Triggsy
Rocker Rollin'
Posts: 184
Favourite Quo Album: On The Level
Favourite other bands.: AC/DC Greenday Airbourne
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Post by Triggsy on Dec 26, 2022 14:02:19 GMT
Got this book recently, it's even advertised on the Official Quo website (does anyone actually go on there since the SQMB was shut down??) very good read overall, a few snippets I never knew about, and didn't realise that Pip Williams actually played on so many tracks overall when producing Quo. Aside from not being a Musician myself (apart from playing the Triangle) there's loads of info for those that are, and looking back with line up changes through the decade, the overriding feeling after finishing it today, is that by the end of the 80's it had already evolved into Francis Rossi's Band (the Author says as much)
From Just Supposin' through to Perfect Remedy, what an overall decline to our Favourite Band, and after reading that Alan was quoted elsewhere saying that Francis and Rick were using the Quo name to release solo orientated tracks, following their unsuccessful attempts to launch separate solo careers (especially Francis in my humble opinion) you can see why in reality, nothing ever runs smoothly or stays the same...
Recommended
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Post by railroad007 on Dec 26, 2022 17:53:11 GMT
Thanks for the review Triggsy. The band that many on here liked the most ended when JC was handed his cards. It's all done and dusted now. Those of us fortunate enough to have seen the classic line up pre 1979 and in 2013/14 know the massive difference between what's on stage and on record after NTL.
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Dark
Rocker Rollin'
Posts: 262
Favourite Quo Album: Quo
Favourite other bands.: Iron Maiden, Deep Purple, Huey Lewis,
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Post by Dark on Dec 26, 2022 23:59:20 GMT
This book was one of the Christmas presents that I received, however I can't comment much as have only ready the first few pages so far.
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mrpink1991
New Rocker Rollin'
Posts: 20 
Favourite Quo Album: Changes weekly!
Favourite other bands.: Dire Straits, Level 42, Blackberry Smoke
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Post by mrpink1991 on Dec 27, 2022 21:39:23 GMT
Got this book recently, it's even advertised on the Official Quo website (does anyone actually go on there since the SQMB was shut down??) very good read overall, a few snippets I never knew about, and didn't realise that Pip Williams actually played on so many tracks overall when producing Quo. Aside from not being a Musician myself (apart from playing the Triangle) there's loads of info for those that are, and looking back with line up changes through the decade, the overriding feeling after finishing it today, is that by the end of the 80's it had already evolved into Francis Rossi's Band (the Author says as much) From Just Supposin' through to Perfect Remedy, what an overall decline to our Favourite Band, and after reading that Alan was quoted elsewhere saying that Francis and Rick were using the Quo name to release solo orientated tracks, following their unsuccessful attempts to launch separate solo careers (especially Francis in my humble opinion) you can see why in reality, nothing ever runs smoothly or stays the same... Recommended Thanks so much! I’m honoured that you enjoyed and recommended it. Happy new year! |
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roquer
Rocker Rollin'
Posts: 558
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Post by roquer on Dec 30, 2022 13:07:42 GMT
Knowing the history of Kiss or the Rolling Stones tracks, I'm curious if any bass part was played by another member rather than Alan in a Quo song. Do the book say something like that? (Who says bass part, says another guitar or whatever)
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Post by freewilly on Dec 30, 2022 15:42:22 GMT
Knowing the history of Kiss or the Rolling Stones tracks, I'm curious if any bass part was played by another member rather than Alan in a Quo song. Do the book say something like that? (Who says bass part, says another guitar or whatever) Can't say for a fact but, there are tracks where I "feel" he's not playing on them I can't remember which one it was but "Take Me Away" is 100% Alan. You can tell by the way it's played and then I moved to another track and remember thinking the bass felt different. It's him on LOAI but, that's not him on the demo for Rearrange |
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gav
Veteran Rocker Rollin'
Posts: 2,025
Favourite Quo Album: On The Level
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Post by gav on Jan 13, 2023 9:42:17 GMT
The biggest revelation for me is the implication that it might not have been Andy responsible for all of the horrible synth sounds on Army and Complaining. Paul "Wix" Wickens uncredited on Army, but credited on Complaining.
Those are the albums i associate the most with these "additional keyboards" and although Andy may have been "directed" by Rossi in the preceding few years (80's), Francis perhaps simply brought someone else in to do the job where Andy was reluctant to stray too far from a more organic piano/organ sound.
I also remember the "rumour" on here a few years back that post-Live Aid, Andy wasn't even necessarily going to be asked back into Quo, though i take that one with a pinch of salt. Everything was obviously pretty messy.
Maybe that info about the keyboards makes them a little more bearable though?
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mrpink1991
New Rocker Rollin'
Posts: 20
Favourite Quo Album: Changes weekly!
Favourite other bands.: Dire Straits, Level 42, Blackberry Smoke
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Post by mrpink1991 on Jan 13, 2023 11:37:19 GMT
The biggest revelation for me is the implication that it might not have been Andy responsible for all of the horrible synth sounds on Army and Complaining. Paul "Wix" Wickens uncredited on Army, but credited on Complaining.
Those are the albums i associate the most with these "additional keyboards" and although Andy may have been "directed" by Rossi in the preceding few years (80's), Francis perhaps simply brought someone else in to do the job where Andy was reluctant to stray too far from a more organic piano/organ sound.
I also remember the "rumour" on here a few years back that post-Live Aid, Andy wasn't even necessarily going to be asked back into Quo, though i take that one with a pinch of salt. Everything was obviously pretty messy.
Maybe that info about the keyboards makes them a little more bearable though?
Thanks Gav - you’re too kind! |
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mortified
4500 Timer
Posts: 4,608
Favourite Quo Album: Hello!
Favourite other bands.: 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 Jan 13, 2023 12:11:38 GMT
I think the suggestion where Alan is quoted as saying that Francis and Rick were using the band name to release solo oriented tracks for their own end is probably how it seemed from a distance. Because from '86 to '88, that's precisely what the record company did use a lot of the time, particularly with B-sides/extra CD single tracks. Just to get some product out there so the band could fulfil a contractual obligation I imagine.
Or that's how I always understood it. But it must have looked like self-interest from afar.
As for the 80's in general, it was quite a rapid decline in terms of popularity towards the end of the decade. Even up to and including In The Army Now, the band were very successful. The quality or otherwise of the material is and always will be subjective but its fair to say most Quo fans weren't keen. The sales of Perfect Remedy demonstrated that.
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gav
Veteran Rocker Rollin'
Posts: 2,025
Favourite Quo Album: On The Level
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Post by gav on Jan 13, 2023 12:37:41 GMT
Remedy was poorly publicised though. Maybe Pip's assertion that the final sound needed more work led to background goings-on that resulted in a rushed release, although you could say it was the preceding singles that suffered that fate initially.
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gav
Veteran Rocker Rollin'
Posts: 2,025
Favourite Quo Album: On The Level
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Post by gav on Jan 13, 2023 12:48:58 GMT
Having read the book, also Francis' book, and piecing together everything i've read over the years, it really does seem in a general sense, that Francis was pretty unhappy with the constraints of Quo after the 70's, and it was this that led to the changes in direction, the more solo-orientated tracks of the early-to-mid 80's, the disbandment of the band, the reluctant re-grouping, and the subsequent entrapment of him in a Quo which could only survive by trading off their peak period - and here we are, still!
Could be wrong of course, and i'm sure it's a theory that's been proposed on here plenty, but a lot of what has happened since the 80's can be put down to his direction and feelings. He tried to go solo, found himself back in Quo, who, to be fair, have broadened their style quite a bit since, but i feel that dismissive, "just another gig", "just another product to sell a tour", jokey, lack of interest in Quo's legacy sort of attitude is possibly down to his dissatisfaction about his own personal artistic freedom/credibility which, in Quo, is kind of absorbed a bit by the whole 70's-nostagliafest. He's kind of permanently fighting that, which to my mind is why he'll never see Quo the way the fans see them.
But, could be wrong!
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Post by curiousgirl on Jan 13, 2023 13:22:45 GMT
I haven't read this book, but I have read Francis' bios and I agree gav , that is what I see too. I don't know if it is a lack of a confidence on his part, or maybe he doesn't have the breadth of musical ability to move into other areas?? Or he liked the financial life-style of Quo too much, or even he needed to pay child support. He had at least 4 children by the 80s. There are very few that branch out in ways they want though. One exception is Freddie Mercury who had a clear vision of what else he could do. And now Jeff Beck. Beck didn't just listen to other musical styles, he mastered them. What I find sad is that Francis let his frustrations get in the way of realising the gifts he does have. |
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mortified
4500 Timer
Posts: 4,608
Favourite Quo Album: Hello!
Favourite other bands.: 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 Jan 13, 2023 14:20:23 GMT
Francis's overall dissatisfaction comes across in his latest book, Songbook, as well. There's no doubt he's always felt confined musically within Quo, even early on. But he's also been stuck with the fact that a lot of what he wanted to sing and play, whether within or outwith the band, proved to be largely unpopular. There have been exceptions of course; Marguerita Time springs immediately to mind. But there's a world of difference between having the odd quirky track released as a single and making a career out of it. The writing combination of Rossi/Young kept things within a blues/country format but take the blues aspect out and much fewer people wanted to know. It's just the way it is. Hence the generally less admired Rossi-Frost material. That difference in approach was so evident on Heavy Traffic after Bob was back in the fold, it almost felt like a "we told you so" moment. He'd never go for that though  |
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Post by curiousgirl on Jan 13, 2023 14:30:03 GMT
Back in 2010, when I went to the first of his solo gigs, I was very curious to find out what type of music Francis really wanted to play. That is what I expected, before I went; something quite different and striking. But it wasn't that different to the Rossi/Frost melodies. I'll admit now, I was disappointed. I did go again, about 3 months later. He and his band were more confident and I knew what to expect. So I enjoyed it more. And there were tracks, new to me from the later Quo catalogue, I didn't know and enjoyed.
But I partly went again because I loved the energy of his daughter's band, The North. They blew me away at the first gig. And I wanted to see them again.
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Post by 4th Chord on Jan 13, 2023 14:38:02 GMT
Remedy was poorly publicised though. Maybe Pip's assertion that the final sound needed more work led to background goings-on that resulted in a rushed release, although you could say it was the preceding singles that suffered that fate initially. After a heady run of Gold and Silver records for the band, Perfect Remedy was the first one to achieve Cardboard. |
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