The Firm, featuring (left to right) Jimmy Page, Chris Slade, Paul Rodgers and Tony Franklin

The Firm were an English rock supergroup comprising former Free and Bad Company singer Paul Rodgers, ex-Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page, bass player Tony Franklin, and ex-Uriah Heep drummer Chris Slade. Formed in 1984, the band—despite having a distinguished pedigree (and thus qualifying as a supergroup)—had only mediocre album sales, although they did have sellout tours. Page originally wanted former Yes drummer Bill Bruford and fretless bass virtuoso Pino Palladino in the group; however, Bruford was contracted to another label and Palladino had tour commitments with singer Paul Young. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem No official anthem specific to England — the anthem of the United Kingdom is God Save the Queen. See also Proposed English National Anthems. ... For other uses, see Rock music (disambiguation). ... In the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe music groups composed of members who had already achieved fame or respect in other groups or as individual artists. ... Free was a British R&B-style rock band which formed in London in 1968 best known for their popular song All Right Now. Lead singer Paul Rodgers went on to become lead singer of the rock band Bad Company along with Simon Kirke on drums, while lead guitarist Paul... Bad Company were an English hard rock supergroup founded in 1973, consisting of band members from Free (Paul Rodgers, Simon Kirke), Mott the Hoople (Mick Ralphs) and King Crimson (Boz Burrell). ... Paul Rodgers is an English rock singer/songwriter best known for being a member of Free and Bad Company. ... For the bands 1969 self-titled debut album, see Led Zeppelin (album). ... James Patrick Jimmy Page, OBE (born 9 January 1944) is an English guitarist, composer and record producer. ... Tony Franklin is an English musician. ... Uriah Heep are an English rock band, formed in December 1969 when record producer Gerry Bron invited keyboardist Ken Hensley (previously a member of The Gods and Toe Fat) to join Spice, a band signed to his own Bronze Records label. ... To see the American football player see Chris Slade (football player) Chris Slade (born Christopher Rees, 30 October 1946, in Pontypridd, Glamorgan, Wales) is a rock drummer who has enjoyed a long and varied career. ... This article is about the year. ... In the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe music groups comprising members who had already achieved fame or respect in other groups or as individual artists. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Bill Bruford on the cover of his album, Feels Good to Me William Scott Bruford (born May 17, 1949 in Sevenoaks, Kent, England), better known as Bill Bruford, is an influential British drummer known for his forceful, highly precise, polyrhythmic style. ... The fretless bass is a bass guitar without frets (including similarly configured guitars known as a fretless guitar). ... Pino Palladino (born on October 17, 1957 in Cardiff, Wales, UK) is a noted rock and rhythm and blues electric bass player of Italian ancestry. ... Paul Antony Young, better known as Paul Young (born 17 January 1956) is an English pop artist. ...

Both Page and Rodgers refused to play any material from their former bands and instead opted for a selection of songs from both their solo albums and new songs which were heavily infused with a soulful and more commercially accessible sound, courtesy of Franklin's fretless bass guitar underpinning and understated song structure. Although refusing to play old material, the last track from The Firm, "Midnight Moonlight", was originally an unreleased song by Led Zeppelin entitled "The Swan Song". The recording of the track led critics to believe that Page had begun to run out of ideas. In subsequent press interviews, Page had indicated that the band was never meant to last more than two albums. After the band split, Page and Rodgers returned to solo work while Chris Slade joined AC/DC and Franklin teamed up with guitarist John Sykes in Blue Murder. The Firm is a studio album by The Firm, released by Atlantic Records on March 2, 1985. ... For the bands 1969 self-titled debut album, see Led Zeppelin (album). ... AC/DC are a hard rock band formed in Sydney, Australia in 1973 by brothers Angus and Malcolm Young. ... John Sykes, born July 29, 1959 in Reading, England, is a Heavy Metal/Hard Rock guitarist in the United Kingdom who has played in bands Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake, Tygers Of Pan Tang, Blue Murder and his solo project John Sykes. ... Blue Murder was the brainchild of guitar virtuoso John Sykes. ...

Band members

• Paul Rodgers - lead vocals, rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar
• Jimmy Page - lead & rhythm guitars, acoustic guitar
• Tony Franklin - bass, keyboards, synthesizer
• Chris Slade - drums, percussion, backing vocals

Paul Rodgers is an English rock singer/songwriter best known for being a member of Free and Bad Company. ... James Patrick Jimmy Page, OBE (born 9 January 1944) is an English guitarist, composer and record producer. ... Tony Franklin is an English musician. ... To see the American football player see Chris Slade (football player) Chris Slade (born Christopher Rees, 30 October 1946, in Pontypridd, Glamorgan, Wales) is a rock drummer who has enjoyed a long and varied career. ...

Films, DVDs

• The Firm Live at Hammersmith 1984 (1984) (limited release video)
• Five From the Firm (1986)

Official tours

• Europe (November 29, 1984 - December 9, 1984)
• United States (February 28, 1985 - May 11, 1985)
• United Kingdom (May 18, 1985 - May 22, 1985)
• United States (March 14, 1986 - May 28, 1986)

For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ...

Albums

• The Firm (1985) #17 US, #19 UK
• Mean Business (1986) #22 US, #46 UK

The Firm is a studio album by The Firm, released by Atlantic Records on March 2, 1985. ... Mean Business Mean Business is a studio album by The Firm, released by Atlantic Records on April 2, 1986. ...

Singles

• "Radioactive" (1985) #28 US
• "Satisfaction Guaranteed" (1985) #73 US
• "All The King's Horses" (1986) #61 US
• "Live In Peace" (1986)