Bad Company - Bad Company

Analogue Productions (Atlantic 75 Series)

Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of Atlantic Records!

Bad Company's eponymous 1974 debut featuring "Ready for Love"

180-gram 45 RPM double LP

Mastered and cut to lacquer from a 1/4" flat tape copy of the original master tape by Ryan K. Smith at Sterling Sound

Pressed at Quality Record Pressings

Tip-on old style gatefold double pocket jackets with film lamination by Stoughton Printing

Scott Wilson, YouTube — Bad Company Analogue Productions Atlantic 75 Series vs. US Original video

Dave Denyer, YouTube — "Mind-blowingly good! Bad Company - Bad Co." YouTube video

Michael Ludwigs, 45 RPM Audiophile — 'Atlantic 75: Genesis, Bad Company, Phil Collins Against the Original Pressings.' YouTube video

"The instrumentation separation is unbeatable, particularly the auxiliary percussion (tambourine, claves, and cowbell) on 'Rock Steady,' coming across more prominently than before. ... Like all Atlantic 75 pressings done by Analogue Productions, this 45 RPM cut by Ryan K. Smith will reign as the finest this album ever sounded." — Music = 9/11; Sound = 10/11 — Dylan Peggin, TrackingAngle.com. Read the entire review here.

From the wreckage of Free came Bad Company, the English hard rock supergroup fronted by singer Paul Rodgers and featuring his drummer bandmate Simon Kirke, Mott the Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs, and King Crimson bassist Boz Burrell. Peter Grant, who managed the rock band Led Zeppelin, also managed Bad Company until 1982.

The group's eponymous 1974 album debut decidedly proves the band is proudly not progressive — the details make a difference, as do the pastoral acoustics of the closing "Seagull" — reducing their rock 'n' roll to a strong, heavy crunch; compare "Ready for Love," a tune Ralphs brought over from Mott the Hoople, to the original to see how these quartet members keep their heads down as they do their business. Appropriately enough given their name, there's a sense of slow, churning menace to Bad Company, writes AllMusic reviewer Stephen Thomas Erlewine.

Their first three albums, Bad Company (1974), Straight Shooter (1975), and Run with the Pack (1976), reached the Top Five in the album charts in both the U.K. and the U.S.. Many of their singles and songs, such as "Bad Company," "Can't Get Enough," "Good Lovin' Gone Bad," "Feel Like Makin' Love," "Ready for Love," "Shooting Star," and "Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy," remain staples of classic rock radio. They have sold 20 million RIAA-certified albums in the U.S. and 40 millon worldwide.

The self-titled debut album was recorded at Headley Grange, Hampshire, in Ronnie Lane's Mobile Studio. The album reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in the U.S, and No. 3 on the U.K. Albums Chart, spending 25 weeks on the U.K. charts. The album has been certified five times platinum in the U.S., and became the 46th-best-selling album of the 1970s. The singles "Can't Get Enough" and "Movin' On" reached No. 5 and No. 19 on the Billboard Hot 10.

All the hallmarks of a top-notch Analogue Productions reissue are here for your pleasure: Mastered and cut to lacquer at 45 RPM from a 1/4" flat tape copy of the original master tape by Ryan K. Smith at Sterling Sound. Pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Quality Record Pressings, and housed in tip-on old style gatefold double pocket jackets with film lamination by Stoughton Printing.

 

 

 

1. Can't Get Enough

2. Rock Steady

3. Ready For Love

4. Don't Let Me Down

5. Bad Company

6. The Way I Choose

7. Movin' On

8. Seagull

Customer Reviews (4.83 Stars) 6 person(s) rated this product.

Good sound, bad ass band posted on 01/19/2024 4 Stars Reviewer: Woobiecat My copy is clean in every way. I don't have any comparison. My first Bad Co. album. IMO, sound improves as the album progresses. Compared to others in this series, the sound stage is a little less on my system. But, its a killer product, its a killer piece of expression. I actually enjoy every song. Though there is plenty of dead wax here. I dont know how I feel about adding anything. I think I like it as it is.

Not many words to say except wow posted on 01/16/2024 5 Stars Reviewer: Derek Duncan Electric, punchy, dynamic, modern. Everything you could want in a rock recording. And the detail, especially in the quieter songs. I don’t know how they did it, but once again “WOW”!!

Great pressing of a classic album! posted on 12/21/2023 5 Stars Reviewer: Gatesofbabylon87 This is one of my favorite rock albums of all time, so I was quite excited, when I heard this one would get the Analogue Productions treatment. Unfortunately I don't have a british original to compare it to. However I compared it to a german original and boy oh boy what a difference. Right off the bat I noticed a much wider soundstage, much better resolution and much more clarity. Great base and drum sound! Compared to the german release I also got more of Paul Rodger's voice. The pressing was absolutely flat and silent. Stunning quality there. Highly recommended pressing of a great classic rock record! I'm looking forward to the upcoming titles. Thank you very much to Chad and his team!

Phenomenal!!! posted on 12/08/2023 5 Stars Reviewer: Nick Do yourself a favor and buy this album now...Chad and Co deserve high praise yet again for this sonic masterpiece! Can't beat this version of an iconic 70s rock album!

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