SECOND PART OF THE MAG REPORT FROM 1976
THIS IS THE TEXT :
STATUS QUO
"You Cant Keep a Good Band Down"
We just give them what they want - a great thundering roar
of sound" Those are the words or Rick Parfitt, one of the guitarists from
the incredible never-say-die Status Quo.
Most groups have a long-and-winding- road story to tell but
few could equal Quo's rough-and-tumble journey to success.
They are currently on British charts with their smash hit
album Blue For You. And their new single Rain is like gold to fans
starved for new Quo material.
It's all so different form the sad stories of the lat 60s
and early 70's when the group looked a spent forces. Their story
began 13 incident-packed years ago. They broke through with two huge
hits before they were old enough to handle it.
They spent years in the wilderness, believing in themselves
when nobody else give a damn.
They had record successes, but the critics dismissed them.
even today their stage show receives its share of critical panning.
Any part of this dismal story could have destroyed most bands
but not the four "ordinary" boys, as they describe themselves, from Quo.
They've clawed their way back the hard way by baking on $15 gigs and building
up their following gradually, fan by fan. In the end the fans became fervent
tool. But they were admiring a group that had sweated tears for blood
to change their image.
Instead of the neat suited, big time showbiz group, they
came back in faded jeans, tennis shoes and T-Shirts, belting out tough,
solid brand of rock. As the end of 1971 their first single in several years,
Paper Plane, was
scheduled. Within a few weeks, It was in the top ten
and their album Pile Driver was among the top five.
their show was on the road - at last.
'Now heir tours are a rock lover's dream but a theatre manager's
nightmare. In Australia, they're allowed to play only at ope-air dates
because, in Parfitt's own words, "the kids go wild" . The group has paid
out thousands of dollars compensate owners for the damage caused by enthusiastic
fans.
They're banned from so many concert halls now that they sometimes
have trouble remembering where they are actually allowed to play. An uproarious
visit to the United States in next on their list of planned activities.
"We still feel we've got to conquer the States." says Rick,
" and I think this will be the trip that does it. "We are four very lucky
geezers. Our fans are terrifically loyal. They probably identify
with us because we are fairly ordinary blokes who happen to be able to
do something that they'd love to do. Well, they may be ordinary but they
can't seem to put a foot wrong.
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