Interview With Colin Johnson

I reckon ol Col was talking a lot of pish, after all, he was one of the people who ripped the band off

he didnt rip the band off. Some members still have a good relationship with him. It was Alan Crux that did all of that, which is why Francis and Rick will never mention his name these days.

Rossi refers to him as Be-bop Deluxe and Rick changed the lyrics in LOAI to either "Someone" or "Franny" instead of "Cruxies gonna be there soon". That started as early as the Ain't Complaining tour

There's no doubt Alan had doubts about Crux, but as Francis said at the time, "Why was he using him as his financial adviser, then?" But these things happen. You know something isn't right but not enough to make a drastic move. And all the business about the band only getting denim and no money for the Levis promotion - Col must have known something about that (is implied). He was the manager, he should have been seen what was coming in and where it was going out.

Francis didn't take Alan's doubts about Crux seriously at the time, probably for the same reason.

Bob's welcome to charge for stamps (and paperclips) as far as I am concerned, but filling up the wife's car is a bit of a cheeck ... I bet he wasn't the only one though. I never heard the story about the £80,000.

So that's what happened to Colin's American wife ...

Someone who followed 70s bands never heard of Keith Altham?? He's still out there somewhere.

That was a good interview. Wonder what the song was like that he wanted to give to Rossi.....

Yes a bit odd to say the least lol but i liked it cos Colin Johnson was obviously very "involved" in the bands early days, and now he isn't, so he could speak freely pretty much.....

A shame that he and Bob had their problems. Seems those in Quo circles have different opinions of various people that had been involved with the band. For instance I sensed that Colin and a few peeps didn't particularly rate Iain Jones as a manager yet Rossi talks about Jones in more glowing terms. 

Colin had been responsible for getting gigs booked during the band's transition from pop to boogie and a time when nobody really wanted to book them and swimming against the tide.

He was also the guy who went and found Rick by the edge of the River Thames in London, when Rick had hit another low and contemplating throwing himself in the water.

It was also a strange time when Rick went on TV with Chris Tarrant and suggesting that Colin had been dishonest in financial dealings. Though I think Colin confronted Rick later on about it. It seems Rick had just gone with the accepted view at the time about those in the management, though I don't think there were any grounds in the end for dragging Colin's name through the mud. Only a few people probably know what really went on.