Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy – The Musical Journey of Free and Bad Company

Available for pre-order from https://thisdayinmusicbooks.com

With a handwritten foreword by both Paul Rodgers and Simon Kirke. 

Available for pre-order in two editions: Standard hardback and a Limited Special Slip Case Edition.

The Special Edition is limited to 500 copies only and are individually numbered.

Slip Case Edition comes complete with bonus items including:

• Replica concert tickets
• Island Records letter
• Six previously unpublished photographs
• Two exclusive artwork prints
• Queen + Paul Rodgers setlist
•  A numbered certificate of authenticity

Celebrating 50 years since the release of ‘All Right Now’, and Free’s classic album Fire and Water, this official book features hundreds of contributions from fans, musicians and, of course, Paul Rodgers and Simon Kirke.

In their careers beyond Free, Rock ‘n Roll Fantasy follows the band members’ journeys via an oral history of eyewitness accounts and memories, incorporating Bad Company, The Firm, The Law, Queen, and other projects.

Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy features previously unseen photos and rare, collectible memorabilia from the late-sixties British blues boom to the present day.

Passion, excitement, and emotion are the words that keep cropping up in the pages of this book. The music that Paul Rodgers and Simon Kirke have created, solo, as part of Free, Bad Company, Queen, and other outfits has deeply touched and affected the lives of so many people.

Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy is an outpouring of the stories and eyewitness accounts of concerts and precious moments experienced by fans and musicians who literally can’t get enough of their music.

And the love and respect for Paul and Simon in these pages is also directed at Paul Kossoff, Andy Fraser, Mick Ralphs, Boz Burrell, and many more musicians. They have all contributed to the unique-sounding blues rock that the various bands have performed and recorded so brilliantly over more than half a century.

From Paul Rodgers’ Road Runners in the early 60s to his most recent Bad Company and the Spirit of Free tours, the quality of the music has remained undiminished. Paul Rodgers is the epitome of the rock god but, as the stories in this book will attest, the most approachable and generous of rock stars. It is no surprise to discover that the loyalty of the fans contributing to this book is so unwavering.

From the Nag’s Head in Battersea to Madison Square in New York City, this is the journey made by Free, Bad Company and the rest and described by the people who were there…

David Roberts is the author of music locations guidebooks Rock Atlas UK and USA and the biography of Stephen Stills: Change Partners. Farther back in time, he was editor of the Guinness Book of British Hit Singles & Albums, Managing Editor for Rockopedia, Quarto / Firefly’s Rock Chronicles, and content writer and filmmaker at the O2’s British Music Experience in London.

400 pages

Full colour

Publication date: 29 October 2020

Harback £39.99 ($49.99) – Special Edition £75.00 ($97.99)

Paul Kossoff

Looking at the history of rock guitar, it’s really sad how many of the great guitar players passed away too early. Such is the case with Paul Kossoff, best known for his work with Free. Of course, he’s also worked with Back Street Crawler, a short-lived band that fused hard rock music with blues. But although he clearly left his mark in the music world, with the guys like Joe Bonamassa praising his work, his name is not often mentioned among the lists of greatest of all time.

Just like Tommy Bolin, Kossoff had his drug addiction issues. Eventually, after Free disbanded, it served in his ultimate demise in 1976.

Read the Full article HERE