Big Mick Ralphs fan here. The slow vibrato, the fat tone, the tasteful choice of notes, he had it all.<\/p>\n
When I was somewhere around the 9th grade, my friends and I went to see Bad Co. at the basketball arena in Louisville. Just a group of music nerds with no money, we were sitting up in the cheap seats.<\/p>\n
What I remember most about that concert, has had a deep effect on me. Here\u2019s what happened; The place is completely packed, and a little ways into the show, they\u2019re in the middle of a song, it might have been Rock Steady.\u00a0 Both Paul and Mick are playing guitar. They\u2019re about to start the second verse, and the power goes out. All the lights and PA are not working, but the amps on stage must have been on a separate line, because you could still hear them playing a little, but not coming thru the PA..<\/p>\n
You could see their silhouettes thru the darkness, and they all huddled around the drums and kept playing.<\/p>\n
Not missing a beat, just grooving in a little huddle, the crowd cheered them on, because you could still hear it a little bit. Not sure how long this went on, probably around a minute. Then the lights burst back on, the PA cranking, they turned around to the crowd, never once stopping the groove and went right into the second verse. The place absolutely exploded. It was one of the most badass things i\u2019ve ever seen, will never forget it. For me as professional musician and record maker, it\u2019s always been about the groove and the pocket, and\u00a0 that night in Louisville, i got a great lesson in how it\u2019s done. I will carry that with me always.<\/p>\n
Much love and peace to Mick Ralphs and his family.<\/p>\n
Kenny Greenberg<\/p>\n
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In 1977 the Outlaws had the pleasure of being the special guest on the Bad Company Burning Sky Tour. On that Tour I met Paul Rodgers, Simon Kirke (who the Outlaws invited to the White House thanks to Jimmy Carter) Boz Burrell, Peter Grant, Jerry Weintraub, Tom Hulett, John Meglen, Paul Gongaware and although all left their imprints on me it was Mick Ralphs that always brought the biggest smile to my face. Almost 20 years later I had the pleasure of managing Bad Company with different lineups but finally I had Rodgers, Kirke and Mick together and there was nothing like that set list of great songs cowritten by Paul & Mick. Always magic on the stage …. Ronnie VanZant’s favorite singer was Paul and Gary loved Kosoff and Ralphs.<\/p>\n
Many long and wonderful nights with Mick and I will miss him until I see him again.<\/p>\n
RIP Mick Ralphs your music will live on forever.<\/p>\n
Cheers,
\nCharlie Brusco<\/p>\n
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Bob,<\/p>\n
A great note.<\/p>\n
I promoted every one of the bands mentioned and I loved the music of all of them.<\/p>\n
All the Young Dudes\u201d is still a favourite.<\/p>\n
Yes Mick Ralphs quietly held the band s together both with his writing and playing.<\/p>\n
Bad Company were a favourite of Peter Grant. He really loved the band and pushed them hard.<\/p>\n
Mick was a great unsung hero.<\/p>\n
May he rest in peace<\/p>\n
Harvey Goldsmith<\/p>\n
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Testify, Bob. Bad Company until the day I die indeed. Love every one of those Bad Co. tracks you mention with Mick’s stamp on ’em — and I’m still also partial to “Electricland,” which I may have mentioned before. Can’t get enough (sorry\/not sorry) of his solo on that underappreciated Rough Diamonds opener.<\/p>\n
Also, when I asked Ian Hunter in 2023 about what made Mott the Hoople’s version of\u00a0\u201cAll the Young Dudes\u201d\u00a0so indelible, his response was immediate:\u00a0\u201cWell, it\u2019s Mick Ralphs\u2019 intro that did it, you know? David (Bowie) had done it in C and we took it up to D, and we added that little rap at the end. David was bored with the way he\u2019d done it because he\u2019d done a lot of alto sax on it, as he was an alto player. He just ran out of ideas \u2014 but with us, it was a whole different ball game. Our version excited him. It was just two nights of recording, and that was it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mike Mettler<\/p>\n
Editor, Analog Planet<\/p>\n
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Worked security at the 1977 Burnin’ Sky tour at what was then the Fabulous Forum in LA. Actually got into the back stage party where the many very pretty women wouldn’t give me the time of day. Was a great show and I actually remember some of the songs thay played. Always wondered why they weren’t in the RRHOF a while\u00a0back. “Bad Company till the day I die” a rock motto to live by in your 20’s.<\/p>\n
Alan Fenton<\/p>\n
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Mick Ralph\u2019s was always a master minimalist. Never played four notes when one was just what the song needed.<\/p>\n
Bob Levy<\/p>\n
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Nice tribute, Bob. Mott\u2019s All The Young Dudes belongs in the pantheon of greatest all-time rock albums.<\/p>\n
Tom Lehr<\/p>\n
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Such an underrated musician. \u00a0To teenaged guitar players like I was in the ’70’s there were few players whose sound you couldn’t quite figure out. Mick Ronson (we later found out it was the wah), Jimmy Page (multiple tricks), and others, including Mick Ralphs and his fat, razor-edged wailing. \u00a0There’s a great bit in a recent Mike Campbell interview of Lukas Nelson where Nelson recalls asking dad Willie if he thought he was a good player. \u00a0Willie says (paraphrasing) \u00a0“yeah, your good, but who cares? \u00a0You need to develop a VOICE.” \u00a0Now Willie was talking about Lukas’ singing voice, but it’s no less true of standout guitarists.<\/p>\n
Writing is a rare talent. \u00a0Playing great guitar is a little less rare, but when you combine that with a wholly unique sensibility–a voice–you can transcend. \u00a0RIP Mick.<\/p>\n
Ted Doyle<\/p>\n
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I don’t remember\u00a0how my brother and I first heard of Bad Company.\u00a0 There was certainly\u00a0some buzz about them being favored by Led Zep being on their record label.\u00a0 At some point, maybe as Can’t Get Enough started showing up on the radio, we made\u00a0our way to Bailey’s Music Rooms on Church Street in Burlington.\u00a0 When we went into the store we headed over to the POP \/ Rock section and looked under “B.”\u00a0 The LP was nowhere, nothing.\u00a0 Then we heard\u00a0a voice from behind the cash register… “What are you boys looking for?”\u00a0 When we told him we were\u00a0in search of the Bad Co. LP he waved us over.\u00a0 Yes, they had an open case of the LPs at the cash register…they were flying out the door.\u00a0 We made off with one and listened\u00a0to it seemingly a million times when we got home.\u00a0 It is still a favorite.<\/p>\n
The interesting thing about this band, the music was not a bunch of shredding, it had a solid, simple groove behind it, and brilliant song writing and playing.\u00a0 R.I.P. Mick!<\/p>\n
Joe Tymecki<\/p>\n
Fairfax, VT<\/p>\n
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Thanks, Bob, for a nice tribute to Mick Ralphs – agree very much overlooked as your detailed synopsis of his work proves. All I can add is an observation from when I was a younger guy working at Maurice Placquet in Shepherd\u2019s Bush, as many aspiring 70\u2019s musicians did, providing sales and rentals to the stars of the day. Mick was one of the rare ones who would come into the store\/warehouse and tool around on the guitars we had in stock, and was always friendly and ready to chat – one of the all-round nice guys in the business. Rare, and happy his work will live on, perhaps more recognised in the future than it has been in the past\u2026.<\/p>\n
Adam Howell<\/p>\n
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Thanks for a wonderful tribute, Bob!<\/p>\n
I loved Mick Ralphs! Loved those first three Mott The Hoople albums and then had the honor to\u00a0work with\u00a0Mick and<\/p>\n
Bad Company\u00a0(“Desolation Angels” era) during my stint at Atlantic Records.<\/p>\n
A lovely man and the driving\u00a0force\u00a0for\u00a0so much that molded a\u00a0lifestyle back then!<\/p>\n
Really appreciate\u00a0you\u00a0giving Mick Ralphs even just some of his due.<\/p>\n
Alan Wolmark<\/p>\n
CEC Management<\/p>\n
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Thanks for the well deserved tribute to the\u00a0rather unsung Mick Ralphs.<\/p>\n
The early Mott had another impressive cover version. Their “Brain Capers” album featured “Darkness, Darkness\u201d from the Youngbloods’ \u201cElephant\u00a0Mountain\u201d LP.<\/p>\n
I was fortunate to catch them on a bill at the\u00a0Fillmore West slotted between Freddie King and Albert King. Quite memorable.<\/p>\n
Best,<\/p>\n
Michael Wright<\/p>\n
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Wonderful tribute to the great Mick Ralphs. You mentioned the Mott the Hoople song \u201cone of the boys\u201c and of course at about 49 seconds of that song is the riff that would not long after become the opening riff to Bad Company\u2019s \u201ccan\u2019t get enough.\u201c.<\/p>\n
Thank goodness, Paul\u2019s short-lived trio called \u201cpeace,\u201c did a short run opening gigs for Mott the Hoople in late 1971 while Free took a break. That\u2019s where Paul and Mick first started hanging out in the tuning room before the gigs, developing a relationship that would become the foundation for Bad Company.<\/p>\n
Chris Epting<\/p>\n
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\u201c\u2026down in the city just Hoople and me, don\u2019t I love him so\u2026\u201d I remember the rock critics making a big deal about that line when Queen recorded it. Mott The Hoople will always mean so much to me. Often wondered\u00a0if it bothered Ian Hunter that Mott\u2019s biggest song was one he or the\u00a0band didn\u2019t write. It didn\u2019t bother me because All The Way From Memphis, Roll Away The Stone, Ballad of the Mott and of course All The Young Dudes never left my stereo system in the 70\u2019s. I still play Roll Away The Stone monthly along with Silver Blue and Gold from Bad Company. And speaking of Bad Company. Did any band sound better on the radio than them?\u00a0Thank you Mick Ralphs for all that and much more.<\/p>\n
Jeff Sacks<\/p>\n
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Thank you for writing about the great Mick Ralphs. I\u2019ve always urged friends to listen to the extended outro on \u201cSweet Jane,\u201d the lead track from \u201cAll The Young Dudes,\u201d to truly capture Mick\u2019s exquisite sense of melody and tone. It\u2019s so beautifully crafted and my favorite guitar solo of all time.<\/p>\n