Paul Rodgers - best known as the frontman for the bands Free and Bad Company - is featured in a new interview with Classic Rock, in which he looks back at his life, times and solo career, ponders the tragedy of Paul Kossoff, and reveals that he owes his life to martial arts. An excerpt follows...

Classic Rock: How did Bad Company come to be managed by Led Zeppelin’s manager, Peter Grant?

Paul Rodgers: "Clive Coulson [who became Bad Co’s tour and day-to-day manager] worked with Free before joining the Zeppelin team. Clive said: 'Call Peter Grant, he’s interested.' Peter used to call Clive [pinches nose and makes a nasal Peter Grant voice] ‘Clivey’. But Peter was great. Everything was five stars, and everything was taken care of. We were spoiled rotten, to tell you the truth."

Classic Rock: In 1974, Bad Company made their US debut opening for the Edgar Winter Group, acting like bigger stars than the headliners, flying between states in a private jet and arriving at gigs in limousines.

Rodgers: "Oh yes [laughs]. We were catapulted into America, and Peter Grant put us right where Led Zeppelin were in terms of aeroplanes and limousines. We went into the arenas overnight."

Classic Rock: So you were able to do with Bad Company what you hadn’t been with Free in America.

Rodgers: "America has always been accepting of the evolution of things – bands, companies, people. They were very accepting of Bad Company because we had the goods. But I knew what we needed in America too, because I’d watched Blind Faith from the side of the stage and seen Ginger Baker throwing his drumstick at the back of a policeman’s head, then pick up another and carry on [laughs]. Peter and Led Zeppelin had it all down – the American scene and all the business involved – and we benefited from that."

Read the full interview at Classic Rock.

Rodgers released Midnight Rose - his first solo album in nearly 25 years - on September 22 via Sun Records. Order/save the album here.

Midnight Rose is celebration of a storied career and a feel-good, hopeful look towards the future. It features Paul’s quintessential larger-than-life vocals in a whole new chapter of his career.

Tracklisting:

"Coming Home"
"Photo Shooter"
"Midnight Rose"
"Living It Up"
"Dance in the Sun"
"Take Love"
"Highway Robber"
"Melting"

"Take Love":

"Living It Up":