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Mick Ralphs

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Mick Ralphs
Ralphs in 1976
Ralphs in 1976
Background information
Birth nameMichael Geoffrey Ralphs
Born (1944-03-31) 31 March 1944 (age 80)
Stoke Lacy, Herefordshire, England
GenresHard rock, blues-rock, glam rock
Occupation(s)Musician, songwriter
Instrument(s)Guitar, vocals, keyboards
Years active1968–present
LabelsAngel Air, Griffin
WebsiteOfficial website

Michael Geoffrey "Mick" Ralphs (born 31 March 1944)[1] is an English guitarist and songwriter, who was a founding member of rock bands Mott the Hoople and Bad Company.

Career

Ralphs began his career as a teenager, playing with blues-rock band the Buddies.[2] He released a single with that group in 1964 before joining the Mod Doc Thomas Group in 1966. After an eponymous Italian album debut, the band changed its name twice, first to Silence in 1968 and then, in 1969, to Mott the Hoople. Ralphs remained with Mott the Hoople until 1973.

In 1974, he founded Bad Company along with vocalist Paul Rodgers from Free.[2] The band's debut album that year included the Ralphs'-penned hit "Can't Get Enough",[2] for which Ralphs tuned his guitar in the open-C tuning C-C-G-C-E-C, stating, "It never really sounds right in standard tuning. It needs the open C to have that ring."[3] The debut album reached number one in the United States.[2] Ralphs continued to record and tour with Bad Company until the original band folded in 1982.

In 1984 he toured with Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour on Gilmour's About Face tour. In 1985, he released a solo album, Take This, which included Bad Company's drummer Simon Kirke.[4] He teamed up with future Bad Company guitarist Dave Colwell for a limited four-run live support of the album, which also featured drummer Chris Slade of Uriah Heep and keyboard player Lindsay Bridgewater, who performed with Ozzy Osbourne.[4] He did one performance with a band called Cold Turkey.[4]

Bad Company reformed with different line-ups between 1986 and 1998. But after a reunion tour with the original foursome in 1999, Ralphs announced that he was giving up touring, something he was never comfortable with in either band, since he has a morbid fear of flying.[citation needed]

Ralphs second solo album It's All Good, an instrumental, came out in 2001.[2] Two years later his That's Life – Can't Get Enough album was released, including a demo version of "Can't Get Enough".[5]

In 2004, he once again teamed up with former Mott colleague Ian Hunter, playing second lead guitar (along with Andy York) on Hunter's UK tour.[4] Ralphs performed at Hunter's 2005 concert at the London Astoria, with Ralphs performing a guitar solo to "All the Way from Memphis".

Ralphs performing with Mott the Hoople at a reunion gig, Hammersmith Apollo, October 2009

On 2 July 2008, it was announced that the original line-up of Bad Company (minus Boz Burrell who died in September 2006) would do a one-off gig at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida on 8 August 2008.[6] According to Paul Rodgers, they did this gig to 'protect the legacy they have built and cement the rights to the trademark Bad Company for touring'.[7] The now regular line-up of Bad Company includes Ralphs, along with Rodgers and Kirke.

Mott the Hoople, including Ralphs, reunited for two shows at the Blake Theatre in Monmouth close to Rockfield Studios where they rehearsed before playing five concerts at the Hammersmith Apollo in London, during September and October 2009. All five of the original members participated in the reunion with Martin Chambers assisting on drums.

In 2011, Ralphs formed The Mick Ralphs Blues Band with musicians he met while guesting at a jam session at the Nag's Head pub in High Wycombe: Stuart Son Maxwell, harmonica/vocals; Jim Maving, guitar; Sam Kelly, drums; Dickey Baldwin, bass. The band's website states that Ralphs is seeking to explore his blues and soul roots, playing covers of classic blues and R&B songs. The band made its debut as Mick Ralphs and Co at Jagz Club in Ascot, Berkshire in June 2011, changing the name to the Mick Ralphs Blues Band soon afterwards. More dates were announced for late 2011 and early 2012.

Guitars

Notable songwriting credits

Discography

Solo

  • 1984 : Take This - Reedited on CD in 1996
  • 2001 : It's all good - Recorded live in 1999 with Simon Kirke and Boz Burrell
  • 2003 : That's life

Mott The Hoople

  • 1969 : Mott the Hoople
  • 1970 : Mad Shadows
  • 1971 : Wildlife
  • 1971 : Brain Capers
  • 1972 : All the Young Dudes
  • 1972 : Rock and Roll Queen
  • 1973 : Mott
  • 1974 : The Hoople - Mick sings backup vocals on Pearl 'n' Roy (England) and plays rhythm guitar on Roll Away the Stone.

Bad Company

  • 1974 : Bad Company
  • 1975 : Straight Shooter
  • 1976 : Run With The Pack
  • 1977 : Burnin' Sky
  • 1979 : Desolation Angels
  • 1982 : Rough Diamonds
  • 1985 : 10 from 6 - Compilation
  • 1986 : Fame and Fortune - Brian Howe replaces Paul Rodgers.
  • 1988 : Dangerous Age
  • 1990 : Holy Water
  • 1992 : Here Comes Trouble
  • 1993 : What You Hear Is What You Get: The Best of Bad Company - Live album with Brian Howe as lead vocalist.
  • 1995 : Company of Strangers - Robert Hart replaces Brian Howe as lead vocalist.
  • 1996 : Stories Told & Untold
  • 1999 : The Original Bad Company Anthology
  • 2006 : Live in Albuquerque 1976
  • 2010 : Hard Rock Live - Paul Rodgers is back in the lineup.
  • 2011 : Live at Wembley
  • 2016 : Live in Concert 1977 & 1979

Collaborations

  • 1971 : Under Open Skies by Luther Grosvenor
  • 1984 : Mick Ralphs toured with David Gilmour to support his second solo album About Face, with Gregg Dechert on keyboards, Mickey Feat on bass, Sue Evans & Jody Linscott on percussions, Raphael Ravenscroft on sax, flute and keyboards and Chris Slade on drums. No album has been recorded of that tour but you can always find some traces on youtube.

See also

References

  1. ^ nndb.com
  2. ^ a b c d e "Biography by Steve Huey". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 30 December 2008.
  3. ^ Sharken, Lisa (15 May 2001). "Mick Ralphs: The rock 'N' roll fantasy continues". Vintage Guitar. Retrieved 21 February 2013. {{cite journal}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  4. ^ a b c d rockdetector.com
  5. ^ Allmusic.com – album overview
  6. ^ Bad Company News
  7. ^ Queen News
  8. ^ "Alison Krauss Cover Songs". The Covers Project. 9 March 2005. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
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