Paul Kossoff and Simon Kirke first became friends in the R&B band Black Cat Bones, but they wanted to move on. History Formation, early years and breakthrough 1.2 First break-up, reformation, and final break-up.
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1.1 Formation, early years and breakthrough.
#THE WHO GUITARIST FREE#
Free were signed to Island Records in the UK and A&M Records in North America. The magazine ranked Rodgers No. 55 in its list of the "100 Greatest Singers of All Time", and Paul Kossoff at Number 51 in its " 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time". Rolling Stone has referred to the band as "British hard rock pioneers". "All Right Now" remains a R&B staple, and has been entered in ASCAP's "One Million" airplay singles club. In the early 1970s Free became one of the biggest-selling British blues rock groups by the time they disbanded, they had sold more than 20 million albums around the world and had played more than 700 arena and festival concerts. The song helped secure them a place at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970, where they played to 600,000 people. However, their studio albums did not sell very well until their third, Fire and Water, featured the massive hit "All Right Now".
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įree became renowned for their live shows and non-stop touring. Lead guitarist Paul Kossoff formed Back Street Crawler in 1973, but died from a pulmonary embolism at the age of 25 in 1976. They disbanded in 1973 lead singer Paul Rodgers went on to become the frontman of the more successful rock supergroup Bad Company, which also featured his Free bandmate Simon Kirke on drums. Left to right: Winwood, Andy Fraser, Paul Rodgers, Simon Kirke, Paul Kossoff.įree were an English rock band formed in London in 1968, best known for their hit songs " All Right Now" and " Wishing Well". Free in Amsterdam with Steve Winwood, 1970.