Dark
Rocker Rollin'
Posts: 335
Favourite Quo Album: Quo
Favourite other bands.: Iron Maiden, Deep Purple, Huey Lewis,
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Post by Dark on Jan 10, 2020 9:21:44 GMT
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. Did this hook up not also have the effect of Levi advertising the Blue for You album in their shops and marketing for their jeans? Surely that had a financial benefit for Quo, even if not a direct, here is £X.
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Post by Mrs Flittersnoop on Jan 11, 2020 12:12:51 GMT
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.
Iain Jones was in effect working for Francis. He was no chump and must have spotted pretty quickly where the power and the problems lay. He was in charge of office comms at the time Alan couldn't get his messages through. (I heard from someone who went through the court thing in London.) He sacked a lot of people (interview with Francis, 80s) for being sloppy, and evinced a real dislike for fans and other people much closer to the band (well known at the time). I believe he introduced them to David (interfiew somewhere). I didn't like him at all (you can probably tell) BUT in terms of organising the band at the time and meeting Francis's spoken or unspoken needs, he was spot on. I don't think he ever claimed to be a manager, he was tour manager. That's show business!
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Post by fretbuzzzzz on Jan 12, 2020 0:46:58 GMT
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.
Iain Jones was in effect working for Francis. He was no chump and must have spotted pretty quickly where the power and the problems lay. He was in charge of office comms at the time Alan couldn't get his messages through. (I heard from someone who went through the court thing in London.) He sacked a lot of people (interview with Francis, 80s) for being sloppy, and evinced a real dislike for fans and other people much closer to the band (well known at the time). I believe he introduced them to David (interfiew somewhere). I didn't like him at all (you can probably tell) BUT in terms of organising the band at the time and meeting Francis's spoken or unspoken needs, he was spot on. I don't think he ever claimed to be a manager, he was tour manager. That's show business!
Jones the Axe man?! I realised things were not all that rosy in the Quo garden at the time of Bob's demise with the band and Iain Jones's promotion, especially after a phone call I had back in about '81 with somebody with access to the band. Bit of a shock at the time I can tell you! For Alan, Jones was Andy's Keyboard roadie who got lucky with Francis and he then rapidly progressed to manager (tour) level. I get the impression that Alan felt that Rossi liked the company of 'yes men' to help achieve his aims and possibly he includes Pip as well as Jones in that way. Jones introduced the band to David?... Walker? That's interesting as always assumed the connection with Walker had been through Pip's association with Walker. Not being height-ist !...but I did laugh when Chris Tarrant once said that Iain Jones's cigar is as big as he is!
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Post by curiousgirl on Jan 12, 2020 8:39:11 GMT
From I talk too much, Francis says they met David Walker via Pip because he was managing a range of musical artists before, including Pip. P230. fretbuzzzzz and Mrs Flittersnoop
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Post by Mrs Flittersnoop on Jan 12, 2020 12:04:39 GMT
From I talk too much, Francis says they met David Walker via Pip because he was managing a range of musical artists before, including Pip. P230. fretbuzzzzz and I don't remember where the reference to Jones introducing them to David Walker came from, or whether it was an official source or not. Funny for me, as I always thought of that as being one constructive thing that he did for the band (being as they needed a manager at the time).
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Post by Mrs Flittersnoop on Jan 12, 2020 12:16:58 GMT
Iain Jones was in effect working for Francis. He was no chump and must have spotted pretty quickly where the power and the problems lay. He was in charge of office comms at the time Alan couldn't get his messages through. (I heard from someone who went through the court thing in London.) He sacked a lot of people (interview with Francis, 80s) for being sloppy, and evinced a real dislike for fans and other people much closer to the band (well known at the time). I believe he introduced them to David (interfiew somewhere). I didn't like him at all (you can probably tell) BUT in terms of organising the band at the time and meeting Francis's spoken or unspoken needs, he was spot on. I don't think he ever claimed to be a manager, he was tour manager. That's show business!
Jones the Axe man?! I realised things were not all that rosy in the Quo garden at the time of Bob's demise with the band and Iain Jones's promotion, especially after a phone call I had back in about '81 with somebody with access to the band. Bit of a shock at the time I can tell you! For Alan, Jones was Andy's Keyboard roadie who got lucky with Francis and he then rapidly progressed to manager (tour) level. I get the impression that Alan felt that Rossi liked the company of 'yes men' to help achieve his aims and possibly he includes Pip as well as Jones in that way. Jones introduced the band to David?... Walker? That's interesting as always assumed the connection with Walker had been through Pip's association with Walker. Not being height-ist !...but I did laugh when Chris Tarrant once said that Iain Jones's cigar is as big as he is!
When I started being a fan, I noticed (to my surprise) that Bob was around, but apparently not working on the tour. Iain Jones (for it was he, though I didn't know it at the time) was carrying the bag and following Francis around. (I guess that would be marginally lighter than carrying a keyboard around.)
I guess from all that was said later that Francis had got to a stage in his career when the availability of "yes men" would be helpful to him. He later described Iain Jones as "someone who just wanted to help", or summat like that. (He didn't say, help who with what ) but there was an implication that some people needed firing and nobody else had the neck to do it.
I never saw Jones with a cigar (too busy running around shouting at the time) (him, not me) but I did see him with a tall blonde and a fast car. When he was around glaring at us, it was just about from eye level, maybe a bit less, and I'm only a medium sized housekeeper.
After David Walker came in, I don't recall hearing much about Iain Jones again.
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Post by fretbuzzzzz on Jan 12, 2020 18:28:03 GMT
Jones the Axe man?! I realised things were not all that rosy in the Quo garden at the time of Bob's demise with the band and Iain Jones's promotion, especially after a phone call I had back in about '81 with somebody with access to the band. Bit of a shock at the time I can tell you! For Alan, Jones was Andy's Keyboard roadie who got lucky with Francis and he then rapidly progressed to manager (tour) level. I get the impression that Alan felt that Rossi liked the company of 'yes men' to help achieve his aims and possibly he includes Pip as well as Jones in that way. Jones introduced the band to David?... Walker? That's interesting as always assumed the connection with Walker had been through Pip's association with Walker. Not being height-ist !...but I did laugh when Chris Tarrant once said that Iain Jones's cigar is as big as he is!
When I started being a fan, I noticed (to my surprise) that Bob was around, but apparently not working on the tour. Iain Jones (for it was he, though I didn't know it at the time) was carrying the bag and following Francis around. (I guess that would be marginally lighter than carrying a keyboard around.)
I guess from all that was said later that Francis had got to a stage in his career when the availability of "yes men" would be helpful to him. He later described Iain Jones as "someone who just wanted to help", or summat like that. (He didn't say, help who with what ) but there was an implication that some people needed firing and nobody else had the neck to do it.
I never saw Jones with a cigar (too busy running around shouting at the time) (him, not me) but I did see him with a tall blonde and a fast car. When he was around glaring at us, it was just about from eye level, maybe a bit less, and I'm only a medium sized housekeeper.
After David Walker came in, I don't recall hearing much about Iain Jones again.
Francis is still in contact with Iain Jones and still considers him to be one of the good guys. He has said that David Walker had wanted to get rid of Jones but he would have preferred it if Jones had stayed with the band.
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Post by Mrs Flittersnoop on Jan 12, 2020 20:00:45 GMT
I would guess he's beyond the Tour Managing stage now.
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Post by Mrs Flittersnoop on Jan 15, 2020 22:45:10 GMT
Has anyone ever heard the story about the boys driving the "three grand Deutsche car" (the car the band used to travel in on the road) into a pool and Colin being very pissed off with them?
That "feels" a bit like an urban legend. Unlike Keith Moon, I don't think Quo could afford to ditch a car and cover the recovery costs from a swimming pool at that time. (And I know Rick has rolled quite a few cars, but he would he treat a car like that on purpose?)
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Post by fretbuzzzzz on Jan 16, 2020 1:19:47 GMT
Has anyone ever heard the story about the boys driving the "three grand Deutsche car" (the car the band used to travel in on the road) into a pool and Colin being very pissed off with them? There was the time when they had the driver Jim working for them (the same Jim that the band wanted to sack after his first day as they realised he wasn't a particularly good driver. Though he ended up staying with them for 6 years!) and he drove the band in an old Daimler car to a party at a hotel. There were various faces (!) at the party such as Ronnie Wood and Rod. Anyway, the party got out of hand with everyone being thrown into the pool. The whole place getting messed up, so the band decided to do a runner and head for the hills. Though one small draw back, Jim and the Daimler were waiting outside but closed-in by other cars. The band told Jim to just put his foot down and he did! Scraping the sides of the Daimler and the cars as he went.
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quodec
Veteran Rocker Rollin'
Twelve bar blues is now alright.
Posts: 1,213
Favourite Quo Album: Blue For You
Favourite other bands.: early AC/DC, Angel City, Blackfoot, Rose Tattoo, Slade
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Post by quodec on Jan 16, 2020 22:41:46 GMT
Read Mick Wall's Led Zeppelin biog over Christmas and it was apparent once Peter Grant became dependent on coke and ended up a recluse in the late 70s and into 1980, that the band's decision-making processes went to pieces. Same with Quo, once the drugs kicked in and the yes men took over, their cohesiveness as a musical entity went out the window. Its the ultimate trick for a band to survive, use the alcohol/drugs to fuel new music and performances but to control it sufficiently that things don't go to hell! Very few bands have survived that balancing act.
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Post by railroad007 on Apr 4, 2020 13:35:19 GMT
Jones sacked the road crew after a debacle at Hammersmith during NTL tour.I was there and it started when RP was trying to sing Little Lady and the mike kept falling off,the band spent as much time looking side wards rather than at the audience.
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Post by Mrs Flittersnoop on Apr 6, 2020 13:30:41 GMT
Thanks for the insight into that Railroad. I guess that doesn't count Francis knocking people's mics over ...
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Post by wolfman on Apr 17, 2020 5:49:57 GMT
Well ....all those versions of all those band members/managers ect perhaps all the versions make the right version.
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