The six albums released by the original
Bad Company between 1974 and 1982 arguably defined arena rock and, by extension, classic rock. The hard-hitting, no-frills, soulful sound created by vocalist
Paul Rodgers (who also contributed piano and guitar occasionally), lead guitarist
Mick Ralphs, bass guitarist
Boz Burrell, and drummer
Simon Kirke lives on through eternal radio airplay.
Rodgers,
Ralphs,
Burrell, and
Kirke reunited in 1999 to remind the public about the original band's legacy and downplay (if not bury) the
Rodgers-less
Bad Company lineups that experienced various levels of success from the late '80s through much of the 1990s.
Burrell died in 2006, but
Rodgers,
Ralphs, and
Kirke joined forces for a few short tours since then to keep the original
Bad Company's musical flag flying proudly. Released in 2011,
Live at Wembley captures a concert at London's Wembley Arena on April 11, 2010. (Since
Burrell's passing, two members of
Rodgers' solo band -- former
Heart guitarist
Howard Leese and bass guitarist
Lynn Sorensen -- have supplemented the core surviving trio.) The band turns in a strong performance in its home country with all of the major pop and rock radio hits present and accounted for, often with extended intros and jams: "Can't Get Enough," "Run with the Pack," "Seagull," "Feel Like Makin' Love," "Shooting Star," "Rock and Roll Fantasy," "Movin' On," "Ready for Love," and "Bad Company." Classics are expected during a concert, of course, but any live performance by a band of
Bad Company's stature is fleshed out with album cuts, minor hits, and overlooked gems revered by die-hard fans. Therefore, "Honey Child," the hit cover of
the Coasters' "Young Blood," "Gone, Gone, Gone," "Electric Land," "Simple Man," and "Deal with the Preacher" truly complete the package, while the underappreciated "Electric Land" from 1982's otherwise lackluster
Rough Diamonds is a major treat. [Note: Due to CD playing time limitations, "Burnin' Sky" is omitted, but it is included on the
Live at Wembley Blu-ray and DVD.]