#paul kossoff

Song Review: Free - “Ride on a Pony” (Live, 1970)

“Ride on a Pony” proves the blues can swing like jazz, underscores Paul Rodgers’ place as one of rock’s premier male vocalists and serves as a reminder Free deserves to be remembered more than Rodgers and Simon Kirke’s other, more popular, band.

A freshly uncovered archival video of the original Free four - guitarist Paul Kossoff, bassist Andy Fraser, drummer Kirke and Rodgers - performing “Pony” on West Germany’s “Beat Club” in 1970 confirms all this and more, including the idea that Bad Company, which Kirke and Rodgers formed after Free’s dissolution, never met its artistic potential even as it exceeded commercial expectations.

This is a powerful performance. Kossoff the virtuoso, playing something that’s both rhythm and lead guitar; Fraser does the same on the bass.

Rodgers, all of 21 at the time, sings like a guy who has already lived a long, difficult life and put significant mileage on his young voice. Then there’s Kirke; steady as she goes; nothing fancy; which is exactly what his fanciful bandmates need so “Ride on a Pony” doesn’t fall to pieces.

It doesn’t. But the listener/viewer just might.

Grade card: Free - “Ride on a Pony” (Live, 1970) - A+

Free - I'll Be Creepin' (Doing Their Thing, 1970) Official Live Video

Paul Francis Kossoff (14 September 1950 – 19 March 1976)

Here, for a change, we have a wonderfully simple matter, without any great complications, with very little text, no metaphors or other loquacious frills.

Because today we're not dealing with small details like ripped and chopped riffs, melodies or even bridges, but with an entire song. Neither Paul nor Gene, but in this case Mitch Weissman himself (1), once even admitted this, sometime and somewhere, don't ask me, because I'm just parroting it.

But to smuggle in an at least reasonably apt comparison, the kinship between today's While the City Sleeps (1984) and Free's Wishing Well (1975) (2) could probably best be compared with that of Hotter Than Hell (1974) and All Right Now (1975), also by Free. What a surprise.

Everything's kinda similar and yet kinda different, to pass as self-standing enough not to be sued for it. We've performed this tango many times before, so maybe I'm just running out of figurative comparisons.

Anyway, thank you Mr. Weissman for your kind cooperation and making my work easier, I appreciate it.

Side Note:

(1) The co-author of this cheerful song, or rather the sole writer of the music, Mr. Hollywood-Gene only wrote the lyrics as far as I can tell.

(2) If you're not above a little commentary about a not entirely unjustified parallel to Ace's Rocket Ride (1977) and While the City Sleeps intro and main riff, you're welcome to click on exactly this link.

Wishing Well (1972)

While the City Sleeps (1984)