Just like the idea of the self-titled album, there’s a risk attached to a band naming themselves after one of their songs, or vice-versa. It’s worked out well for Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Green Day, Motorhead and others – and it also worked out well for Bad Company.

However, writing the 1973 classic from the album of the same name was a slightly challenging experience, as drummer Simon Kirke told Uncle Joe Benson on the Ultimate Classic Rock Nights radio show.

It began when Kirke returned from a trip to Brazil and stayed with singer Paul Rodgers for a few days.

“Paul had this great idea of ‘bad company,’ like long-coated riders, the bounty hunters, rolling across the plains with tumbleweed and wind in the trees – that sort of bad company,” the drummer said. "He was kind of stuck for a second verse. He had this huge piano, a nine-foot-six piano which was bigger than the room it was in – the keyboard was out in the kitchen. I said, ‘Paul, you should either get a bigger house or a smaller piano!’”

Kirke recalled that they "sat down and we fiddled around with it, and came out with the second verse, and then it just took off from there. It became the theme song for the band, thank God. We were very lucky to have the name of the band and one of our best songs as a combination.”

Be sure to listen to Ultimate Classic Rock Nights on more than 50 stations across the U.S. from 7PM until midnight, Monday through Friday. You can see the list of radio stations where it airs here.

 

 

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