Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    Nostalgia Central
    • Home
    • Blog
      • Lists
    • Television
      • TV by Decade
        • TV – 1950s
        • TV – 1960s
        • TV – 1970s
        • TV – 1980s
        • TV – 1990s
      • Comedy
      • Drama
      • Kids TV
      • Variety
      • News & Sport
      • Advertisements
    • Music
      • Music by Decade
        • Music – 1950s
        • Music – 1960s
        • Music – 1970s
        • Music – 1980s
        • Music – 1990s
      • Artists – A to K
        • Artists – A
        • Artists – B
        • Artists – C
        • Artists – D
        • Artists – E
        • Artists – F
        • Artists – G
        • Artists – H
        • Artists – I
        • Artists – J
        • Artists – K
      • Artists – L to Z
        • Artists – L
        • Artists – M
        • Artists – N
        • Artists – O
        • Artists – P
        • Artists – Q
        • Artists – R
        • Artists – S
        • Artists – T
        • Artists – U
        • Artists – V
        • Artists – W
        • Artists – X
        • Artists – Y
        • Artists – Z
      • Artists – 0 to 9
      • Genres
      • Music on Film & TV
      • One-Hit Wonders
      • Playlists
      • Online Radio
    • Movies
      • Movies by Decade
        • Movies – 1950s
        • Movies – 1960s
        • Movies – 1970s
        • Movies – 1980s
        • Movies – 1990s
      • Movies – 0 to 9
      • Movies – A to K
        • Movies – A
        • Movies – B
        • Movies – C
        • Movies – D
        • Movies – E
        • Movies – F
        • Movies – G
        • Movies – H
        • Movies – I
        • Movies – J
        • Movies – K
      • Movies – L to Z
        • Movies – L
        • Movies – M
        • Movies – N
        • Movies – O
        • Movies – P
        • Movies – Q
        • Movies – R
        • Movies – S
        • Movies – T
        • Movies – U
        • Movies – V
        • Movies – W
        • Movies – X
        • Movies – Y
        • Movies – Z
    • Pop Culture
      • Fads
      • Toys & Games
      • Fashion
      • Decor
      • Food & Drink
      • People
      • Technology
      • Transport
    • Social History
      • 1950s Year by Year
      • 1960s Year by Year
      • 1970s Year by Year
      • 1980s Year by Year
      • 1990s Year by Year
      • Events
    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Music»Artists - A to K»Artists - F
    Artists - F Music - 1960s Music - 1970s 3 Mins Read

    Free

    Share
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email

    The authority of Free’s debut album Tons Of Sobs (1968) was all the more remarkable given the tender age of its creators.

    All four band members were in their teens – bassist Andy Fraser barely out of school – yet their mastery of world-weary blues (such as Moonshine or Goin’ Down Slow) rivalled that of Led Zeppelin. Paul Kossoff stole the show with his emotionally charged, liquid guitar style.

    Released the following year, their eponymous second album was even better. Rodgers’ soulful voice was developing into one of the best in rock and the band had built up a blistering reputation as a live act, gathering a sizeable following in the UK.

    1970’s Fire And Water elevated Free to the big time when All Right Now entered both the UK and US Top 10. It was the definitive Free song from the definitive Free album and went on to become a bona fide rock classic.

    That summer, cresting the wave of their popularity, the band played to over half a million people at the Isle of Wight festival.

    With pressure to come up with a successful follow-up to All Right Now, Free were confident that The Stealer would do the business. When it stiffed completely things started to go seriously awry. The Highway (1970) album received a similarly lukewarm reception.

    The band decided to call it a day after fulfilling touring commitments in Japan and Australia, with the split eventually coming in May 1971 – ironically coinciding with their biggest hit since All Right Now, an epic Faces-style romp called My Brother Jake.

    free_034

    The band subsequently regrouped in 1972 and released the Free At Last album – a reasonable effort which supplied a Top 20 hit with Little Bit Of Love, a highly melodic slice of rock & roll – and the sort of thing Rodgers would go on to perfect with Bad Company.

    While the album made the Top 10, Kossoff was spiralling into serious drug dependence, and following a disastrous American tour, the band’s stability received a further blow when Fraser left the group.

    With Tetsu Yamauchi (bass) and John ‘Rabbit’ Bundrick (keyboards) filling in, the band undertook a Japanese tour prior to recording a final album, Heartbreaker (1973).

    Although Kossoff was too ill to make much of a contribution, the album stands amongst Free’s best, boasting Rodgers’ desperate plea to Kossoff, Wishing Well and the superbly Beatles-esque Come Together In The Morning.

    Following a final tour of the US with Traffic, Free finally split in summer 1973 with Rodgers and Kirke going on to form Bad Company. Kossoff meanwhile had already begun his ill-fated solo career forming Back Street Crawler.

    A survivor of both cancer and AIDS, bassist Andy Fraser passed away in March 2015, aged 62.

    Paul Rodgers
    Vocals
    Paul Kossoff
    Guitar
    Simon Kirke
    Drums
    Andy Fraser
    Bass
    Tetsu Yamauchi
    Bass
    John ‘Rabbit’ Bundrick
    Keyboards
    Wendell Richardson
    Guitar

    Related Posts

    • Supernaut
      Supernaut
      Supernaut was formed in Perth (Australia) by Gary Twinn (vocals),…
    • Chron Gen (Chronic Generation)
      Chron Gen (Chronic Generation)
      This energetic punk band originated from Hitchin in Hertfordshire in…
    • Climax Blues Band
      Climax Blues Band
      The Climax Blues Band (originally The Climax Chicago Blues Band)…
    • Warhorse
      Warhorse
      Warhorse was formed in 1969 by original Deep Purple bassist…
    • Aerosmith
      Aerosmith
      Aerosmith was one of the most popular hard rock bands…
    • Band of Joy
      Band of Joy
      Band of Joy formed in 1966 in West Bromwich with…
    • Bad Company
      Bad Company
      Bad Company was formed in England late in 1973 by…
    • Lynyrd Skynyrd
      Lynyrd Skynyrd
      Lynyrd Skynyrd took their name from their school gym teacher…

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email
    Previous ArticleFreddie King
    Next Article Free Design, The

    Comments are closed.

    Follow us
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    • Instagram
    You May Also Like
    • Blind Date
      1 9 8 5 – 2 0 0 3 (UK) 356 x 30 minute episodes With […]
    • Prodigal Sons
      When Prodigal Sons formed in Wollongong, Australia, in 1985, […]
    • The Beatles US Tour 1964
      “We want The Beatles, we want The Beatles” was the […]
    • Man at the Top
      1 9 7 0 – 1 9 7 2 (UK) 23 x episodes Man at the Top picked […]
    • Trap Door, The
      1 9 8 4 – 1 9 8 6 (UK) 40 x 5 minute episodes […]
    • Open University
      1 9 7 1 – Current (UK) Britain’s Open University is […]
    Twitter Feed
    Please note


    Nostalgia Central covers the period 1950 to 1999 and contains some words and references which reflect the attitudes of those times and which may be considered culturally sensitive, offensive or inappropriate today.
    Popular Tags
    1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1975 1976 Action Figures Amicus Arcade games Australia Beach movies Beatles Blaxploitation Board games Britpop Canada Crime Disco Disney Doo-Wop Elvis Presley Girl groups Glam Goth Hammer Heavy Metal Irwin Allen Labels Merseybeat Mod revival Motown New Romantic New Wave NWOBHM Oi! One-hit wonders Power Pop Pub rock Punk Radio Scotland Ska Soul music Surf music
    Search Nostalgia Central
    Copyright © 1998, 2022 Nostalgia Central
    • About
    • Contact
    • FAQ

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.