Intro: 118 millions sales worldwide, 62 UK hit singles outdoing THE BEATLES, ELVIS and the ROLLING STONES. 33 British hit albums, a successful and extensive tour just about every year since God knows when, some 40 odd years recording history, a recent career retrospective book given a foreword by LARS ULRICH and just about to release new album "In Search Of The Fourth Chord", yet virtually unknown in the world's largest market, the U.S.A. Of course we're talking about British institution, the denim clad rockers STATUS QUO. A band who for a period of time in the early to mid 1970's hit such a rich vein of 12 bar, 3 chord form that worldwide success seemed merely a well chosen chord sequence

away yet like so many other British bands failed to succeed in the one market that would have ensured their notoriety and boosted their financial rewards more significantly to boot. It wasn't as if their brand of no-nonsense boogie rock was alien to American ears either as GRAND FUNK RAILROAD, FOGHAT and ZZ TOP charted similar territory and have encouraged comparison to QUO in the past. Efforts were made to break in America of course but when touring failed to turn into sales they gave up and simply concentrated on just about any other territory that would have them, with their homeland, Europe and Australia all warming to the QUO sound. But if you haven't heard STATUS QUO yet, where do you start?

First Buy: "Piledriver", Vertigo (1972) - Despite ranking below the mighty "Hello!" in most fan and critic ratings this album, their debut release on the famous Vertigo label is the obvious, and in my opinion best starting point to explore the career of STATUS QUO. After four largely unsuccessful releases on Pye, two psychedelic pop records that produced the hit single "Pictures Of Matchstick Men" but little artistic satisfaction, then two more blues oriented releases that escaped attention by the hit single minded company, QUO stripped down to the classic 'frantic four' line up of Francis Rossi (lead guitar/vocals), Rick Parfitt(rhythm guitar/vocals), Alan Lancaster (bass/vocals) and

John Coughlan (drums), found a suitable home with the progressive, swirl adorned label and produced a stunner that not on blew the rock world's doors wide open but conversely once again brought single success in the shape of classic headbanger "Paper Plane". Sitting nicely alongside other hard rocking fare such as Live Aid surprise "Don't Waste My Time" and the stunning "Big Fat Mama" you'll also find the best version of the DOORS' classic "Roadhouse Blues" as well as the brilliantly reflective "A Year" and the softer "Unspoken Words" providing an early demonstration that if you were willing to look under the surface QUO have always actually been about more than three chord rock. With "Piledriver" they found the recipe for a success though that would last... well forever really.

Next Buy: "Hello!", Vertigo (1973) - Their second release for Vertigo and the one most fans go for when asked to names QUO's greatest album. Featuring their finest 15 minutes in the shape of "Forty Five Hundred Times", boasting one of the greatest British rock singles ever in the shape of "Caroline" and opening with a classic blast by way of the live bouncer "Roll Over Lay Down". Once again variety is on offer too as "Softer Ride" and "Reason For Living" turn down the volume if not the boogie-rock rhythm to provide quieter moments on an album without a poor track.

Next Buy: "Quo", Vertigo (1974) - "On The Level", Vertigo (1975) and "Blue For You" Vertigo (1976) Having hit upon a sound that pleased band and fans alike the 'frantic four' just kept on delivering. 1974's offering, simply entitled "Quo" saw the piano led "Break The Rules" hit the Top 10 whilst the Alan Lancaster voiced opening pairing of "Backwater" and "Just Take Me" must surely rank as his finest moments in the QUO ranks. "Slow Train" closed the album providing this releases now traditional longer final song. "On The Level" arrived a year later and included the band's only ever number one hit "Down Down", whilst the opening track 1-2 of Parfitt's rocker "Little Lady" and Rossi's

melancholic "Most Of The Time" ably demonstrated the bands often uncredited diveristy within the first ten minutes of the album. A heavy cover of CHUCK BERRY's "Bye Bye Johnny" providing the closing epic on this occasion. In an early hint of the various "business opportunites" the band would explore in later years the Levi Jeans sponsored cover of 1976's "Blue For You" album featured the four in a typical denim clad pose. Somehow though the denim still looks impossibly new on a band famed for just turning up and playing. The last of the absolutely essential studio album Parfitt takes the plaudits this time with the excellent solo written "Rain" and the co-write with long time road manager and collaborator Bob Young "Mystery Song".

Live Pick: Live! (Vertigo), 1977 - In an era when no self-respecting band could be without the double live gatefold release QUO delivered a set that ranks alongside "Live And Dangerous", "Tokyo Tapes" and er... "Frampton Comes Alive" as one of the decades finest live albums. Recorded at Scotland's Glasgow Apollo on the "Blue For You" tour it features a couple of pre-Vertigo tracks alongside the cream of their halcyon years. From Jackie Lynton's madly over-enthusiastic introduction to the dying strains of the QUO-army post final encore "Roadhouse Blues" it's just the perfect document of QUO in the environment they were, and in fact still are, most at home. If any criticism can be

made of the 'classic' albums and everything after this release it's that they all failure to capture the sheer electricity of a live QUO concert. Later live albums in the form of "Live Alive Quo" (1993) and "Just Doin' It" (2006) fail to recapture the magic although a rare Japanese only release "Tokyo Quo" (1976) and the Prince Charles witnessed "Live At The N.E.C." (1982) are both worthy of attention.

Next Buy: The early years - Two routes to go down after picking up the essentials. Firstly go back in time to the pre-Vertigo years and the Pye label releases that saw a flower power influenced band then known for a while as THE STATUS QUO try and emulate label mates THE KINKS with a series of singles and two psychedelic pop albums entitled "Picturesque Matchstickable Messages" (1968) and the less successful "Spare Parts" (1969). Ever wondered where the true influence for SPINAL TAPS' "Listen To The Flower People" lay? Well here it is on these two albums. Once Pye had lost interest in the young band though they threw away the frilly stage clothes, started playing

what they'd rather play than what the label wanted and produced two of the finest dirty, raw blues albums you could hope to discover in the shape of personal favourite "Ma Kelly's Greasy Spoon" (1970) and the gatefold covered beauty "Dog Of Two Head" (1971) both of which gave big hints at the uncomplicated direction that would bring rewards. Despite being up to 40 years since release one thing these albums aren't is difficult to find as Pye, quickly realising their mistake as QUO hit paydirt have, over the years, re-released the hell out of this material and the associated non-LP singles in a bewildering array of compilations and rehashes.

Next Buy: The post-classic years... From '77 on you're cherry picking as the quality levels dipped and this may be justification for the download era as real, pukka gems get harder to find as the years go on. "Rockin' All Over The World" (1977) saw the title track written by JOHN FOGERTY sell truck loads when released as a single whilst "Hold You Back" provided the albums high point. The much overlooked "If You Can't Stand The Heat" (1978) really only yielded the PRESLEY tribute "Again And Again" although the now ever -present keyboard player Andy Bown marked his growing importance to the band's evolving sound and offered up a couple of co-writes and the solo penned

"Long Legged Linda". Having given up trying to crack the States by the end of the seventies, a 28 date European tour and a 40 date sold out UK tour heralded the arrival of "Whatever You Want" (1979) and it's iconic and ever popular title track provided a number 4 single from the top 3 album. Recorded in exile the pop flavoured slowie "Living On An Island" worried many a hardcore QUO fan but again troubled the chart compilers whilst "Shady Lady", "Runaway" and "Rockin' On" provided further evidence of a rocking return to form. The concurrently recorded "Just Supposin'" (1980) and "Never Too Late" (1981) also have their moments, most notably "Don't Drive My Car" on the former and a stirling crack at "Something 'Bout You Baby I Like" on the former however tireless touring and recording schedules , as well as over-indulgence in the trappings of success were taking there toll with John Coughlan being the first of the four to depart the QUO train. The question of jumped or pushed continues to be debated.

Regrouping the next year with Pete Kircher on drums and keys man Andy Bown promoted to full member status QUO delivered the cunningly titled "1+9+8+2" (1982) to celebrate 20 years since first forming back in 1962. Despite hitting number one in the album charts it delivered a much more polished sound to the classic years and the same is true of following release "Back To Back" (1983). The soft pop tune "Marguerita Time" provided a huge hit and seemed to reinforce ROSSI's belief that the band much deliver to a wider audience to survive but also marked a major turning point in the band's history as Alan Lancaster, disillusioned with the musical direction, called it a day. Following a mammoth "End Of The Road" tour and a subsequent high profile "Live Aid" opening slot the various members entered the courts to argue over the name and right to use it. To see a once fine band dragged through the courts was a crying shame, mostly for Lancaster as he lost the case and ROSSI and Parfitt, for so long the general public's perception of the band were allowed to continue unveiling a new line-up which featured ANDY BOWN still but introduced John Edwards and Jeff Rich on bass and drums respectively.

Next Buy: The "Status Quo" brand years. - With the financial situation poor and the material increasingly ropy, aimed more it seemed at the high paying middle aged pop-rock fan than the aging rocker, Quo regrouped very much under the leadership and direction of Francis Rossi as the wheat from the chaff sorting exercise gets increasingly difficult. Comeback album "In The Army Now" (1986) was well received but the high points came from the pens of outside writers with JOHN DAVID's "Rolling Home" and "Red Sky" the highlights. "Ain't Complaining" (1988) seemed to hint at an AOR direction at times until the bloody annoying jig "Burning Bridges" got stuck high in the charts for ages, whilst

"Perfect Remedy" (1993) and "Thirsty Work" (1994) barely rate a mention yet amazingly don't mark the band's artistic low point! "Rock Til You Drop" (1991) had gone some way to redressing the balance with an energetic combination of new tracks, standards and re-recorded classics yet on each release you had the nagging feeling that the often high profile promotional activities were getting increasingly desperate. Having said that though, throughout this period the live performances remained tireless and hugely popular.

Avoid: The Covers Albums - Despite some dodgy albums since the early 80s the real low point of QUO's long career came with the money oriented decision to release a number of insipid covers albums in the late 90s and early 00s that paradoxically sold bucket loads to the delight of greying aunties and middle-of-the road music fans but severly tested the patience of the fully paid up QUO ARMY member. "Don't Stop" (1996) saw the band dressed in suits on the sleeve and "Quo-ing" up the likes of "Fun Fun Fun" (with equally guilty BEACH BOYS on backing vocals), THE BEATLES "Get Back" with the title gleaned from the Bill Clinton / FLEETWOOD MAC favourite. "Famous In The Last

Century" (2000) and "Riffs" (2003) completed the covers trilogy with the band vowing never to do another one yet conversely whilst the money making, old-folk entertaining exercise was taking place the rewards enabled something like the real QUO to finally resurface on original releases from the same timescale.

Next Buy: The rebirth - "Under The Influence" (1999) provided the first hint of a rejuventation as Rick Parfitt overcame heart surgery to play his biggest role on an album for years. "Shine On" is one of his finest songs ever whilst ROSSI seemed to refind his own rock roots somewhat with the likes of "Twenty Wild Horses" and "Under The Influence". If that was a surprise then "Heavy Traffic" (2002) was a marvel. With Matt Letley replacing Rich on drums this album provided so many great songs, and real rock songs in true band style as well as QUO clawed back so much of their reputation with gems like "All Stand Up", "Blues And Rhythm" and " Solid Gold" restoring a smile to many

a long suffering fans face and even bringing back many that had lost faith. Sure the promotional activity was just as desperate with an appearance in Norway's "Big Brother" house, a HMS Ark Royal launch party or for following album "The Party Ain't Over Yet" (2005) a series of appearances on long running UK soap "Coronation Street", billed as a meeting of two British institutions. Yet with about fifteen really strong songs across the three releases and more importantly songs that somehow uphold the traditions and quality that the band's reputation deserves the claim that STATUS QUO are back for once holds some sway.

Final Thoughts - Sure, nobody really expects STATUS QUO to once again scale the heights and deliver the stirring rock music of that 1972-1977 period but as unlikely as it once seemed their new music is again worth hearing and is, on occasion relevant once more - at least in the markets that listen. The classic albums released in that run from "Piledriver" to "Live!" however should be in every rock music lovers collection regardless of which territory they reside.

- Leslie

**Click here for a printer-friendly version of this article.**