Renowned guitarist, singer, and songwriter who co-founded the iconic British rock bands Bad Company and Mott the Hoople, Mick Ralphs, has passed away at the age of 81.
His death was confirmed Monday in a statement posted on Bad Company’s official website.
The announcement noted that Ralphs had suffered a stroke shortly after his final performance with the band at London’s O2 Arena in 2016.
Since then, he had remained bedridden. No further information regarding the cause of death was disclosed.
Later this year, Ralphs is scheduled to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Bad Company.
“Our Mick has passed, my heart just hit the ground,” Bad Company frontman Paul Rodgers said. “He 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.”
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Ralphs wrote the track “Ready for Love” during his time with Mott the Hoople. The song was later reimagined for Bad Company’s eponymous 1974 debut album, which also featured the hit “Can’t Get Enough,” another Ralphs composition. He also co-wrote the 1975 classic “Feel Like Makin’ Love” with Rodgers.
Born in the village of Stoke Lacy, Herefordshire, England, Ralphs developed a passion for blues guitar in his teenage years.
By 1966, in his early twenties, he had co-founded the Doc Thomas Group. That group would evolve into Mott the Hoople in 1969, taking its name from the title of a 1966 novel by Willard Manus.
Although the band’s debut album built a cult following, their subsequent releases struggled commercially. Their breakthrough came in 1972 with “All the Young Dudes,” a glam-rock anthem written and produced by David Bowie. Despite their success, Ralphs grew dissatisfied within the band led by Ian Hunter and departed in 1973.
He went on to form Bad Company alongside Rodgers, who had recently left the band Free. Initially, the two had only planned to write songs and perhaps record a single album together.
But when Free’s drummer Simon Kirke joined them, and they recruited former King Crimson bassist Boz Burrell, a full band quickly came together.
“We didn’t actually plan to have a band,” Ralphs recalled in a 2015 interview with Gibson Guitars. “It was all kind of accidental I suppose. Lucky, really.”
Kirke reflected on his bandmate’s legacy in a tribute: “Mick was a dear friend, a wonderful songwriter, and an exceptional guitarist. We will miss him deeply.”
Bad Company’s debut album was an immediate hit, soaring to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. “Can’t Get Enough,” frequently mistaken for “Can’t Get Enough of Your Love” due to its memorable chorus, became their highest-charting single, reaching No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100.
“We actually did the whole thing in one take live,” Ralphs said in the Gibson interview. “It wasn’t perfect, but we just said, ‘Yeah, that’s great, it’s going to capture the moment.’ That’s what I like to do in recording. It doesn’t have to be perfect as long as it captures the moment. That’s what it’s all about.”
Their sophomore album, Straight Shooter, also found major success, climbing to No. 3 on both U.S. and UK charts. Ralphs contributed “Good Lovin’ Gone Bad,” which earned moderate airplay, while “Feel Like Makin’ Love” became a rock radio staple.
According to the band’s statement, Ralphs is survived by his wife, Susie Chavasse, described as “the love of his life”, two children, three step-children, and his long-time bandmates Rodgers and Kirke.
“Our last conversation a few days ago we shared a laugh,” Rodgers added. “But it won’t be our last.”
