''Kossoff Kirke Tetsu Rabbit'' is an album by guitarist
Paul Kossoff
Paul Francis Kossoff (14 September 1950 – 19 March 1976) was an English guitarist, mainly known as the co-founder and guitarist for the rock band Free. He was ranked number 51 in ''Rolling Stone''s list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All ...
, drummer
Simon Kirke
Simon Frederick St George Kirke (born 28 July 1949) is an English rock drummer best known as a member of Free and Bad Company. He has been the only continuous member of Bad Company since their inception.
Life and career
Kirke was born in L ...
, bassist
Tetsu Yamauchi
is a Japanese retired bass guitarist. In the 1970s, he was a member of several popular hard rock bands, including Free, where he replaced former bassist Andy Fraser before the band's final album ''Heartbreaker'', and the Faces, where he replace ...
and keyboard player
John "Rabbit" Bundrick
John Douglas "Rabbit" Bundrick (born November 21, 1948 in Houston, Texas) is an American–English rock keyboardist. He is best known for his work with The Who and associations with others including Eric Burdon, Bob Marley and the Wailers, Roge ...
. The album was released in 1972.
Background
Recorded after
Free disbanded, drummer Kirke elected to remain with guitar player Paul Kossoff forming a quartet with Bundrick and Yamauchi in 1971. Kirke has noted that although initially Kossoff appeared in good spirits and was engaged in making the album he increasingly indulged in drugs often falling asleep between takes or while listening to playbacks.
By April 1972 Free had reformed with
Andy Fraser
Andrew McIan Fraser (3 July 1952 – 16 March 2015) was a British musician and songwriter, best known as the bassist and co-composer for the rock band Free, which he helped found in 1968 when he was 15. He also founded the rock band Sharks af ...
and
Paul Rodgers
Paul Rodgers (born 17 December 1949) is a British singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He was the lead vocalist of numerous bands, including Free, Bad Company, The Firm, and The Law. He has also performed as a solo artist, and co ...
making peace, and Kossoff appeared to pull it together if only briefly. Kossoff resumed taking drugs during the U.S. tour to support the last album by the original quartet ''
Free at Last''. On the eve of their Japanese tour Fraser fought with Rodgers and once again left the band, to be replaced by Yamauchi. Rodgers and Kirke elected to fill out the band bringing Bundrick on board as a member of Free for the tour and the last Free album ''
Heartbreaker
Heartbreaker(s) or The Heart Breaker(s) may refer to:
Film and television
*''The Heart Breakers'', a 1916 film starring Andrew Arbuckle
*''The Heart Breaker'', a 1925 film directed by Benjamin Stoloff
* ''Heartbreaker'' (1983 film), an American f ...
''.
Although well received and filled with quality songwriting, "Kossoff Kirke Tetsu Rabbit" suffered from the lack of a strong lead vocalist like Rodgers. Kirke's song "Anna" was later re-recorded with
Bad Company
Bad Company are an English rock supergroup that was formed in 1973 by singer Paul Rodgers, guitarist Mick Ralphs, drummer Simon Kirke and bassist Boz Burrell.Bad Company ''AllMusic'' Peter Grant, who managed the rock band Led Zeppelin, also ...
, the band that he and Rodgers established after the final breakup of Free. Also, "Hold On" was covered by
Maggie Bell
Margaret Bell (born 12 January 1945 in Maryhill, Glasgow, Scotland) is a Scottish rock vocalist. She came to fame as co-lead vocalist of the blues-rock group Stone the Crows, and was described as the UK's closest counterpart to American singe ...
, which was included in the album "Suicide Sal".
The album was reissued in 2007 by Ork Records, a division of
Cherry Red, in a remastered edition with a 12-page booklet featuring an interview with Bundrick.
Track listing
#"Blue Grass" (Bundrick) – 5:21
#"Sammy's Alright" (Bundrick) – 4:05
#"Anna" (Kirke) – 3:39
#"Just for the Box" (Kossoff) – 3:30
#"Hold On" (Kirke, Kossoff) – 5:21
#"Fool's Life" (Bundrick) – 4:29
#"Yellow House" (Bundrick) – 3:23
#"Dying Fire" (Kirke) – 4:29
#"I'm on the Run" (Bundrick) – 4:33
#"Colours" (Elliott Burgess, Kossoff) – 4:46
Personnel
*
Paul Kossoff
Paul Francis Kossoff (14 September 1950 – 19 March 1976) was an English guitarist, mainly known as the co-founder and guitarist for the rock band Free. He was ranked number 51 in ''Rolling Stone''s list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All ...
– lead guitars, vocals on ''Colours''
*
John "Rabbit" Bundrick
John Douglas "Rabbit" Bundrick (born November 21, 1948 in Houston, Texas) is an American–English rock keyboardist. He is best known for his work with The Who and associations with others including Eric Burdon, Bob Marley and the Wailers, Roge ...
– piano, electric piano, Mellotron, organ, vocals
*
Tetsu Yamauchi
is a Japanese retired bass guitarist. In the 1970s, he was a member of several popular hard rock bands, including Free, where he replaced former bassist Andy Fraser before the band's final album ''Heartbreaker'', and the Faces, where he replace ...
– bass guitar
*
Simon Kirke
Simon Frederick St George Kirke (born 28 July 1949) is an English rock drummer best known as a member of Free and Bad Company. He has been the only continuous member of Bad Company since their inception.
Life and career
Kirke was born in L ...
– drums, vocals
;Additional personnel
*
B.J. Cole
Brian John Cole is an English pedal steel guitarist, who has long been active as a session and solo musician. Coming to prominence in the early 1970s with the band Cochise, Cole has played in many styles, ranging from mainstream pop and rock t ...
–
steel guitar
A steel guitar ( haw, kīkākila) is any guitar played while moving a steel bar or similar hard object against plucked strings. The bar itself is called a "steel" and is the source of the name "steel guitar". The instrument differs from a conve ...
on tracks 7 & 9
Production
*Produced by Paul Kossoff, Simon Kirke, Tetsu Yamauchi & John "Rabbit" Bundrick
*Engineered By Richard Digby Smith and
Tony Platt
Tony Platt is an English sound engineer and record producer, best known for his work with a diverse mix of artists, including, AC/DC, Cheap Trick, Bob Marley, Iron Maiden, Shy, Buddy Guy, Foreigner, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Sparks, Jazz ...
References
{{Authority control
1972 debut albums
Island Records albums
Paul Kossoff albums
Simon Kirke albums
Tetsu Yamauchi albums
John Bundrick albums
Collaborative albums