SIMON KIRKE

Simon Kirke was born in London and is a highly recognizable name in the music industry, particularly within the classic rock genre. He is best known as the co- founder and drummer for two major British rock bands: Free (1968-1973) and Bad Company (1973-2020).

Free was developed out of London’s booming blues scene. They were most known for the enduring classic rock anthem “All Right Now”. On January 25, 1971 Free played at Carnegie Hall. Simon was only twenty-two years old. One of the many highlights of their career, they played at the Isle of Wight Festival to an audience of 600,000, alongside Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Sly & the Family Stone, The Who, and Joni Mitchell. Free sold more than 20 million records worldwide.

After the disbanding of Free, Paul Rodgers and Simon again teamed up to form the supergroup Bad Company. Simon was the only continuous member of BC since its inception. They were the first band signed to Led Zeppelin’s Swan Song label. In 1980, Led Zeppelin invited Simon to come on stage for their encore in Munich to play “A Whole Lotta Love” alongside his friend, John Bonham. Bad Company has nine platinum albums, totaling over 50 million sales. Both Free and Bad Company toured through Europe, America, and Asia.

Simon was a member of Ringo Starr’s All Starr Band and toured worldwide for approximately four years.

Modern Drummer Magazine has hailed Simon as one of rock’s most reliable, tasteful, and soulful drummers. He is praised for his consistent “less is more” approach, prioritizing feel and solid 2s and 4s over showboating. He is described as a “human metronome”.

Although Simon is known as a legendary drummer, he is also regarded as an accomplished guitarist and pianist. (He loves collecting vintage instruments, especially guitars.) Simon is also a talented singer-songwriter and has produced three solo albums.

Over the years, he has also provided several educational masterclasses at the Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camps (for adults), showcasing his skills and style.

But he is most proud of serving on the boards of Road Recovery and Right Turn, which are not-for-profit organizations dedicated to helping teenagers and musicians recover from addiction.

In November 2025, Simon was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Bad Company.

Simon has been invited to perform at the Vatican on April 21, 2026 for the first anniversary of Pope Francis’s passing.