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Post by Railroad17 on Mar 25, 2019 18:06:58 GMT
At least it's not the old "musical differences" stuff.Sounds like "I liked the bloke when we were young and now I don't".Nothing unusual especially in showbiz.
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gerh
Grizzled Rocker Rollin'
Posts: 2,907
Favourite Quo Album: 'Hello' [and 'Quo Live']
Favourite other bands.: Zappa, Kansas, Rush, Deep Purple, Yes, Richard Thompson, Horslips, Rory Gallagher, Thin Lizzy, Judas Priest etc etc. [ANYONE but Kiss!]
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Post by gerh on Mar 25, 2019 21:05:29 GMT
I've just bought the book yesterday, and will start reading it very soon. Whilst I am hoping to learn more of what really happened within Status Quo, I am also very distrusting of Francis Rossi's word on anything these days - Years of contradiction instil me with very little confidence in the truth of anything the man says. However, I will read it, and see what the latest word is from the horse's arse - Sorry, mouth. Just a pity that Rick Parfitt is no longer here to give his side of the story. I am not saying for one minute that Rick was an angel, but it's always easier to criticize others when they are no longer present to defend themselves. I suspect I will not enjoy the parts of the book referring to Rick Parfitt. I also will be taking an interest in the Rossi / Lancaster relationship - Again, I know Alan is no angel, but I would like one day to see his input to the proceedings, to get both accounts of the story. Rick Roper. You've pretty much read my mind there, my good man!
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Post by azza200 on Mar 25, 2019 21:17:53 GMT
I picked it up earlier had a quick skim thru it before giving it a proper read. Interesting what he says regarding EOTR as he watched it recently and his comments saying how Rick looked angry & fed up and how he never smiled thru it apart from once.
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Post by fretbuzzzzz on Mar 26, 2019 0:40:17 GMT
I picked it up earlier had a quick skim thru it before giving it a proper read. Interesting what he says regarding EOTR as he watched it recently and his comments saying how Rick looked angry & fed up and how he never smiled thru it apart from once. They watched the EOTR video back when Jeff and Rhino had just joined the band. The idea being that it was to give the new boys an idea of exactly what Quo were about... ...fast forward a bit and they told Jeff and Rhino to completely ignore what they had just been watching as they (Francis and Rick) suddenly decided it was actually drab and lifeless and not what Quo were about at all! I can imagine Rick was a bit 'fed up' when a bottle of p..p..p..er... isotonic orange flavoured sports energy drink was heading its way to them as they hunched together by the drum riser during Rockin'. Though goodwill to all men was restored by the encore. Just a shame the band don't remember much about it. For us an end of an era, but god knows what the band were really thinking as we now know that they were nowhere near as united, as we were led to believe, in terms of carrying on and recording as a band together, as Rossi assured us that they would be! Perhaps Francis just meant he would record 'The Wanderer' then say "Cheerio chaps" and then off he could go into more coke addled nonsense. <iframe width="25.09999999999991" height="3.6200000000000045" style="position: absolute; width: 25.09999999999991px; height: 3.6200000000000045px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none;left: 15px; top: -5px;" id="MoatPxIOPT1_96385960" scrolling="no"></iframe> <iframe width="25.09999999999991" height="3.6200000000000045" style="position: absolute; width: 25.1px; height: 3.62px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none; left: 1193px; top: -5px;" id="MoatPxIOPT1_3147265" scrolling="no"></iframe> <iframe width="25.09999999999991" height="3.6200000000000045" style="position: absolute; width: 25.1px; height: 3.62px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none; left: 15px; top: 122px;" id="MoatPxIOPT1_40513188" scrolling="no"></iframe> <iframe width="25.09999999999991" height="3.6200000000000045" style="position: absolute; width: 25.1px; height: 3.62px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none; left: 1193px; top: 122px;" id="MoatPxIOPT1_29308428" scrolling="no"></iframe> <iframe width="25.09999999999991" height="3.6200000000000045" style="position: absolute; width: 25.1px; height: 3.62px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none; left: 15px; top: -6px;" id="MoatPxIOPT1_21022992" scrolling="no"></iframe> <iframe width="25.09999999999991" height="3.6200000000000045" style="position: absolute; width: 25.1px; height: 3.62px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none; left: 1193px; top: -6px;" id="MoatPxIOPT1_61971055" scrolling="no"></iframe> <iframe width="25.09999999999991" height="3.6200000000000045" style="position: absolute; width: 25.1px; height: 3.62px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none; left: 15px; top: 122px;" id="MoatPxIOPT1_6360789" scrolling="no"></iframe> <iframe width="25.09999999999991" height="3.6200000000000045" style="position: absolute; width: 25.1px; height: 3.62px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none; left: 1193px; top: 122px;" id="MoatPxIOPT1_49008774" scrolling="no"></iframe>
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Post by charliechops on Mar 26, 2019 1:28:47 GMT
... do you think Richard Skinner ever wishes for more recognition as being the person who made the Intro announcement at Live Aid? Haven't found any obvious fact gaffs in the book though strange how that error persists in a few books and in the new book, with Tommy Vance being credited each time. Richard Skinner does the “ 12 noon and around the world “ ....bit Tommy Vance in his leather pants ( Russ n Jono ) , “ and now to ........ Status Quo “
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Post by MrWaistcoat on Mar 26, 2019 21:59:16 GMT
Devoured the book in a few days, it's definitely worth a read.
As I expected, he can't remember much about the glory days. There's a lot of story leading up to Piledriver (never knew it came from the wrestling move), but there's little about the music then until we get to NTL. I don't agree with many of his views....he thought BTB was good, he thought Pip was good for the band. He thought Quo should change with the times, yet gave examples of that really not working. Contrary, just he says he is. Other reason for the lack of glory years stuff are the drugs - a much bigger deal than I realised. I've had to google Mandrax!
I think he helps explain his relationship with Rick well, and it is both sad yet strangely comforting to see him write that he loved him and will ever regret it wasn't good at the end between them.
I've changed my mind about the band carrying on. As points out, Rick would have carried on if it had been the other way round, and Alan would have carried on with Rick only in 86 if he could. Rick had already left the band before he died. I strongly felt at the time that the bookings should have been cancelled and it looked to me that it was business as usual. And it was. But I do think I get Francis more now, a guy I've struggled to get for a long time. In fact, I've been "cross" with him since the end of 2014, angry / disappointed that there's be no more FF fun - all because of him. He does say there were great times during the reunion, and he's pleased for us lot it happened. It can't have been much fun, the others partying after the gig and wanting him to join in, Francis knowing he can't.
As somebody who'd love all the original line up to be great with each other, his take on Alan is not what I want to read. But it's what he thinks now. I also think he hasn't dealt with the breakdown of the friendship yet - he's hard on Alan I think because he's hurt and upset. So many of Francis views about what went wrong with the band had been foreseen by Alan, something Francis doesn't say. In fairness I have seen him say that perhaps Alan was closer to the fans. I hope they can bang heads together somehow, but that seems very remote (so did the reunion...)
I know he's said out of order things since the reunions, but life's too short to stay hacked off with somebody that's given me such a huge amount of pleasure. I drove to work today with my music on random, and after 45 mins of random rock bands, on came Slow Train. For me, the best of Quo still blows all else away. I said I never would, but I may even go and see them again one day.
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Post by fretbuzzzzz on Mar 26, 2019 23:26:29 GMT
I think it was a shame that Francis and Rick felt it neccessary to rub Alan's nose in it a bit, when hell did freeze over and they had the initial reconciliation meeting. Perhaps Alan didn't believe that Quo could carry on and survive without him? Francis said Quo had gone from strength to strength after Alan left but of course that is only really from their growing public image and the brand stuff coming into play, courtesy of David Walker.
Musically they had some hits such as Army, Bridges and the Waltz but beyond that it was not exactly from strength to strength to my mind and all over the place, studio wise, until maybe Heavy Traffic and possibly Quid Pro Quo gave them some musical stability. On stage they still had some fire in them but, after a time, going to a Quo gig was becoming about loyalty to the band rather than true feelings of excitement or anticipation.
Perhaps Francis in particular felt justified with his one vision and viewpoint? He has the personality trait of wanting to prove critics wrong at every turn and I imagine that included turning Alan's view on its head.
Not the best place to really start to heal differences and build bridges again. Alan, it seems, finds it hard to back down over stuff and Francis has a need to prove critics (including Alan) wrong, so off to a dodgy start right away before a chord was even played!
When the tickets started to fly off the shelves for the first Reunion gigs, I think it must have been a shock to some in and around the band, as much doubt had been cast as to how many fans would still remember the original FF or be remotely interested in the reunion apart from a few 70s die-hards.
It went against the grain of the forward thinking Rossi, perhaps? Quite sad that he chooses to call some of the Reunion gigs a mess. Seems a bit churlish in the circumstances of reconciliation and friendship, but perhaps it was his genuine and honest opinion versus the opinion of 3,000 to 4,000 fans at each gig? Certainly not perfect but then I don't remember seeing Quo gigs from the 70s and early 80s that were actually perfect. Dodgy PA systems, gear playing-up or band members not completely on form.
As for gigs after the reunions, as much as I wanted to love them I did find it a bit sterile at times and no real surprises which probably goes without saying. Not cabaret exactly but definitely lacking any real atmosphere or connection with fans beyond the first few rows and not getting close to the excitement of the reunions.
Francis is addicted to the buzz of something new and the current band with Richie Malone has given him his fix and once again he has something to kick against and a reason for him to raise his game.
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Post by MrWaistcoat on Mar 27, 2019 10:16:57 GMT
I don't think it's a great "autobiography", but it's a great snapshot of his mind right now
He barely mentions Rhino, which some could seize upon, but then he barely mentions Andy, the road crew and lots of other things that have been important to him. I just think none of those people are on his mind right now. Alan clearly is. And that's why he would be better off sorting it out, I mean, it's not like he can just ignore Alan and carry on. His brain doesn't allow that to happen, and never really has
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Post by Mrs Flittersnoop on Mar 27, 2019 10:38:23 GMT
... Francis is addicted to the buzz of something new and the current band with Richie Malone has given him his fix and once again he has something to kick against and a reason for him to raise his game.
How true this is and how many times it has come up during their career ... it must make other people around the band feel insecure at times. He's always been ambivalent about Alan too - I got the impression during the Reunion years that it was Alan's mum he really liked, but then I think that may just be another slant on the story.
I didn't keep going to see them out of loyalty, I went because I was having a great time. Sometimes I was down and I couldn't remember the great time, but I knew that if I got there, it would be, and it was. (Particularly memorable for me was one December when I had a really bad cold, aka "flu", and went through the whole gig with my overcoat and scarf still on.) As for the albums, I never was an "album-fan" with Quo, so it mattered less to me than to many others that the albums were sagging, but I still noticed it.
I supposed by "strength to strength" he means becoming a National Treasure through the operations of time and publicity. (And some management changes which resulted in the fireing of people he didn't have the nerve to fire himself.) Their reputation really always relied on that run of top albums they had in the 70s. They got a bit of single success after "Army", which was a genuinely good pop track and adoption of the then current style, but losing their authentic album sound never did them any favours.
In a way he's spent his entire successful career being a musician he didn't want to be, and not being the one he DID want to be. But he can't seem to enjoy his success gracefully, or the people he shared it with, which includes Alan and the old hardcore fans.
He's also had a lot of shit stick he didn't deserve from people with an overdeveloped sense of entitlement, and he's the type to take that seriously, and I don't think he'll ever forgive it.
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Post by Gaz on Mar 27, 2019 10:55:40 GMT
... Francis is addicted to the buzz of something new and the current band with Richie Malone has given him his fix and once again he has something to kick against and a reason for him to raise his game.
How true this is and how many times it has come up during their career ... it must make other people around the band feel insecure at times. He's always been ambivalent about Alan too - I got the impression during the Reunion years that it was Alan's mum he really liked, but then I think that may just be another slant on the story.
I didn't keep going to see them out of loyalty, I went because I was having a great time. Sometimes I was down and I couldn't remember the great time, but I knew that if I got there, it would be, and it was. (Particularly memorable for me was one December when I had a really bad cold, aka "flu", and went through the whole gig with my overcoat and scarf still on.) As for the albums, I never was an "album-fan" with Quo, so it mattered less to me than to many others that the albums were sagging, but I still noticed it.
I supposed by "strength to strength" he means becoming a National Treasure through the operations of time and publicity. (And some management changes which resulted in the fireing of people he didn't have the nerve to fire himself.) Their reputation really always relied on that run of top albums they had in the 70s. They got a bit of single success after "Army", which was a genuinely good pop track and adoption of the then current style, but losing their authentic album sound never did them any favours.
In a way he's spent his entire successful career being a musician he didn't want to be, and not being the one he DID want to be. But he can't seem to enjoy his success gracefully, or the people he shared it with, which includes Alan and the old hardcore fans.
He's also had a lot of shit stick he didn't deserve from people with an overdeveloped sense of entitlement, and he's the type to take that seriously, and I don't think he'll ever forgive it.
Agree with that, especially second last paragraph👍🏻
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Post by fretbuzzzzz on Mar 27, 2019 11:17:22 GMT
Enjoyed reading your post Mrs Flittersnoop and hearing that the Quo gig had been the perfect remedy for your flu!
Have an image now of a fan in an overcoat (trenchcoat?!) and scarf...all you needed was a pint in your hand and an album under your arm to complete the look!
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Post by MrWaistcoat on Mar 27, 2019 17:33:15 GMT
Wonder if Alan is legally free to tell his story / write a book? He's certainly been quiet since the reunions
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Post by fretbuzzzzz on Mar 27, 2019 20:28:44 GMT
Wonder if Alan is legally free to tell his story / write a book? He's certainly been quiet since the reunions In MOJO mag, Francis said he had been on FaceTime with Alan in late 2016. Never quite get the full story from Francis, so a case of trying to fill in any gaps. The question had been about the reunions and off the back of their success about making an FF album. Presumably Francis was resisting Alan's thoughts about recording an album? Alan went down the road of saying to Francis that he was ruining his kid's (Alan's) lives again so Francis cut the line and they haven't spoken since. <iframe width="25.09999999999991" height="3.6200000000000045" style="position: absolute; width: 25.09999999999991px; height: 3.6200000000000045px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none;left: 15px; top: -5px;" id="MoatPxIOPT1_4631988" scrolling="no"></iframe> <iframe width="25.09999999999991" height="3.6200000000000045" style="position: absolute; width: 25.1px; height: 3.62px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none; left: 1193px; top: -5px;" id="MoatPxIOPT1_30677020" scrolling="no"></iframe> <iframe width="25.09999999999991" height="3.6200000000000045" style="position: absolute; width: 25.1px; height: 3.62px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none; left: 15px; top: 121px;" id="MoatPxIOPT1_21787076" scrolling="no"></iframe> <iframe width="25.09999999999991" height="3.6200000000000045" style="position: absolute; width: 25.1px; height: 3.62px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none; left: 1193px; top: 121px;" id="MoatPxIOPT1_37517083" scrolling="no"></iframe> Francis doesn't always seem to get it right, to my mind. He upset Rick's sons with his thoughts that the Rick he knew had died on the floor in Turkey. Initially, perhaps the case but I have it on good authority that, after some recovery period, Rick was talking positively and lucidly about his plans for his solo album etc, very much in the here and now.
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Post by blagult on Mar 27, 2019 22:52:53 GMT
I think telling Francis that he was ruining kids lives was not the way to go. As much as we admire anyone for doing anything to make their kids futures better, to accuse someone who isn’t responsible for them for ruining there lives is harsh to say the least. That is way too much pressure to take !! I can fully understand the phone going down under those circumstances. I like anyone would have loved and welcomed any new FF material at the time but things like this make it fully understandable how it didn’t happen.
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Post by Mrs Flittersnoop on Mar 27, 2019 23:04:58 GMT
Sad. "Do what I say so that my kids can benefit, if they don't it's your fault." Alan's kids are adults, too. Oh dear. I get it the first time round, but not 30 years later.
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