Triggsy
Rocker Rollin'
Posts: 228
Favourite Quo Album: On The Level
Favourite other bands.: AC/DC Greenday Airbourne
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Post by Triggsy on Dec 22, 2022 13:24:32 GMT
After the continual downward spiral of the 80's and 90's of Quo's career, the change on Drums with Matt Letley replacing Jeff Rich in 2000, the credibility and output of Quo took a sharp turn upwards, a really decent period for the Band, the Walker era stunts were replaced and the music (with the return of Bob Young to the songwriting side anyway) was superior Met the line up backstage at Plymouth Pavilions in 2002, great memories of a really decent line up of Quo, sad day when Matt eventually left Quo Good Times  |
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mortified
4500 Timer
Posts: 5,855 
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 Dec 22, 2022 14:33:25 GMT
I think Matt joining the band was a coincidence in that the renaissance, for want of a better word, of the band was as much down to Bob Young coming back into the fold as anything else. His compositions with Francis seemed less bland or pop oriented than they had been with Bernie Frost. Just a change of style really.
I met Matt a couple of times but only really had one proper conversation with him; when he played for Woodedz at Cabaret Sauvage in Paris and he is a very pleasant man. Sociable enough, but quiet in his own way.
I'd also probably suggest David Walker was simply replaced by what seemed like some sort of protégé in Simon Porter who also wanted the band to have a marketing 'ploy' for everything they released. The music simply wasn't enough.
But that period after 2000 was good. The band were flying and have really maintained the quality of the music and live performances since. Four or five excellent albums blowing pretty much everything from 1983 onwards out of the water. Maybe other than Rock 'til You Drop.
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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 Dec 22, 2022 16:29:20 GMT
Not for me, I think Heavy Traffic is a pretty decent album, but I don’t rate it any higher than Under the Influence, the previous original album recorded with Jeff Rich. So there was no real uptick there, and the albums that came after were, for me, several steps backwards. There is only one song on TPAOY I have any love for, then just a couple on 4th Chord, while I think the production renders Quid Pro Quo a really difficult listen.
Live I always found Letley to hit the drums very softly, which robbed the band of any power. Rich may well have been playing slightly fast, but there was real energy and excitement there that was completely lost from the gigs once he left. Though for me it wasn’t helped by the fact they pretty much changed to all seated venues at around this time. I know everyone stood up, but standing in the space at your seat as opposed to standing down the front in a crowd of people jumping up and down is a big difference. Of the 20 odd (I know quite a low number in these parts) Quo gigs that I have attended, the ones in the early 2000’s just didn’t live up to those I attended in the 90s. In fact I didn’t attend several winter tours as I was no longer enjoying them like I had previously. Wasn’t until the re-union tours happened that I again found Quo to be an amazing gig.
As for management and stunts, for me appearing on Coronation Street and making the film, Bula Quo, doesn’t strike me as putting the music first.
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Post by iamcomplaining88 on Dec 22, 2022 17:48:52 GMT
Heavy Traffic is probably my least listened to studio album, after the terrible Aquostic albums, the production really annoys me, not to mention Green being on it, my least favourite Quo track, totally hate it.
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Post by cammythemortonfan on Dec 22, 2022 20:34:45 GMT
Patty stated on facebook that Matt was Rick’s favourite Quo drummer to play with.
If i had one criticism of Matt , it’s that he didn’t come in loud at the start of Caroline.
It’s only Leon that gets it- keep it simple, no cowbell, come crashing in and no fannying about!!
Other than that, I loved Matt’s drumming.
And what a modest guy lovely guy when you met him
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Post by backwater67 on Dec 24, 2022 14:56:29 GMT
I always liked Jeff Rich, did a good job for Quo. In the end though he seemed to be competing with the band istead of playing together. Far to fast. Matt came in & steadied the ship, more solid & held it together better.
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