Great Rock Albums of 1985: The Firm

For a good number of people in 1985, The Firm were considered a disappointment. This was because many people, including yours truly, thought that a band with both Paul Rodgers and Jimmy Page in it was going to be some sort of Led Zeppelin/Bad Company hybrid. The Firm’s debut album certainly wasn’t that. What Rodgers and Page did was make their own unique music with the help of a great rhythm section featuring Tony Franklin and Chris Slade.

The album’s first single, “Radioactive,” put many metalheads off exploring them more. This is a shame because I knew that there would be better things to come on the album and I was right. This is not to say that there isn’t anything wrong with “Radioactive,” it’s a good song in it’s own right. It was just the fact that many people were expecting the song to be the love child of “Stairway to Heaven” and “Bad Company” and “Radioactive” doesn’t come close. I still like the song.

Once one has thrown away their expectations of what they thought this album was going to sound like and listen to it with an open mind, one would find that it’s a damn good album. Okay, it’s definitely not heavy metal, more of a straight forward rock album and if you listen closely, you can still hear some Bad Company influence. Especially in the songs “Make or Break, which is the hidden gem and “Satisfaction Guaranteed.” Furthermore, while Jimmy Page doesn’t nail down the solos like in the old Zeppelin classics like “Stairway” or “Whole Lotta Love,” he still shows he can wail on the guitar. It’s just with The Firm, it’s not as pronounced like it was with his former band. “Money Can’t Buy” is a fine example.

Proof that Rodgers, Page, Franklin and Slade were determined to forge their own path in the rock world is their cover of the Righteous Brothers classic, “You Lost That Lovin’ Feeling.” The coolest part in the song is Jimmy’s guitar solo supported by Tony on the fretless bass, good stuff. Also, Paul’s vocals are as good as ever on every song on this album.

Track Listing:

Closer
Make or Break
Someone to Love
Together
Radioactive
You Lost That Lovin’ Feeling
Money Can’t Buy
Satisfaction Guaranteed
Midnight Moonlight

Paul Rodgers- lead vocals, guitars

Jimmy Page- lead guitar

Tony Franklin- bass, keyboards, synthesizers, backing vocals

Chris Slade- drums, percussion

Does anyone have a time machine I could borrow? If so, I would like to go back in time and say to all of those people who rejected The Firm back in 1985 because they didn’t sound like former bands, “Look, they’re not like Bad Company or Led Zeppelin, get over it!” Because their first album shows what they can do on their own.

Next post: John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band- Tough All Over

To download Rock and Roll Children for free, go to: http://allkindlecloud.com/register/14510967-Rock-and-Roll-Children_pdf_free.html