Disco de Bad Company: “Bad Company in Concert: Merchants of Cool”

Quick and to the point. Paul Rodgers is one of, if not thee best rock vocalist ever. That said the lead guitar on this album flat our sucks. No lead fills or solos on "Feel Like Making Love"? You'll know I'm right when you listen to some of the songs and are waiting...and waiting...and waiting for those classic Mick Ralph's lead fills. Especially on "Making Love".

Let's hope Bad Co recruits a guitarist who will be able to fill Ralph's shoes.

First of all, this is not the original Bad Company-lineup. Vocalist Paul Rodgers has been lured back into the fold, and drummer Simon Kirke is there as well, but original lead guitarist Mick Ralphs is sorely missed.

Having said that, "Merchants Of Cool" is generally a pretty good live album, buoyed up by Rodgers' voice (I would have preferred to have him sing "Can't Get Enough" rather than the crowd).

This music doesn't sound as spirited as Bad Company did thirty years ago, though, and David Colwell is a disappointing stand-in for Mick Ralphs. But "Merchants Of Cool" is not excactly bad, and fans of Paul Rodgers might find it to their liking, although it isn't excactly the liveliest live album I have ever heard, and it doesn't really add that much to Bad Company's legacy.

I was at the Anaheim show last January and was rather impressed. True, Mick Ralphs wasn't there (I thought he would be), but the musicianship was hardly lacking. My few complaints centered on a dull reading of "Do Right Woman" (thankfully not on the album or video), and the absence of "Movin' On" (the video performance is from Denver) and "Electricland". The video would have benefited, I think, if the producers had focused on either the Denver or Anaheim show, instead of back-and-forth, since it creates a rather jarring effect; and the split-screen during "All Right Now" is distracting, at best. As for the setlist, the final song performed that evening was a rowdy, Cream-like reading of "Crossroads", with Neal Schon and Slash reprising their earlier stage cameos. A shame that it wasn't included on either the DVD or CD (why not?). Also, "Ready for Love" didn't appear 'till the beginning of the second encore, so why was it placed in the middle of the DVD and CD set? Despite these flaws, tt was a good show, and a nice way to kick off my concertgoing year (just saw my 6th show last night).

Merchants of Cool is a great CD. The only thing I can think of that would be better is the DVD Merchants of Cool because it has more songs and you (obviously) get to see the band and lots of interviews. This CD is the audio version of two concerts recorded specially for Bad Co's DVD of the same title.

Paul Rodgers is always best live, but a live CD is second best. Paul's voice has only gotten better over the years. If you don't react to Paul's voice on Rock Steady, Burning Sky or Ready for Love, you must be sitting in your casket already. The man has a voice like no one else's--it comes up from his soul.

Simon Kirke is just superb and also seems to be getting better and better with age. The new addition (to Bad Co) on bass, Jaz Lochrie, makes me glad I have surround sound. He tears the place up! Dave Coldwell (Bucket) keeps that famous Bad Co. feel going.

The only drawback to the CD is you don't get to hear Wishing Well with Slash and Neal Schon joining in (on the DVD and not the CD) or Paul's acoustic Seagull. The new songs, Saving Grace and Joe Fabulous are also great. Another home run for Paul Rodgers and the boys, I'd say. Buy it. Then go buy the DVD.

I was at this concert and this was the original band doing it right. It was a smaller venue compared to their 1999 reunion tour which had 15,000 poeple at it. This was recorded in denver and the band really pulled it out for the show. The sound was excellent and here you get the boys at their professional best. Boz burrel has since died sadly but here we had him and the rest attacking thier best songs with conviction.