The original members of Bad Company - Paul Rodgers, Mick Ralphs and Simon Kirke - have announced that they will reunite for a series of shows in April next year.

This marks the first time the original members will perform in the UK together in over three decades.

The opening show will take place at the LG Arena, Birmingham on Thursday 1 April.

Tickets, which can be purchased from theticketfactory.com or 0844 338 8000, go on sale at 10am on Friday, November 20 and are priced £34.50 plus booking and transaction fee.

Being in Bad Company

Rodgers, celebrating over four decades as a writing and recording artist (Free, Bad Company, The Firm, Queen + Paul Rodgers), was recently presented with the “Classic Songwriter ” award by Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck at the annual Classic Rock Magazine Roll of Honour 2009. Rolling Stone recently named Rodgers one of the “Top 100 Singers of All Time,” Classic Rock UK placed him at #2 on their “50 Greatest Singers in Rock” list and England’s Planet Rock Radio fan poll placed him at #3 on their “Greatest Voices of Rock” list. His debut solo DVD “Live in Glasgow” is certified Gold and charted at #1 in Canada, #2 in Japan, #3 in the US and #4 in the UK.

“These dates are to thank the fans for keeping the music alive,” said Rodgers. “It's great to be with Paul and Simon,” said Ralphs. “We made great music together and had the time of our lives doing it. I'm really looking forward to us bringing Bad Company back to the UK.” Ralphs recently regrouped with 70s rock band Mott the Hoople for five sold-out reunion shows at the Hammersmith Apollo in London Autumn 2009.

After the break up of Free (known internationally for their smash hit “All Right Now” co-written by Rodgers) Paul connected with ex-Mott the Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs. Free drummer Simon Kirke would later join that year and the trio would begin rehearsing. Ex-King Crimson bassist Boz Burrell came aboard a few months later and the supergroup Bad Company was solidified. In 1974 they signed to Swan Song Records (owned by Led Zeppelin and distributed via Atlantic Records) to release their highly anticipated debut album, titled Bad Co. Rodgers’ concept to write a song titled the same as the band’s name was a first. Propelled by the hit single “Can’t Get Enough”, the album would quickly hit #1 on the charts and remain in the Top 40 for four straight months. Bad Company were at the forefront of the 70’s arena rock movement. To this day, the multi-platinum Bad Co. album arguably remains one of the most accomplished debuts in rock history, reading as a virtual greatest hits set in itself.

Straight Shooter, Run with the Pack, Burnin’ Sky and Desolation Angels would all follow within a five year run throughout the ‘70s with the writing team of Rodgers and Ralphs yielding more multi-platinum awards with hit after hit, “Feel Like Makin’ Love,” “Seagull,” “Run with the Pack,” “Burnin’ Sky,” “Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy,” making Bad Company one of the biggest concert attractions of the decade. In 1982, the band released their final recording Rough Diamonds and the single “Electricland” would be their last before disbanding. The group’s multi-platinum award-winning greatest hits set 10 from 6 has become a music collectors staple.