Look what arrived today of all days!

I've started reading this now.  And its a gem of a book.

Andrew Cope was, like many of us here, a teenage fan from the 70s and he played lead guitar.

I'm only on Ch 1 but I'm loving how he puts their music in detailed context of the other bands around at the time and how they all influenced one another.  Stuff we know but he writes so well.  

A couple of lines that leapt out at me, (a writer). 

Describing the hardcore 70s fans. "Keep calm and carry on rocking became their mantra as the Quo machine bulldozed and crushed every bad review into insignificance."

Of the whole musical shift of the late 60s into 70s rock, he says, "those bands were all moving together like interacting cogs in some kind of rock machinery set in motion by shifting cultural changes."

And final quote is on the album Spare Parts which he affectionately describes as "sounding like the love child of the Bee Gees and Marmalade."

Really enjoying it so far. And for the musicians amongst us, it goes into real detail about composition etc.  I have a basic musical knowledge to play piano/guitar but I suspect that will be harder for me to grasp. I'm curious about learning more though.

I'll write a short review once I've finished it. But couldn't resist sharing these snippets here.

Thanks Andy, if you read this.  I delighted to see Quo finally given the respect we all know they deserve. 

Awesome cover photo... amazing to think Captain Rossi has steered the good ship Quo through over 50 years of adventures from full steam ahead to those abandoning ship, dismissals, storms, and then onto clearer waters to what is now left of the mighty Quo drifting in the doldrums while waiting for a clearer future with this pandemic in place. He is a survivor but just reflecting on that particular photo leaves me in no doubt of that magical band I saw and HEARD in Canberra, then Sydney back in the 70s... they were the real deal.That is Quo.

Another shipwreck? 

Wow, I love that insight about Marmalade  to support his description.  That really tickles me. 

When the book first came out in hardback is was over £100. And it has no photos and its A5. So it wasn't really discussed on here. It's mostly aimed at music students at college but he has written it to make it accessible to fans also.  And there are plenty of cultural references too. And gigs I've never heard of. He mentioned one from 73 (can't find exact one but I'll to post later). Fingers crossed it will be a goldmine of details in that way.

Its now in paperback and I found it for £34 online. Not cheap but with all that research and insight, I'm very happy with that. 

I know its not cheap, is it! They put out the kindle and paperback versions due to demand from Quo fans, I gathered from the author's website.  It was originally aimed at university and college libraries. 

Page count = 130. Its slim but type face is small and its densely written.  

I think it depends on how much of a musician you are and/or whether you would read it more than once.  I do understand that pull for the physical copy though.  Its why I've waited over a year to read it.