Laying Down the Law

The Zoo Crew, those groovy hippie DJs at THE ZOO radio station, are spinning "Laying Down the Law" by The Law from their self-titled album, firing up the Zoo Freaks with its gritty riffs and soulful swagger. This track, a standout from the 1991 album, was born from a fiery collaboration between Paul Rodgers, the legendary voice of Free and Bad Company, and drummer Kenney Jones of The Who and Faces fame. In a 1991 interview with Rolling Stone, Rodgers shared that the song’s driving rhythm and bold lyrics were inspired by a late-night jam session where he and Jones were riffing on the idea of taking control and setting things straight—both in music and life. The song’s iconic guitar lick, courtesy of session ace John Staehely, was a last-minute addition that Rodgers called “the glue that made it stick” in a 2005 retrospective with Classic Rock Magazine.

Digging into social media, a recent post on The Law’s Instagram shared a throwback photo of Rodgers and Jones in the studio, captioned: “Laying Down the Law was our battle cry—pure rock soul!” Fans on the The Law Fan Club Facebook group lit up, with one Zoo Freak commenting, “This track still hits like a freight train—play it loud at THE ZOO!” Another fan on The Law’s X account recalled a 1991 live show where Rodgers dedicated the song to “anyone who’s ever had to stand their ground,” sparking a crowd roar that shook the venue. The The Law Fan Site notes that the song’s raw energy made it a staple on European radio, though it never got the U.S. airplay it deserved, a sentiment echoed by Jones in a 1992 Mojo interview where he lamented the band’s short-lived run.

The Law was a brief but brilliant supergroup, formed when Paul Rodgers and Kenney Jones crossed paths in London in 1990. Rodgers, already a rock icon from his days with Free and Bad Company, was itching to try something fresh after years of solo work. Jones, fresh off The Who’s 1989 reunion tour, brought his powerhouse drumming and a shared love for bluesy rock. According to a bio on The Law’s Facebook, the duo clicked instantly at a charity gig, bonding over a mutual admiration for classic soul and Motown. They recruited a rotating cast of top-tier musicians, including guitarists John Staehely and Jim Barber, and cut their only album, The Law, in 1991. The project was a passion-driven detour, with Rodgers telling Billboard in 1991, “We didn’t care about charts; we just wanted to make music that felt real.”

Rodgers’ career kicked off in the 1960s as a teenager in Middlesbrough, England, singing in local blues clubs. By 1968, he’d co-founded Free, whose hit “All Right Now” became a global anthem. After Free’s split, he formed Bad Company, cementing his status as a rock vocal legend. Jones, meanwhile, started drumming in London’s mod scene, joining The Small Faces (later Faces) before stepping into The Who after Keith Moon’s death in 1978. Their paths converged in The Law, a project that, per The Law Fan Site, was “a lightning bolt of creativity that burned bright but fast.” Though the band dissolved by 1992 due to label pressures and scheduling conflicts, its legacy endures among fans, with the The Law Fan Club Facebook group still buzzing with tributes and rare live clips.

For more on The Law, check out their official website, follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and X. Fans can dive deeper at The Law Fan Site or join the conversation at the The Law Fan Club Facebook group. The Zoo Crew and Zoo Freaks know what’s up—crank “Laying Down the Law” and let it rip!