Just seen on social media that Mick has passed away at 81. Guitarist extraordinare with Mott the Hoople during their best years, I first saw him with Bad Company on their first UK tour. A fabulously melodic riffer, he sprinkled a little angel dust over some of the best of seventies rock. He had been in a residential facility for a number of years following a stroke. He was by all accounts a lovely guy and I raise a glass of fine single malt whisky to him in memory of his legacy. Fare thee well, Ralphers, rock'n'roll would have been a poorer place without you.

Mick Ralphs, Guitarist in Bad Company and Mott the Hoople, Dead at 81



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2025-06-24 12:48 by bv.

Rest In Peace Mick!

RIP

Legend. RIP!

Mark Ralphs, thanks for the music.

Bad Company & Mott The Hoople were legendary rock bands. A great loss. He had a stroke in 2016 and never recovered from it. May he RIP

I'll take Bad Company over the Beatles.
Rest in Peace Mick.

Sad
I recall reading in Ian Hunter's book (diary of r'n'r star) about Mick Ralphs fear of flying - so sometimes it limited places where they could play. He supposedly left the band because he didn't want to fly anymore -- I always wondered if he had that same issue w/ Bad Company.

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LeonidP
He supposedly left the band because he didn't want to fly anymore

My understanding is that he became disenchanted with the band's musical direction after All The Young Dudes and the drift into glam rock and pop singles. Bad Company was truer to his bluesy rock roots.

Rest in peace, Mick Ralphs.

I had the pleasure of seeing and hearing Mick with Mott in the early 70s.He could really make that Les Paul ring like a bell.Rock on.

Sadly its been a long time comin. Underrated legend.

I saw him with Bad Company 3X in the 70's.

Also, on the David Gilmour solo tour in 84/85. I really got to see him close up.

Amazing guitarist.

Another sad loss this year.

RIP Mick Ralphs
Again a big and sad loss

My first ever concert was Bad Company on the Desolation Angels tour.

RIP Mick

Greco Mick Ralphs Model 1975

Very sad indeed, Mott and Bad Co. were both great bands. My special memory of Mick Ralphs was when he played at a friend's birthday party in Henley. My mate knew Mick's ex-wife and he happily agreed to come along and do the gig. It was held in a marquee in someone's garden from memory, quite an evening!

Didn’t Paul Rogers reach out to Mick Taylor about joining Bad Company? who in the band would Taylor have replaced

I recall that it was Free that MT was supposedly asked to join.

It is interesting that Paul Rodgers' taste in lead guitar included both Mick Taylor and Mick Ralphs. Ralphs also is hugely melodic while also being a muscular player. The older I get, the more I realize how much more Free/Bad Company studio recordings/singles were made to be solo-centric, compared to the Stones.

I would bet that as far as hearing guitar solos in "hit" songs (Top 40 or subsequently the Classic Rock format), Mick Ralphs is right up there with anyone. And his solos weren't truncated -- they were relatively long and frequently continued throughout the outros.

He made a huge contribution, and although I never bought an album of theirs back in the day, I find Bad Company to have been vastly under-appreciated and due for some revisionist love.

sad.perfect example of great guitar/songwriting.

The one and only time the original Bad Company played Japan is at the Budokan, Tokyo, March 3, 1975, which is also Mick Ralphs’ only live exposure to the Japanese audience. I wasn’t there. Mott the Hoople never toured the country.

But I caught Mott’s 2013 reunion at the O2 Apollo Manchester — the show was recorded and subsequently released as a double CD/DVD. Was glad I finally saw Ralphs playing the guitar in front of my eyes. And now I’m sad that was only once.

R.I.P. one of the dudes who was once young and carried the news —

This is from the Pink Robert Forum. RIP. Wav files.
[pixeldrain.com]

Newcastle 1974

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Taylor1
Didn’t Paul Rogers reach out to Mick Taylor about joining Bad Company? who in the band would Taylor have replaced

Nope. I'm working with Paul on his memoir now. Didn't happen.

Very sad. Another legend gone.

RIP Mick, and condolences to family and friends.

Rod

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hbwriter

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Taylor1
Didn’t Paul Rogers reach out to Mick Taylor about joining Bad Company? who in the band would Taylor have replaced

Nope. I'm working with Paul on his memoir now. Didn't happen.

Thats interesting, because I’ve seen that story quoted several times times in the media.

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Taylor1

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hbwriter

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Taylor1
Didn’t Paul Rogers reach out to Mick Taylor about joining Bad Company? who in the band would Taylor have replaced

Nope. I'm working with Paul on his memoir now. Didn't happen.

Thats interesting, because I’ve seen that story quoted several times times in the media.

it happens

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hbwriter

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Taylor1
Didn’t Paul Rogers reach out to Mick Taylor about joining Bad Company? who in the band would Taylor have replaced

Nope. I'm working with Paul on his memoir now. Didn't happen.

Wow, that's awesome. Tell Paul I said hi and that I loved that Bad Company show at the 02 a few years ago.

From "The Ballad of Mott the Hoople":

Buffin lost his child-like dreams
And Mick lost his guitar
And Verden grew a line or two
And Overend's just a rock n' roll star

Some friends of mine in high school started a Mott the Hoople cover band, as crazy as that sounds. This was in rural Riverside County in California in the year 1975.

Mott was campy and lots of fun.