things they ever did. Curiously Island Records President Chris Blackwell didn't want to release the tune as a single; only relenting when the band through their collective weight behind 'The Stealer.'
- 1970's 'Stealer' b/w 'Lying In the Sunshine' (A&M catalog number AM-1230) # 49 US pop charts YouTube has a stunning clip recorded at a 1970 performance at Croyden's Fairfield Hall: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssZtFzrWSVE 3.) On My Way (Andy Fraser - Paul Rodgers) - 4:03 rating: **** stars I
don't exactly equate "pretty" with many Free compositions, but the
ballad 'On My Way' was one of those exceptions. Interesting to hear
Rodgers handling a vocal without trying to power his way through it.
Coupled with a nice melody and some attractive keyboard and it was a keeper.
Hearing
Rodgers masterful vocal I always have to wonder how a twenty year old could
pull of such as soulful performance. Equally puzzling was
understanding why A&M didn't tap the song as a single. Recorded
for German television, YouTube has a nice live performance at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOr1stg9lds (side 2) 1.) Sunny Day (Andy Fraser - Paul Rodgers) - 3:04 rating: ** stars As much as I love Rodgers voice, he simply couldn't salvage 'Sunny Day'. To my ears this one sounded like it had been pieced together from odds and ends. Bland and forgettable. 2.) Riding on a Pony (Andy Fraser - Paul Rodgers) - 4:17 rating: **** stars Propelled by a bouncy Fraser bass line, just because it was a modest change from the album's barebones blues-rock attack 'Riding on a Party' was another album highlight. Rodgers' voice and delivery on this one has always reminded me a little of Delbert McClinton. Icing on the cake came in the form of the awesome Kossoff riff played throughout. This was Chris Blackwell's choice for the lead single, though the band overrode him. The track was eventually tapped as a Japanese single:
- 1970's 'Ride My Pony' b/w 'On My Way' Island catalog number SFL 1319)
And for anyone interested, here's another performance clip from German television: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnDyJsSP2sQ
3.) Love You So (Paul Rodgers - Simon Kirke) - 4:53 rating: **** stars If
I were going to pull together a funeral play list I would focus on up-tempo
numbers, but one of the exceptions would be this glorious and heartfelt
ballad. The
acoustic ballad 'Bodie' was the album's oddest performance. Rodgers
handled lead vocals, but it sure didn't sound like him and I can't say I was
a big fan of the song's country-tinged feel. Okay, okay my wife will tell you I have the sensitivity of a brick (I will tell you that is untrue), but the album closer 'Soon I Will Be Gone' is a wonderful, heartfelt ballad. Rodgers seldom sounded as profound and the lyrics are enough to make you stop and think a moment. Another highlight and a fantastic way to close out the LP.
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Genre: rock Rating: **** (4 stars) Title: Free Live! Company: A&M Catalog: SP-4306 Year: 1970 Country/State: UK Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: gimmick sleeve; original inner sleeve Available: 1 Catalog ID: 5302 Price: $10.00
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In the wake of the band's unexpected
collapse executives at Island and A&M wasted no time raiding their
corporate archives. Clearly anxious to strike the market while the band was still a viable commodity, the result saw the release of the posthumous
"Free Live!". Recorded during a series of
earlier English concert dates the nine tracks including
'All Right Now', 'I'm a Mover' and 'Fire and Water' focused on the band's better known material.
Interestingly, going against prevailing performance trends the album showcased a band limiting extended improvisation in favor of surprisingly tight and enjoyable attacks.
As mentioned elsewhere, their barebones brand of hard rock set a standard
that's seldom been matched, let alone exceeded. At least in my eyes
that was underscored by producer Andy Johns and the band's willingness to go
for a true in-concert sound. Rather than smoothing it all over with
post-production magic, the occasional out of tune instrument, sluggish
tempos, off key vocals, etc. were actually kind of endearing. The live
mix also served to showcase just how good Paul Kossoff and the Andy
Fraser/Simon
Kirke
rhythm section were. Highlights included a blazing 'I'm a Mover' a
version of 'Be My Friend' that simply slayed the earlier studio song
and Fraser's bass work on 'Mr. Big'. For Free fanatics the album was rounded out by the inclusion of
the previous unreleased studio track 'Get Where I Belong'. One of
their prettiest ballads it would have made a dandy single. A modest American seller, the collection reached
# 89. (Designed by Ann Sullivan the 'envelope' packaging was kind of a
nifty idea.) (side 1) 1.) All Right Now (Andy Fraser - Paul Rodgers) - 6:24 2.) I'm a Mover (Andy Fraser - Paul Rodgers) - 3:46 3.) Be My Friend (Andy Fraser - Paul Rodgers) - 5:56 4.) Fire and Water (Andy Fraser - Paul Rodgers) - 3:56 5.) My Brother Jake (Andy Fraser - Paul Rodgers) - 2:53
(side 2) 1.) Ride On a Pony (Andy Fraser - Paul Rodgers) - 4:30 2.) Mr. Big (Andy Fraser - Simon Kirke - Paul Kossoff - Paul Rodgers) - 6:13 3.) The Hunter (Steve Cropper - Donald Duck Dunn - Booker T. Jones - Wells) - 5:29 4.) Get Where I Belong (Andy Fraser - Paul Rodgers) - 4:12
Having heard this set dozens of times all I can say is that they go on the short list of bands I wish I'd had an opportunity to hear live. Since that ain't about to happen, you'll have to settle for a couple of YouTube performances of including their first single 'My Brother Jake' and 'I'm a Mover'.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7Vw1HKqOtg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZSVW-ebwl0
8.) Get Where I Belong (Andy Fraser - Paul Rodgers) - 4:10 |
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Genre: rock Rating: *** (3 stars) Title: Free At Last Company: A&M Catalog: SP-4349 Year: 1972 Country/State: UK Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: minor cover wear Available: 1 Catalog ID: 5940 Price: $20.00
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Surrounded by personality clashes, musical differences, mediocre sales and guitarist Paul Kossoff's growing drug problems, in 1971 Free splintered with the principals pursuing outside projects. Bassist Andy Fraser formed Toby; drummer Simon Kirke and Kossoff released an album as part of Kossoff, Kirke, Tetsu, and Rabbit, while lead singer Paul Rodgers worked with the short-lived Peace. None of the outside projects did much commercially and by early 1972 the four principals had reunited and begun touring the UK. Depending on who you listen to the reunion was driven by economic considerations, or a desire by Fraser, Kirke and Rodgers to try to save Kossoff from his mounting drug problems. Regardless of the basis for the reunion, the four saw fit to release the self-produced "Free At Last". Musically these nine tracks were instantly recognizable as a Free product. The bad news was that with the exception of 'Catch a Train' and 'Little Bit of Love' the reunited band didn't sound all that enthused. Mid-tempo rockers like 'Soldier Boy' and 'Magic Ship' sounded like they were going through the motions, while stockpiling their top shelf material for future endeavors.
- Propelled by Rodgers instantly recognizable growl and Kossoff's screeching leads, the mid-tempo 'Catch a Train' offered up a trademarked slice of mid-tempo rock. So much for the good news. The bad news was that the song never developed much of an identity, though after hearing the rest of the collection it stood as one of the better performances. rating: *** stars - Opening up with martial drums from Kirke and some tasty jangle rock moves from Kossoff, the somber rocker 'Soldier Boy' was a bit of an improvement. Lyrically the song wasn't anything great linking a series of sentiments that any seventh grader could have come up with. On the positive side Rodgers sounded great and the song boasted a great Kossoff solo. rating: *** stars - Another mid-tempo rocker, 'Magic Ship' boasted one of the album's more memorable melodies, featured some nice multi-tracked lead vocals from Rodgers and another nice Kossoff solo. Was it going to make you forget earlier crowning jewels in the Free catalog? Certainly not. rating: ** stars - Kicked along by Fraser's always innovative bass and some choppy Rodgers keyboards, 'Sail On' offered up one of those big, trademarked Free ballads. One of the album's more energetic and enjoyable performances. Great track. rating: **** stars - The blues-rocker 'Travellin' Man' was one of the few tracks that harkened back to the band's earlier sense of bravado (it also served to give you an early peak of what Rodgers would start to do with the forthcoming Bad Company). This one may have been Rodgers best performance. rating: **** stars - Folks tend to think of Free as a blues-rock outfit, but the fact of the matter was that Rodgers and company were more than capable of writing taunt and radio-friendly material. Anyone doubting that statement need only check out 'Little Bit of Love'. Every bit as top-40ish as 'All Right Now' this one should have been a big hit in the states (it went top-20 in the UK). Only complaint was that the song was too short. rating: **** stars - The ballad 'Guardian of the Universe' was interesting for a number of reasons including the fact it had an extremely raw sound - to my ears it sounded like it had been recorded in a subway tunnel. Given Kossoff's raw guitar, the clunky piano, and the fact the last chorus was nothing more than Rodgers singing da-da-da (guess he ran out of time to finish the song), you were left to wonder if this was a demo that somehow got included on the album as filler. Pretty song. Shame they didn't elect to polish it off. rating: *** stars - A reflective keyboard-propelled ballad with a pensive Rodgers vocal, 'Child' was one of their prettiest compositions and one of my favorite performances on the album. The man could sing a telephone book and make it interesting ... rating: **** stars - An interesting way to end the album, the pounding rocker 'Goodbye' saw Kossoff step up to the plate and aptly show he was still capable of delivering the goods. rating: *** stars
A&M also released a single off the LP:
- 1972's 'Little Bit of Love' b/w 'Sail On' (A&M catalog number 1352) (didn't chart in the States)
A big Free fan, I have to admit that this one was a disappointment. Credit the four for giving it a shot and recognize the results were never less than professional, if seldom exciting ... Most bands wouldn't have done nearly as well under such circumstances. Still, perhaps the weakest of their studio albums.
Propelled by the
single and a brief US tour (Kossoff missing several dates due to his growing
drug problem), the album eventually hit # 69 on the charts. (side 1) 1.) Catch a Train (Andy Fraser - Simon Kirke - Paul Kossoff - Paul Rodgers) - 3:25 2.) Soldier Boy (Andy Fraser - Simon Kirke - Paul Kossoff - Paul Rodgers) - 2:46 3.) Magic Ship (Andy Fraser - Simon Kirke - Paul Kossoff - Paul Rodgers) - 5:15 4.) Sail On (Andy Fraser - Simon Kirke - Paul Kossoff - Paul Rodgers) - 3:00 5.) Travellin' Man (Andy Fraser - Simon Kirke - Paul Kossoff - Paul Rodgers) - 3:15
(side 2) 1.) Little Bit of Love (Andy Fraser - Simon Kirke - Paul Kossoff - Paul Rodgers) - 2:32 2.) Guardian of the Universe (Andy Fraser - Simon Kirke - Paul Kossoff - Paul Rodgers) - 5:23 3.) Child (Andy Fraser - Simon Kirke - Paul Kossoff - Paul Rodgers) - 5:10 4.) Goodbye (Andy Fraser - Simon Kirke - Paul Kossoff - Paul Rodgers) - 5:00
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Genre: rock Rating: *** (3 stars) Title: Heartbreaker Company: Island Catalog: ILPS-9324 Year: 1973 Country/State: UK Grade (cover/record): VG / VG Comments: -- Available: 2 Catalog ID: 5305 Price: $10.00
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By 1973 the band was in major disarray. Bassist Andy Fraser had quit to form Sharks. Adding to ongoing problems lead guitarist Paul Kossoff found himself dealing with an increasingly nasty drug problem, other medical issues and his own growing interests in the band Back Street Crawler. With roughly half of 1973's "Heartbreaker" completed, those issues saw Kossoff essentially drop out of the recording sessions. Paul Rogers and Simon Kirke subsequently brought in American guitarist Snuffy, bassist Tetsu Yamauchi and keyboard player Rabbit Bundrick to fill in the instrumental gaps and complete the album. Forced to pick up the creative slack Rogers responded admirably and while the set may have lacked some of the cohesion of earlier releases, songs like the title track, 'Come Together In the Morning' and 'Easy On My Soul' actually recaptured some of the band's earlier enthusiasm. Apparently intended as a wakeup call to Kossoff and his increasingly severe drug problem 'Wishing Well' was easily the standout track, though 'Seven Angels' was pretty good. (In case anyone was keeping track 'Common Mortal Man also seemed directed towards Kossoff.) The choice of the song as a single proved ironic since Kossoff was forced to drop out of the supporting tour when he collapsed onstage during one of the tour's first performances. He was quickly replaced by Osibisa guitarist Wendell Richardson. Backed by an American tour the album hit # 47. Ironically, in spite of their commercial resurgence, having completed their touring and contractual obligations the band broke up for good. Island tapped the LP for a pair of singles in the form of:
- 1973's 'Wishing Well' b/w 'Let Me Show You' (Island catalog number P-1212) '- 1973's 'Travellin'
In Style' b/w '' (Island catalog number P-1214) (side 1)
1.) Wishing Well (Paul Rodgers - Simon Kirke - Tetsu Yamauchi - Paul Kossoff
- Rabbit Bundrick) - 3:40 (side 2) 1.) Muddy Water
(Rabbit Bundrick) - 4:14
Below are YouTube links to a couple of live performances from this late-inning Free line-up:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OknExFlkOz4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lAXfjWIOBM
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Genre: rock Rating: *** (3 stars) Title: The Best of Free Company: A&M Catalog: SP-3663 Year: 1975 Country/State: UK Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: original inner sleeve Available: 1 Catalog ID: 5304 Price: $10.00
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1975's "The Best of Free" was the first posthumous retrospective. Certainly not the ultimate retrospective (that nod would probably go to the 19 track "The Free Story"), the 12 track compilation served a purpose of collecting the hits, near hits, and radio staples. To be honest there were actually a couple of lesser known efforts here - the early UK single 'My Brother Jake', 'Catch a Train' and 'Goodbye'. While the cover art was atrocious, Jim Bickhart's biography was entertaining and informative.
"The Best of Free" track listing: (side 1) 1.) Fire and Water (Andy Fraser - Paul Rodgers) - 3:42 2.) The Highway Song (Andy Fraser - Paul Rodgers) - 4:14 3.) Little Bit of Love (Andy Fraser - Paul Rodgers - Paul Kossoff - Simon Kirke) - 2:32 4.) Mouthful of Grass (Andy Fraser - Paul Rodgers) - 3:36 5.) My Brother Jake (Andy Fraser - Paul Rodgers) - 2:55 6.) The Hunter (Steve Cropper - Donald Duck Dunn - Booker T. Jones -
Wells) - 5:25 (side 2) 1.) All Right Now (Andy Fraser - Paul Rodgers) -5:32 2.) Woman (Andy Fraser - Paul Rodgers) -3:45 3.) Catch a Train (Andy Fraser - Paul Rodgers - Paul Kossoff - Simon Kirke) - 3:25 4.) I'm a Mover (Andy Fraser - Paul Rodgers) - 2:49 5.) The Stealer (Andy Fraser - Paul Rodgers - Paul Kossoff) - 3:15 6.) Goodbye (Andy Fraser - Paul Rodgers - Paul Kossoff - Simon Kirke) - 5:00
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Quick band history - By 1968 lead guitarist Paul Kossoff and drummer
Simon Kirke had spent several years with the London based R&B group Black Cat
Bones. Frustrated with their roles in the band and it's failure to
breakthrough to a larger audience the two decided to strike out on their
own, eventually hooking up with ex-Brown Sugar/Roadrunners singer Paul Rodgers. With the addition of then-16 year old bassist Andy Fraser (who'd just
been fired from John Mayall's Blues Breakers), the group began rehearsing
and playing local London pubs and clubs. They quickly found a mentor
in bluesman Alex Korner, who even supplied them with the name 'Free'
(apparently inspired by his own bad 'Free At Last'). Korner also
helped bring the band to the attention of Chris Blackwell and Island Records.
