When compiling a list of the most influential vocalists of all time, there should be one who comes to mind immediately. A man who sang with legendary bands like Free, The Firm and (of course) Bad Company. That man is none other than Paul Rodgers. Paul not only fronted these bands, but also partnered up with Queen for short time as well. When you talk about Paul, you must mention his love for blues music and his work with the best blues musicians on the planet like Buddy Guy, BB King, and Hubert Sumlin to name a few. Paul has worked with just about everyone in the music business and at a young 61 years of age, he can say he has seen and done it all. The very physically fit Mr. Rodgers talked with Backstageaxxess.com about a slew of things. Some of the topics included his current solo tour, the recent release of Bad Company’s “Live at Wembley” DVD and his charitable work with the Racehorse Sanctuary & Re-Homing Centre in England. Let’s take a nice leisurely stroll in Mr. Rodgers neighborhood shall we?
Gus: How are you Paul?
Paul: Great! We just kicked off the North American Tour on June 25th at Caesars in Windsor, Ontario, and it’s been great. It’s been fantastic!
Gus: June 28, 2011, Bad Company will be releasing a DVD/CD package called “Bad Company-Live at Wembley” through Eagle Rock Entertainment. With Bad Company hailing from England, how special was it for you to tape a show from the band’s hometown?
Paul: It was a fantastic tour actually. We really enjoyed it. It culminated at Wembley, were we recorded the show. It was the first DVD of the band shot in the UK, so that was a bit special for us. One of the features of the tour was a song called “Electricland,” which we didn’t record or play live until now. So it was great!
Gus: What is the future of Bad Company? Will the band work on any new music or do any future touring?
Paul: You know Gus, anything is possible. I must say I’m really happy now touring and recording with my solo band. Bad Company’s there if the demand is. If the people really want that we may go out there and do more.
Gus: Speaking about your solo band, you are such a blues enthusiast and have done solo CD’s in the past reflecting this. Are you working on any blues or any other related projects?
Paul: Well, I’m actually in the studio recording some new songs, some demos, and getting in to that. Speaking of blues, the Smithsonian Institute asked me to put together a blues album with the surviving blues guys that are around, legends really. So that’s something that is being discussed and I’m really interested in doing that. I love the blues. When I think of the blues, it’s very much a live thing for me. When I think of people like Albert King, BB King, and John Lee Hooker and all of those guys, there was a beautiful earthliness about that music and a great spirit. It also has a sense of humor you know? When you get a song like (Paul sings): “Somebody who do who do the who do man.” I love all of that you know? It’s very much in the roots of what I do.
Gus: You mentioned working on solo material. What is the possibility of that being released?
Paul: I think probably next year. I do about 20 shows each year and, in between that, I will be in the studio recording and writing on the album. So it’s just starting to take shape right now. I did a track with Neils Lofgren (Bruce Springsteen) recently on his solo album. He’s such a great guitar player. He’s amazing! I did a duet with Mica Paris, who is an English soul singer which is actually incredible! So there is a lot going on but I think sometime next year, hopefully, will be probably feasible.
Gus: We would like to congratulate you on recently receiving the Ivor Novello Award that is given for outstanding contributions to British Music.
Paul: Thank You! It was an incredible honor and I was very pleased with that.
Gus: Where does this rank on your list of achievements?
Paul: Oh, I think it’s way up there! It was really a surprise to me as a lot of these things are. I got a doctorate from Teesside University, which is the top University in the UK. That was a surprise too, because it came out of the blue and it was a beautiful thing. So the Ivor Novello Award was also kind of a surprise for songwriting and influencing British music, which is HUGE. Chris Blackwell, who is the founder of Island Records, flew up from Jamaica to present the award. Jimmy Page was there to support me and it was a great night!
Gus: You were selected by Sir Paul McCartney to be a part of an upcoming Beatles/Paul McCartney tribute album and sang “Let Me Roll It.” What kind of input did you have in choosing the song and did Paul work with you at all, or did you have free reign?
Paul: I always loved that song. They suggested it. I said yes right away. I always loved that song (Paul proceeds to sing some of the words). I loved the idea of the lyric (Paul proceeds to sing some more). It’s such a great song! I didn’t actually meet Sir Paul, not yet, I’m hoping. I met Ringo back in the past. It was recorded back in LA last year and it was great honor. I think it would be coming out real soon.
Gus: So you didn’t hear of a release date for it?
Paul: I think they are putting the finishing touches to it and they will release it when they are ready I’m sure.
Gus: There are few physically fit musicians at your age. Roger Daltry of The Who is one that comes to mind. Now being in your in your earliest 60s, what is your regimen for staying in such good shape? 
Paul: Thanks Gus! I really appreciate you saying that! Daltry is kind of an inspiration and a great guy! For me, I’m sweet sixty one. I spend a good time on it you know. You have to stay focused. A long time ago, I realized that If I wanted to keep singing, I needed to keep in shape. It’s a whole body thing, it’s not just the voice. I spend a little time in the gym. I do some cardio, a couple of weights to keep it together. I find it’s a better high than the booze or anything used to be. I also find, strangely enough, that meditation is very helpful. What it does is it clears your mind and centers you. It helps you to focus…in life really. What will be the next step forward? It’s a great despairer of confusion, so I find that to be very healthy too.
Gus: You and your wife Cynthia are involved in various animal rights organizations. Can you tell us some of the organizations you are currently working with?
Paul: Well, Cynthia has a big heart I must say. She is the instigator on a lot of these ventures. She has taught me a lot about how nice it is to help children, animals, people, beings really…spirits. They all need help. We got involved in a racehorse sanctuary. It’s a sanctuary that helps ex-racehorses. It’s a sad thing that happens to ex-racehorses that pretty much, when they are done, they are done! When they stop running and winning races, that’s it! They are done and considered worthless. They are absolutely beautiful creatures. These majestic spiritual beings are awesome. When you stand in front of them they are huge and they’ve got big eyes and they just look down at ya and are amazing! So we are doing something there. It’s called the UK Sanctuary of Racehorses. So that’s something we are doing and I must say it’s spiritually uplifting if I dare say that. We also help Fender with the “Kids Rock Free” program in Corona, California. That’s a nice thing too. For me, the more music there is in the world, the better off we would all be. I know when I was a kid running on the streets, when was 12 or 13, I was so pleased when I looked back that I found music and found a focus of my energy…my creative energy.
Gus: In a couple of weeks, you will be in the Buffalo/Niagara Falls area doing a show at the Seneca Niagara Casino. When was the last time you played the area?
Paul: It’s been a few years now, I think. I have a few new band members. I still have Howard Leese in the band and have three new members: Todd Ronning on bass, Rick Fedyk on drums and Markus Wolfe on rhythm guitar. It’s probably the best band I ever had right now. It’s really rocking!
Gus: Jason Bonham filled in on some dates when you were doing your solo shows over in Europe a couple of months back.
Paul: Yes, Jason did the whole tour. He was incredible! We taped one of the shows with Jason to come out on DVD next year.
Gus: You now live in British Columbia, correct?
Paul: I do indeed! I have a home there with my lovely wife. When we are back home where we live, we overlook the lake and it’s a very nice and inspirational place. I always wanted a place somewhere in the world that overlooks water, where I can play a piano and just create. Now, I finally have that and that’s what I do (laughs).
Gus: I’m sure you weren’t too happy seeing the world’s coverage after the Stanley Cup playoffs. That kind of gave the City of Vancouver a black eye. Do you have a comment on that?
Paul: Well, I went to the game before the game that they actually won. I sang there in support of the guys. I’m just getting into ice hockey and I think it’s an amazing game. You know to me, that’s just a shame. It’s one of those things that is just a shame. I don’t think it was the actual fans that were doing it. I’m not really sure who it was. Onwards and upwards ya know.
Gus: Explain to the fans out there the difference between a Paul Rodgers solo show and a Bad Company show? So when people come and see you, they know what can they expect?
Paul: When Bad Company goes out, we strictly stick to the Bad Company catalog. When I play solo, I select songs I’ve written with Free, with Bad Company, with The Firm, solo material, some blues maybe; depending. So there is a broader picture. It’s kind of a “best of” really. I also do some new things as well.
Gus: So it’s an “expect the unexpected” I guess? Which is a good thing, I think!
Paul: Yes! Expect the unexpected!
Gus: So for the rest of 2011, what can we expect from Paul Rodgers?
Paul: I will be touring pretty much.
Gus: And also working on the new material….
Paul: That’s right. Yes!
Gus: Any other ventures or collaborations we should know about?
Paul: I should mention I’m going back to the UK in November to visit the Horse Sanctuary. Well, part of the upcoming tour is with Randy Bachman. He’s an iconic singer/songwriter in Canada, so that will be a lot of fun.
Gus: Thanks for taking the time to talk to us today and we’ll see you in a couple of weeks.
Paul: Thanks and see you there!
We would like to thank Carol Kaye of Kayos Productions and both Cynthia Rodgers and Brenda Murti for helping set up the interview with Paul. For more information on Paul, please go to: http://www.paulrodgers.com/index.html. For more information on Bad Company, please go to: http://www.badcompany.com/. If you would like to look up the charities that Paul and me discussed, you can go here for the Fender Kids Rock Free program: http://www.fendermuseum.com/index.html and here for the Racehorse Sanctuary and Re-Homing Centre: http://www.racehorsesanctuary.org/.
To purchase tickets for Paul’s upcoming show at the Seneca Niagara Casino in Niagara Falls, NY, please go to: http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/000046A4C498B3F3?artistid=735996&majorcatid=10001&minorcatid=1.
