Mick Ralphs, a guitarist, singer, songwriter and founding member of the classic British rock bands and Mott the Hoople, has died.
A statement posted to Bad Company's official website Monday announced Ralphs' death at age 81. Ralphs had a stroke days after what would be his final performance with the band at London's O2 Arena in 2016, and had been bedridden ever since, the statement said. No further details on the circumstances of his death were provided.
Ralphs is set to become a member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Bad Company in November.
鈥淥ur Mick has passed, my heart just hit the ground," Bad Company singer Paul Rodgers said in a statement. 鈥淗e has left us with exceptional songs and memories. He was my friend, my songwriting partner, an amazing and versatile guitarist who had the greatest sense of humour.鈥�
Ralphs wrote the 1970's song 鈥淩eady for Love鈥� for Mott the Hoople, later revamped for Bad Company's 1974 debut album, which also included the Ralphs-penned hit 鈥淐an't Get Enough.鈥� He co-wrote Bad Company's 1975 classic 鈥淔eel Like Makin' Love鈥� with Rodgers.
Born in Stoke Lacy, Herefordshire, England, Ralphs began playing blues guitar as a teenager, and in his early 20s in 1966, he co-founded the Doc Thomas Group. In 1969, the band would become Mott the Hoople, a name taken from the title and title character of a 1966 novel by Willard Manus.
The group's self-titled first album, recorded in a week, won a cult following, but the two that followed were critical and financial flops. They finally found popular success and became glam-rock giants with the 1972 David Bowie-penned-and-produced song 鈥淎ll the Young Dudes." But Ralphs felt creatively cramped in the band led by singer-songwriter Ian Hunter and left in 1973.
He would soon form Bad Company with Rodgers, a singer who had left his own band, Free.
The two had intended only to write songs together, and possibly to make a one-off album as a project. But when Free drummer Simon Kirke asked to sit in, they realized they were nearly a proper group already and went seeking a bassist. They found him in former King Crimson member Boz Burrell.
鈥淲e didn't actually plan to have a band,鈥� Ralphs said in a 2015 interview with Gibson Guitars. 鈥淚t was all kind of accidental I suppose. Lucky, really.鈥�
Kirke said in a statement Monday that Ralphs was 鈥渁 dear friend, a wonderful songwriter, and an exceptional guitarist. We will miss him deeply."
Bad Company found immediate success. its albums were full of radio-ready anthems, and its live sound was perfectly suited to the 1970s height of arena rock.
Their self-titled debut album went to No. 1 on Billboard's album chart. And Ralphs' 鈥淐an't Get Enough鈥� 鈥� often mistakenly called 鈥淐an鈥檛 Get Enough of Your Love鈥� because of its chorus lyrics 鈥� would be their biggest hit single, peaking at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100.
鈥淲e actually did the whole thing in one take live,鈥� Ralphs said in the Gibson interview. 鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 perfect, but we just said, 鈥榊eah, that鈥檚 great, it鈥檚 going to capture the moment.鈥� That鈥檚 what I like to do in recording. It doesn鈥檛 have to be perfect as long as it captures the moment. That鈥檚 what it鈥檚 all about.鈥�
Bad Company's 1975 follow-up, 鈥淪traight Shooter,鈥� was also a hit, going to No. 3 on album charts in both the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. and the UK Albums Chart.
Its opening track, 鈥淕ood Lovin' Gone Bad,鈥� written by Ralphs, was a modest hit, and the song that followed it, 鈥淔eel Like Makin' Love,鈥� was a big one that would remain in rotation on classic rock radio for decades.
The band's statement says Ralphs is survived by 鈥渢he love of his life,鈥� his wife Susie Chavasse, along with two children, three step-children and 鈥渂eloved bandmates鈥� Rodgers and Kirke.
鈥淥ur last conversation a few days ago we shared a laugh,鈥� Rodgers said. 鈥淏ut it won鈥檛 be our last.鈥�
Andrew Dalton, The Associated Press
