Quo (Status Quo album)
Encyclopedia
Quo is the seventh studio album by Status Quo, featuring Francis Rossi, Richard Parfitt, Alan Lancaster and John Coghlan. Like the previous album Hello!, it consisted entirely of songs written or co-written by the group. The only guest musicians featured were Bob Young
and Tom Parker, who played harmonica
and piano
respectively on "Break the Rules".
Despite the band believing the album's opening track, "Backwater", was the most suitable candidate for release as a single, the only track to actually be released as a single was "Break the Rules", in April 1974, and it peaked in the UK at #8.
The album itself was released in May the same year. Its highest position was #2. In retrospect this album is regarded as one of their heaviest, possibly due to the influence of bassist Alan Lancaster
, who is credited with co-writing six of the eight tracks.
The UK LP contained a gatefold insert with a picture of the band playing live on one side, backed with the lyrics on the other.
Bob Young (artist)
Robert Keith Young is an English musician and author, who became famous for being the unofficial fifth member of the rock band Status Quo.- Collaborations with Status Quo :...
and Tom Parker, who played harmonica
Harmonica
The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
and piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
respectively on "Break the Rules".
Despite the band believing the album's opening track, "Backwater", was the most suitable candidate for release as a single, the only track to actually be released as a single was "Break the Rules", in April 1974, and it peaked in the UK at #8.
The album itself was released in May the same year. Its highest position was #2. In retrospect this album is regarded as one of their heaviest, possibly due to the influence of bassist Alan Lancaster
Alan Lancaster
Alan Lancaster is a bassist and a founding ex-member of the English rock band, Status Quo...
, who is credited with co-writing six of the eight tracks.
The UK LP contained a gatefold insert with a picture of the band playing live on one side, backed with the lyrics on the other.
Track listing
- "Backwater" (ParfittRick ParfittRichard John Parfitt, OBE is best known for being a singer and the rhythm guitarist in the English rock band Status Quo.-Career:...
/LancasterAlan LancasterAlan Lancaster is a bassist and a founding ex-member of the English rock band, Status Quo...
) - 4:22 - "Just Take Me" (Parfitt/Lancaster) - 3:31
- "Break the Rules" (RossiFrancis RossiFrancis Dominic Nicholas Michael Rossi, OBE is a British musician best known for being a co-founder of the English rock band Status Quo, in which he sings lead vocals and plays lead guitar.- Career :...
/ParfittRick ParfittRichard John Parfitt, OBE is best known for being a singer and the rhythm guitarist in the English rock band Status Quo.-Career:...
/LancasterAlan LancasterAlan Lancaster is a bassist and a founding ex-member of the English rock band, Status Quo...
/CoghlanJohn Coghlan (drummer)John Robert Coghlan was an original member of the English rock band, Status Quo.The son of a Glasgow-born father and a London born half-French mother, Coghlan grew up in Dulwich, and was educated at Kingsdale Comprehensive school until leaving school at 15 to begin an apprenticeship as a...
/YoungBob Young (artist)Robert Keith Young is an English musician and author, who became famous for being the unofficial fifth member of the rock band Status Quo.- Collaborations with Status Quo :...
) - 3:37 - "Drifting Away" (Parfitt/Lancaster) - 5:00
- "Don't Think it Matters" (Parfitt/Lancaster) - 4:48
- "Fine Fine Fine" (Rossi/Young) - 2:31
- "Lonely Man" (Parfitt/Lancaster) - 5:05
- "Slow Train" (Rossi/Young) - 7:55
Personnel
- Francis RossiFrancis RossiFrancis Dominic Nicholas Michael Rossi, OBE is a British musician best known for being a co-founder of the English rock band Status Quo, in which he sings lead vocals and plays lead guitar.- Career :...
- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Rick ParfittRick ParfittRichard John Parfitt, OBE is best known for being a singer and the rhythm guitarist in the English rock band Status Quo.-Career:...
- guitar, vocals - Alan LancasterAlan LancasterAlan Lancaster is a bassist and a founding ex-member of the English rock band, Status Quo...
- bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocals - John CoghlanJohn Coghlan (drummer)John Robert Coghlan was an original member of the English rock band, Status Quo.The son of a Glasgow-born father and a London born half-French mother, Coghlan grew up in Dulwich, and was educated at Kingsdale Comprehensive school until leaving school at 15 to begin an apprenticeship as a...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Status Quo - producersRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
- Damon Lyon-Shaw - engineerAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
and mixAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may... - Richard Manwaring, Andy Miller - assistant engineers