mortified
4500 Timer
Posts: 5,861
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 Mar 13, 2024 16:39:38 GMT
As already said, these were record company decisions. And Francis in particular was the voice on the singles that made them hugely popular; Paper Plane, Caroline, Break The Rules, Down Down, Roll Over Lay Down.... The record company were probably content to maintain that familiarity. Once the public get used to something and recognise it, that's what the business side of things wants. Quo fans alone would never get the band to no.1 in the singles charts. There had to be a broader appeal. It only changed when Rain and then Mystery Song were released. Why there was that change all of a sudden, its hard to say. It's not like there weren't other contenders on Blue For You with Francis on vocals. I guess Ole Rag Blues is the one that might have had Alan on the single release. I genuinely think it was even considered judging by folklore. Wouldn't have improved it any though At the end of the day, there can be no complaints. Quo have had many, many hit singles. Maybe sometimes - and I stress only sometimes - the record company should be given some credit.
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matt
Veteran Rocker Rollin'
Posts: 1,013
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Post by matt on Mar 14, 2024 0:46:47 GMT
Techincally he sang on 2 Singles but they never charted and they were not "Status Quo" Hurdy Gurdy Man was the 2nd singles The Spectres released. While he shared vocals with Francis on We Ain't Got Nothin Yet. Having said that What Your'e Proposing Alan is on backing vocals througout that one. Rick never sings any of it. Pretty sure that’s Bernie frost in backing vocals and they gave it to Alan for tv and live
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mortified
4500 Timer
Posts: 5,861
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 Mar 14, 2024 7:12:18 GMT
Alan did seem to get some B-sides. I wonder if this was akin to some sort of agreement?
He initially got a sole writing credit for Joanne and then was heard on lead vocals for Drifting Away, All Through The Night, Too Far Gone, Hard Ride, Backwater, I Want The World To Know and Big Man. Quite a few B-sides that.
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Post by Quoincidence on Mar 14, 2024 7:24:59 GMT
Techincally he sang on 2 Singles but they never charted and they were not "Status Quo" Hurdy Gurdy Man was the 2nd singles The Spectres released. While he shared vocals with Francis on We Ain't Got Nothin Yet. Having said that What Your'e Proposing Alan is on backing vocals througout that one. Rick never sings any of it. Pretty sure that’s Bernie frost in backing vocals and they gave it to Alan for tv and live Indeed it is Bernie. Just like the majority of BV's on the Back To Back album. Ricks vocals aren't on A Mess Of Blues or Marguerita Time but does the vocals for playback performances.
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Post by markquo on Mar 14, 2024 10:00:22 GMT
Always preferred Alan’s voice Cheers
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Post by freewilly on Mar 14, 2024 14:22:21 GMT
Backwater was a missed opportunity.
That and Heavy Traffic, as single choices
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Post by fretbuzzzzz on Mar 14, 2024 23:30:27 GMT
Never thought of 'Backwater' as being suitable as a single. It certainly cleared the floor when played at a Rock Club I used to attend back in the mists of time when dancing and shaking your dandruff out (not moi, Head n' Shoulders, don't you know) was the expected behaviour. Break The Rules was certainly radio-friendly.
I do remember hearing 'Don't Think It Matters' on the radio (perhaps John Peel? not sure) and the track having something of a radio-friendly riff and melody.
It doesn't mean that I don't appreciate Backwater, but it is an album track through and through. I liked Blackwater that much that I used to cover it in a band in the 80s and worked out the solo note for note which garnered some praise.
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Post by roadhouse on Mar 15, 2024 4:38:57 GMT
Never thought of 'Backwater' as being suitable as a single. It certainly cleared the floor when played at a Rock Club I used to attend back in the mists of time when dancing and shaking your dandruff out (not moi, Head n' Shoulders, don't you know) was the expected behaviour. Break The Rules was certainly radio-friendly. I do remember hearing 'Don't Think It Matters' on the radio (perhaps John Peel? not sure) and the track having something of a radio-friendly riff and melody. It doesn't mean that I don't appreciate Backwater, but it is an album track through and through. I liked Blackwater that much that I used to cover it in a band in the 80s and worked out the solo note for note which garnered some praise. Believe it or not Backwater we used to do the greebo dance to back in the day when a Friday night disco after school was popular around the early 80's. Over the edge was also regularly played at discos. Quo were very popular at that time.
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serper
New Rocker Rollin'
Posts: 44
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Post by serper on Mar 15, 2024 11:30:44 GMT
Just take me was released as single from Quo in Spain. Break the rules was the B-side
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gav
Veteran Rocker Rollin'
Posts: 2,152
Favourite Quo Album: On The Level
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Post by gav on Mar 15, 2024 11:46:59 GMT
I Love Rock and Roll was an A-side in Australia: (although i notice it says Holland, but i can't find any evidence it was released there as a single)
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ant
Rocker Rollin'
Quo covers & more https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfcyZng8z03-RpOhdWdawvw
Posts: 625
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Post by ant on Mar 15, 2024 13:33:46 GMT
Alan did seem to get some B-sides. I wonder if this was akin to some sort of agreement? He initially got a sole writing credit for Joanne and then was heard on lead vocals for Drifting Away, All Through The Night, Too Far Gone, Hard Ride, Backwater, I Want The World To Know and Big Man. Quite a few B-sides that. Royalties, mate. The b-side sells just as many copies as the a-side (Otway quote regarding Beware of the Flowers and Really Free!). Roger Taylor's I'm In Love With My Car (bloody briliant rock song!) earned him huge monies because it was the b-side of Bo Rap.
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Post by roadhouse on Mar 15, 2024 18:47:15 GMT
I Love Rock and Roll was an A-side in Australia: (although i notice it says Holland, but i can't find any evidence it was released there as a single)
Thats interesting, great song too. What was the side of that?
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Post by roadhouse on Mar 15, 2024 18:49:04 GMT
Just take me was released as single from Quo in Spain. Break the rules was the B-side Thats also interesting, and strange how they used Break the rules as a side which was an aside here. Even stranger is I could never imagine Just take me as a single, its a great album track though. Its a bit like I could never imagine 45 hundred times as a single, having said that could 45 hundred times have been Quo's Bohemian rhapsody?
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Post by Detroit on Mar 15, 2024 20:26:36 GMT
But they released the version with Francis on vocals. I think that could have been Alan's chance to shine. Its funny because I was always a bit surprised Alan and Keith Lamb wrote Ol rag blues as its quite poppy, but it was at a time Alan criticised heavily Marguerita time, but Ol rag blues isn't exactly a rocker. Another underhanded event by Rossi. Going into the studio and remixing the whole thing when Alan and Rick weren't around.
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Post by Detroit on Mar 15, 2024 20:28:56 GMT
Backwater would have done much better than btr.
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