Status Quo album-by-album thread (50 Years of Quo)

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by JulesRules, Jul 25, 2017.

  1. Man at C&A

    Man at C&A Senior Member

    Location:
    England
    And rightly so! I cannot comprehend it though!

    You don't like Ain't Complaining as well do you?
     
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  2. carlwm

    carlwm Forum Resident

    Location:
    wales
    Funnily enough.... :)
     
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  3. Still enjoying the thread as much as ever and finding out why now I have never really warmed to Francis Rossi as a person/personallity.
    He comes across as a self immersed miserable strop in most interviews or video's I've seen.
    Reading this thread just adds to it for me.
    The interviews I saw or read after Rick's passing with Rossi left me feeling uneasy. He just didn't seem to be that bothered...or just couldn't show it???
    Anyone else feel the same?
     
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  4. Man at C&A

    Man at C&A Senior Member

    Location:
    England
    I think a lot of Quo fans do, including me.
     
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  5. 12stringbassist

    12stringbassist Location: Irrelevance.

    Location:
    Manchester UK
    To be fair to Rossi, he is now dealing alone (apart from management) with the running of a band that he has said is going to finish at some point soon. There is work in the diary for the next two years. He has to do all of these shows without Rick. I think he is probably totally disheartened with the whole thing, but now has to 'do his duty'.

    He tends to come across as a grumpy old sod in interviews and enjoys playing interviewers up and going off on a tangent and sending himself up. You can rarely tell when he is being serious. Status Quo is now effectively The Francis Rossi Band. Not entirely a bad thing, but I imagine he feels an enormous weight of responsibility with it all.
     
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  6. Johns44

    Johns44 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Yateley, UK
    Not entirely sure what interviews you've been watching but Francis generally comes across as very honest and most of the time pretty humourous. Obviously when being asked about Rick, it's not a subject particularly open to humour.
     
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  7. Johns44

    Johns44 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Yateley, UK
    Status Quo are not now effectively the Francis Rossi band. Having seem them last month they are more of a band than ever.
     
  8. I have seen and read plenty of interviews over the last 40 years to come to my opinion. As regards Rick, I didn't expect him to be humerous but the couple of interviews saw...he hardly seemed to care at all.
    Again...its only my thoughts and yes I've seen plenty of interviews where Rossi (and Rick for that matter) goof around...but my overall impression is of a awkward strop of a man.
    Not a problem others think otherwise.
     
  9. 12stringbassist

    12stringbassist Location: Irrelevance.

    Location:
    Manchester UK
    I defend their right to carry on as Quo without Rick.
    I don't expect Rossi to be prostrate with grief every time he answers a question about him, either. His feelings are private.
    If Quo are doing great shows now, fabulous. I would still contend that it's Rossi's show now - I meant no offence by saying it was the Francis Rossi band - I saw them on tour a few years ago in Manchester and enjoyed them immensely..

    Next album, please!!
     
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  10. Ma Kelly

    Ma Kelly Senior Member

    Location:
    England
    Well clearly!
     
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  11. Ma Kelly

    Ma Kelly Senior Member

    Location:
    England
    Status Quo ARE Rossi and his backing band though. You wont agree (which is fine of course) but then there are plenty who won't agree with you. I don't really care what Rossi chooses to do nowadays, but he's done a pretty good job of tarnishing Quo's name for a good many of his (ex-)fans. Which is kind of a shame.
     
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  12. Almost Simon

    Almost Simon Forum Resident

    I can see your point as he is and has been the main vocalist but live its much more of a band. Remembering that Bown has been with the band for (i don't know,) 40 odd years and Rhino for 30+ years. Yes, he will always be the one to be interviewed but you can be sure when the next album comes out it will be a mix of lead vocalists same as it is now live in concert.
     
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  13. carlwm

    carlwm Forum Resident

    Location:
    wales
    Well, here we go my attempt to big up the (mostly) reviled Back To Back!

    Bit of context: Quo were one of a whole bunch of bands that, when I was growing up, were ubiquitous (Queen, Roxy Music & Bowie are others), They were forever on the radio or Top Of The Pops so there seemed to be no need to spend my hard-earned pocket money on their records. Fast forward a few decades &. I got curious to fill in a few gaps in my collection so, as & when I started to see their albums selling very cheaply, I picked them up, piecemeal & in random order (the first one was In The Army Now, as it happens).

    Given that, I didn't have any preconceptions or attachments to the 70s records. Over the last few years, I've picked up nearly all of the studio records & find something to enjoy on all of them but the poppier ones are the ones I gravitate to the most & of those BTB is by far my favourite. I reckon that it still takes up 20% of my Quo listening.

    A Mess Of Blues - Weird, I suppose, opening with a cover but it's a really strong start. Solid rock n roll & easily the best version of the song I've heard. Andy's barrelhouse piano is spectacular here. 4/5

    Ol' Rag Blues - Alan Lancaster's finest song? Definitely, to my ears at least. Love the lead guitar & wistful verse melody. I don't dislike the AL lead vocal version But I reckon they made the right choice having Francis sing it for the album. Should've been a bigger hit than it was. 5/5

    Can't Be Done - I love the driving rhythms & general rockabilly vibe to this one. Always goes down well when I give it a blast at open mics. 5/5

    Too Close To The Ground - The first slow number & Rick & Andy's first writing contribution and another winner. Reminds me of smoky blues club footage in old films. Georgie Fame would do a fine cover version, I reckon. 5/5

    No Contract - Highly rocking with a hint of blues & truly knuckle-headed lyrics. It's practically a Whitesnake (circa Slide It In) pastiche. My least favourite song on the album but fun enough to still be worth 3.5/5

    Win Or Lose - I love it when Quo go all country rock & this is no exception. An infectious ear worm of a melody, plenty of great piano, and a commanding vocal. Superb. 5/5

    Marguerita Time - Ridiculous that this was controversial. It's a lovely tune & a deserved hit single. It's certainly not the chugga chugga chugga that the uninformed expect from Quo but then they always had light & shade & even in the classic years throw in the odd googly. This is simply a sublime, laid back country waltz, performed to perfection. A delight. 5/5

    Your Kind Of Love - Never understood the distaste for this song. It's certainly unusual for an Alan Lancaster effort, but to me, it captures an early Seventies bubblegum vibe a la ChinniChap, which might well have been a hit in the hands of, say, Smokie. Not necessarily essential but definitely fun. 4/5

    Stay The Night - Francis confirming that he's not forgotten how to rock! Top quality riff, a tune that manages that rare feat of being original yet comfortable & sung with complete conviction. Should have been a single & ties with Ol' Rag Blues as my favourite song on the record. 5/5

    Going Down Town Tonight - Without doubt, an oddment but it's truly not that bad, just not really an album ender. Never skip it though. 3.5/5

    Well that's it for the original record. The three new bonus tracks on the 2006 reissue are nice to have but inessential, I reckon. I Wonder Why is okay but weaker than any of the tracks on the album proper whereas the two covers are indifferent songs given decent treatment, rendering them, at least listenable. Threes all round!
     
    Last edited: Dec 7, 2017
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  14. Ma Kelly

    Ma Kelly Senior Member

    Location:
    England
    Yeah I know, and I don't have a problem with the McGuinn-period Byrds (who are one of my favourite bands full stop) for example, so I might be a hypocrite, but can you imagine the Rolling Stones going out under that name with just Jagger and no Richards or Charlie Watts? Or Robert Plant touring as Zeppelin? There are a bunch of people happy to see Rossi as the Quo and then there are bunch who think that Lancaster and Spud were just as important to the Quo's sound and image as anything Rossi did so without them it's just not the Quo and never will be. And the two sides will never see eye to eye. A pitched battle is needed I think. Or maybe not. It should probably just be one of those topics that is never, ever brought up in public!
     
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  15. Ma Kelly

    Ma Kelly Senior Member

    Location:
    England
    You almost made me want to go back and listen to this. Almost being the key word though!
     
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  16. carlwm

    carlwm Forum Resident

    Location:
    wales
    :D
     
  17. Almost Simon

    Almost Simon Forum Resident

    I've seen some of those discussions that take place on the bands own official message board. Gets VERY heated. Also see every time the band posts on facebook the old fans come out and its "No Rick = no Quo." Which I totally understand and to be honest, i'm still on the fence about that. But the hostility from certain fans towards Rossi is very strong indeed. You have to be careful which Quo fans you share your views with. Very passionate indeed.
     
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  18. Man at C&A

    Man at C&A Senior Member

    Location:
    England
    I totally accepted the Quo line up through the 2000s as I saw some superb live shows from them. The XS All Areas tour positively rocked. They also put out some good records during that time.

    But Quo without Rick Parfitt is tough to accept and I haven't yet, especially as they seem to be carrying on as if nothing has happened and saying Rick's death has breathed new life into them. That's a truly horrible thing to say about a man who spent well over 40 years as a prominent guitarist, singer, songwriter and joint public face of the Quo. Rossi has come across very badly these last few years.

    Rick was my favourite rock rhythm guitarist along with Malcolm Young. For me it's not Quo without Rick. I do think Richie Malone is doing a fine job though and wish them no ill.
     
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  19. Ma Kelly

    Ma Kelly Senior Member

    Location:
    England
    Yeah it's all a bit Spinal Tap, like the bit when David St Hubbins reckons Nigel Tufnel's leaving is of no consequence and will have no impact on the band. I also get the impression that Rossi doesn't actually have that much fondness for the band's back catalogue, or rather the Frantic Four stuff - I could be wrong (could just be me being in the anti-Rossi brigade) - but then it's also understandable that his tastes would change over time, especially as he seems more of country/pop person than a hard rock person nowadays. But still, it seems like the one person who got to carry the Quo's name forward is precisely the wrong member. I dunno.
     
  20. Johns44

    Johns44 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Yateley, UK
    So on to other things. Anyone heard Without You which was played the other day on the Ken Bruce Radio 2 show. Seems to be the lead track for now from Rick Parfitt's soon to be released solo album. Now even though he has passed away I am not going to hold back. It is bloody awful. A big ballad, with naff lyrics, poor vocals and just generally all over poor. But hey what do I know. A link for you all.

     
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  21. 12stringbassist

    12stringbassist Location: Irrelevance.

    Location:
    Manchester UK
    Even Quo albums have had tracks on them which have just surprised us by how unlike Quo they have been.
    A solo track is even more likely to do that. Maybe he just wanted to do something radically different.
     
  22. Ma Kelly

    Ma Kelly Senior Member

    Location:
    England
    It's not something I'd ever listen to again, but I surprsingly didn't hate that. I mean, I'd rather listen to that than any of the Aquostic rubbish they put out. And I'm glad it's not some half-arsed rock song because his voice can't cut it anymore, but I expect there'll be plenty of that on the album though.
     
  23. Scott6

    Scott6 Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    I have all the albums from Ma Kelly's up to Never Too Late. Have never ventured further than that. Although have seen post Alan Quo live a fair few times and always loved them. Saw one Frantic Four reunion show at Hammersmith which was phenomenal.

    Always been tempted to buy 1982 and Back To Back for the collection as still 3/4 of the classic line up but reviews were always so poor reflected by what people have commented on this thread.

    I played Never Too Late last night actually - seriously good album!

    Great thread by the way.
     
  24. Man at C&A

    Man at C&A Senior Member

    Location:
    England
    Oh no, I didn't have high hopes for this but as a big Parfitt fan I wanted it to be decent. I haven't heard it yet. I'll check it out after the football with trepidation...

    It's now half time in football, listening now. It pains me to say it, but it's horrible. This was have been naff in the 80s when there was loads of this kind of thing. It sounds extremely dated now.

    But, no more negativity, it's Rick Parfitt! I'll remember him as a rocker rather than this.

    Hope the next track is good...
     
    Last edited: Dec 13, 2017
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  25. Almost Simon

    Almost Simon Forum Resident

    Okay, so finally had time to listen. After my first listen, its not terrible, its not classic. Perhaps not the best track to release to radio as promo for the new album. I know its Christmas and maybe they think that's a suitable tune for promo at this time of year, who knows, maybe it is with the anniversary of his passing upcoming. It's an album track and I do hope the rest of the album is better.
     
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