Status Quo
Band members Related acts
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line up 1 (1962-63) as The Spectres
- Alan Lancaster (RIP 2021) -- vocals, guitar, bass
line up 2 (1963-64) as The Spectres NEW - John Coghlan -- drums, percussion NEW - Jess Jaworski -- keyboards - Alan Lancaster
(RIP 2021)
-- vocals, guitar, bass
line up 3 (1964-67) as The Spectres - John Coghlan -- drums, percussion - Alan Lancaster (RIP 2021) - - vocals, guitar, bass NEW - Roy Lynes -- vocals, keyboards (replaced Jess Jaworski) - Mike Rossi -- vocals, lead guitar
line up 4 (1967) as Traffic / Traffic Jam - John Coghlan -- drums, percussion - Alan Lancaster (RIP 2021) -- vocals, guitar, bass - Roy Lynes -- vocals, keyboards NEW
- Rick Parfitt (RIP 2016) -- vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards
line up 5 (1967-69) as The Status Quo - John Coghlan -- drums, percussion - Alan Lancaster (RIP 2021) -- vocals, guitar, bass - Roy Lynes -- vocals, keyboards
- Rick Parfitt (RIP 2016 -- vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards
line up 6 (1969-71) as Status Quo - John Coghlan -- drums - Alan Lancaster (RIP 2021) -- vocals, guitar, bass - Roy Lynes -- vocals, keyboards
- Rick Parfitt (RIP 2016 -- vocals, guitar, keyboards
line up 7 (1971-76) - John Coghlan -- drums - Alan Lancaster (RIP 2021) - - vocals, guitar, bass
- Rick Parfitt (RIP 2016 -- vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards
line up 8 (1976-82) NEW - Andy Bown - keyboards, backing vocals - John Coghlan -- drums - Alan Lancaster (RIP 2021) -- vocals, guitar, bass
- Rick Parfitt (RIP 2016 -- vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards
line up 9 (1982-86) - Andy Bown - keyboards, backing vocals NEW - Pete Kircher - drums, percussion, backing vocals (replaced John Coghlan) - Alan Lancaster (RIP 2021) -- vocals, guitar, bass
- Rick Parfitt (RIP 2016 -- vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards
line up 10 (1986-2000) - Andy Bown - keyboards, backing vocals NEW - John "Rhino" Edwards -- bass (replaced Alan Lancaster) - Rick Parfitt (RIP 2016 -- vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards NEW
- Jeff Rich -- drums, percussion (replaced Peter Kircher)
line up 11 (2000-2013) - Andy Bown - keyboards, backing vocals - John Edwards -- bass NEW - Matt Letley -- drums, percussion (replaced Jeff Rich) - Rick Parfitt (RIP 2016 -- vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards - Mike Rossi -- vocals, lead guitar
line up 12 (2013-2016) - Andy Bown - keyboards, backing vocals NEW - Leon Cave -- drums, percussion (replaced Matt Letley) - John Edwards -- bass - Rick Parfitt (RIP 2016 -- vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards - Mike Rossi -- vocals, lead guitar
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- 3 Minutes (Jeff Rich) - Amsterdam Rock Exchange (John "Rhino Edwards and Rich Malone) - Amazon (Andy Bown) - The Bombers (John Coghlan and Alan Lancaster) - Andy Bown (solo efforts) - Champion (Jeff Rich) - Climax Blue Band (John "Rhino Edwards and Jeff Rich) - Compass (Pete Kircher) - Crane Brothers (Leon Cave)
- Dexy's Midnight Runners (John "Rhino
Edwards) - John Coghlan's Quo (John Coghlan) - John Coghlan’s Quo Reimagined (John Coghlan) - John "Rhino" Edwards (solo efforts) - Flint (Matthew Letley) - The Peter Frampton Band (Andy Bown) - Grunt Futlock (Andy Bown) - The Herd (Andy Bown) - Honeybus (Peter Kircher) - Judas Jump (Andy Bown) - Alan Lancaster (solo efforts) - The Liverpool Express (Peter Kirsher) - The Loving Kind - Manston/James (Francis Rossi) - The Middlenight Men (Leon Cave) - Obscura (Leon Cave) - The Original Mirrors (Peter Kirsher) - Rick Parfitt (solo efforts) - Partners In Crime (John Coghlan) - The Party Boys (Alan Lancaster) - Noel Redding Band ( Pete Kircher) - Rhino's Revenge (Leon Cave and John Edwards) - Rockers (John Coghlan) - Rococo (John Edwards) - Francis Rossi (solo efforts) - Shanghai (Pete Kircher) - The Spamm Band (John "Rhino Edwards) - The Spectres (John Coghlan, Alan Lancaster, Roy Lynes, Rick Parfitt and Mike Rossi) - Status Quo Members (Andy Bown, Pete Kircher, Francs Rossi) - Stretch (Jeff Rich) - Studio Band (Matthew Letley) - The Mick Taylor Band (John Coghlan) - The Traffic Jam (John Coghlan, Alan Lancaster, Roy Lynes and Francs Rossi) - Triple J (Jeff Rich) - Wildlife (Jeff Rich)
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Genre: psych Rating: **** (4 stars) Title: Messages from Status Quo Company: Cadet Custom Catalog: LPS 315 Year: 1968 Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Country/State: London, UK Comments: minor cover wear Available: 1 Catalog ID: -- Price: $40.00
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Over nearly six decades and dozens of studio
albums Status Quo have become major stars in their native England. Unfortunately, in spite of occasional brushes with the American charts, the
group never managed to attract much attention in the States.
Following the addition of
rhythm guitarist /keyboardist Richard Parfitt to the line-up the band was signed to Pye Records (Chess' Cadet Concept subsidiary acquiring American
dist 1.) Black Veils of Melancholy (Frances Rossi) - 3:17 rating: *** stars If you ever need a song that drips '60s flavor, then "Black Veils of Melancholy" would be a good candidate to consider. Admittedly it sounded very much like "Pictures of Matchbox Men", but that's what their record company (and the buying public) wanted to hear. Powered by Alan Lancaster's pounding, "Hey Joe" influenced bass line and Mike Rossi's treated vocals wah-wah and flanged guitar effects (it reminded me of a Coral electric sitar), this was a great example of a song smothered in lysergic fog. (There's also a good chance that if you ever play it for grandma and grandpa, they'll freak-out reliving their youth.) Cadet Concept released the track as Status Quo's second US single:
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1968's "Black Veils of Melancholy" b/w "Too Be Free"
(Cadet Concept catalog 1705) Written and sung by Richard Parfitt, "When My Mind Is Not Live" was a surprisingly pleasant ballad. Yes, the combination of Lynes circus organ, another nice Rossi guitar solo and a "vaporous" melody kept it firmly in the psych genre. Shame the song abruptly faded out. The track also appeared as the "B" side of their "Ice In the Sun" 45. 3.) Ice In the Sun (Marty Wilde - Ronnie Scott) - 2:11 rating: **** stars The first of three tracks written by the partnership of Marty Wilde and Ronnie Scott, "Ice In the Sun" was one of the less psych-tinged songs on the album, The track sported a bouncy melody, nice chorus and another fantastic vocal from Parfitt. Easy to see why it served as the album's third single:
- 1968's "Ice In the Sun" b/w "When My Mind Is Not Live" (Cadet Concept catalog number 7006) YouTube has a black and white promotion video for the song. Status Quo - Ice In The Sun - YouTube 4.) Elizabeth Dreams (Marty Wilde - R. Scott) - 3:47 rating: *** stars Rossi's opening "siren" guitar figure was disturbing, but kind of cool. From there the song delved into something sounding like Baroque pop? Imagine The Left Banke having figured out how to sound like a rock band? 5.) Gentlemen, Joe's Sidewalk Cafe (Kenny Young) - 2:59 rating: *** stars Written
by American Kenny Young, "Gentlemen, Joe's Sidewalk Cafe" was good
timey sounding sunshine pop tune. The song wouldn't have sounded out
of place on a Mamas and the Papas, or Spanky and Our Gang album which may be
the reason the band reportedly hated it. Cutesy and clearly intended for
radio exposure, Pye insisted the band record the song; initially planning on
releasing it as a single, but ultimately chose it as the "B" side
on their "Pictures of Matchbox Men" 45. (side 2) 1.) Paradise Flat (Marty Wilde - Ronnie Scott) - 3:11 rating: *** stars Roy
Lynes' dark "church" organ fills and John Coghlan's
martial drumming gave
"Paradise Flat" a weird "B" horror film vibe. Band
associated Bob Young provided the campy spoken word section. They
should have gotten Vincent Price. Centered on a nifty Rossi fuzz guitar riff, "Technicolor Dreams" has always struck me as the album's standout performance. True it was a cover (songwriter/arranger Anthony King frequently collaborated with producer John Schroeder), but it actually nailed that mid-'60s vibe and was one of the covers where the band didn't sound like the were just going through the motions. The track was released as the album's fourth single, but quickly withdrawn in favor of the non-LP, Rossi and Parfitt penned "Make Me Stay a Bit Longer."
- 1968's "Technicolor Dreams" b/w "Spicks and Specks" (Cadet Concept catalog number 7010)
YouTube has a
black and white clip of the band lip-synching the song for a 1968 episode of
the German Beat-Club television program: Status
Quo - Technicolour Dreams (1969) Well,
it was 1968 and The Gibb Brothers seemingly ruled a substantial part of the
airwaves. Why not spread the joy and commercial potential with a Bee
Gees cover? Well, I can think of at least one reason - namely the
Barry Gibb penned "Spicks and Specks" wasn't very good.
Against that backdrop I'll readily admit their cover wasn't nearly as bad as
I expected. Their arrangement had a nice, breezy pop feel and probably
would have been okay single had The Bee Gees already charted with it. Not
to try to convince anyone "Sunny Cellophane Sky" was a great tune,
but I've always
felt Lancaster's bass was the band's secret sauce. Here he demonstrated he
was a more than capable vocalist, even if the song sounded like a pastiche
of psych era stereotypes. So this was Status Quo's breakthrough and to this day, probably the song they're best known for (at least in the States). "Pictures of Matchbox Men" is good. It's easily the best thing on their debut album and you can see why their record label wanted them to record more of the same thing (witness "Black Veils of Melancholy"). Hard to believe it was the band's only top-40 US hit. Interestingly, Pye initially planned on releasing "Gentleman Joe's Sidewalk Cafe" as the debut single, but ultimately chose to go with " Pictures of Matchbox Men". By the way, the single was originally release in mono with Rossi's wah-wah guitar prominent between the lyrics. I found an interview with Rossi where he talked about writing the song: "I wrote it on the bog [toilet]. I'd gone there, not for the usual reasons... but to get away from the wife and mother-in-law. I used to go into this narrow frizzing toilet and sit there for hours, until they finally went out. I got three quarters of the song finished in that khazi. The rest I finished in the lounge. [The song] was basically about my ex-wife. I'd just got married, and I thought, Oh, this is a mistake, what have I done?" The "matchstick men" reference was a nod to the paintings of Salford artist L. S. Lowry.
- 1968's "Pictures of Matchbox Men" b/w "Gentleman Joe's Sidewalk Cafe (75c Minimum)" (Cadet Concept catalog number 7001) # 12 US Billboard Hot 100
YouTube has a black and white clip of the band lip synching the song for a February 1968 appearance on the BBC's Top of the Pops television show: Status Quo - Pictures Of Matchstick Men (Official Top Of The Pops Video)
© Scott R. Blackerby, June 2026
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Genre: rock Rating: *** (3 stars) Title: On the Level Company: Capitol Catalog: ST-11381 Year: 1968 Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Country/State: UK Comments: original lyric inner sleeve Available: 1 Catalog ID: 6377 Price: $20.00
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Like lots of other folks, I've never quite understood how American radio and the buying public didn't get caught up in the mid-1970s wave of British hard rock bands like Status Quo. Zeppelin just swallowed the full bandwidth? These guy were too British for American tastes? Beats me, but the fact of the matter is while these guys were massive stars in the UK, they couldn't even get arrested in the States.
Self-produced,
1975's "On the Level"
debuted at the top of the UK charts, ca
Certainly one of their most consistent and enjoyable allbums, it hit the top of the UK charts, but did nothing in the States. By the way, the cover art showing the band poising in an Ames room was quite intriguing - what's an Ames room you ask ? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ames_room
1.) Little Lady (Richard Parfitt) - 3:05 rating: *** stars Admittedly "Little Lady" was little more than a recycled Chuck Berry tune, but few bands could turn in a track like this with as much energy and enthusiasm. Berry would have approved, even if he would have wanted songwriting royalties. Excellent boogie track and it got the album off to a roaring start. 2.) Most of the Time (Frances Rossi - Bob Young) - 3:21 rating: *** stars "Most of the Time" started out as a surprisingly sensitive acoustic ballad (it sounded like Rossi was recorded live), before abruptly morphing into a squalling blues-rock number. I'm not normally a big fan of the genre and this wasn't one of the album highlights for me, but still this one was actually pretty good. 3.) I Saw the Light (Frances Rossi - Bob Young) - 3:55 rating: *** stars Kicked along by a bouncy melody and singsong chorus that climbs in your head and won't leave "I Saw the Light" was one of the album's more commercial tracks. It was a prime slice of Quo with a fairly uncomplicated structure (I suspect any good garage band could master it in a day or two), but cute lyrics. 4.) Over and Done (Alan Lancaster) - 3:55 rating: *** stars One of two Alan Lancaster compositions, "Over and Done" was even more pop-oriented with some wonderful jangle rock guitars and a cool hyperactive lead guitar solo. Hard to believe this one wasn't tapped as a single. 5.) Nightride (Frances Rossi - Bob Young) - 3:52
rating: ***
stars
(side 2) 1.) Down Down (Frances Rossi - Bob Young) - 5:24 rating: *** stars Previously released as the album's lead-in single (in an edited format), "Down Down" has always been kind of a puzzle to me. Original entitled 'Get Down' it was their biggest UK single,. The song's always struck me as an okay blues-rocker, but as least to my ears, not particularly original, or commercial. I'd label it a good arena rocker and not much more than that. Lancaster's ''Over and Done'' and 'Broken Man' both made a bigger impression on me. YouTube has a clip of the band playing the song on BBC's Top of the Pops: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNPJuJSVmNA "Down Down" was released as a single in advance of the album, providing the band with their first UK # 1 chart entry, though the US release vanished without a trace.
UK release: - 1974's "Down Down" b/w "Nightride" (Vertigo catalog number 6059 114) US release: - 1975's "Down Down": b/w "Nightride" (Capitol catalog number 4039)
2.) Broken Man (Alan Lancaster) - 4:13 rating: **** stars Lancaster's always struck me as the band's secret weapon. Not only was he an excellent bassist; had a likeable gruff voice, and consistently wrote some of the band's strongest material - witness "Broken Man" which gets my nod as the best performance on he album. 3.) What To Do (Frances Rossi - Bob Young) - 3:15 rating: **** stars Folks tend to overlook the fact Quo could write highly commercial pop-rock that was easily as good as anything Sweet, or the competition was pushing out there. Anyone doubting that comment only needs to check out the infectious "What To Do". Another one that left you wondering why it wasn't tapped as a single. 4.) Where I Am (Richard Parfitt) - 3:10 rating: ** stars The album's lone disappointment, "Where I Am" sounded like the band was trying to morph themselves into an acoustic folk group. Dull and forgettable. 5.) Bye Bye Johnny (Chuck Berry) - 4:35 rating: *** stars Chuck Berry covers are usually pretty lame affairs - what's the point of trying to out-do the original ? Mind you their cover of "Bye Bye Johnny" wasn't about to make you forget the original, but as an also-ran version it wasn't half bad showing they knew where their roots came from. 4.) unlisted rating: * star It wasn't shown of the track listing, but the album ended with a short segment featuring a drunk audience singing along with the band (not sure what they were singing to ...).
© Scott R. Blackerby, May 2023
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Genre: rock Rating: *** (3 stars) Title: Status Quo Company: Capitol Catalog: ST-11509 Year: 1976 Grade (cover/record): VG / VG+ Country/State: UK Comments: bullet hole bottom right; die cut cover Available: 1 Catalog ID: not yet listed Price: $20.00
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Self-produced, "Blue
for You" offered up another set of patented boogie
rockers. Gawd only knows why they bothered, but in the States Capitol chose
to repackage the set, issuing it as the cleverly-titled "Status
Quo". Judging by material such as "Is There a
Better Way", "Mad About the Boy" and "Rolling Home"
anyone looking for subtlty or social insight was simply in the wrong place.
(Was it just us or did "Ring of a Change" sound like it was being
played at 45 rpm? - the band's readily admitted to having recorded most of
the set while on speed.) Perhaps due to the fact they offered up atypical
changes from the boogie base, the slow title track was probably the standout
track. If you're into the genre, there wasn't anything wrong with the set,
in fact "That's a Fact" and "Rain" (love the way to
pronounced it as "re-in") were catchy and worth hearing a couple
of times. Otherwise, the cutting edge marketing campaign that saw the album
promoted through clothing stores that sold Levis was probably more
interesting - ah, to be known for their marketing skills! Curiously, given
it wasn't a major change from their prior catalog, the set hit #148 (it went
#1 in England), providing the band with their only American chart success.
(The set originally released with a die cut cover and metallic inner
sleeve.)
1.) Is There a Better Way (Alan Lancaster - Francis Rossi) - 3:28 (side 2) 1.) Rolling Home (Alan Lancaster - Francis Rossi) - 3:01
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Genre: rock Rating: ** (2 stars) Title: Status Quo Live Company: Capitol Catalog: ST-11623 Year: 1976 Grade (cover/record): VG+ / VG+ Country/State: UK Comments: double album; gatefold sleeve Available: 1 Catalog ID: not yet listed Price: $20.00
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Recorded during a series of three dates before
partisan crowds at Glasgow's Apollo Theatre, "Status
Quo Live" was a double album live collection.
Self-produced, the set completely ignored the group's psychedelic-pop roots,
instead material such as "In My Chair", "Just Take Me"
and "Big Fat Mama" focusing on the band's boogie roots. There
wasn't anything wrong with the set, though there wasn't anything
particularly attractive to be found. To their credit, the band elected to
release the set pretty much as recorded, complete with blown notes,
fractured harmonies and other mistakes. In case you cared, former Herd
member Alan Bown provided keyboards. A massive English hit where it reached
#3, the set failed to chart in the States. (The album was originally
released with a gatefold cover.)
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Genre: rock Rating: *** (3 stars) Title: Rockin' All Over the World Company: Capitol Catalog: ST-11749 Year: 1977 Grade (cover/record): VG+ / VG+ Country/State: UK Comments: -- Available: 1 Catalog ID: not yet listed Price: $10.00
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Recorded in the midst of a world tour (the set
was recorded in Sweden), 1977's "Rockin'
All Over the World" was co-produced with Pip Williams
(brought in as much to mediate growing personnel disputes as to produce).
Exemplified by tracks such as "Hard Time", "Let's Ride"
and "Dirty Water" boogie remained a prime force, but powered by
their cover of John Fogerty's classic title track (always wondered why more
folks don't do Fogerty covers), the album found the band opting for a
cleaner and more commercial sound. While the set proved their biggest
English seller, it attracted more than its share of criticism, longtime fans
put off by the inclusion of horns. Unfortunately, given the absence of
domestic sales, Capitol dropped the group from it's recording roster. 1.) Hard Time (Rick Parfitt - Francis Rossi) - 4:42 (side 2) 1.) Who Am I?
(Williams) - 4:29
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Genre: rock Rating: *** (3 stars) Title: Now Hear This Company: Riva Catalog: RVL 7402 Year: 1981 Grade (cover/record): VG / VG+ Country/State: UK Comments: cut lower left corner Available: 1 Catalog ID: 5801 Price: $20.00
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Surrounded by a
sea of punk aggression and new wave angst, Status Quo soldier on with the
release of 1979's "Whatever You Want".
Released by Vertigo in the UK, propelled
"Now Hear This" track listing:
1.) Living On An Island (Richard Parfitt - Robert Young) - 4:50 rating: **** stars As a sunny, easy going acoustic pop song, 'Living On An Island' opened the album with a completely atypical effort. Mind you the song was quite good, in a Smokey (the band) top-40 way, but it was just so radically different from standard Status Quo. Yeah, it took a little time to get use to this new, sensitive style ... 2.) Shady Lady (Francis Rossi - Robert Young) - 3:00 rating: **** stars 'Shady Lady' was closer to the patented Status Quo sound. A short and sweet slice of mindless power pop, this one had definite commercial appeal. 3.) Who Asked You (Alan Lancaster) - 3:57 rating: ***** stars One of two Alan Lancaster contributions, 'Who Asked You' was easily the album's stand out performance. A classic pop song with fantastic melody and an instantly catchy title track hook, it's hard to understand why this one wasn't a top-40 hit. 4.) Your Smiling Face (Richard Parfitt - Robert Young) - 4:22 rating: *** stars 'Your Smiling Face' was a decent slice of boogie-rock. You've heard similar stuff dozens of times before, but these guys played it with more energy than you'd expect and there was a nice guitar solo midway through. It's one of those songs that got better the more beer you drank. Yes, I've actually danced to this one. 5.) Whatever You Want (Richard Parfitt - Robert Young) - 4:03 rating: **** stars 'Whatever You Want' was a big British hit for the band which in turn attracted the attention of Riva Records and led to the release of the modified parent LP in the US. To my ears this was classic Status Quo and I can actually remember hearing this one while living in Belgium in the early 1980s. Lyrically it didn't have much to offer, but the song was quite catchy and the group's harmony vocals were very nice.
(side 2) 1.) Come Rock with Me (Francis Rossi - Robert Young) - 3:17 rating: *** stars 2.) Rockin' On (Francis Rossi - Robert Young) - 3:24 rating: *** stars While listed as separate tracks, 'Come Rock with Me' and 'Rockin' On' were really a continuous medley. Curiously the track listing seemed to get them listed backwards. Musically and lyrically (pretty much just 'rockin' on' sung over and over), this was another one that sounded better as your alcohol consumption increased. 3.) Runaway (Francis Rossi - Robert Young) - 4:28 rating: ** stars 'Runaway' was one of the more pop-oriented selections, but I didn't like it one bit. Not an original thought in the whole thing and the goofy synthesizers at the end were terrible. 4.) High Flyer (Alan Lancaster - Robert Young) - 3:50 rating: ** stars Co-written by Lancaster, 'High Flyer' was another mindless boogie-rocker with a set of woe-is-my-life-on-the-road lyrics. Kind of hard to shed any tears for their lifestyle choices. 5.) Breaking Away (Richard Parfitt - Robert Young) - 6:40 rating: **** stars 'Breaking Away' was probably my favorite song on the album. In addition to showcasing the band's talented guitar pool, the song started out with a nice chugging rhythm that effortlessly switched over to a bluesy segment.
In the UK the album was tapped for a pair of singles:
- 1979's 'Whatever You Want' b/w 'Hard Ride' (Vertigo catalog number 6059 242) - 1979's 'Living On An Island' b/w 'Runaway' (Vertigo catalog number 6059 248)
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ribution rights).
The band quickly released three singles "Pictures of Matchbox Men",
"Black Veils of Melancholy"
and "Ice In the Sun" before going into London's Pye Studios to
record their debut album. Produced by John Schroeder,
1968's "Picturesque Matchstickable Messages
for the Status Quo" showcased an entertaining, if uneven collection of psychedelic pop.
In one of those odd marketing moves the English and American releases differed significantly.
Abbreviated to "Messages from the Status Quo"
for the US market, Cadet Concept opted for slightly altered cover art, as
well as an abbreviated track listing. Perhaps realizing they weren't
very good, Cadet Concept dropped covers of The Lemon Pipers' "Green Tambourine" and Tommy Roe's "Sheila".
In addition to five songs from the earlier singles (the "B" side
"Too Be Free"
was missing in action), musically the set was certainly a mid-'60s
timepiece, but surprisingly enjoyable. Tracks like "Black Veils of
Melancholy", "Paradise Flat" and "Technicolor Dreams" opting for a heavy psychedelic influence, while "Ice In the Sun"
(one of three songs written with '50s rocker Marty Wilde and writing partner
Ronnie Scott) and Kenny Young's "Gentlemen, Joe's Sidewalk Cafe"
offered up a lighter, more commercially oriented attack. While
I'm not old enough to have been an active member of the '60s crowd,
listening to this LP I can't help but think these guys were late comers to
the party. Even by 1968 their psychedelic influenced sound must have sounded
a bit "old school" given audience tastes had already moved onwards
into other musical niches. That was underscored by the fact Schroeder's
production gave tracks like "Paradise Flat"
and "Sunny Cellophane Sky"
a "sound alike" mix. By the time you got to the title track
(and the album's best performance). The Status Quo were very close to
wearing out their artistic welcome. That may explain why in spite of the
title track hit ("Ice In the Sun" also charted in the UK), the LP failed to attract much domestic
attention leading Cadet Concept to drop it's American distribution rights. 
pturing the band at the peak of their
commercial run. Commercially this was also prime Status Quo - a good
thing if you were a fan, probably less impressive if you missed their head
banging appeal. And that was at least some of the beauty behind Status
Quo, These guys made no pretense of being sophisticated musicians
trying to expand musical boundaries and expose fans to new ideas and
concepts. Exemplified by the likes of "Little Lady", "Nightride"
and 'the single "Down Down" (their biggest hit), the messages here were pretty much your
standard rock and roll lexicon of booze, partying and women (typically in
one combination). Yeah, King Crimson and Yes fans were probably
appalled by the band's successes, but you've got to admit they could
recycle a Chuck Berry riff like nobody else and yes - there were times when
we all want to just party and relax a bit. This is a great soundtrack
to crank up after a hard day and have a couple of cold beers ... And
yes, It is an album I still play on a regular basis.
by the title track
single the
album proved a major commercial success, but the band remained unable to
attract the attention of an American distributor. Finally the
small Riva
Records label signed the group to an American distribution deal but apparently
concerned the English title and cover wouldn't sell in the States, the
label decided to repackage the album with a different title and cover
art. The track listing remained untouched, though the running order
was inexplicably switched around. The result was 1980's "Now
Hear This". Call me cynical, but somehow I missed
out on how the group mug shot-styled photo and dumbsh*t title were suppose
to sweep American audiences off of their collective feet. Produced by
Par Williams, the album actually marked a nice return to form for the
band. Far more melodic and pop oriented than some of their recent
releases, virtually all of the ten compositions had commercial
possibilities. The album also found the band taking a couple of
unexpected chances, including the acoustic pop song "Living On An
Island".
