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Post by 4th Chord on Apr 12, 2022 11:25:17 GMT
Alan Lancaster, Rick Parfitt, John Coghlan and Francis Rossi shared the stage for the very last time.
Bringing to a final close a reunion that started full of hope, and dreams of new music, two versions of Status Quo, Australian tours and more. Alas, not to be, as 'money talks and bullshit walks' (©Bobbi Fleckman, Polymer Records), so we ended up with Bula Quo and Aquostic instead.
Can you capture lightning in a bottle again? Well, no, 15 years earlier might have been a different story, but they sure as hell shone bright again.
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Post by pressbutton on Apr 12, 2022 12:17:32 GMT
It was never going to last - I've read reports that Alan had to have his plectrum stuck to his fingers due to lack of grip with his MS. Plus of course two years later Rick had his heart attack that left him to all intents and purposes dead in his hotel room. I know it might sound harsh when Francis said he didn't think they should have brought Rick back, but I can understand his sentiments - Rick only survived another six months, and during that time he was not fit enough to play with Status Quo. I met Alan at the Convention in September 2019, and he was very frail by then. If he'd done more tours with Quo he might not have lived until last year.
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Post by Mrs Flittersnoop on Apr 12, 2022 13:14:14 GMT
It was obvious from the start that Alan was using something to stick his plectrums to his fingers (and still dropped quite a few). He was in great voice though.
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mortified
4500 Timer
Posts: 5,884 
Favourite Quo Album: Hello!
Favourite other bands.: Talking Heads, Rolling Stones, Sheryl Crow, Gary Numan, Alabama 3, ZZ Top, Paul van Dyk, Jeff Beck, Bowie, Gerry Rafferty, Band of Skulls, UFO, S.A.H.B
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Post by mortified on Apr 12, 2022 14:19:22 GMT
It was obvious from the start that Alan was using something to stick his plectrums to his fingers (and still dropped quite a few). He was in great voice though.
As good as ever I thought. I enjoyed the gigs I went to on the reunion tour. A lot. But they weren't the be all and end all for me. This may sound like sacrilege but I actually enjoyed the Aquostic Roundhouse gig more. I know it sounds daft but it seemed more real. I viewed the reunion as one of many Quo 'stunts' across the decades (as was Aquostic of course). It was just one that many either didn't or couldn't see through (or wouldn't). The reunion had run its course when it stopped. And it ran out of steam very quickly. Which, I must admit, surprised me. Maybe some recorded material might have given it more legs. Even an EP. Hard to tell. But I think a few of the European gigs were quite disappointing in terms of attendance. But two versions of Status Quo would have been an interesting idea. Thought Mr Porter would have jumped at that one  |
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Post by 4th Chord on Apr 12, 2022 15:46:29 GMT
It was obvious from the start that Alan was using something to stick his plectrums to his fingers (and still dropped quite a few). He was in great voice though.
As good as ever I thought. I enjoyed the gigs I went to on the reunion tour. A lot. But they weren't the be all and end all for me. This may sound like sacrilege but I actually enjoyed the Aquostic Roundhouse gig more. I know it sounds daft but it seemed more real. I viewed the reunion as one of many Quo 'stunts' across the decades (as was Aquostic of course). It was just one that many either didn't or couldn't see through. The reunion had run its course when it stopped. And it ran out of steam very quickly. Which, I must admit, surprised me. Maybe some recorded material might have given it more legs. Even an EP. Hard to tell. But I think a few of the European gigs were quite disappointing in terms of attendance. But two versions of Status Quo would have been an interesting idea. Thought Mr Porter would have jumped at that one  Hmm. Interesting points Grandad 😉, but then on Aquostic, Rick didn't play like this......I mean, how do you break one of Rick's guitar strings? Plus did 'Aquostic at the Roundhouse' have Bob Young and Al? Indeed it did not. At the time Francis was well into the reunion, beaming from ear to ear often on stage....and then that suddenly changed before the second tour. |
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Post by curiousgirl on Apr 12, 2022 16:41:15 GMT
So interesting how we all go to the same gigs and experience them differently.
I was overwhelmed, emotionally by 2013 gig that I didn't really connect with it. It was a blur. But the 2014 gigs I went to, I thought were amazing! I cried at the end of the 2nd one, knowing that I'd never see them all play again.
I went to Aquostic because I love acoustic gigs. I found it over produced but fascinating in terms of the changes that they'd made to familiar songs. I'd have preferred a more stripped back, less of a show. And that would be more real to me. But we're all different and that's what makes these discussion fun.
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Post by railroad007 on Apr 12, 2022 17:21:42 GMT
Alan Lancaster, Rick Parfitt, John Coghlan and Francis Rossi shared the stage for the very last time. Bringing to a final close a reunion that started full of hope, and dreams of new music, two versions of Status Quo, Australian tours and more. Alas, not to be, as 'money talks and bullshit walks' (©Bobbi Fleckman, Polymer Records), so we ended up with Bula Quo and Aquostic instead. Can you capture lightning in a bottle again? Well, no, 15 years earlier might have been a different story, but they sure as hell shone bright again. As long as you masturbated in a nostalgic fashion. |
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Post by railroad007 on Apr 12, 2022 17:24:16 GMT
As good as ever I thought. I enjoyed the gigs I went to on the reunion tour. A lot. But they weren't the be all and end all for me. This may sound like sacrilege but I actually enjoyed the Aquostic Roundhouse gig more. I know it sounds daft but it seemed more real. I viewed the reunion as one of many Quo 'stunts' across the decades (as was Aquostic of course). It was just one that many either didn't or couldn't see through. The reunion had run its course when it stopped. And it ran out of steam very quickly. Which, I must admit, surprised me. Maybe some recorded material might have given it more legs. Even an EP. Hard to tell. But I think a few of the European gigs were quite disappointing in terms of attendance. But two versions of Status Quo would have been an interesting idea. Thought Mr Porter would have jumped at that one Hmm. Interesting points Grandad 😉, but then on Aquostic, Rick didn't play like this......I mean, how do you break one of Rick's guitar strings? Plus did 'Aquostic at the Roundhouse' have Bob Young and Al? Indeed it did not. At the time Francis was well into the reunion, beaming from ear to ear often on stage....and then that suddenly changed before the second tour. "and then that suddenly changed before the second tour." He suddenly realised who the little bloke was on his left hand side, diminutive insecurity can blind one to the obvious. |
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Post by vivfromcov on Apr 12, 2022 22:29:36 GMT
I was there in Dublin, it was a bittersweet night. The two tours were emotional and although I knew that they were always temporary, I still hoped for the guys to have an occasional gig together or even a special finale concert featuring the combined lineups of both bands….? I did not cry at the end as I truly believed something like that would happen but sadly, Rick left us way too soon and then Alan last year made any further reunions impossible. Such a shame they could not remain friends for those last few years…. Status Quo were/are one of the longest ‘constant’ in my life. Their early music really made an impact on me and they were unique with their own sound and style. I still get those feelings today when I hear those songs! And great to share with likeminded fans at the conventions and gigs! Maybe it is nostalgia, but so what, thanks for the memories Dublin , but even more so, Hammersmith!  |
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mortified
4500 Timer
Posts: 5,884
Favourite Quo Album: Hello!
Favourite other bands.: Talking Heads, Rolling Stones, Sheryl Crow, Gary Numan, Alabama 3, ZZ Top, Paul van Dyk, Jeff Beck, Bowie, Gerry Rafferty, Band of Skulls, UFO, S.A.H.B
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Post by mortified on Apr 13, 2022 6:27:00 GMT
I was there in Dublin, it was a bittersweet night. The two tours were emotional and although I knew that they were always temporary, I still hoped for the guys to have an occasional gig together or even a special finale concert featuring the combined lineups of both bands….? I did not cry at the end as I truly believed something like that would happen but sadly, Rick left us way too soon and then Alan last year made any further reunions impossible. Such a shame they could not remain friends for those last few years…. Status Quo were/are one of the longest ‘constant’ in my life. Their early music really made an impact on me and they were unique with their own sound and style. I still get those feelings today when I hear those songs! And great to share with likeminded fans at the conventions and gigs! Maybe it is nostalgia, but so what, thanks for the memories Dublin , but even more so, Hammersmith!  I'm exactly the same. Only my sister and my dad have outstripped them in terms of longevity in my life. Was the reunion tour about nostalgia? Francis certainly thought so. I guess it was but as they could never recreate what I witnessed in the 70's, it didn't quite hit me in the same way. Maybe I've just grown into a cynical old sod  The inclusion of the never before heard songs, and full versions of those we had, were the highlights. Hearing April Spring Summer and Wednesdays live is probably one of my all time favourite Quo moments. That one really did hit the emotional button. I think we were lucky to have them all back on stage but I also think it was maybe at least 10 years too late. Probably more. I wonder how it would have turned out if they'd decided to do it back when they were struggling during most of the late eighties and nineties. Perfect Remedy had bombed and was critically savaged so David Walker sorts out a reunion. Might have been interesting. |
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Post by Isaac Ryan on Apr 13, 2022 7:02:23 GMT
It went the only way it could have. They said it would be one tour and they did two.
But AL looked fcuked, as great as the gigs were, they were on borrowed time.
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Post by musiktruhe on Apr 13, 2022 8:18:58 GMT
12.04.2014 the end of Quo.
I was there in Dublin and I was leaving the venue with tears in my eyes.
I was crying out loud when I heard a little bit later the Aquostic record.
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Post by pressbutton on Apr 13, 2022 11:53:59 GMT
I didn't do any of the reunion gigs in 2013, and wished I had but logistically it was not possible, I can't remember why. So when the second one was announced for 2014 I decided I wanted to go. I also didn't start seeing Quo live until 2002 as before then I'd not had much opportunity (or money) to do so. Life gets in the way sometimes. So I don't have the halcyon days of the 70s to compare anything to, or all the iterations of Quo (various drummers for example) to compare either. My live gigs were initially Rick, Francis, Andrew, Rhino and Matt, then Rick, Francis, Andrew, Rhino and Leon, more recently Ritchie instead of Rick. The last time I saw them live was in December 2018 (I think!!). I went to the Saturday night gig at the Hammy, and had a panic attack early in the gig as I was near the front and was thrown around by people around me rocking very hard! I got out to the back of the hall very quickly, and listened from there - couldn't see a thing though. I've also been to an Aquostic performance in Portsmouth Guildhall, and I was sat next to a young man who had learning disabilities who after every song clapped and said "Bravo Quo" - the first time I've ever heard that at a Quo gig! I really enjoyed the performance, and liked the Aquostic albums as you can hear more of the harmonies within the songs. I prefer the electric gigs though.
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Post by Isaac Ryan on Apr 13, 2022 13:19:02 GMT
12.04.2014 I was there in Dublin and I was leaving the venue with tears in my eyes. I didn't think it was that bad. |
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Post by 4th Chord on Apr 13, 2022 13:23:07 GMT
It went the only way it could have. They said it would be one tour and they did two. But AL looked fcuked, as great as the gigs were, they were on borrowed time. I prefer the term 'tough as nails' battling through what he was suffering, still belting out Roadhouse like it was the 70's. |
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