My status Quo memory is an image that fans may appreciate. I was at the sound check in cork Ireland because my dad was employed as security so i tagged along. I reckon i was 11. I stood practically alone in front of the stage on a beautiful august morning . As francis and rick played a more slower tune i remember my gaze was focused on rick , as he played a big white butterfly circled directly in front of his mic and he seemed to step back in order to fully absorb the moment. I cant say i was a huge fan of the band however i did like the power of their bar chord, loud driving rhythm. After that day whenever i heard status q or heard the sad news about rick i would remember that image on that august day in ireland. Its not a bad one ;)
I met Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt in the First Class Lounge in Dubai. Both dressed like businessmen and both had tea and biscuits, despite the availability of free alcohol. I was amazed. They were polite and respectful to the staff and impeccably behaved. I was somewhat disappointed that these two legendary rockers hadn’t lived up to their “image” but as I said, impressed by everything about them as gentlemen.
My mother treated one of Rick Parfitt's children after an accident. She was classical music all the way - how I ended up a raging metalhead is a deep mystery! - and despite what she took as a completely alien look, said he was one of the nicest people and best parents she'd met. She had no idea he was famous or even what a "Status Quo" was, but having come across a fair few snotarse slebs she reckoned he was one of the good ones.
As a teenager in the 1970's, the first two songs I ever played with my first band in front of a live audience were 'Caroline' followed by 'Big Fat Mama'. Thank you Quo for that inspirational kick-start to my musical life !
He's right about booze and image , I drank and I was confident, it took a long time to get it together after knocking it on the head . Then some dickhead kept going on about how I'd changed and I wasn't who I was . I said thank fu k for that , and this geezer looked at me like I'd just grabbed his bollocks . As myself I'm not the push over I was pissed . Beware of booze it will give you silly ideas
I saw them first in 76, was amazing, little did I know back then, as a 19 year old rock fan, I would, some 40 odd years later, become friends with John Coghlan and get to meet up with another much missed man and bassist in Alan Lancaster, Quos music drove me forward and eventually become a radio presenter that hosts 2 rock shows and own my own radio station, as John Miles once sung, music was my first love and Quos music an integral part of who I am. Sadly I never got to meet Rick, although my kids did, but a big thanks to the Frantic 4, they always brought something special to the party, and always kept it real.
Thank you so much for this, both legends, both fabulous guitarist's and what wonderful sounds they made with the band. RIP Rick, so missed by so very many, but we can still listen to and love the sounds you guys made, thank you.
It seems that there are always relationship / personality clashes within most bands. I have been in two gigging bands and some of the issues that arose hadn't entered my head before the actual experience of being in a band. And yes, there are people who actively try to turn band members against each other .
Our childhood hero's are leaving us one by one. Appreciate those we have left, and love the moments we lived involving them.RIP Alan and Rick. Half of the Frantic Four gone.
Status Quo has had their own sound. Rick has been the backbone of it. When there is no Rick, something is missing. Quite often it was Rick that started to play - and audience was just waiting him to generate the Quo feeling, before Francis joined with his own guitar. I have appreciated Rick highly for generating that sound & feeling.
I can’t imagine anyone looked at Ross and Parfitt and saw them as anything other than equals, as Francis clearly regarded them too. And I think he’s making an honest claim about the possibility of someone driving a wedge between them which may have led to Parfitt thinking he was second in the band and the drink probably fuelled that nonsense. But they were together until the end and for far longer than many a band with more ego and less talent so let’s be thankful for that.
@THE RENAGADE Sorry, but Frances has no need to do something like that to his friend Ricky, then he has become a rocklegend throug all these years now! 💙
For all those slagging of Francis Rossi, may I just offer these words of wisdom? Show-business is - believe it or not - SHOW BUSINESS!!! All human entertainers are - at the end of the day - Human! Love 'em or hate 'em - they ALL have a 'Janus' persona!
I often think of Mr.Rossi because in the late '40's and 50's when I was growing up in Weymouth, Dorset the very best ice cream was from Rossies parlor on the sea front. Still remember the taste!
I remember the first time I saw the band live at The Dagenham Roundhouse here in East London in 1972 and the venue was Rammed when we got there. We paid our entry fee and was stuck halfway down the stairs when the Mighty Quo started to play, after about 30 minutes or so the music stopped and it filtered back to us that because so many people was in the hall the heat was messing up the equipment and the band stopped and wouldn’t play on until the staff opened the fire exits to cool it down. We managed to wriggle our way down in the stoppage and saw John, Alan, Mike and Rick play, what a Great live introduction to this Awesome band 😊
The Dagenham Roundhouse in 1972?; WOW!; in that case you might have traveled to the gig on the old District Line trains with flared skirting, was it the red District Line train or the silver one?
I’m a Guitar Player and QUO Fan (Original Frantic Four) since the early 80‘s ! Love the Original 4 ! Best Telecaster Sound ever ! But I was always a Fan of John Coghlan and rate him as one of the Best solid Drummers of all Time . Like his solid Drumming very much.........
JC wasn’t just one of the best solid drummers - he’s one of the greatest rock shuffle drummers A lot of people think they can drum along to Quo songs because they think they’re easy but they rarely get it right
@THE RENAGADE Are you Sure ? That was high energy Rock back then ! You Need a lot of persistence ! I played it by myself - that’s heavy 120 Minutes to play
As with the Beatles, it wasn't Lennon or McCartney alone, but the combination of several musicians that made a band. At Status Quo, it was this happy combination of all four that made this band so unique. John's straight drumming was just as important as Alan's bluesy vocals, Rick's smoky voice, or Francis' talent for beautiful solos and catchy hit songs. This chemistry was already damaged when John was gone. And after they continued without Alan, definitely. All four had a special talent and together this boogie sound, which could only be played by these four. Above all, it was Francis his ego who would have preferred to be a solo artist than to acknowledge that all four are equally important. Had he left the others more space and not tried to usurp everything, the band might have stayed longer in their original form.
They could write brilliant songs along with the chemistry they had, sadly it all went then the band as it became just did gimmicks after gimmick, nothing remotely like STATUS QUO of the 70s
Totally agree with you mate! also, had it not been for drugs and alcohol, perhaps Francis wouldn't have all this ego explosion. Anyways...the past is past. The Frantic Four Quo were a great band, never be forgotten.
@@Kostis_playsDrums Where's the evidence for this "ego problem"? You state it as assumed fact but I don't think it's been established at all. Quo fans drive me mad with their constant claims to objectivity that often just proxy what they hope happened (in order to protect their preferred band member) or give them a scapegoat (almost always Francis). Nobody ever slows down to contemplate or allow for the effect of expert psychological manipulation by the management and record label on a fallible young man (c.f. Rossi and Young). Nor do they ever explain how the rest of the band were supposed to function happily with a guy well known for his explosive and violent temper -- one that literally got them imprisoned in Germany. What did you guys want? Them to stay together in utter misery, despising each other and dreading every gig? Isn't that selfish? Don't you think it would've affected the quality of the music (as it arguably began to)? Nothing frustrates me more than people making authoritative statements of fact based on nothing but personal biases, as if they have some kind of special insight into the situation. It's nonsense. Come with receipts or don't come at all. The best we can do is speculate using sound sources and historiographical methods. I'm fine with speculation, just not "this is how it happened" statements.
Same question as above. Also why didn't he oust Rick or truly go it alone (or hire session replacements) if he actually did want to be a solo artist? Where's the evidence for that? Most of the band have pursued solo or side projects at one point or another, so don't come at me with that shit. There are a lot of problems with these assumptions - and that's all they are - about Rossi. He's a flawed, complex, fallible man held to impossibly high standards by FF maximalists/extremists who've decided to use him a priori as a scapegoat.
@@sheilaburrowes9081 Of course you are right. None of us were there in person, and even people who were there will have different interpretations of what they witnessed. Nevertheless, there are of course books written by Francis and Rick (or had them written) and interviews from which every fan derives his own interpretation. And so you are also right. It's all just interpretations, no one can say for sure how it came about. But one thing is clear. Most fans prefer the orignal four. That's also the reason why I would have liked it if Status Quo had ended the band after the last "Frantic Four-Tour" together. That would have been a great exit. The same goes for Kiss, who, after reuniting with the four originals, continued with other line-ups.
The Quo were one of the only bands whose sound was never reproduced by any other band and everyone knew who they were when they started playing. Truly a unique band. Even their Christmas song "it's Christmas Time" had that Quo sound to it.
That's why I stopped doing bands. The thing with a relationship is you love each other and work stuff out. A fair proportion of people in bands esp frontmen love themselves far more than anyone else. In my experience it's hard to tolerate. Rossi is being quite honest here.
Rick kind of was number two though, simply because Francis has that distinctive voice which is so Quo! The singer is invariably seen as the main man, regardless of talent/songwriting etc. Shame they didn't follow the Spinal Tap guide on how to be a rock star and go through a spiritual phase, may have kept him alive a bit longer
@@jonnifjader High Esteem, Pride, have to live up to our high self , can't be seen just having a cup of tea, got to be Jack the lad, and his Ego gorging on high self, Rick probley said to many people over the years when in arguments "do you know who I am" .....when he should of been saying " do you know who I think I am"
@@ThatGuyThanus Bill Wilson realised before he decended in to chronic alcoholism that it was not low self esteem that was his problem but the exact opposite that he was led to believe, High esteem unrealistic opinion of his self, many people with a Spiriual malady are drawn towards self esteem vendors like kids to a candy store, Gurus, Councillors, Talking cure therapists, or outside pleasures to smooth over a Spiriual malady , Which has nothing to do with religion, Bill Wilson was a co founder of alcoholics anonymous , Ricks ego was never satisfied ego gorging on self,
@@butterfly-bw6cx the lyrics in the song say "I can't help my self, it's just the things I do" .... which proves my point Rick wasn't who he thought he was, it was his Ego, speaking to him, when we listen to the voice in our own head, we reinforce the bondage of self, what Alcoholics should do is just observe that voice don't act on it, just observe our emotions don't act on them, statement of fact,
Interesting to hear certain things because iam sure with bands like status quo how they coped with various aspects of what they had , but it's also sad how quickly things can destroy a band as well regardless of how big they are..🤔 ...
It’s not easy being in a band I would guess , playing the same set night after night etc. Tempers will fray when a group is stuck together for months on end living out of a suitcase.
Your comment almost brought me too tears. I feel sorry for the Rolling Stones a.o. They're multimillionaires each owning yachts and multiple mansions but that doesn't make up for the travesty of having to play the same set night after night. I can't imagine that anyone would want to trade their lives with them.
@@MIB_63 They are multi millionaires , they could have stopped playing many many years ago if they hated it . They continue to do it because they love it . Same with the Quo, they keep going because when its good , its REALLY good .
@@johnreeves6286 Excellent point - just copied and pasted it to a lecturing colleague of mine who's decided to call it a day at 65 , sadly , while another battles on at 71 and cycles to and fro across London to do it.
@@johnreeves6286 Well ... thank you for the long reply and insights into Brazier's later life. However, it was the second half beginning with '' Recent research suggests ...' that really piqued my interest, Maybe it was the numerous social interactions (+ physical work) that enabled those Greeks, Georgians and Russians to live to be centenarians plus ... and not the natural yoghurt! An outdoor cafe society might be the answer here. towards which we are moving (esp. if it gets warmer) + more intercommunication between generations. The Italians have the right idea with their evening 'passeggiata'. By the way, have only seen Statue Quo once (at the Weeley Festival in 71), when they had just decided (I think) to up. the anti with their particular brand of boogie .. inspired by the Doors. Don in E Sussex
I've been a Quo Fan for at least 40 years and seen them countless times .I often thought how great it would be to meet Francis Rossi but maybe it's best I never do because I think he may not be that nice to a regular Fan like me and I would be really disappointed. I could be totally wrong off course but I will never know .
I had that with James May, in real life a total tosser, wouldn't talk to anyone except his crew, no autographs/photos or calling him Captain Slow! It is all a show on the screen.
Saw them 5 years ago, I was surprised at how good rossis voice was and he was a much better guitarist than I thought too. Used some alternative tunings as well .
@@alanstrom2221 Absolutely, Francis is one incredible guitarist and he, like Rick, Alan and John were perfect gentlemen (met them several times during those early years and again in later years. My Strat Ultra was signed by Rick and Francis (I never like Tele's despite what they achieved with them). My favourite band (ever) is Uriah Heep with Quo a close 2nd, however no band has ever given me goosebumps quite like Rick opening with Caroline. This is a great interview. Respectful, full of sincerity and love.
We all know how drink can affect certain people and Rick was only human and loved the Rock n’ Roll lifestyle. He made mistakes but lived the way he wanted. Francis does have that bloody minded attitude though, and I can imagine he may be hard to get on with.
I can't hear the rubbish about Rick's singing anymore! Rick Parfitt always had a soft voice and a Rock voice! Did he sing "Big fat mama" in a nice and sweet way? I don't think so! And this happened in 1972! Did he sing "Whatever you want" sweet...NO! And it rocks! I don't understand why Mr Rossi is talking such a bullshit? Sure Rick could sing nice and sweet...but he also could rock! Just listen to his solo album...there you can find all the colors of this true legend! Why can't Rossi just say...we had something very special...why all these negative stories?
Because Francis is admitting.Yeah they had times when it was something special but it wasnt always good. Ive heard Ricks solo album... I didnt like it at all, Francis's solo album was better, hell even the album Francis did with Hannah Rickard was better than Ricks album and I hate that album too
@@sahhull Tastes are different but to me "Over and out" is a fantastic album...much better than "Backbone"! Just as Quo should sound today! Rossis solo albums are a joke to me especially the last one...it is terrible! It show what he really likes! Someone who thinks that's good can not like Quo!
He doesn't say Rick should just sing sweet songs. Just that Rick lost touch with a part of his personality and because he had an insecurity they kinda lost touch.
@@StatusQuonald Then listen again...from 2:00! "That wasn't Ricki" !!! It was Rick! And sure they lost touch...but that wasn't Rick's fault alone! I had a long talk with Rick in 2015 where he told me that Rossi is not talking to him anymore! And he was really sad about that situation! Quo was his life...he never wanted to stop! It's over now...Mr Rossi has his new Band now and he should go on with it! But he should stop talking about Rick! His point of view is now knowing...unfortunately we will not hear Rick's opinion!
@@marclennard there's two sides to every story, the truth is always in the middle. Fact remains that Rick did have a drinking problem, which sure caused some problems for the band. I sure don't like people framing Rossi, as if he killed Rick or now has what he wants, cause that's a load of bollocks
Personally I've always thought that status quo were and still are absolutely underrated in the rock world. I don't know why.. But in my eyes they are right up there with the best of them.
I see that too, but the talented people in the rock and show business have a very high opinion of them, I believe. In the end it's all about success, and SQ's track record indicates an incredible amount of appreciation.
@@fibonaccisrazor Yep, megabands as varied as Queen, Metallica, and Muse all rate/rated Quo. And musicologists are composing long tracts of Quo apologetics. It's the plebian music journalists who did all the damage with their "three chord, same song" mythos (and even if it was true, let's not pretend guys like Fats Domino, Chuck Berry, and Little Richard didn't form critically-acclaimed careers on the back of the same pattern; later bands like Ramones would write even simpler music and get rimmed for it). Music journalists were just gunning for Quo from the start for some reason, even during their incredible DOTH-BFY run. Maybe it was a class thing; or perhaps they were all part of the same identikit pretentious critical theorist set as "art critics" today. Ultimately, though, given how little we plebs care about what NME thinks about anything, it was probably their strange American failure - mostly down to corruption in the US industry - that prevented them from achieving that truly top tier rep. (The only upside of the various members dying is that it's forcing a critical reappraisal; unfortunately, the best article thus far has come from The Guardian: "Britain's Most Underrated Rock Band")
Rossi is devoid of emotion (as posted below). He’s had his brain rewired by years of coke abuse. He criticises Parfitt for his excesses when Rossi himself was an alcoholic / cocaine addict. It’s all Rossi’s version of history now and I find it very difficult to listen to him. Rossi probably dreamt of the time Quo would be just his but the reality is Quo was Parfitt - Rossi and he owes as much to Rick as Rick owed to him. Rossi tries to appear as a wise old rock star but Rick and Alan Lancaster were both more personable and articulate.
Funny you should say that......I saw Status Quo about five times in different locations , but one (the second time) was at Scarborough; UK and I was surprised to see about 40 guys in the audience who were basically Rick Parfitt clones all standing together with the denim jacket , jeans and the same hair (not wigs). It was a surprise but also quite a tribute to Rick. They were obviously hard core fans. The last time I saw them live was at a sell out performance at a castle in Switzerland . I think 2010.
@@valepoli8777 If Rossi is going to say controversial things about deceased band members then I’m perfectly entitled to criticise him for it. It’s called free speech.
We used to do a few of their numbers in our first band, great music. I think Francis is saying there are expectations in a band from the fans and the management, if you are a player you just want to make music, sadly when the politics start to get in the way as Francis says, then things change. When they opened at Live Aid it was something I can remember years later, our band played that evening and we did some of their numbers. At least we have their music to remember.
Rick and Francis for me will always be the two guys pulling the stick from everyone's arse at Sarm Studios, in the behind the scenes footage of recording Do They Know It's Christmas... mocking all the ego in the room
Rick did speak about it in one of their autobiographys. When she was alone with him she told him she was a Witch and after he left strange things happened to him that night. Soaps standing upright on its own and he was convinced she was controlling his body when he was lying in bed. Other stuff happened as well but he never elaborated on it
I may rick in juries dublin 79 hell of a nice guy v friendly met rick a few yes later and he totally ignored me this was the time they played back up to Rod Stewart he was wearing shades and just would not talk to me strange still luv the guy rick r.i.p
A bit like the relation between Ocasek and Ben Orr worsened over the years.... Ocasek was the musical genius, Orr was a decent bassplayer, an excellent singer but also the poster boy of the Cars....
all this coming from the only quo member who fell out with every other member, Rossi wanted to control the band and change its direction to the pop rubbish they produced after the original line up. Alan Lancaster says they replaced him and were recording an album in London with rhino without him even knowing.
Exactly !! They were a force to be reckoned with and could have easily conquered North America, every American and Canadian friend I have had lived them after I introduced them to the Frantic Four but after Rossi decided he was happy with stadium tours in Germany and they started going for the pop market playing pop crap they list a lot of loyal fans !! A bit like Deep Purple now without Ritchie and Jon, it is just a pale Deep Purple tribute band with gillian's ego spoiling it !!
@@jimking3288 Like it or loathe it, Rossi was clearly always the driving force. It's not uncommon for musical leaders to want to present and maintain the myth of a band with four equal parts. Rossi knew the direction the band needed to take and for that to happen, changes needed to take place. As an astute man he probably realised that Quo would be unlikely to make it in the UK - even though their music is often US-influenced, they're simply too British to have genuine crossover appeal; and that's something we should celebrate.
@@hardtohandleweddingbandent8653 Most accounts of the time period corroborate that the only reason they didn't break the US (or at least get a fair chance to do so) was due to corrupt radio and record execs extorting them for enornous amounts of money in order to get the promo they needed. I personally love that Quo are a European secret (though shoutouts to my Mexican and South American amigos there, and contigents in Australasia and East Asia), but it still sucks that their unfairly hobbled failure to break the US market has contributed to them remaining underrated. Many people, not knowing the full story, point to their failure as evidence that they weren't good enough "and checkmate". That sucks hard. Some would've argued that many British Invasion bands (all three waves of it: '60s, '80s, and '90s) were too British for the US market but that turned out to be wrong. Besides, Quo, IMO, would've fit America's blues rock and southern rock sensibilities like a glove.
Counting Rossi's tiffs with Rick after the others had left seems unfair and disingenuous. Quo fans drive me mad with their constant claims to objectivity and insider knowledge that often just proxies what they hope happened (in order to protect their preferred band member) or gives them a scapegoat (always Francis). Nobody ever slows down to contemplate or allow for the effect of expert psychological manipulation by the management and record label on a fallible young man (c.f. Rossi and Young). Nor do they ever explain how the rest of the band were supposed to function happily with Alan, a guy well known for his explosive and violent temper. And who, according to many sources, also had fallings out with the others. Even when he was alive, I never saw anyone blaming or asking him to justify getting the whole band imprisoned in Germany, which was serious shit that messed them up at the time. And John kicking his drumkit to pieces on a semi-regular basis was also just normal, healthy behaviour that didn't affect the rest of the band at all? Somehow everything was Francis, right? What did/do you FF extremists want from the band anyway? Them to stay together in utter misery, despising each other and dreading every gig? The reality is that we know almost nothing about what actually happened or what was actually going on in their heads (though it was definitely something :p). Nothing frustrates me more than people making authoritative statements of fact based on nothing but personal biases, as if they have some kind of special insight into the situation. It's nonsense. Come with receipts or don't come at all. The best we can do is speculate using sound sources and historiographical methods. I'm fine with speculation, just not "this is how it happened" statements. Speaking of which, where's the evidence for the "secret recording sessions"? I'm not denying they happened - that's the opposite of the reasonable discourse I'm encouraging - but I haven't seen this subject before[1]. And why don't you accept the more charitable, and also likely, view that Francis is merely a complex, fallible, flawed man, who made some bad decisions and often admitted to them, but who was ultimately and unwittingly turned into a puppet for and by the record label and management for their own ends? After all, they were the ones pulling the strings on the Back To Back follies, like "Too Close to the Ground" and "Ol' Rag Blues". And as he matured out of that, he certainly made compromises with other band members. He went along with a heavier production on QPQ and insisted that all members get a track on Backbone, for example. He covered for Rick massively on some of those later albums. Those positive aspects never come through with the "nothing after 1977 happened" crowd (a group not known for compromise or rational judgement). Personally, I don't think any of them are blameless nor that any of them deserve all the blame. [1] If you're talking about when they were reforning the band, then they would replace Alan, wouldn't they? He didn't want to be there and nobody was begging him to come back either, in my understanding.
![Eminem - Houdini [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/22tVWwmTie8/mqdefault.jpg)
My status Quo memory is an image that fans may appreciate. I was at the sound check in cork Ireland because my dad was employed as security so i tagged along. I reckon i was 11. I stood practically alone in front of the stage on a beautiful august morning . As francis and rick played a more slower tune i remember my gaze was focused on rick , as he played a big white butterfly circled directly in front of his mic and he seemed to step back in order to fully absorb the moment. I cant say i was a huge fan of the band however i did like the power of their bar chord, loud driving rhythm. After that day whenever i heard status q or heard the sad news about rick i would remember that image on that august day in ireland. Its not a bad one ;)
That's a good memory! Thanks for sharing!
Says so much about the man thanks
Cherish it. It's worth it
My claim to fame is I packed Rick Parfitts bags in a Safeway supermarket. Lovely chap.
I met Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt in the First Class Lounge in Dubai. Both dressed like businessmen and both had tea and biscuits, despite the availability of free alcohol. I was amazed. They were polite and respectful to the staff and impeccably behaved. I was somewhat disappointed that these two legendary rockers hadn’t lived up to their “image” but as I said, impressed by everything about them as gentlemen.
Being in Dubai, I think it'd have been a very bad idea to behave like wild drunken rock stars.
My mother treated one of Rick Parfitt's children after an accident. She was classical music all the way - how I ended up a raging metalhead is a deep mystery! - and despite what she took as a completely alien look, said he was one of the nicest people and best parents she'd met. She had no idea he was famous or even what a "Status Quo" was, but having come across a fair few snotarse slebs she reckoned he was one of the good ones.
As a teenager in the 1970's, the first two songs I ever played with my first band in front of a live audience were 'Caroline' followed by 'Big Fat Mama'. Thank you Quo for that inspirational kick-start to my musical life !
So sad to see what alcohol does to people. I loved those guys, they were a brilliant band, and they did a lot of good. RIP Rick.
Fame and fortune not everything. Can exacerbate long-term problems. But they were a one-off band and the music was unique.
I could listen to Rossi all day long...great tales from the road.....(and he sometimes mentions his Irish roots)
He's right about booze and image , I drank and I was confident, it took a long time to get it together after knocking it on the head . Then some dickhead kept going on about how I'd changed and I wasn't who I was . I said thank fu k for that , and this geezer looked at me like I'd just grabbed his bollocks . As myself I'm not the push over I was pissed . Beware of booze it will give you silly ideas
I saw them first in 76, was amazing, little did I know back then, as a 19 year old rock fan, I would, some 40 odd years later, become friends with John Coghlan and get to meet up with another much missed man and bassist in Alan Lancaster, Quos music drove me forward and eventually become a radio presenter that hosts 2 rock shows and own my own radio station, as John Miles once sung, music was my first love and Quos music an integral part of who I am. Sadly I never got to meet Rick, although my kids did, but a big thanks to the Frantic 4, they always brought something special to the party, and always kept it real.
“Pictures of Matchstick Men” is one of those “I remember where I was at the time” moments for me!
So open. So. honest. So respectful.
Such a great interview.
You can hear and feel the love. X
A perfect example of how an individual's perception of themself is often very different to how others see you.
Absolutely
Francis, or Rick?
@@Black.Sabbath Rick
Thank you so much for this, both legends, both fabulous guitarist's and what wonderful sounds they made with the band.
RIP Rick, so missed by so very many, but we can still listen to and love the sounds you guys made, thank you.
R.I.P. Rick, we miss you. Thanks for the memories.
off the drink 8 years there's no turning back i wouldn't go back on the drink for diamonds
Francis is so much more down to earth these days and open
Love you......Godfather of Rock🤘👌🇬🇧❤🇬🇧 greetings from🇨🇭
Saw Quo on stage only once, when 'Caroline' was in the charts. Great live band.
Francis seems still very grounded, nice guy!
RIP Alan Lancaster.
It seems that there are always relationship / personality clashes within most bands. I have been in two gigging bands and some of the issues that arose hadn't entered my head before the actual experience of being in a band. And yes, there are people who actively try to turn band members against each other .
Great interview so honest and open .Rick rest in peace.
Fame can be a curse.I think it's better to retreat into the shadows after your first million.
I met Rick, truly lovely guy! R. I. P
Best concert I've ever been to, few years before Rick died they smashed it everytime 👍👍
These guys are kings. So sad Rick passed away
And now Allen, RIP both
Our childhood hero's are leaving us one by one. Appreciate those we have left, and love the moments we lived involving them.RIP Alan and Rick. Half of the Frantic Four gone.
@@johnreeves6286 drums
@@johnreeves6286 Scottish
They were amazing...I'll never forget them...and always love them
I was a student in London in the late 60s. They played a lot of college dances. I chatted with them a few times. They were always friendly.
Status Quo has had their own sound. Rick has been the backbone of it. When there is no Rick, something is missing. Quite often it was Rick that started to play - and audience was just waiting him to generate the Quo feeling, before Francis joined with his own guitar. I have appreciated Rick highly for generating that sound & feeling.
I can’t imagine anyone looked at Ross and Parfitt and saw them as anything other than equals, as Francis clearly regarded them too. And I think he’s making an honest claim about the possibility of someone driving a wedge between them which may have led to Parfitt thinking he was second in the band and the drink probably fuelled that nonsense. But they were together until the end and for far longer than many a band with more ego and less talent so let’s be thankful for that.
And of course, Rick can't answer back. RIP Rick. Birthday on 12th October
check the date of this video my friend hahahaha
@@klaasj7808 it was 2 years ago. 2019. Rick passed in 2016. WHATS YOUR POINT????
Oh dear. No answer to that. I bet you feel silly now
@THE RENAGADE Sorry, but Frances has no need to do something like that to his friend Ricky, then he has become a rocklegend throug all these years now! 💙
@THE RENAGADE I agree
For all those slagging of Francis Rossi, may I just offer these words of wisdom?
Show-business is - believe it or not - SHOW BUSINESS!!!
All human entertainers are - at the end of the day - Human! Love 'em or hate 'em - they ALL have a 'Janus' persona!
I often think of Mr.Rossi because in the late '40's and 50's when I was growing up in Weymouth, Dorset the very best ice cream was from Rossies parlor on the sea front. Still remember the taste!
Did it taste like ice cream?
I'm not sure but i think they might still be there
@@sn00pgreen
They are, or at least they were up until a few years ago😀
Italian gelato isn't ice cream. it is better.
I remember the first time I saw the band live at The Dagenham Roundhouse here in East London in 1972 and the venue was Rammed when we got there.
We paid our entry fee and was stuck halfway down the stairs when the Mighty Quo started to play, after about 30 minutes or so the music stopped and it filtered back to us that because so many people was in the hall the heat was messing up the equipment and the band stopped and wouldn’t play on until the staff opened the fire exits to cool it down.
We managed to wriggle our way down in the stoppage and saw John, Alan, Mike and Rick play, what a Great live introduction to this Awesome band 😊
Cool
The Dagenham Roundhouse in 1972?; WOW!; in that case you might have traveled to the gig on the old District Line trains with flared skirting, was it the red District Line train or the silver one?
I’m a Guitar Player and QUO Fan (Original Frantic Four) since the early 80‘s !
Love the Original 4 ! Best Telecaster Sound ever ! But I was always a Fan of John Coghlan and rate him as one of the Best solid Drummers of all Time . Like his solid Drumming very much.........
And yet you write like a teenage troll. Try better next time.
@@tomakafrankconlon3207 That’s my Opinion !
I‘ m sorry - I’m from Switzerland !
My English is not the Best !
JC wasn’t just one of the best solid drummers - he’s one of the greatest rock shuffle drummers
A lot of people think they can drum along to Quo songs because they think they’re easy but they rarely get it right
@@orsimarsh I agree - Absolutely!
I know that - like his Shuffle Drumming
on Songs like „Accident Prone “ or other Tracks ! 👍🏻
@THE RENAGADE Are you Sure ?
That was high energy Rock back then !
You Need a lot of persistence !
I played it by myself - that’s heavy 120 Minutes to play
As with the Beatles, it wasn't Lennon or McCartney alone, but the combination of several musicians that made a band. At Status Quo, it was this happy combination of all four that made this band so unique. John's straight drumming was just as important as Alan's bluesy vocals, Rick's smoky voice, or Francis' talent for beautiful solos and catchy hit songs. This chemistry was already damaged when John was gone. And after they continued without Alan, definitely. All four had a special talent and together this boogie sound, which could only be played by these four. Above all, it was Francis his ego who would have preferred to be a solo artist than to acknowledge that all four are equally important. Had he left the others more space and not tried to usurp everything, the band might have stayed longer in their original form.
They could write brilliant songs along with the chemistry they had, sadly it all went then the band as it became just did gimmicks after gimmick, nothing remotely like STATUS QUO of the 70s
Totally agree with you mate! also, had it not been for drugs and alcohol, perhaps Francis wouldn't have all this ego explosion. Anyways...the past is past. The Frantic Four Quo were a great band, never be forgotten.
@@Kostis_playsDrums Where's the evidence for this "ego problem"? You state it as assumed fact but I don't think it's been established at all. Quo fans drive me mad with their constant claims to objectivity that often just proxy what they hope happened (in order to protect their preferred band member) or give them a scapegoat (almost always Francis).
Nobody ever slows down to contemplate or allow for the effect of expert psychological manipulation by the management and record label on a fallible young man (c.f. Rossi and Young). Nor do they ever explain how the rest of the band were supposed to function happily with a guy well known for his explosive and violent temper -- one that literally got them imprisoned in Germany. What did you guys want? Them to stay together in utter misery, despising each other and dreading every gig? Isn't that selfish? Don't you think it would've affected the quality of the music (as it arguably began to)?
Nothing frustrates me more than people making authoritative statements of fact based on nothing but personal biases, as if they have some kind of special insight into the situation. It's nonsense. Come with receipts or don't come at all. The best we can do is speculate using sound sources and historiographical methods. I'm fine with speculation, just not "this is how it happened" statements.
Same question as above. Also why didn't he oust Rick or truly go it alone (or hire session replacements) if he actually did want to be a solo artist? Where's the evidence for that? Most of the band have pursued solo or side projects at one point or another, so don't come at me with that shit. There are a lot of problems with these assumptions - and that's all they are - about Rossi. He's a flawed, complex, fallible man held to impossibly high standards by FF maximalists/extremists who've decided to use him a priori as a scapegoat.
@@sheilaburrowes9081 Of course you are right. None of us were there in person, and even people who were there will have different interpretations of what they witnessed.
Nevertheless, there are of course books written by Francis and Rick (or had them written) and interviews from which every fan derives his own interpretation. And so you are also right. It's all just interpretations, no one can say for sure how it came about. But one thing is clear. Most fans prefer the orignal four. That's also the reason why I would have liked it if Status Quo had ended the band after the last "Frantic Four-Tour" together. That would have been a great exit. The same goes for Kiss, who, after reuniting with the four originals, continued with other line-ups.
The Quo were one of the only bands whose sound was never reproduced by any other band and everyone knew who they were when they started playing. Truly a unique band. Even their Christmas song "it's Christmas Time" had that Quo sound to it.
Early to mid 70's quo were at their best before all that shagging all over the world nonsense.
That’s because their sound was cheesy as fuck and their tunes awful
RIP Alan, the best vocalist Quo had.
Alan, Rick and Francis were all good vocalists in their own way. Some songs needed Alan on vocals, others suited Rossi and others Rick.
Francis has the best voice
Yes! „A Year“ was a wonderful tune, indeed! & I really like what he says about John Coghlan!
That was a very interesting video,Thanks for posting it 🎸
As a retired bassist playing in bands can be worse than being married
That's why I stopped doing bands. The thing with a relationship is you love each other and work stuff out. A fair proportion of people in bands esp frontmen love themselves far more than anyone else. In my experience it's hard to tolerate. Rossi is being quite honest here.
Totally agree, the lead singer syndrome as Keith Richards debsribed Mick's antics, the front men behave like toddlers at times
@@billkingston4402 i find drummers are the worst
What a wonderful chap.
Not really a Rossi fan but seen the full interview and it seems really honest
I think he's seeing it as it is , it's just music , if you like it fine , if you don't like it fine , and with that realisation Francis emerged
Buon anno 2021
Francis Rossi....
Vieni a trovarci
a Roma
a Roma
a Roma
abbraccio da
Marinella & Renato
Rick kind of was number two though, simply because Francis has that distinctive voice which is so Quo! The singer is invariably seen as the main man, regardless of talent/songwriting etc. Shame they didn't follow the Spinal Tap guide on how to be a rock star and go through a spiritual phase, may have kept him alive a bit longer
Well Francis was the main songwriter and singer
To me Francis was number one.
Thanks for sharing this.🤠
Great insights here. enjoyed the video. Thanks for posting.
His talking the truth, seems so honest and sensible, Rick had not low self esteem but high self esteem, a common mistake made by people,
@@jonnifjader High Esteem, Pride, have to live up to our high self , can't be seen just having a cup of tea, got to be Jack the lad, and his Ego gorging on high self, Rick probley said to many people over the years when in arguments "do you know who I am" .....when he should of been saying " do you know who I think I am"
Isn’t that just a cover for low self esteem? Overcompensation..?
@@ThatGuyThanus Bill Wilson realised before he decended in to chronic alcoholism that it was not low self esteem that was his problem but the exact opposite that he was led to believe, High esteem unrealistic opinion of his self, many people with a Spiriual malady are drawn towards self esteem vendors like kids to a candy store, Gurus, Councillors, Talking cure therapists, or outside pleasures to smooth over a Spiriual malady , Which has nothing to do with religion, Bill Wilson was a co founder of alcoholics anonymous , Ricks ego was never satisfied ego gorging on self,
@@johnwilliams2479 listen to his song ''This is Me'
@@butterfly-bw6cx the lyrics in the song say "I can't help my self, it's just the things I do" .... which proves my point Rick wasn't who he thought he was, it was his Ego, speaking to him, when we listen to the voice in our own head, we reinforce the bondage of self, what Alcoholics should do is just observe that voice don't act on it, just observe our emotions don't act on them, statement of fact,
Interesting to hear certain things because iam sure with bands like status quo how they coped with various aspects of what they had , but it's also sad how quickly things can destroy a band as well regardless of how big they are..🤔 ...
When people drink too much they change character
When People consume alcohol, their perception changes for the worse.
Yea their brain turns into dog shit
Alcohol is horrible.
I fucking love it, but it's insidious!!
Or do they revert to their true character?
No shit
It’s not easy being in a band I would guess , playing the same set night after night etc. Tempers will fray when a group is stuck together for months on end living out of a suitcase.
Your comment almost brought me too tears. I feel sorry for the Rolling Stones a.o. They're multimillionaires each owning yachts and multiple mansions but that doesn't make up for the travesty of having to play the same set night after night. I can't imagine that anyone would want to trade their lives with them.
@@MIB_63 They are multi millionaires , they could have stopped playing many many years ago if they hated it . They continue to do it because they love it . Same with the Quo, they keep going because when its good , its REALLY good .
@@davidhaney1394 You seem to have missed the ironi in my post.
@@johnreeves6286 Excellent point - just copied and pasted it to a lecturing colleague of mine who's decided to call it a day at 65 , sadly , while another battles on at 71 and cycles to and fro across London to do it.
@@johnreeves6286 Well ... thank you for the long reply and insights into Brazier's later life. However, it was the second half beginning with '' Recent research suggests ...' that really piqued my interest, Maybe it was the numerous social interactions (+ physical work) that enabled those Greeks, Georgians and Russians to live to be centenarians plus ... and not the natural yoghurt! An outdoor cafe society might be the answer here. towards which we are moving (esp. if it gets warmer) + more intercommunication between generations. The Italians have the right idea with their evening 'passeggiata'. By the way, have only seen Statue Quo once (at the Weeley Festival in 71), when they had just decided (I think) to up. the anti with their particular brand of boogie .. inspired by the Doors.
Don in E Sussex
He looks like a shopping centre security guard
This is a top interview,believable,
I've been a Quo Fan for at least 40 years and seen them countless times .I often thought how great it would be to meet Francis Rossi but maybe it's best I never do because I think he may not be that nice to a regular Fan like me and I would be really disappointed.
I could be totally wrong off course but I will never know .
i would love to meet him and I hope he screams at me and hates me. I love that, fuck being fake nice.
@@klaasj7808 is there something wrong with you?
I met them (see post) and they were both fantastic. Not pretentious or egotistical in any way. Two gentlemen.
@@kennymcclymont2066 I'm glad you had that good experience. Still hard to believe Rick and Alan are both no longer with us.
I had that with James May, in real life a total tosser, wouldn't talk to anyone except his crew, no autographs/photos or calling him Captain Slow! It is all a show on the screen.
I saw the stong bond in the early 70ts ,its like family you can't get on all the time great guys
Saw them 5 years ago, I was surprised at how good rossis voice was and he was a much better guitarist than I thought too. Used some alternative tunings as well .
You must be new to the Planet!!!!!!!!
@@alanstrom2221 Absolutely, Francis is one incredible guitarist and he, like Rick, Alan and John were perfect gentlemen (met them several times during those early years and again in later years. My Strat Ultra was signed by Rick and Francis (I never like Tele's despite what they achieved with them). My favourite band (ever) is Uriah Heep with Quo a close 2nd, however no band has ever given me goosebumps quite like Rick opening with Caroline. This is a great interview. Respectful, full of sincerity and love.
I saw him less than one year ago, he’s an amazing guitarist and singer.
Went to see the quo at Manchester Apollo years ago now....I still put it down as the best gig I've ever seen.
We all know how drink can affect certain people and Rick was only human and loved the Rock n’ Roll lifestyle. He made mistakes but lived the way he wanted.
Francis does have that bloody minded attitude though, and I can imagine he may be hard to get on with.
The same defence can be made for Rossi. I doubt any of them are/were blameless, nor that any of them deserve all the blame.
American Hotel Amsterdam is the location of this content
Is this the one next to the train station ?
@@mikewest1542 no
Managers breaking up a good friendship happens far too much.
sadly, all about control 😪
@@annmcdonald6180 Control and money
Fell out with John, fell out with Alan, fell out with Rick. Fell out with quo, Rossi almost became anti quo..
Interesting and very perceptive from Frame.
RIP Rick and Alan!
So many of my friends and family have been in and out of rehab, mostly for alcohol.
I can't hear the rubbish about Rick's singing anymore! Rick Parfitt always had a soft voice and a Rock voice! Did he sing "Big fat mama" in a nice and sweet way? I don't think so! And this happened in 1972! Did he sing "Whatever you want" sweet...NO! And it rocks! I don't understand why Mr Rossi is talking such a bullshit? Sure Rick could sing nice and sweet...but he also could rock! Just listen to his solo album...there you can find all the colors of this true legend! Why can't Rossi just say...we had something very special...why all these negative stories?
Because Francis is admitting.Yeah they had times when it was something special but it wasnt always good.
Ive heard Ricks solo album... I didnt like it at all, Francis's solo album was better, hell even the album Francis did with Hannah Rickard was better than Ricks album and I hate that album too
@@sahhull Tastes are different but to me "Over and out" is a fantastic album...much better than "Backbone"! Just as Quo should sound today! Rossis solo albums are a joke to me especially the last one...it is terrible! It show what he really likes! Someone who thinks that's good can not like Quo!
He doesn't say Rick should just sing sweet songs. Just that Rick lost touch with a part of his personality and because he had an insecurity they kinda lost touch.
@@StatusQuonald Then listen again...from 2:00! "That wasn't Ricki" !!! It was Rick! And sure they lost touch...but that wasn't Rick's fault alone! I had a long talk with Rick in 2015 where he told me that Rossi is not talking to him anymore! And he was really sad about that situation! Quo was his life...he never wanted to stop! It's over now...Mr Rossi has his new Band now and he should go on with it! But he should stop talking about Rick! His point of view is now knowing...unfortunately we will not hear Rick's opinion!
@@marclennard there's two sides to every story, the truth is always in the middle.
Fact remains that Rick did have a drinking problem, which sure caused some problems for the band.
I sure don't like people framing Rossi, as if he killed Rick or now has what he wants, cause that's a load of bollocks
Personally I've always thought that status quo were and still are absolutely underrated in the rock world. I don't know why.. But in my eyes they are right up there with the best of them.
I see that too, but the talented people in the rock and show business have a very high opinion of them, I believe. In the end it's all about success, and SQ's track record indicates an incredible amount of appreciation.
@@fibonaccisrazor Yep, megabands as varied as Queen, Metallica, and Muse all rate/rated Quo. And musicologists are composing long tracts of Quo apologetics. It's the plebian music journalists who did all the damage with their "three chord, same song" mythos (and even if it was true, let's not pretend guys like Fats Domino, Chuck Berry, and Little Richard didn't form critically-acclaimed careers on the back of the same pattern; later bands like Ramones would write even simpler music and get rimmed for it). Music journalists were just gunning for Quo from the start for some reason, even during their incredible DOTH-BFY run. Maybe it was a class thing; or perhaps they were all part of the same identikit pretentious critical theorist set as "art critics" today. Ultimately, though, given how little we plebs care about what NME thinks about anything, it was probably their strange American failure - mostly down to corruption in the US industry - that prevented them from achieving that truly top tier rep.
(The only upside of the various members dying is that it's forcing a critical reappraisal; unfortunately, the best article thus far has come from The Guardian: "Britain's Most Underrated Rock Band")
TANTA SALUTE PER TE FRANCIS ROSSI ❤
Genioooo yo tenia 13 años y en mi radio chiquita "spica" escuchaba "bajando por la chimenea"
I saw them mime live on Saturday Superstore roadshow about 85. They did In the Army now.
1987.
We saw the jovial rockers...not always the case obviously...still love Quo though.
They loved each uther and like anyone we all fall out from time to time 😊
Quo the band for me growing up in the 70’s schooling were great especially from - Hello to Blue for you
I didn't drink for a very long time
Un grande gruppo della nostra generazione 👑
'Appened to Squeeze as well with Difford/Tillbrook because of alcohol usage.
please tell me more I Love Squeeze and would be very interested
Rossi is devoid of emotion (as posted below). He’s had his brain rewired by years of coke abuse. He criticises Parfitt for his excesses when Rossi himself was an alcoholic / cocaine addict. It’s all Rossi’s version of history now and I find it very difficult to listen to him. Rossi probably dreamt of the time Quo would be just his but the reality is Quo was Parfitt - Rossi and he owes as much to Rick as Rick owed to him.
Rossi tries to appear as a wise old rock star but Rick and Alan Lancaster were both more personable and articulate.
Funny you should say that......I saw Status Quo about five times in different locations , but one (the second time) was at Scarborough; UK and I was surprised to see about 40 guys in the audience who were basically Rick Parfitt clones all standing together with the denim jacket , jeans and the same hair (not wigs). It was a surprise but also quite a tribute to Rick. They were obviously hard core fans. The last time I saw them live was at a sell out performance at a castle in Switzerland . I think 2010.
Agreed I think Rossi is deffo a narcissist
@THE RENAGADE He seems happy enough when I've seen him. A good entertainer, sees the good things in life. Good family, what more does anyone want?
You dont have to listen to him if you can not- and speek so badly about him . 👎
@@valepoli8777 If Rossi is going to say controversial things about deceased band members then I’m perfectly entitled to criticise him for it. It’s called free speech.
All the same 4 or 5 guys being in each others face years on end would take its toll just living with other people does that
It's always the same, some people will fuck up everything they see. Destruction is the easiest thing to do and always ends badly.
Hey Francis. I was born in '72. By 78 i had the biggest Quo poster on my bedroom wall. Dave lee travis had good taste. And down down was atomic.
We used to do a few of their numbers in our first band, great music. I think Francis is saying there are expectations in a band from the fans and the management, if you are a player you just want to make music, sadly when the politics start to get in the way as Francis says, then things change. When they opened at Live Aid it was something I can remember years later, our band played that evening and we did some of their numbers. At least we have their music to remember.
Does anyone know the whereabouts of Ricks legendary Telecaster?
my dad done the odd job for rick at his house in south london great guy
Very sad the dam drink
While I can agree Rossi and Parfitt were seen as the front men of Quo, for me the driving force behind their sound was Lancaster.
❤❤❤❤❤❤
Tanta salute per te FRANCIS ROSSI ❤
Francis and Rick co wrote an autobiography.
It is epic! ✌️
Rick and Francis for me will always be the two guys pulling the stick from everyone's arse at Sarm Studios, in the behind the scenes footage of recording Do They Know It's Christmas... mocking all the ego in the room
Tanta salute x te Francis Rossi 🙏💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚
He's starting to resemble David Jason, a bit. lol
Dont get the bit about the woman in Atlanta?
Rick did speak about it in one of their autobiographys. When she was alone with him she told him she was a Witch and after he left strange things happened to him that night. Soaps standing upright on its own and he was convinced she was controlling his body when he was lying in bed. Other stuff happened as well but he never elaborated on it
Rick was always number 1 for me
I put Rick as 1 and Alan as 2, Alan had more character than Francis and a great singer.
I may rick in juries dublin 79 hell of a nice guy v friendly met rick a few yes later and he totally ignored me this was the time they played back up to Rod Stewart he was wearing shades and just would not talk to me strange still luv the guy rick r.i.p
A bit like the relation between Ocasek and Ben Orr worsened over the years.... Ocasek was the musical genius, Orr was a decent bassplayer, an excellent singer but also the poster boy of the Cars....
Pictures of matchstick men in the top three psychedelic songs of the 60s
He forgot which side his bread was buttered
Francis may not be PC, but he is honest. Rick had a good friend there.
Honest. Are you serious. He was always full of shit. Remember his famous interview when he said. " there would be no Status Quo without me"
@@tomakafrankconlon3207 Not aware of that interview.
@@tomakafrankconlon3207 Probably true though
Sad thing is ,he didn't attend his friends funeral, dont understand that .
@@tommccrisken5319 that's BS. He was there.
Francis Rossi, a cool down to earth guy. 👍🏻😎
I hear that the guys got so drunk, they turned up to a Coles Supermarket and started playing their hits.
It was caught on camera!
LOL Wish I'd been there :)
And you never turned up for his funeral, goes to show
Why Alan Lancaster left?
all this coming from the only quo member who fell out with every other member, Rossi wanted to control the band and change its direction to the pop rubbish they produced after the original line up. Alan Lancaster says they replaced him and were recording an album in London with rhino without him even knowing.
Well said Clive - that’s the truth
Exactly !! They were a force to be reckoned with and could have easily conquered North America, every American and Canadian friend I have had lived them after I introduced them to the Frantic Four but after Rossi decided he was happy with stadium tours in Germany and they started going for the pop market playing pop crap they list a lot of loyal fans !! A bit like Deep Purple now without Ritchie and Jon, it is just a pale Deep Purple tribute band with gillian's ego spoiling it !!
@@jimking3288 Like it or loathe it, Rossi was clearly always the driving force. It's not uncommon for musical leaders to want to present and maintain the myth of a band with four equal parts. Rossi knew the direction the band needed to take and for that to happen, changes needed to take place. As an astute man he probably realised that Quo would be unlikely to make it in the UK - even though their music is often US-influenced, they're simply too British to have genuine crossover appeal; and that's something we should celebrate.
@@hardtohandleweddingbandent8653 Most accounts of the time period corroborate that the only reason they didn't break the US (or at least get a fair chance to do so) was due to corrupt radio and record execs extorting them for enornous amounts of money in order to get the promo they needed.
I personally love that Quo are a European secret (though shoutouts to my Mexican and South American amigos there, and contigents in Australasia and East Asia), but it still sucks that their unfairly hobbled failure to break the US market has contributed to them remaining underrated. Many people, not knowing the full story, point to their failure as evidence that they weren't good enough "and checkmate". That sucks hard.
Some would've argued that many British Invasion bands (all three waves of it: '60s, '80s, and '90s) were too British for the US market but that turned out to be wrong. Besides, Quo, IMO, would've fit America's blues rock and southern rock sensibilities like a glove.
Counting Rossi's tiffs with Rick after the others had left seems unfair and disingenuous. Quo fans drive me mad with their constant claims to objectivity and insider knowledge that often just proxies what they hope happened (in order to protect their preferred band member) or gives them a scapegoat (always Francis).
Nobody ever slows down to contemplate or allow for the effect of expert psychological manipulation by the management and record label on a fallible young man (c.f. Rossi and Young). Nor do they ever explain how the rest of the band were supposed to function happily with Alan, a guy well known for his explosive and violent temper. And who, according to many sources, also had fallings out with the others. Even when he was alive, I never saw anyone blaming or asking him to justify getting the whole band imprisoned in Germany, which was serious shit that messed them up at the time. And John kicking his drumkit to pieces on a semi-regular basis was also just normal, healthy behaviour that didn't affect the rest of the band at all? Somehow everything was Francis, right? What did/do you FF extremists want from the band anyway? Them to stay together in utter misery, despising each other and dreading every gig?
The reality is that we know almost nothing about what actually happened or what was actually going on in their heads (though it was definitely something :p). Nothing frustrates me more than people making authoritative statements of fact based on nothing but personal biases, as if they have some kind of special insight into the situation. It's nonsense. Come with receipts or don't come at all. The best we can do is speculate using sound sources and historiographical methods. I'm fine with speculation, just not "this is how it happened" statements. Speaking of which, where's the evidence for the "secret recording sessions"? I'm not denying they happened - that's the opposite of the reasonable discourse I'm encouraging - but I haven't seen this subject before[1].
And why don't you accept the more charitable, and also likely, view that Francis is merely a complex, fallible, flawed man, who made some bad decisions and often admitted to them, but who was ultimately and unwittingly turned into a puppet for and by the record label and management for their own ends? After all, they were the ones pulling the strings on the Back To Back follies, like "Too Close to the Ground" and "Ol' Rag Blues". And as he matured out of that, he certainly made compromises with other band members. He went along with a heavier production on QPQ and insisted that all members get a track on Backbone, for example. He covered for Rick massively on some of those later albums. Those positive aspects never come through with the "nothing after 1977 happened" crowd (a group not known for compromise or rational judgement).
Personally, I don't think any of them are blameless nor that any of them deserve all the blame.
[1] If you're talking about when they were reforning the band, then they would replace Alan, wouldn't they? He didn't want to be there and nobody was begging him to come back either, in my understanding.
He looks like an old bus driver nowadays, looks like he’s taking a break in the cafe at the bus station 🤣
Age reaches everyone eventually, no matter how cool people look when they are young.
Yet he said he'd been there with Rick and there are pictures of rock stars on the wall 😂