New Interview (Francis)

Yes, it is unsettling for anyone who hasn't got used to the idea that Fran and Rick weren't brothers, they weren't Lifemates or soulmates, they were just two men who liked music and were in a band together and (this is the good bit, for them anyway) shared a similar sense of humour.

Even in the 70s it was way apparent that Rick had been complaining that Francis liked Bob better than him since about, oh, 1970. Or earlier. Rick was an emotional mop who just needed to be adored and looked after, and Francis was a reasonably independent guy who didn't like emotional overflow very much, like most blokes, I reckon. The amazing thing is that they got on in the first place, let alone after 50 years working in each other's pockets! They were very different people.

I have to say that - he talks about Bula - the ONE good bit in that was the double-act between Rick and Francis over the Russian Roulette scene. That looked like them letting rip with the Parfitt/Rossi sense of humour.

As for the rest, interesting to hear about Bernardette's expanding family, and wherever Quo stayed in York, you can be certain of one thing, it cost a fortune. Even the B&Bs cost a fortune in York. (I think the hotel which was a prison is in Oxford, it was the only one I could find on Google.)

Thanks for that M'Lord

Known the guy longer than anyone else, worked with him longer than anyone else, has been through more good and bad times with him than anyone else...

His reaction?
"Oh well, just move on. Sweep it under the rug"

I don't know if it's the human side in me or not but, I'd expect a bit more than that from him or anyone in that situation.

Freddie Mercury could get on Brian and Roger's tits, a lot of the times but, they didn't exactly go "Oh well, on we go"

And no, it's not a" Oh he hates Rossi" thing.. I was the same over the way Brian Johnson was apparently treated

Nothing nasty

Just honesty

Well, if you think I'm reading too much into it, that means you are too then

So which is it?

 Thanks for the link!

It's a bit strange seeing people expecting someone they don't know to live out their own emotional suffering in a way they can understand, but maybe it goes with being a fan. I remember being very cross with Francis myself, back in the 80s, but it wasn't over Alan (I knew what was happening there, as my family was going through something similar) or over drugs (which are none of my business), but over Liz Guernon. Which REALLY was none of my business. Maybe it's a girl thing . There were no forums then, so nowhere to fulminate, but I really wasn't very impressed with him running off with Paige Taylor (though I could see why he would want to ... on her side). I was a lot younger then, maybe old age has made me wiser, though I think it's just made me more exasperated! But I'm now furious at different people who actually bear on me and my family - things like, oh, er ... fate, mainly, and the failure of the government to put a cap on care costs for the elderly. Little things like that.

From my perspective as a Somewhat Older Person, I also see Francis as someone who has watched a contemporary of his, who he has known for most of his life and been close to in a boyish sort of way (if F really HAD been married to Rick, I doubt the relationship would have lasted longer than any of Rick's other relationships), fall apart physically and die in fear (and quite possibly pain). He was only a year older than Francis. Thinking about it, when F says "we saw him die in Turkey", there's a thread behind that which is reaching for "It might have been better for Rick if he had died in Turkey", and me thinking, suppose that were me? I think that may be the truth of it. Rick had a few extra months knowing, much more than he admitted in interviews, that his remaining time was limited and that whatever he did, he was at constant risk of being snuffed out. The fact that among the things he "did" was drinking heavily, thus increasing his chances of going sooner rather than later, was pure Rick. He was immensely tough physically (I realised that when I saw him walking on his hands in his 30s, on the TW video) but not mentally. Francis has worked hard not to be that person, partly by realising long ago that Ricks example is not one that anyone should think of following.

Also when things start to fall apart, you can fall apart, or get on with your work. It's very difficult. It really IS very difficult, I'm not just saying that. I'm the kind of person who intends to get on with her work, but tends to fall apart. "Take 10 minutes to calm down, then try and get back on dry land", as the explorer said about falling through the ice into a frozen lake. Everything I've ever seen of Quo points to Francis being a get on with the work sort of guy, and Rick as a fall apart kind of guy. I think (talking of reading things into things) the way he both tried to fire Lyndsay, at the same time as clinging to her, was as Rick as it gets.

Talking of drinking, I think I need another cup of tea.