Mick Ralphs

Mick Ralphs
Mick Ralphs in 1976.
Background information
Birth name	Michael Geoffrey Ralphs
Born	31 March 1944 (1944-03-31) (age 65) Hereford, England
Genres	Hard rock, blues-rock, glam rock
Occupations	Musician, songwriter
Instruments	Guitar, vocals
Years active	1968 - present
Labels	Angel Air, Griffin
Associated acts	Mott the Hoople, Bad Company
Website	Official webpage
Notable instruments
Les Paul Junior

Mick Ralphs (born Michael Geoffrey Ralphs, 31 March 1944, Stoke Lacy, Hereford, Herefordshire^[1]) is an English guitarist and songwriter, who was a founding member of rock bands, Mott the Hoople and Bad Company.

Career

Ralphs played with a blues-rock group called the Buddies (who released a single in 1964) in his teens.^[2]

Then a guitarist with the Doc Thomas Group between 1966 and 1968, Ralphs joined Mott the Hoople the following year.^[1] In 1973, dissatisfied with Ian Hunter's growing domination, Ralphs left Mott the Hoople to team up with former Free vocalist Paul Rodgers to form Bad Company. This band ultimately had greater commercial success than Mott The Hoople. Ralphs' composition "Can't Get Enough", which Hunter was unable to record because of the vocal register in which it was written, became an immediate hit and pushed the group's 1974 debut album to number one in the U.S.^[2] Ralphs continued to record and tour with Bad Company until they folded in 1982, when Rodgers announced he was leaving the band (reportedly, a physical confrontation ensued, with self-confessed 'wimp' Ralphs taking on Rodgers, who has a black belt in martial arts).

In 1984, he toured with Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour on Gilmour's About Face tour. Ralph's 1985 solo album, Take This, featured bassist Micky Feat and his fellow Bad Company member, drummer Simon Kirke.^[3] Ralphs only managed four gigs in support of the album, but his live band consisted of guitarist Dave Colwell (later to join Ralphs in a reformed Bad Company), Uriah Heep drummer Chris Slade and Ozzy Osbourne keyboard player Lindsay Bridgewater.^[3] Prior to rejuvenating Bad Company Ralphs joined Cold Turkey, an act that lasted just one gig.^[3]

Bad Company reformed and split several times through the 1980s and 1990s, but Ralphs finally quit for good in 2000. He then announced that he was giving up touring, something he was never comfortable with in either band, since he has a morbid fear of flying.

In 2001, Ralphs released his second solo album, the all instrumental effort It's All Good, on the Angel Air Records label.^[2] Two years later his That's Life - Can't Get Enough album was released, including a demo version of "Can't Get Enough".^[4]

In 2004, he once again teamed up with former Mott colleague Ian Hunter, playing second lead guitar (along with Andy York) on Hunter's UK tour.^[3] Ralphs performed at Hunter's 2005 concert at the London Astoria, with Ralphs performing a guitar solo to "All the Way from Memphis".

Ralphs performing with Mott the Hoople at a reunion gig, Hammersmith Apollo, October 2009

On 2 July 2008, it was announced that the original line-up of Bad Company (minus Boz Burrell who died in September 2006) would do a one-off gig at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida on 8 August 2008.^[5] According to Paul Rodgers, they did this gig in order to 'protect the legacy they have built and cement the rights to the trademark Bad Company for touring'.^[6] The now regular line-up of Bad Company which includes Ralphs, along Colwell, Robert Hart, Jaz Lochrie and Gary 'Harry' James, played a short UK tour.

Mott the Hoople, including Ralphs, reunited for five concerts at the Hammersmith Apollo in London, during October 2009. All five of the original members participated in the reunion.

Guitars

• Mott the Hoople - Gibson Les Paul Junior, Gibson Firebird (Single Pick-Up), Gibson SG, Fender Telecaster
• Bad Company - Fender Stratocaster, Gibson Les Paul Standard, Fender Esquire, Gibson Flying V - "Feel Like Making Love" video
• Recently - Gibson 1957/1959 Custom Shop re-issue Gibson Les Paul Standard.
• Mick Ralphs also has a Fender Stratocaster fitted with a 2TEK bridge

Notable songwriting credits

• "Ready For Love"
• "Can't Get Enough"
• "Good Lovin' Gone Bad"
• "One of the Boys"
• "Feel Like Making Love"
• "Flying Hour" with George Harrison
• "O Atlanta" (recorded originally by Bad Company on the album Desolation Angel but made more famous recently by Alison Krauss)

See also

• List of Gibson players
• List of guitarists

References

External links

• Official webpage