By the early 1970s, Free was one of the biggest-selling British blues rock groups; by the time the band dissolved in 1973, they had sold more than 20 million albums around the world and had played more than 700 arena and festival concerts. "All Right Now," remains a rock staple, and had been entered into ASCAP's "One Million" airplay singles club.
Rolling Stone has referred to the band as "British hard rock pioneers". The magazine ranked Rodgers No. 55 in its list of the "100 Greatest Singers of All Time", while Kossoff was ranked No. 51 in its list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time".
Free were signed to Island Records in the UK and A&M Records in North America. Both labels became part of the PolyGram group in 1989, then Universal Music Group in 1998; UMG now controls the band's catalogue worldwide.
Most remarkable about the birth of Free was the young age of the band members who came together to rehearse and play their first gig on the evening of 19 April 1968 at the Nag's Head pub, which was at the junction of York Road and Lavender Road in Battersea, London. Bass player Andy Fraser was 15 years old, lead guitarist Paul Kossoff was 17, and both lead singer Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke were 18. By November of that year, having been given the name Free by Alexis Korner, they had recorded their first album Tons Of Sobs for Island Records and, although it was not released until the following year, the album documents their first six months together and contains studio renditions of much of their early live set.
Paul Kossoff and Simon Kirke first became friends in the R&B band Black Cat Bones but they wanted to move on. Paul Kossoff saw vocalist Paul Rodgers singing with Brown Sugar while visiting the Fickle Pickle, an R&B club in London's Finsbury Park. He was immediately impressed and asked if he could jam with Rodgers onstage. Along with Kirke, they began the search for a fourth member. Alexis Korner recommended Andy Fraser to the band, who at the age of 15 had already been playing with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers. Korner also provided the name "Free" the newly formed band
Unlike their previous albums Tons of Sobs and Free, Fire and Water, released in 1970, was a huge success, largely due to the album containing the hit single "All Right Now", which reached No. 1 on the UK rock music charts, No. 2 on the UK singles chart and No. 4 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. The album reached No. 2 in the UK charts and No. 17 on the U.S charts making it the most successful Free album. "All Right Now" became a No. 1 hit in over 20 territories and recognized by ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers) in 1990 for garnering 1,000,000 plus radio plays in the US by late 1989, and in 2000 an award was given to Paul Rodgers by the British Music Industry when "All Right Now" passed 2,000,000 radio plays in the UK.
Highway was their fourth studio album, recorded extremely quickly in September 1970. Highway performed poorly in the charts, reaching No. 41 in the UK and No. 190 in the US.
In 1971, due to differences between singer Paul Rodgers and bassist Andy Fraser, the drug problems of guitarist Paul Kossoff, and inconsistent record sales, the band broke up. This led to the release of the live album called Free Live!. Early in 1972 the band set aside their differences and reformed in an effort to save Kossoff from his growing drug addiction, and in June of the same year released Free at Last.
But all was not well with the band. Bassist Andy Fraser left the band in mid-1972 due to Paul Kossoff's unreliability in being able to perform at shows or even showing up. The remaining members recruited Japanese bass player Tetsu Yamauchi and keyboardist John "Rabbit" Bundrick, who had worked with Kossoff and Kirke during Free's initial split, recording Kossoff, Kirke, Tetsu and Rabbit and what would be Free's final album, Heartbreaker. Kossoff was replaced by Wendell Richardson in 1973, but shortly thereafter Free disbanded with Rodgers and Kirke going on to form Bad Company that same year. Fraser went on to form the band Sharks and later The Andy Fraser Band, and Kossoff formed the band Back Street Crawler.
With Kossoff in better health again in late 1975, he was delighted that ex-colleagues Rodgers and Kirke asked him to join them on stage for two nights. A British tour was set to begin on 25 April 1976 with Back Street Crawler headlining with Bad Company in support of Back Street Crawler's second album, but again Kossoff's drug addictions contributed to a drastic decline in the guitarist's health. On a flight from Los Angeles to New York City on 19 March 1976, Paul Kossoff died from drug-related heart problems at the age of 25. After parting with Bad Company in 1982 Rodgers went on to explore the heavy blues stylings of Free again in his solo career during the 1980s and 1990s, and in the bands The Firm and The Law.
More recently Rodgers has joined the remaining members of Queen (Brian May and Roger Taylor), as vocalist. In September 2008, Queen + Paul Rodgers released their first studio album The Cosmos Rocks. Rodgers also performs Free and Bad Company songs whilst on tour with Queen, in addition to the traditional Queen songs and new cuts from their most recently released album. Currently, Rodgers and Kirke are once again on tour with Bad Company.
Andy Fraser died on 16 March 2015.
Personnel Members
Classic lineup
Andy Fraser - bass, piano (1968–1971, 1972; died 2015)
Simon Kirke - drums (1968–1971, 1972–1973)
Paul Kossoff - guitar (1968–1971, 1972–1973; died 1976)
Paul Rodgers - lead vocals, piano (1968–1971, 1972–1973)
Later members
John "Rabbit" Bundrick - keyboards (1972–1973)
Tetsu Yamauchi - bass (1972–1973)
Wendell Richardson - guitar (1973)
Discography :
1969 Tons of Sobs
1969 Free
1970 Fire and Water
1970 Highway
1972 Free at Last
1973 Heartbreaker
2) Free is a hardcore band
3) Free consists of four of the final five Have Heart members - Patrick Flynn, Kei Yasui, Shawn Costa, and Ryan Hudon - in addition to the band's 2009 bassist, Austin Stemper. On November 29, 2015, the group released a four-track, self-titled demo recorded by Trevor Vaughan (Sex Positions, Soul Control) in their home of New Bedford, MA.
I'll Be Creepin'
Free Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Take my advice
Opportunity baby, never knocks twice
If you are tryin' to fool me baby
Don't play around
'Cause when I get to you baby
I won't make no sound
'Cause I'll be creepin'
I'll hold you in my arms
Like nobody else
And when I know we're apart
I won't take no less
Take all your things and move far away
Take all your furs and rings baby
But don't you sing hurray
You can change your address
But you won't get far
Don't make no difference wherever you are
Yeah 'cause I'll be creepin' baby
And I'll be creeping 'round your door
I'll hold you in my arms
Like nobody else
And when I know we are apart
I won't take no less
I'll hold you in my arms
Like nobody else
And when I know we are apart
I won't take no less
Take all your things and move far away
Take all your diamond rings now baby
But don't you sing hurray
You can change your address
But you won't get far
Don't make no difference baby wherever you are
I'll be creepin' 'round your door
The song "I'll Be Creepin'" by Free is a straightforward warning message to someone who is trying to play games with the singer. In the first verse, the singer advises the person not to try to deceive him because he won't make any sound when he finally catches up with them. The chorus is a warning that he will be creeping around, watching and waiting for the right opportunity to take action. The lyrics suggest that the singer is deeply invested in the subject of the song, as he promises to hold her in his arms "like nobody else."
The second verse of the song gives a more desperate tone to the lyrics, suggesting that the person who the singer is singing to has already left, and he knows he won't see her again. This section is a little bit softer than the rest of the song, but it still has a sense of desperation to it. The final verse goes back to the warning of the chorus with the repeated refrain that the singer will be around, creeping around the door, wherever the other person is.
The overall message of the song is one of warning, desperation, and sadness. The lyrics and tone make it clear that the singer has been wronged by someone, and he is going to protect himself from being hurt again. The usage of the word 'creeping' is used several times throughout the song, indicating the singer's watchful eye over the person he is singing about.
Line by Line Meaning
If you are tryin' to screw me baby
If you're trying to take advantage of me, be careful
Take my advice
Listen to me
Opportunity baby, never knocks twice
You have to take advantage of opportunities when they arise
If you are tryin' to fool me baby
Don't try to deceive me
Don't play around
Don't mess with me
'Cause when I get to you baby
When I catch you
I won't make no sound
I won't tell anyone
'Cause I'll be creepin'
Because I'll be sneaking around
I'll be creepin' baby
I'll be stalking you, in a way
I'll hold you in my arms
I will embrace you
Like nobody else
In a unique and special way
And when I know we're apart
When we're not together
I won't take no less
I won't settle for less
Take all your things and move far away
Pack up your belongings and leave town
Take all your furs and rings baby
Take all your material possessions
But don't you sing hurray
Don't be happy about it
You can change your address
You can move away
But you won't get far
You won't escape me
Don't make no difference wherever you are
It doesn't matter where you are
Yeah 'cause I'll be creepin' baby
Because I'll still be stalking you
And I'll be creeping 'round your door
I will go to your house and sneak around there
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ANDY FRASER, PAUL BERNARD RODGERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@davidclifford2039
Back in the late 60's or early 70's but most certainly before I joined the Royal Air Force in 1972 I was walking along Falsgrave Road in my home town of Scarborough, North Yorkshire, UK and this white ford transit van pulled up alongside me and this guy leaned across the passenger seat and asked can you direct me to the Penthouse Club? I replied I'm actually going there myself and he invited me to jump in the front seat. I actually wasn't going there but I recognised the driver..... It was PAUL ROGERS. PAUL FREAKIN ROGERS. All I can remember was directing him right here left here right there etc and guess who was in the back? Paul Kossoff sat in front of a mound of Marshall Speakers. I went to see Free that night at the Penthouse. What an amazing concert.
@user-fn1kc5sj2z
Absolutely awe inspiring music today such a yawn
@3rdtonefromthesun
That's unbelievable! I'm just down the coast from you in Hornsea - HUGE Koss and Free fan.
@hawnyfox3411
* @davidclifford2039
Absolutely amazing story - Lucky man - I'm envious !!
I didn't go to Scarborough until my 1st ever visit in 1987
How the Hell does time just fly by so fast ?????
@lamarkelley4058
I wish to God somebody played like this nowadays!
@markrushton1516
BlackBerry Smoke? But Free were unique. They led not followed
@derekwalker2977
Rival sons came close, but no cigar...
@hunterfolse2795
This is the pinnacle right here folks
@roberthughes3904
I was invited to their first gig together,Nag's Head Battersea.They wowed everybody from the get go. What a band,they were destined for greatness.
@route66dreaming
Damn, I have never heard of these guys until today. I was cruising around listening to Tom Petty radio on Sirius Satellite and his show Buried Treasure and they played this song and I have to pull over and listen to it. Nothing but awesomeness