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Host Peter McCully chats with legendary musician Paul Rodgers, known for his role in bands like Free, Bad Company and The Firm. Rodgers shares insightful anecdotes and reflections on his remarkable musical journey.
“When we came to the end of the world, when COVID hit, everything came to a screeching halt and everyone was on lockdown,” said Rodgers, discussing the catalyst for his new album, Midnight Rose. “I ended up being at home sitting with an acoustic guitar and I thought, ‘I’ll just go back over my songs.’”
Rodgers reminisced about his early days in music, highlighting the valuable lessons instilled by his first manager, Joe Bradley.
“Get there early, do a good gig, get the money,” he said. “I love that one. Get the money, right? And get home safe. And that’s what we always did, and we try to do anyway.”
The podcast delves into his humble beginnings, from receiving his first guitar as a teenager to forming his first band, Brown Sugar, the formation of Free with guitarist Paul Kossoff and the unexpected success of their hit song ‘All Right Now’, and his involvement in supergroups like Bad Company and The Firm, where he worked alongside iconic musicians like Jimmy Page.
After the death of lead singer Freddie Mercury, Queen toured with Rodgers.
“To be honest, we were only going to tour four or five dates for fun,” he said. “That’s what the original plan was. But it turned into four years and two world tours and a bunch of live albums. Which were great, and a studio album too, so it was quite good.”
Over the course of his career, Rodgers has had his hand in over 30 albums sold more than 100 million copies.
His latest album, Midnight Rose, was recorded in British Columbia and marks his return to original music after 25 years. Rodgers credits his wife, Cynthia, for her instrumental role in the album’s production and introduces the story behind one of its singles contained in the podcast ‘Take Love.’
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