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Post by paradiseflats on Sept 10, 2019 17:48:25 GMT
If the 'Backbone' album turns out to be Quo's Swansong and nothing to follow then I think they can hold their heads up with this recording and something worthy of their name this time. Even though Rick and Francis were not seeing eye to eye sadly just before we lost Rick, I would imagine Rick would have been pleased to see his protege Richie playing his part in making a solid album. An album that seemed very unlikely in the circumstances. I haven't seen the band on stage since Rick died as has been difficult to get over that particular hurdle but the more I know about Richie the more I'm sure Rick would be singing his praises from the other side. I didn't want to know about the new album either but relaxing a bit now as it is a fair effort and sometimes you do have to live in the here n' now. Rick's philosophy or mantra? Francis and Rick's harmonies were certainly an important part of Quo gigs and on the early albums especially. Though clearly something was going wrong in the time of 1982 up to the End of The Road. When Geldof and Midge Ure asked Rossi and Rick to record their trademark vocals/harmonies on the 'Do They Know It's Christmas' single, it became a bit fractious. Essentially because Rick had been mullered for most of the day and now struggling! Midge had to tactfully go over to Rick and diplomatically suggested to Rick that he should step down. Rick was mortified but hard to argue in that situation. Francis went on to record both his and Rick's vocals. Francis went over to Midge at the desk afterwards and told him that with Quo, he (Rossi) had been recording not only his own vocals but the also the harmonies and not Rick at that point with Quo. I'm fairly sure Francis made a passing comment more recently, when talking about Rick's absence on a few albums, that he or others had become good at imitating Rick with vocal harmonies. I am all for living the life we have. Putting to one side the usual suspects comments, I am not asking people to defend what they said. I’m not asking for anyone not to like love or hate the album.
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Post by musiktruhe on Sept 10, 2019 18:27:32 GMT
What I heard in Francis Interviews in the last few years and especially last few weeks and what I have read in his book he has done everything in Quo .
All the others are not really necessary.
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Post by fretbuzzzzz on Sept 10, 2019 18:51:25 GMT
If the 'Backbone' album turns out to be Quo's Swansong and nothing to follow then I think they can hold their heads up with this recording and something worthy of their name this time. Even though Rick and Francis were not seeing eye to eye sadly just before we lost Rick, I would imagine Rick would have been pleased to see his protege Richie playing his part in making a solid album. An album that seemed very unlikely in the circumstances. I haven't seen the band on stage since Rick died as has been difficult to get over that particular hurdle but the more I know about Richie the more I'm sure Rick would be singing his praises from the other side. I didn't want to know about the new album either but relaxing a bit now as it is a fair effort and sometimes you do have to live in the here n' now. Rick's philosophy or mantra? Francis and Rick's harmonies were certainly an important part of Quo gigs and on the early albums especially. Though clearly something was going wrong in the time of 1982 up to the End of The Road. When Geldof and Midge Ure asked Rossi and Rick to record their trademark vocals/harmonies on the 'Do They Know It's Christmas' single, it became a bit fractious. Essentially because Rick had been mullered for most of the day and now struggling! Midge had to tactfully go over to Rick and diplomatically suggested to Rick that he should step down. Rick was mortified but hard to argue in that situation. Francis went on to record both his and Rick's vocals. Francis went over to Midge at the desk afterwards and told him that with Quo, he (Rossi) had been recording not only his own vocals but the also the harmonies and not Rick at that point with Quo. I'm fairly sure Francis made a passing comment more recently, when talking about Rick's absence on a few albums, that he or others had become good at imitating Rick with vocal harmonies. You make interesting comments. I must admit any story told by Francis I take with a pinch of salt. I hear you..though that particular full story came from Midge Ure. In later years I think it was Rick more than Francis who mentioned his embarrassment that day though not the full story, so to speak. Interestingly Francis has talked about their naughty boy antics generally at the recording studios that day, though not sure he has publicly mocked Rick about him messing up with the vocals on that occasion.
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Post by paradiseflats on Sept 10, 2019 18:55:48 GMT
You make interesting comments. I must admit any story told by Francis I take with a pinch of salt. I hear you..though that particular full story came from Midge Ure. In later years I think it was Rick more than Francis who mentioned his embarrassment that day though not the full story, so to speak. Interestingly Francis has talked about their naughty boy antics generally at the recording studios that day, though not sure he has publicly mocked Rick about him messing up with the vocals on that occasion. Let’s face it they were both off their tits on coke at the time. So Midge is probably the best guide to what went on.
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Post by wishing4oldquo on Sept 10, 2019 20:01:50 GMT
The OP has triggered some self reflection on my part, as I can get where they are coming from in an emotional sense - as a lifelong Quo fan who valued RP every bit as much as I value FR, am I all too easily 'over' RP's passing and his absence from this record, particularly given that I feel it is quite a bit stronger than much of SQ's material since NTL?
Answer, "no": ideally RP would be large as life on this album (obviously), but he can't be and he isn't - at the risk of getting too deep or personal, I am sure all/most of us will have faced a Christmas when someone was missing from our lives never to return, when you have to 'focus on now' and enjoying things as much as possible. I am enjoying this album because I think it is good, if I thought it was crap (Crazy Crazy IS), I would most certainly say so. Rick's untimely passing is an entirely separate subject to me.
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Post by I Ain't Complaining on Sept 10, 2019 20:06:46 GMT
There is one song in particular (can't remember which one) where the backing vocals do sound quite like Rick is in there (to me).
Other than that, I do think the album misses his vocals, both lead and backing. But I also think they've done as well as they could have (vocally) without him. Edit. On second thoughts, why does Ritchie not sing Face the music? I think Ritchie is a decent singer and should sing more now he's settled into the band, especially live!
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Post by quovadis on Sept 10, 2019 20:32:08 GMT
Rick is sorely missed I luv the guy from 1974 met him twice in 79 & 81 such a nice guy in 79 & in 81 totally ignored me I think we all know the reason there I think richie is doing a good job but backbone is seriously missing some rockers imo still a 7/10
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Post by blagult on Sept 10, 2019 21:42:11 GMT
I am not missing Rick’s vocals on this album. I miss him not being around big time but purely from a vocal point of view I really think he struggled over the last 10 years of his life.
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Post by I Ain't Complaining on Sept 10, 2019 21:55:05 GMT
I am not missing Rick’s vocals on this album. I miss him not being around big time but purely from a vocal point of view I really think he struggled over the last 10 years of his life. Fair point.
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Post by americanquo on Sept 10, 2019 21:55:46 GMT
I must admit I am a little sad but not surprised how few people have passed comment how noticeable Ricks absence on the album is. It’s a lesser record due to the backing vocals being weaker without him, the guitars just don’t sound as good. Ricks writing was on the wain but his solo album has a few better songs than Backbone. Francis and his supporters may try to say he was only a member of the band and they had recorded much of Aquostic without him but any Status Quo without Rick is poorer for it. It's easy for me, because I don't consider this either Quo or Quo Lite. This band is post-Quo. Rossi actually sounds like he's the one carrying this album. Malone's guitar work isn't bad, it's actually pretty good, but like you say it's not Rick. But that's how it is, for a replacement he's probably as good as you're going to find.
But the drums are pendatic and the bass is it's usual lifeless annoyance. The tinkly piano drives me nuts and the backing vocals are downright terrible in spots, although not too bad in others. Songs like Backbone are actually a good effort that is killed by the rhythm section.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2019 23:54:19 GMT
I must admit I am a little sad but not surprised how few people have passed comment how noticeable Ricks absence on the album is. It’s a lesser record due to the backing vocals being weaker without him, the guitars just don’t sound as good. Ricks writing was on the wain but his solo album has a few better songs than Backbone. Francis and his supporters may try to say he was only a member of the band and they had recorded much of Aquostic without him but any Status Quo without Rick is poorer for it. It's easy for me, because I don't consider this either Quo or Quo Lite. This band is post-Quo. Rossi actually sounds like he's the one carrying this album. Malone's guitar work isn't bad, it's actually pretty good, but like you say it's not Rick. But that's how it is, for a replacement he's probably as good as you're going to find.
But the drums are pendatic and the bass is it's usual lifeless annoyance. The tinkly piano drives me nuts and the backing vocals are downright terrible in spots, although not too bad in others. Songs like Backbone are actually a good effort that is killed by the rhythm section.
The drums are an odd thing, I've seen Status Quo 4 times live this year and I've been very impressed by Leon live. On previous tours I was unconvinced, he had a very workaday anonymous style that I've found often the case with drummers who are more session than live. This year however he seems to have undergone some sort of epiphany and he's really put in the best performances since Pete Kircher. It's a shame that the album's production has failed to capture the improvement. As for the keyboards, they've featured in Quo recordings and live for much longer than they didn't, the window between Roy Lynes leaving and Andy arriving full time is very narrow in the grand scheme of things.
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Post by americanquo on Sept 11, 2019 2:52:41 GMT
It's easy for me, because I don't consider this either Quo or Quo Lite. This band is post-Quo. Rossi actually sounds like he's the one carrying this album. Malone's guitar work isn't bad, it's actually pretty good, but like you say it's not Rick. But that's how it is, for a replacement he's probably as good as you're going to find.
But the drums are pendatic and the bass is it's usual lifeless annoyance. The tinkly piano drives me nuts and the backing vocals are downright terrible in spots, although not too bad in others. Songs like Backbone are actually a good effort that is killed by the rhythm section.
The drums are an odd thing, I've seen Status Quo 4 times live this year and I've been very impressed by Leon live. On previous tours I was unconvinced, he had a very workaday anonymous style that I've found often the case with drummers who are more session than live. This year however he seems to have undergone some sort of epiphany and he's really put in the best performances since Pete Kircher. It's a shame that the album's production has failed to capture the improvement. As for the keyboards, they've featured in Quo recordings and live for much longer than they didn't, the window between Roy Lynes leaving and Andy arriving full time is very narrow in the grand scheme of things. I've seen Leon in some videos and thought 'he's not bad.' But on here, man, the drums just add nothing. As for the keyboards, I don't dislike keyboards at all. I love them when they're appropriate. Where would All the Way From Memphis be without the piano intro? But more often than not Andy's seems to me an after-thought, although there ARE some songs where they add a lot. Rock N Roll and You, for one.
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Post by curiousgirl on Sept 11, 2019 7:47:20 GMT
I wasn't going to comment on this thread because I've already said that I miss Rick from the album. I was out yesterday and read it when I got home late last night. Then I woke up this morning, a bit annoyed by it. I am not saying we should not discuss this btw. But...
on a personal level, I'm just surprised that you think other members don't miss Rick because they have not said it.
Grief is a personal thing and not everyone will say if they miss someone because they don't have the words or they don't wish to. And the other aspect of grief that surprised me is that life does go on. Initially it hurts so much that I couldn't understand how I was still alive. But it is nearly 3 years since he passed and we all found a way to deal with our loss. Doesn't mean we don't miss him or his contribution to the band.
2nd but...
I know you're not a big fan pf of the new album and may be it will fade away once the novelty has worn off like QPQ. Or maybe it won't. Too early to tell yet. But I do know from what Francis said about the recording of QPQ that none of the band were all in the studio together which I think was down to the animosity between him and Rick. So their unhappiness with each other was affecting their music. Possibly not on stage. I don't know, I wasn't there.
What I do think is interesting is that I feel both Rick's presence and his absence on this new album. His absence in terms of how his voice used to sound, his guitar playing. But they have chosen some tracks which are more in Rick's style - CMSS and Get Out of My Head. And I see You're in Some Trouble - the conversation/argument song could be about a relationship or it could be about Rick and Frame. Francis wrote it. I have no idea but it occurred to me as I listened.
Interesting to note what Fretbuzzz mentioned about Francis recording Rick's vocals when he was too out of it. But I also gather, that Rick might have used another lead guitarist on his tracks in later years to avoid working with Francis.
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Post by blagult on Sept 11, 2019 10:12:46 GMT
To be honest on QPQ I don’t hear Rick on Francis tracks nor do I hear Francis on Ricks to be honest. Sounds to me that each contribution was recorded in different locations with some neat mastering techniques to make it appear not. I still thinks it’s a great album but this one is better. If I was to put a finger on it I would say it sounds more Band like. Just a feeling.
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Post by Victor on Sept 11, 2019 10:45:05 GMT
I wasn't going to comment on this thread because I've already said that I miss Rick from the album. I was out yesterday and read it when I got home late last night. Then I woke up this morning, a bit annoyed by it. I am not saying we should not discuss this btw. But... on a personal level, I'm just surprised that you think other members don't miss Rick because they have not said it. Grief is a personal thing and not everyone will say if they miss someone because they don't have the words or they don't wish to. And the other aspect of grief that surprised me is that life does go on. Initially it hurts so much that I couldn't understand how I was still alive. But it is nearly 3 years since he passed and we all found a way to deal with our loss. Doesn't mean we don't miss him or his contribution to the band.2nd but... I know you're not a big fan pf of the new album and may be it will fade away once the novelty has worn off like QPQ. Or maybe it won't. Too early to tell yet. But I do know from what Francis said about the recording of QPQ that none of the band were all in the studio together which I think was down to the animosity between him and Rick. So their unhappiness with each other was affecting their music. Possibly not on stage. I don't know, I wasn't there. What I do think is interesting is that I feel both Rick's presence and his absence on this new album. His absence in terms of how his voice used to sound, his guitar playing. But they have chosen some tracks which are more in Rick's style - CMSS and Get Out of My Head. And I see You're in Some Trouble - the conversation/argument song could be about a relationship or it could be about Rick and Frame. Francis wrote it. I have no idea but it occurred to me as I listened. Interesting to note what Fretbuzzz mentioned about Francis recording Rick's vocals when he was too out of it. But I also gather, that Rick might have used another lead guitarist on his tracks in later years to avoid working with Francis. Quoted for truth
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