Bad Company circa 1999 (from left) Boz Burrell, Paul Rodgers, Mick Ralphs and Simon Kirke. Photo courtesy Elektra Records.

By Mike Greenblatt

Simon Kirke has rocked stages for decades as drummer for Free and Bad Company. On his new solo album, “Filling The Void,” he plays piano, bass, guitar and drums. He also sings his own songs (quite nicely, thank you) — songs filled with regret and humor, blunt honesty and wistful ruminations of the lessons he’s learned. Don’t expect any macho blustering. He doesn’t ‘Feel Like Makin’ Love.’ Not right now, anyway.

The last time I saw you was at Yankee Stadium when you and I went with [musician] Ricky Byrd. It was your first baseball game!
Simon Kirke: Yeah, I remember that. I play a lot of golf, but that was my first and only time seeing baseball. I seem to remember yelling at the umpire a lot that night.

“Filling The Void” is beautiful. There’s blues, jazz and rock ’n’ roll, but a majority of it is in the serious singer-songwriter confessional zone. When did you turn into Joni Mitchell?
Kirke: Hey, Duke Ellington said there’s only two types of music: good and bad. I like all styles. I’ve been singing and playing guitar for 45 years and have always written songs. It’s just something most people don’t associate with me. I’ve contributed the odd song with Free and Bad Company. I co-wrote the song “Bad Company” with Paul Rodgers, in fact. A lot of my songs were not suited to that style, and they’d get put on the back burner. I love James Taylor. I love Joni. Dylan, too. I love Jackson Browne and Leonard Cohen. I’ve accumulated over 30 songs.

This album has exorcized some of your demons, hasn’t it? Lyrically, you’ve dug deep and personal. The title track, about your addiction, is quite profound.
Kirke: Well, yeah, I don’t mind saying I’ve been in several rehabs. I’ve had trouble with substance abuse over the years. One of the counselors recommended I write songs about it as part of my therapy. It’s not meant to be embarrassing or make people squirm. It’s just telling it like it is. Addiction doesn’t carry the stigma that it used to. If I can help someone by telling them about it, then all well and good.

You’re right in line with many recovering addicts and alcoholics who want to take the anonymous part away from people in recovery. They say disclosure will do more good.
Kirke: I agree. Look, the guy who started me and a lot of other people down the road to sobriety is Eric Clapton, whether he knows it or not. He was one of the first guys to go public. Elton John and Alice Cooper, too. Alice, actually, might’ve been the very first guy in our business who threw up his hands and said, “I’m a drunk and I’m trying to get better.” Had they kept it secret, I think a lot of people might not have realized it about themselves.

Wasn’t it, ultimately, the rock-star lifestyle? Or is that too simplistic?
Kirke: It’s a case of growing up. Some people have addictive personalities, and they cannot stop. There are friends of mine who shall remain nameless who gave it all up. They had their 10 years of frolicking and carousing, and now they lead normal lives. Others don’t make it. They can’t stop. They die. Period. My drug use and drinking was highest when Bad Company was at its highest. We could do no wrong! When you bathe yourself in that applause night after night, and women are hurling themselves at you, and men are offering you all sorts of substances, and you’re getting first-class treatment wherever you go, you develop a false sense of grandiosity and self-worth. It’s a dream/nightmare. You never want it to end. I’m lucky to be alive.

“Message From The Lost” recounts your experiences as a driver for the Red Cross in New York City for six weeks after 9/11.
Kirke: You never forget. I saw relatives of those who were killed, and those images stayed with me ever since.

I had no idea you were such a good singer.
Kirke: When you’re in a band with Paul Rodgers, you don’t really have much of a chance. He’s so wonderful. The whole Bad Company sound was based around his singing, so the limited vocals I did were back-up harmony. I’ve always loved to sing. Now, I do shows where I play piano and guitar and get to sing for an hour and a half and I love it!

To this day, Foreigner has been ignored by Rock’s Hall of Fame

(No. 42 in a continuing series on artists who should be in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, but are not)

By Phill Marder

Of the many sax players who have graced Rock & Roll since its inception, to me the recently departed Clarence Clemons was without equal.

But the man he replaced atop my list of favorites was not far behind.

Thus, a moment in the summer of 1981 always has been one of my supreme musical memories. I don’t recall where I was driving, but the car radio was playing the latest offering from one of Rock & Roll’s hottest groups. And it was a great one. And that was before the shock.

There it was, smack dab in the middle of this latest blockbuster, the difference between a good record and a great record.

I said – I was by myself, but I talk to myself a lot ’cause no one else listens – anyway, I said to myself…”That’s Junior Walker.” Actually, I more yelled it. Couldn’t believe what I was hearing, and I was correct right from the first note because this was one sound you couldn‘t mistake if you had survived the ‘60s with any memory intact. Junior Walker back on the airwaves – blowin’ that mighty sax right in the middle of “Urgent.”

But this week’s thrilling episode is not about Junior Walker. Instead, it’s a thank you to Foreigner, for one of the many outstanding moments they provided between 1977 and 1988 in a hit-filled career that should spell Hall of Fame inductee. The Rock Hall can ignore Walker. The All-Stars weren’t exactly Motown’s superstars. I’ll just chisel a Mount Rushmore of sax players and put him and Clemons on there with King Curtis and Boots Randolph. But why Foreigner has been ignored thus far is a mystery. After all, they are one of the biggest selling bands of The Rock era and they did it all on Atlantic Records, the label that already has placed almost its entire roster, deserving or not, into Rock’s Hall.

Foreigner has had No. 1 albums in five different countries, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Norway and Switzerland and nine Top 10 singles in the U.S. alone. The run began with “Feels Like The First Time,” which hit No. 4 for the six-piece band fronted by former Spooky Tooth guitarist Mick Jones of England and American Lou Gramm, who would prove to be not only a fine songwriting partner for Jones, but one of Rock’s most versatile vocalists as well.

“Feels Like The First Time” could have been recorded by most straight-ahead, hard rocking outfits of the day, but it was distinguished from the ordinary by its intricate vocal interplay, also featured on the next hit, “Cold As Ice,” which hit No. 6 after “Starrider” had bombed.

The massive success of the two singles propelled the band’s eponymous debut LP to No. 4 in the States. Though the singles were modest hits in Europe, the LP made nary a ripple in Britain, also the home base for Ian McDonald, a former King Crimson member who played guitars and keyboards, and drummer Dennis Elliott. Like Gramm, bassist Ed Gagliardi and Al Greenwood on keyboards hailed from New York.

A third single, “Long, Long Way From Home” was pulled from the debut LP and this, though not as polished as the previous two, also proved a success, hitting No. 20. It also pointed the direction the band would be heading for the 1978 LP “Double Vision,” which eclipsed the debut in worldwide sales and on the charts, peaking at No. 3 in the U.S.

The first single, “Hot Blooded,” could feel at home in AC/DC’s catalog, and it soared to No. 3 only to be bettered by the follow-up, “Double Vision,” which hit No. 2. Another heavy hitter, “Blue Morning, Blue Day,” got to No. 15, but a fourth single pulled from the LP, “Love Has Taken Its Toll,” flopped, probably because most fans already owned it on the album.

Gramm called the band’s next effort its “grainiest.” Like calling Lou Reed’s vocals bad. The first single, “Dirty White Boy,” and the title cut, “Head Games,” were as raw as anything released in the ‘70s. But both singles proved sizeable hits and the LP reached No. 5

At this time, the group began going through personnel changes which would become rampant during the ’80s, Englishman Rick Wills replacing Gagliardi for the album, with McDonald and Greenwood dismissed almost exactly a year after the album’s release.

Mutt Lange, fresh off production of AC/DC’s “Back In Black” was called in to work on the next effort. Now a streamlined, three-piece with a vocalist, Foreigner unleashed “4,” which started the ’80s by spending 10 weeks at No. 1. To put this into perspective, Hall-of-Fame inductee Solomon Burke spent seven weeks on the Billboard top 200 album chart in his entire career!! It was the group’s breakthough in Europe, too, reaching the top five in several countries, including the U.K.

No wonder. With “Urgent” issued as the initial single, a whole new generation was introduced to the wailing sax of Walker. Also featured was the keyboard work of Thomas Dolby before he was blinded by science. But “Urgent,” which reached No. 4, was just the first of five classic hits pulled from this long player.

The next single, “Waiting For A Girl Like You,” was Foreigner’s first successful ballad, and what a success it was, setting a record for spending 10 weeks at No. 2. Incredibly, it was blocked from No. 1 for nine weeks by Olivia Newton-John’s “Physical.”

The next three hits, “Juke Box Hero,” “Break It Up” and “Luanne” returned the band to its normal, heavy mode. Over three years later, “Agent Provocateur,” became the group’s initial No. 1 effort in Britain and several other nations, producing the arena anthem “I Want To Know What Love Is” that became the group’s first No. 1 single in the U.S. and U.K.

Though the band had more big hits on the uptempo side, “That Was Yesterday” (No. 12) and “Say You Will” (No. 6), the last major blast was, again, a big ballad, “I Don’t Want To Live Without You” climbing to No. 5 in 1988.

By this time, Jones and Gramm were beginning to wear thin as a duo and Gramm proceeded to issue a pair of solo albums, which yielded several hit singles, while Jones worked on production with the likes of Van Halen, Bad Company and Billy Joel. Eventually, they split and Foreigner continued on with several replacement vocalists as they do today.

It was never the same though. Most groups find difficulty maintaining a huge fan base when the lead singer changes, and Foreigner was no exception. However, the 11-year period in which they dominated record and concert ticket sales is an impressive run for any artist.

Rolling Stone’s Paul Evans, who we’ve met in previous episodes of this blog, called Jones “…master of the hook” and “…a guitarist of unerring efficiency.” He refers to Gramm as “…one of the finest singers in all of pop metal.” Evans, not the easiest critic to please, added, “Foreigner’s catalogue of car-stereo hits is nearly unrivaled.”

As happens with so many bands, it becomes difficult to pinpoint key members, or in this case which members should be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Certainly Jones and Gramm and the rest of the original six merit induction plus Willis. Add Mark Rivera, who served two terms with the band as a multi-instrumentalist and Bob Mayo, keyboardist during most the ‘80s, and you account for those who were present for most of the group’s period of world dominance.

Foreigner was a heavy band that happened to have hit singles. Foreigner was a heavy band that happened to have a couple huge selling ballads. These successes should not be held against the group. A behemoth of the ‘70’s and ‘80’s music scene, Foreigner earned its spot in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

In its ongoing program of reissuing classic rock and pop albums, Audio Fidelity will release 24 Karat Gold CD versions of Carly Simon’s 1972 NO SECRETS and Bad Company’s 1975 STRAIGHT SHOOTER on June 21.  The discs will be issued as numbered, limited editions that will be retired after their initial runs have sold out, and will be available from both online and brick-and-mortar retail outlets.

First issued in November of 1972, NO SECRETS was Simon’s breakthrough LP and remains her best-selling recording to date, having held the No. 1 position on Billboard’s album chart for five weeks and ultimately gone Platinum five times over.  Her third long-player, NO SECRETS contains Simon’s signature single, the chart-topping “You’re So Vain,” which features Mick Jagger on backing vocals, as well as its follow-up, “The Right Thing to Do.”  The album introduced eight new Simon originals, as well as a cover of James Taylor’s “Night Owl,” and enlisted an all-star cast of support players.  Taylor joins Simon on vocals for “Waited So Long,” which also boasts contributions from Little Feat’s Lowell George (slide guitar) and Bill Payne (organ), while Paul McCartney, Bonnie Bramlett and Doris Troy (of “Just One Look” fame) lend vocal assists on “Night Owl.”  Richard Perry (Ray Charles, Rod Stewart, Ringo, Tiny Tim) produced NO SECRETS, and Paul Buckmaster, best known for his work with Elton John, provided string and woodwind arrangements on “When You Close Your Eyes” and the choral arrangement on “Embrace Me, You Child.”

STRAIGHT SHOOTER was the sophomore album by British hard-rockers Bad Company.  Released in April of 1975, it earned the quartet of Paul Rodgers, Mick Ralphs, Simon Kirke and Boz Burrell its third and fourth hit singles:  ”Good Lovin’ Gone Bad” (penned by guitarist Ralphs) and “Feel Like Makin’ Love” (a Ralphs co-write with vocalist/guitarist Rodgers).  The latter track was a Top 10 hit and has enjoyed a storied pop-culture legacy, having been covered by, among others, Kid Rock, ska-punkers Goldfinger and country singer Philip Claypool, and used on episodes of The Simpsons and South Park.  In addition to the singles, the album contained the FM-rock-radio staples “Deal with the Preacher” and “Shooting Star” (which Simon Kirke and Mick Ralphs have explained was inspired by the deaths of Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison).  STRAIGHT SHOOTER climbed to No. 3 on both the U.S. and U.K. charts and was subsequently certified for triple-Platinum status.  Bad Company produced the album, which was engineered and mixed by Ron Nevison, whose credits include The Who’s Quadrophenia and the Rolling Stones’ It’s Only Rock ‘N Roll.

To order click here.

New York, NY (October 22, 2010) — Can you imagine playing lead guitar for front man Roger Daltrey of The Who in front of a live, screaming and standing-room-only crowd at an iconic rock venue? For many people, this is a lifelong fantasy; at Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy Camp, it becomes reality. From January 12th to 17th in New York City, rock enthusiasts and amateur musicians from all walks of life will have the opportunity to interact with, learn from, jam with and perform alongside their idols as part of the rock camp that became the centerpiece of VH1 Classic’s new series – also called Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy Camp – which debuted October 16th as the most watched series premiere in network history.

Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy Camp New York City will feature several of the rock star counselors from the Mark Burnett produced VH1 Classic show, which, according to the New York Post’s Michael Starr, “far exceeded VH1’s expectations.” With the help of special guest counselor Roger Daltrey, one of the most iconic lead singers in rock ‘n’ roll history, rock greats the likes of Grammy Award-winning mega-producer Phil Ramone, Tommy James, Simon Kirke of Bad Company, Rudy Sarzo of Quiet Riot, Kip Winger of Winger, renownedsinger/songwriter Mark Hudson, and many others, will be transforming campers from rock hobbyists into arena maestros.

“There is a rock star within everyone, and with the help of some of the world’s most celebrated musicians, Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy Camp brings that rock star to the surface for an empowering experience that stays with campers their entire lives,” said Rock Camp founder/CEO David Fishof. “As shown on the VH1 Classic series, the camp brings real people together with rock legends for a one-of-a-kind rock ‘n’ roll immersion. Where else can an amateur musician learn from and jam with living legends like Roger Daltrey? Our New York camp will be one of our best yet.”

From the minute campers arrive in New York, their rock ‘n’ roll adventure begins. Campers will form their own bands; spend over 10 hours a day in-studio jamming and creating original music under the guidance of a famous rock counselor; meet and jam with Roger Daltrey; take a variety of specialized master classes conducted by rock icons; break bread with industry insiders; and play BB King’s in Times Square before a jam-packed audience.

There are three packages – the four-day Rock Star package, and six-day Headliner and Recording Star packages – allowing campers a variety of options to tap into their inner Robert Plant. The most comprehensive package – The Recording Star – includes two extra days of recording time in a renowned studio with a professional engineer, allowing campers to leave with a series of professionally-mixed and produced songs complete with the rock star seal of approval.

This fall, in conjunction with the VH1 Classic series, Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy Camp is criss-crossing the nation, bringing a series of “Weekend Warrior” Camps to a town near you. The tour, led by Allman Brothers legend Dickey Betts, kicks off  today for a weekend in Philadelphia, and then continues in San Francisco (Nov. 5-7), Dallas (Nov. 12-14) and Chicago (Nov. 19-21). Betts will be joined on tour by Mark Farner (formerly of Grand Funk), Mark Hudson, Rudy Sarzo, Kip Winger, Sandy Gennaro, and numerous special guest rock stars in each city. Hudson, Sarzo and Winger are all featured on the TV show.

“Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy Camp is the hottest show on VH1 Classic for a reason,” added Fishof. “We’re rocking in the New Year with one of our most exciting and star-studded camps ever.”

Learn more about Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy Camp, tour dates and pricing at www.rockcamp.com.

• Get the new John Lennon book: “John Lennon: Life is What Happens, Music, Memories & Memorabilia”

• Get the closest thing to the full Woodstock experience with the book “Woodstock Peace, Music & Memories.”