Status Quo (band) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Status Quo
Status Quo performing in 2017 From left: Leon Cave (on drums), Richie Malone, Francis Rossi, John Edwards, Andy Bown
Background information
Also known as	The Paladins (1962–1963) The Spectres (1963–1967) Traffic Jam (1967) The Status Quo (1967–1969)
Origin	London, England
Genres	Rock boogie rock hard rock psychedelia (early)
Years active	1962–1984 1985–present
Labels	Pye Vertigo Capitol Polydor Eagle Sanctuary Mercury Fourth Chord Edel Ear
Members	Francis Rossi Andy Bown John "Rhino" Edwards Leon Cave Richie Malone
Past members	See: Personnel

Status Quo is a famous British rock band. The group started in London in 1962. It was founded by Francis Rossi and Alan Lancaster when they were still in school.

The band changed its name a few times. They were called The Paladins and then The Spectres. In 1963, John Coghlan joined. In 1967, Rick Parfitt became a member. That same year, the band became The Status Quo. By 1969, they were known simply as Status Quo.

Status Quo has been active for over 60 years. They are one of the most successful bands in the UK. They have had more than 60 hit songs in the UK. This is more than any other band! Some of their most famous songs include "Pictures of Matchstick Men", "Down Down", and "Rockin' All Over the World".

Twenty-two of their songs reached the Top 10 in the UK Singles Chart. Fifty-seven of their songs made it into the Top 40. They have released over 100 singles and 33 albums. Many of these albums were bestsellers. They have had 25 albums reach the UK Top 10. Their album Backbone in 2019 was one of them.

In 2012, they were named the tenth best-selling group ever on the UK Singles Chart. They sold 7.2 million singles in the UK alone. By 2015, they were one of only 50 artists to spend over 500 weeks on the UK Albums Chart. Status Quo is known for its many hit songs and albums. They are one of the most successful bands of all time, especially in their home country.

In July 1985, the band opened the huge Live Aid concert. They played "Rockin' All Over the World" at Wembley Stadium. In 1991, Status Quo won a Brit Award. This award was for their amazing contribution to music. In 2014, they won the Service to Rock award at the Kerrang! Awards. Status Quo has appeared on the BBC show Top of the Pops more than any other band. People often call them a "national institution" in the UK. This is because of their success and their charity work. The band has sold about 108-118 million records worldwide.

How Status Quo Started: The Early Years (1962–1967)

Status Quo began in 1962. They were first called The Paladins. Francis Rossi (who sang and played guitar) and Alan Lancaster (who played bass) started the band. They were classmates at Sedgehill Comprehensive School in London. Jess Jaworski played keyboards and Alan Key played drums.

Rossi and Lancaster played their first show in Dulwich, London. In 1963, John Coghlan replaced Alan Key on drums. The band then changed its name to The Spectres. Alan Lancaster's father helped them get weekly shows. A manager named Pat Barlow noticed them. He helped them get more shows around London.

In 1965, Jess Jaworski left the band. Roy Lynes took his place on keyboards. The band started writing their own songs. Later that year, they met Rick Parfitt. He was playing in another band called The Highlights. Rossi and Parfitt became good friends. They decided to keep working together.

In 1966, The Spectres signed a record deal. They released two songs that year. These were "I (Who Have Nothing)" and "Hurdy Gurdy Man". In 1967, they released "(We Ain't Got) Nothin' Yet". None of these songs became big hits.

In 1967, the band's music style changed. It became more psychedelic. They renamed themselves Traffic. But they had to change it again to Traffic Jam. This was to avoid confusion with another band called Traffic. In July 1967, Rick Parfitt officially joined the band. He played rhythm guitar and sang. Soon after, in August 1967, the band officially became The Status Quo.

Becoming Famous: Developing Their Sound (1968–1971)

The Status Quo in 1968. From left: Francis Rossi, John Coghlan, Rick Parfitt, Roy Lynes, Alan Lancaster.

In January 1968, the group released "Pictures of Matchstick Men". This song had a psychedelic sound. It became a big hit in the UK, reaching number seven. It was also their only Top 40 hit in the United States.

Their next song, "Black Veils of Melancholy", was not successful. But they had another hit that same year. It was a pop song called "Ice in the Sun". It reached number eight. All three songs were on their first album, Picturesque Matchstickable Messages from the Status Quo. This album came out in September 1968. After this success, the band hired Bob Young. He helped them on tour. Over the years, Bob Young became a very important songwriter for Status Quo.

Their second album, Spare Parts (1969), did not sell well. So, the band changed their music style again. They moved towards a harder rock sound. Their look also changed. They started wearing faded jeans and T-shirts. This became their signature style in the 1970s.

This new sound was first heard on their third album. It was called Ma Kelly's Greasy Spoon (1970). The song "Down the Dustpipe" also showed this new style. Roy Lynes left the band in 1970. The band continued as a four-piece group. Sometimes, guest keyboard players joined them in the studio. One of these was Andy Bown. He later became an official member of Status Quo in 1981. The band's first song without Lynes was "In My Chair" in late 1970. Their fourth album, Dog of Two Head, came out in 1971.

Big Success: The Vertigo Years (1972–1981)

The "Frantic Four" lineup in 1978. From left: Francis Rossi, Rick Parfitt and Alan Lancaster (partially hidden: John Coghlan).

In 1972, the band signed with Vertigo Records. This label was known for heavy rock music. Their first album with Vertigo was Piledriver. It came out in 1972 and reached the Top 5 in the UK. Piledriver had a heavier sound. This album set the style for their next four albums. These were Hello! (1973), Quo (1974), On the Level (1975), and Blue for You (1976).

Hello! was the band's first UK No. 1 album. Quo reached No. 2. Both On the Level and Blue for You also reached No. 1. In 1976, they signed a special deal with Levi's. The next year, they released a double live album called Live!. It reached No. 3 in the UK.

Many of their songs from this time became hits. "Down Down" was their only UK No. 1 single. It topped the charts in January 1975. Other hits included "Caroline" (No. 5 in 1973) and "Rockin' All Over the World" (No. 3 in 1977).

From 1977 onwards, the band's sound became more polished. They started working with outside music producers. Roger Glover from Deep Purple produced some songs. Pip Williams produced three studio albums: Rockin' All Over the World (1977), If You Can't Stand the Heat... (1978), and Whatever You Want (1979). All these albums reached the Top 5 in the UK. The song "Rockin' All Over the World" became one of Status Quo's most famous songs. In 1980, the band released a greatest hits album. It was called 12 Gold Bars and reached No. 3.

Changes and Live Aid (1981–1990)

In late 1981, John Coghlan left the band. Pete Kircher replaced him on drums. Andy Bown also became an official member of the band. This new lineup recorded three albums. These were 1+9+8+2, Live at the N.E.C., and Back to Back. Their last full show with this lineup was in July 1984. In 1984, the band released a cover of "The Wanderer". It reached No. 7.

Status Quo's last performance with the Kircher lineup was at Live Aid in July 1985. This was a huge charity event. After this, there were some disagreements within the band. Alan Lancaster left the band officially in 1987.

In 1986, Status Quo supported Queen on their tour. The album In the Army Now was released that year. It was very successful and reached No. 7 in the UK. The song "In the Army Now" became one of their biggest UK hits, reaching No. 2.

Their next album, Ain't Complaining (1988), was less successful. But it had the No. 5 hit "Burning Bridges". In 1990, the band had their last UK Top 10 single. It was "The Anniversary Waltz Part One". This was a mix of classic rock and roll songs. It celebrated 25 years since Rossi and Parfitt first met. This song was on a new greatest hits album, Rocking All Over the Years. This album reached No. 1 in the UK.

New Music and Touring (1991–2009)

In the early 1990s, album sales for the band slowed down. To promote their album Rock 'til You Drop (1991), Quo played four big shows in 12 hours. This earned them a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. In 1992, they released their third live album, Live Alive Quo.

Their next studio album, Thirsty Work (1994), had a lighter sound. The albums Don't Stop (1996) and Famous in the Last Century (2000) mostly had cover songs. Don't Stop had some chart success with covers of Fleetwood Mac's "Don't Stop" and The Beach Boys' "Fun, Fun, Fun". In 1993, Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt performed at the Blackpool Illuminations switch-on. Over 25,000 people came to watch.

Rick Parfitt had heart surgery in 1997. He recovered well and performed again three months later. Status Quo also toured Australia in 1997. A greatest hits album, Whatever You Want – The Very Best of Status Quo, was released. In 1999, Quo toured Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. They played with a full orchestra at some concerts.

Jeff Rich left the band in 2000. Matt Letley replaced him. Andrew Bown also took a year off. In November 2000, the band played a show in the Australian outback. They performed on a train carriage!

Performing at Arrow Rock Festival in the Netherlands in 2006. From left: Parfitt, Rossi, Matt Letley (behind drums), John "Rhino" Edwards.

Between 2002 and 2005, Quo released three albums: Heavy Traffic, Riffs, and The Party Ain't Over Yet. Another greatest hits album, XS All Areas – The Greatest Hits, came out in 2004. It had two new songs. In 2005, Rossi and Parfitt appeared in the TV show Coronation Street.

In December 2005, Rick Parfitt had a health issue. All tour dates were cancelled. But he recovered fully. In May 2006, a recovered Parfitt and the band played a show in Birmingham. This was their 40th show at that venue. It was filmed for a DVD called Just Doin' It.

Handprints of Rossi and Parfitt of Status Quo at the Wembley Square of Fame in London.

On July 1, 2007, they played at the new Wembley Stadium. This was part of the Concert for Diana. On September 15, 2007, Rossi and Parfitt appeared on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. They won £50,000 for charity.

Their 28th studio album, In Search of the Fourth Chord, came out in September 2007. The title was a joke about how people often say they are a "three-chord" band. This album was moderately successful.

In 2008, they worked with the German techno group Scooter. They recorded a new version of their 1979 song "Whatever You Want". In December 2008, they released their first Christmas song. It was called "It's Christmas Time". This song was from their new greatest hits album, Pictures – 40 Years of Hits.

New Projects and Reunions (2010–2013)

In 2010, Rossi and Parfitt received special awards. They were given the OBE for their music and charity work. This included work for The Prince's Trust.

On September 20, 2010, Status Quo was honored with a plaque. It marked their first show in 1967. Later that month, a new version of "In the Army Now" was released. All money from this song went to military charities. Live at the BBC, a collection of their BBC performances, came out in October 2010.

Their 29th studio album, Quid Pro Quo, was released in May 2011. It reached No. 10 on the UK chart. In December 2011, Status Quo went on their first UK winter tour in big arenas. They also played at The O2 in London for the first time.

The band's first movie documentary, Hello Quo!, was filmed in 2011. It showed in cinemas in October 2012. It included interviews with other famous musicians.

Parfitt and Rossi at the UK film premiere of Bula Quo! in July 2013.

In April 2012, Status Quo announced they were making their first feature film. It was a 90-minute action comedy called Bula Quo!. The band played themselves in the movie. It was released in cinemas in July 2013. A soundtrack album with the same name came out in June. It was their 30th studio album. Bula Quo! debuted at number 10 in the UK chart.

In July 2012, the band released the song "The Winner" for the 2012 Summer Olympics. In Australia, a supermarket chain called Coles used Status Quo's "Down Down" song for their adverts. In September 2012, the band played at Hyde Park for BBC Radio 2.

In December 2012, Matt Letley announced he was leaving the band. He left after their 2012 winter tour. However, he toured with them in Australia and Mexico in 2013.

The original 1970–81 lineup (Rossi, Parfitt, Lancaster, and Coghlan) reunited in March 2013. They called themselves "The Frantic Four". They played several shows in the UK. Three live albums were released from this tour. The Wembley show was also filmed for a DVD.

In May 2013, Leon Cave became Quo's new drummer. In late 2013, Status Quo went on their Bula Quo tour. They were supported by other bands like Uriah Heep. In November 2013, it was announced that Status Quo would play at the Download Festival in June 2014.

Acoustic Shows and Sad News (2014–Present)

In January 2014, a brewery released a Status Quo brand of beer. It was named after their 1972 album Piledriver. March 2014 saw the second "Frantic Four" reunion tour. This was the last time this lineup played together. The final show was in Dublin. It was recorded and filmed for an album and DVD. On March 8, 2014, Rossi and Parfitt performed with McBusted on a TV show.

Parfitt and Rossi performing at Festival Pause Guitare, 2015.

In August 2014, founding keyboardist Jess Jaworski passed away. In October 2014, Parfitt and Rossi performed an acoustic version of "Pictures of Matchstick Men" on a BBC show. In May 2015, they talked about their Aquostic – Stripped Bare album on another BBC show. On May 9, 2015, they performed "In the Army Now" at a VE Day celebration.

On October 22, 2014, the band launched their Aquostic album. They performed a 90-minute acoustic show in London. This concert was broadcast live on BBC Radio 2. A live album and DVD of the concert were released in 2015. On June 5, 2015, Status Quo headlined a concert at Palmerston Park in Dumfries. This was the first live concert at that venue.

Handprints of Status Quo in the Munich Walk of Stars in Germany (pictured in 2015).

In February 2016, Status Quo announced a European tour. They said they would stop playing 'electric' tours after this. The 'Last of The Electrics' tour was extended into 2017. The band also performed an acoustic show at BBC Radio 2's Live in Hyde Park in September 2016. Their next album, Aquostic II – That's a Fact!, was released on October 21, 2016.

On October 28, 2016, Rick Parfitt stopped performing live. He had suffered a heart attack earlier that year. On December 24, he sadly passed away in a hospital in Spain. His funeral was held in January 2017. Irish guitarist Richie Malone took his place in the band.

In June 2019, Status Quo were special guests for Lynyrd Skynyrd's UK farewell tour. On June 14, 2019, the band announced their 33rd studio album, Backbone. This was the first Status Quo studio album without Rick Parfitt. Backbone was released on September 6, 2019. It reached number 6 in the UK Albums Chart. On September 15, 2019, the band performed at BBC Radio 2's Live in Hyde Park for the third time. On Christmas Day 2019, the band appeared on The Great British Bake Off TV show. They performed "Rockin' All Over the World".

In August 2020, Status Quo cancelled their tour because of the COVID-19 pandemic. On September 26, 2021, co-founder Alan Lancaster passed away at age 72. He had been battling multiple sclerosis.

The band's next tour, Out Out Quoing, took place in 2022. It started in the UK and then went to Germany. In November 2023, Francis Rossi appeared on a TV show. He talked about his childhood and the band's rise to fame. In May 2024, Rossi appeared on another TV show. He spoke about his fitness and getting ready for summer shows.

Touring Around the World

Status Quo has played at least 3700 documented shows by September 2022. The band believes they have played over 6000 shows in total. They estimate that over 25 million people have seen them perform live. The band has played over a hundred shows in a single year many times. In 1971, they played 144 shows, which means a show every 2.5 days! The band calculated that after 48 years of touring, they had traveled about four million miles. They also spent 23 years away from home. Status Quo has toured almost every year since 1968. They have visited every populated continent.

Band Members

Current members

• Francis Rossi – lead guitar, vocals (1962–present)
• Andy Bown – keyboards, rhythm guitar, harmonica, vocals (1981–present; also played as a guest musician from 1976–1981)
• John "Rhino" Edwards – bass, rhythm guitar, vocals (1985–present)
• Leon Cave – drums, percussion, backing vocals (2013–present)
• Richie Malone – rhythm guitar, vocals (2016–present)

Former members

• Alan Lancaster – bass, vocals (1962–1985; reunited for tours in 2013–2014; passed away in 2021)
• Alan Key – drums, percussion (1962–1963)
• Jess Jaworski – keyboards (1962–1965; passed away in 2014)
• John Coghlan – drums, percussion (1963–1981; reunited for tours in 2013–2014)
• Roy Lynes – keyboards, vocals (1965–1970)
• Rick Parfitt – rhythm guitar, vocals (1967–2016; passed away in 2016)
• Pete Kircher – drums, percussion, vocals (1981–1985)
• Jeff Rich – drums, percussion (1985–2000)
• Matt Letley – drums, percussion, vocals (2000–2013)

Albums Released by Status Quo

Songs Covered by Other Artists

Many artists have covered Status Quo's songs.

• In 1989, American rock band Camper Van Beethoven had a hit with their version of "Pictures of Matchstick Men".
• British band Kasabian also released a cover of "Pictures of Matchstick Men" in 2006.
• Ozzy Osbourne covered "Pictures of Matchstick Men" for a movie soundtrack in 1997.
• DJ John Peel was known for playing "Down Down" in his sets.
• Arjen Lucassen covered "Pictures Of Matchstick Men" and "Ice in the Sun" on his solo album.
• Bad Religion guitarist Brett Gurewitz covered "Pictures of Matchstick Men" in 1985.
• German metal band Helloween covered "Rain" for their single "Power".

See also

In Spanish: Status Quo (banda) para niños