Bad Company may have played their last show, according to drummer Simon Kirke. In a recent interview on the ‘Bob Lefsetz Podcast,’ Kirke revealed that he does not expect to perform with singer Paul Rodgers again, due to Rodgers' health issues.
Rodgers, who also fronted Free and The Firm, went public with his health problems a few weeks ago on CBS. He said he had suffered a couple of strokes, several mini strokes and heart troubles in the past year. He also said he was recovering well and working on new music.
Kirke, who has been with Bad Company since its inception in 1973, said he was saddened by Rodgers' condition and doubted the band would continue. "I think a lot of people now already know that Paul Rodgers has had health problems... And I honestly think that Bad Company's days are pretty much over,” he said.
When contacted by us, Rodgers' wife and manager Cynthia confirmed that there were no plans to tour again, but did not rule out a possible one-off show in the future. "There may be hope for a one off...time will tell," she said.
Bad Company, which also included guitarist Mick Ralphs and bassist Boz Burrell, was one of the most successful rock bands of the 1970s and 1980s, with hits such as "Can't Get Enough", "Feel Like Makin' Love" and "Shooting Star". The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016.
However, the band has also faced several tragedies and challenges over the years. Burrell died of a heart attack in 2006. Ralphs suffered a stroke in 2016 and is now paralyzed on his left side and living in a nursing home in England. Rodgers and Kirke have also pursued solo careers and other projects.
If Bad Company are indeed done, their last show was on October 18th, 2019, in Las Vegas, as part of their End of the Road tour. The band has not released a new studio album since 1996's Stories Told & Untold.
[Source: Classic Hits Today]