Classic Albums – Straight Shooter (Bad Company)

Bad Company’s “Straight Shooter” – A Guitarist’s Perspective
Released in April 1975, Straight Shooter is the second album from supergroup Bad Company. With a magic combination of Paul Rodgers’ outstanding vocals and, Mott The Hoople guitarist, Mick Ralphs’ groundbreaking blues-rock guitar playing; the album spawned the band‘s defining singles ‘Feel Like Making Love’ and ‘Shooting Star’.
From a guitar player’s perspective, this album is a perfect blend of melodic blues-rock soloing, intricate rhythm guitar parts and classic rock songwriting at it‘s best. Join renowned Licklibrary tutor Danny Gill as he guides you through the guitar highlights of this seminal classic album.

Guitar Lessons in This Course
Guitar Lesson 1: “Good Lovin’ Gone Bad”
Played predominantly in the E minor scale, the song utilizes power chords and barre chords, giving a robust structure to its overall sound. The solo, a notable masterpiece, leverages the E pentatonic minor scale, effectively utilizing pull-offs and string bending.

Guitar Lesson 2: “Feel Like Makin’ Love”
The warm, vibrant intro relies on the D major scale, seamlessly transitioning to D minor for a more melancholic feel in the verse. The solo section features intricate hammers-on and pull-offs interlaced with slides, while maintaining a deep connection to the D major scale.

Guitar Lesson 3: “Weep No More”
A blues-influenced composition, “Weep No More” uses the A minor scale. The bluesy bends throughout the song, coupled with the soulful guitar solo, truly brings out the song’s mournful nature.

Guitar Lesson 4: “Shooting Star”
Incorporating a unique, storytelling lyricism, this track uses the G major scale. The solo section cleverly employs the G pentatonic scale with swift slides and controlled vibrato to add emotional depth to the composition.

Guitar Lesson 5: “Deal with the Preacher”
Characterized by a driving rhythm and punchy riffs, this song uses the E minor scale. The solo is a powerful mixture of alternate picking and swift pull-offs, creating an exciting, energetic feel.

Guitar Lesson 6: “Wild Fire Woman”
Using the A minor scale, this song showcases intricate palm muting techniques along with power chords that lend the song its wild, fiery character. The guitar solo is dominated by tasteful string bending and vibrato techniques.

Guitar Lesson 7: “Anna”
A softer, more melodic track, “Anna” relies on the G major scale. The finger-picking techniques create an intimate, personal atmosphere, while the solo employs the G pentatonic scale with effective slides and hammer-ons

Guitar Lesson 8: “Call on Me”
Employing the D major scale, the song uses a powerful combination of power chords and barre chords. The solo section features an expressive display of string bending and pull-offs, delivering a robust and energizing conclusion to the album.

The lead guitarist, Mick Ralphs, offers an impressive performance throughout “Straight Shooter”. His deep understanding of each song’s core emotion, expressed through his masterful manipulation of scales and techniques, adds depth and character to the album. From soulful blues bends to expressive vibrato, Ralphs’ contributions are integral to the unique, memorable sound of “Straight Shooter”.

Guitar Techniques used in “Straight Shooter”
• Vibrato
• Alternate Picking
• Pull-offs
• Power Chords
• Barre Chords
• Hammer-ons
• Slides
• Bluesy Bends
• Palm Muting
• String Bending
• Finger-picking