Smilin’ from her head to her feet

Yesterday I shared a video of the forever famous  popular song, ‘All Right Now’, a massive hit for Free in 1970. It was probably written by Free bass player Andy Fraser and lead singer Paul Rodgers

For most people it’s possibly the only song they can think of by the band…. not surprising really as they had such a short life, forming in London in 1968 and splitting up in 1973. As I listened to the song, I realised I knew hardly anything about the band, and in fact when I saw the video I didn’t recognise them – I think because I had muddled them with another short-lived band, Sweet. Sweet was a glam-rock band which also formed in 1968 but they lasted through the seventies until a final bust up in 1981. Since then there have been various versions of the band recording and touring.

Free who was given the name by Alexis Korner, began with four very young members:

• lead singer Paul Rodgers, 18
• drums Simon Kirke, 18
• lead guitarist Paul Kossoff, 17
• bass Andy Fraser, 15

Free toured almost non-stop, and their shows were apparently sensational – a tiring and destructive life for such young men. Although they were so popular, their albums did not sell very well to begin with… until they released Fire and Water  in 1970, and their performance at the at the legendary Isle of Wight Festival.

http://https://youtu.be/YylGLV_nANU