Rough Diamonds (album)

{{short description|1982 album by Bad Company}}

{{Refimprove|date=May 2021}}

{{use British English|date=May 2014}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2014}}

{{Infobox album

| name = Rough Diamonds

| type = Album

| artist = Bad Company

| cover = AlbumCovers-BadCompany-RoughDiamonds(1982).jpg

| alt =

| released = 12 August 1982{{cite web|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/FMQB-Album/1982/FMQB-Album-1982-08-06.pdf|title=FMQB|page=28}}

| recorded = March – April 1981

| studio = Ridge Farm Studios, Surrey, England

| venue =

| genre = {{hlist|Hard rock|blues rock}}

| length = 38:00

| label = Swan Song

| producer = Bad Company

| prev_title = Desolation Angels

| prev_year = 1979

| next_title = 10 from 6

| next_year = 1985

| misc = {{Singles

| name = Rough Diamonds

| type = studio

| single1 = Electricland

| single1date = September 1982{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/greatrockdiscogr00stro/page/34/mode/2up?q=Bad+Company|title=Great Rock Discography |date=19 November 1995 |page=35|isbn=9780862415419 |last1=Strong |first1=Martin Charles |publisher=Canongate Press }}

}}

}}

{{Album ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{Rating|2|5}}{{cite web|author=William Ruhlmann |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/rough-diamonds-mw0000198972 |title=Rough Diamonds - Bad Company | Songs, Reviews, Credits |publisher=AllMusic |date= |accessdate=2015-09-19}}

| rev2 = Rolling Stone

| rev2Score = {{Rating|2|5}}{{cite web|last=Fricke |first=David |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/rough-diamonds-19820930 |title=Bad Company Rough Diamonds Album Review |publisher=Rolling Stone |date=1982-09-30 |accessdate=2015-09-19}}

}}

Rough Diamonds is the sixth studio album by the English rock band Bad Company. The album was released in August 1982. Rough Diamonds, like its predecessor, Desolation Angels, was recorded at Ridge Farm Studio in Surrey, England, in March and April 1981 and engineered by Max Norman (famed for his work with Ozzy Osbourne).

It was the last album by Bad Company's original line-up and the last studio album to feature Paul Rodgers. The sessions were rough going from the beginning. First, their manager, Peter Grant, withdrew from view after the death of Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham in 1980. Then, on another occasion, a fistfight broke out between Paul Rodgers and Boz Burrell, the two bandmates restrained by Mick Ralphs and Simon Kirke. Following the album, the band disbanded, with Rodgers going on to release his first solo album, Cut Loose, the following year.

The album's opening track, "Electricland", written by Rodgers, was the album's biggest hit. Rodgers' "Painted Face" also received substantial airplay on rock stations. The album became the original line-up's worst-selling album, reaching a disappointing No. 26 on the Billboard album charts in 1982. The album was remastered and re-released in 1994. To date, this is the only album of the classic six Bad Company records to not get a 2CD Deluxe Edition release.