Legendary singer PAUL RODGERS (BAD COMPANY, FREE, QUEEN + PAUL RODGERS) spoke with Pat Pemberton from Spinner recently about a number of topics. A few excerpts from the chat follow:

Spinner: You're coming off the Queen + Paul Rodgers thing. What did being with them allow you to do that you hadn't done before?

Rodgers: "It was hugely challenging. In the past, I had always formed bands. I formed Free with Paul Kossoff, I formed Bad Company with Mick Ralphs, and I formed THE FIRM with Jimmy Page. This was a different thing, joining forces with a band with a whole repertoire and a whole reputation.

We played together at an awards show in London, and we played each other's songs. If it hadn't worked for me on a musical level -- from the heart -- I would have never have even gone near it. But it did work. We actually played 'All Right Now,' 'We Are the Champions' and 'We Will Rock You' together, and it was just amazing, And so we thought we can do all of this as a new entity -- Queen and Paul Rodgers -- and we'll make it clear to everybody that it is a new entity. I'm amazed that I actually spent four years with them, which is longer than I was with Free."

Spinner: A couple of years after Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham died a 'Shooting Star' type of death, you left your own band to be with your family. How did his death influence that decision?

Rodgers: "It influenced me very much. But I was ready for it, anyway. I was ready to come off the road, and I could sense the feeling that we were just flying a little too high and getting a little too crazy, and something had to give along those lines.

It happened so many times before -- that was really the inspiration for the song 'Shooting Star.' John was such a lovely guy. It was such a sad thing to lose him as a friend and for the world to lose such an amazing talent. Because I do think he was probably one of the greatest rock 'n' roll drummers that ever lived. So it was really a blow. And it was a harsh taste of reality.

So I decided I needed some time to live some life. But I never ever got very far away from music. I built a studio in the house and just continued recording. And before I knew it, Jimmy [Page] was coming around, and we were writing songs, the Firm was born and we were back on the road again.

Spinner: Were you ever contacted to replace Steven Tyler in Aerosmith?

Rodgers: "Well, yes, I was, actually. Joe Perry came up to me at another awards celebration. And he said that Steve was not really interested in touring anymore at the moment, and they were all ready to tour and that they were looking for somebody to take that slot. And I said to him, 'You know ... maybe you guys ought to rethink that.' And I'm happy to see that they're up and running now because they're a fabulous band."

Read the entire interview here.