FOX News correspondent Mike Mettler has issued a new interview conducted with legendary rock vocalist Paul Rodgers (Free, Bad Company, The Firm, Queen + Paul Rodgers), who discusses Bad Company’s 40th anniversary, the inspiration behind the song “Bad Company”, and whether or not “Shooting Star” would make a good musical. An excerpt follows:

Q: When did you first know you wanted to be a singer?

A: "Growing up in Middlesbrough [in England], I listened to artists like Chuck Berry, Little Richard, and Howlin’ Wolf. It was like another world. Something happened to me when I heard that music. It leapt out of the speakers and went straight into my heart. And I thought, 'Right, that’s what I’m doing'.”

Q; Your voice sounds as strong today as it did in 1968. How do you keep it in shape?

A: "Thank you for saying that. It’s important to me to be able to hit the notes and just be able to fly when I sing. There are so many challenges and different parts to the job of singing. When you’re in the studio, you have to be really, really, precise. You’ve got to keep everything clean and nice because that’s going to be something that’s down forever. And then you go onstage, and it’s much more in the moment. You’ve really got to go with it and sock it to the audience, because that’s what they came for. All these things keep you on your toes. And I still feel that I’m learning all the time. I think I’ll hang it up whenever I don’t think I’m moving forward vocally."

Read the full interview at this location.

Bad Company will reissue their first two classic albums, Bad Company and Straight Shooter, on 180-gram vinyl on July 1st via Rhino Records in North America. Both releases will contain all of the original packaging.

The band’s self-titled debut album, Bad Company, released in 1974 reached #1 on the Billboard Top 200 Album chart and has since been certified five times platinum by the RIAA. The eight-song album contains some of the most well known rock songs of all time: “Can’t Get Enough”, “Rock Steady”, “Ready For Love”, “Don’t Let Me Down”, “Bad Company”, “The Way I Choose”, “Movin’ On” and “Seagull” “Can’t Get Enough” reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Movin’ On’” reaching #19.

Their follow up album, Straight Shooter, reached #3 on the Billboard Top 200 and featured the hits “Feel Like Making Love” (#10) and “Good Lovin’ Gone Bad” (#36) along with “Shooting Star”, “Deal With The Preacher”, “Weep No More”, “Wild Fire Woman”, “Anna” and “Call On Me”. Most of the tracks from these two albums, have become staples of classic rock radio around the globe.

Bad Company will embark again this summer on dates with Lynyrd Skynyrd. Their tour together last year was one of the most well received tours of 2013. The excursion with Skynyrd begins on July 10th in Bangor, ME and will end on July 25th in Clarkston, MI. The band will also perform a show at Casino Rama in Rama, ON on July 8th. Tickets are on sale for all shows now. Both vinyl reissues will be available for purchase at the shows as well.

The complete itinerary follows:

July

8 - Rama, ON - Casino Rama (Bad Company Only)
10 - Bangor, ME - Waterfront
12 - Mansfield, MA - Xfinity Center
13 - Darien, NY - Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
15 - Raleigh, NC - Walnut Creek Amphitheater
16 - Charlotte, NC - PNC Pavilion
18 - Camden, NJ - Susquehanna Bank Center
19 - Bristow, VA - Jiffy Lube Live
22 - Cuyahoga Falls, OH - Blossom Music Center
23 - Tinley Park, IL - First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
25 - Clarkston, MI - DTE Energy Music Theatre