ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, SEPT. 23, 1988
By Steve Newton
Bad Company put some mighty fine albums in the mid-’70s, particularly Straight Shooter and Run With the Pack. But that was when they had soulful crooner Paul Rodgers singing for them.
Now they’ve got some Ted Nugent reject named Brian Howe in the lead vocal spot, and instead of memorable blues ‘n’ boogie tunes they specialize in squeaky-clean ’80s radio rock that either sounds like Foreigner or a bad imitation of Bryan Adams.
It’s a real shame that a rocker of guitarist Mick Ralphs’ stature–who’s done such great stuff in the past with Bad Company, and before with Mott the Hoople–has to lower himself to this level to keep the money rolling in.
I’m a fan of the original Bad Company, and I liked what vocalist and songwriter Brian Howe brought to Bad Company’s Fame & Fortune album. That album sounded like a Bad Co. album with a talented new vocalist (I’d read about the Fame & Fortune album in Creem’s Metal Magazine), but with producer and co-songwriter Terry Thomas, Brian Howe helped create a new Bad Co. sound that obviously went over well. I certainly know that I liked it. A new Bad Company had come along in a Dangerous Age.