Status Quo FAN CLUB FORUM

Followers of the mighty Quo have their chance to quiz mainstays Rick Parfitt and Francis Rossi. Your host: John Reed

Francis Rossi scowls: “Is it illegal to smoke in this country? I just wondered why we’ve got that sign on the f ‑ ing wall, know what I mean?” It’s my introduction to the Status Quo frontman in the boardroom of a non-descript hotel outside Exeter on a dreary afternoon prior to his band playing in the rain in the decidedly upper-crust surroundings of Powderham Castle.

For the next hour-and-a-half, first with the extrovert, very talkative Rossi and then his more introspective but equally forthcoming partner, Rick Parfitt, we talk Quo. The pair have nothing directly to promote (although a new DVD, Live In Montreux, beckons in October). Instead, one of the longest married couples in rock answer questions proffered by their fans via the official Quo website (www.statusquo.co.uk), from enquiries about their exploits back in the 1960s to classic albums and favoured hot beverages.

Perceptions of Status Quo among their fanbase can be divisive. The old guard have never quite forgiven them for splitting the memorable “Frantic Four” line-up with drummer John Coghlan and bassist Alan “Nuff” Lancaster. Coghlan departed in 1981, and after Quo took a recess in the mid-80s, Lancaster wasn’t asked to re-join the band. While the majority of the Quo’s followers …

by John Reed
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