Status Quo’s Francis Rossi talks about more than 40 years spent Rockin’ Around the World

Nov 24 2011 Chester Chronicle

Status Quo’s Francis Rossi talks to Laura Davis about more than 40 years spent Rockin’ Around the World

Does familiarity breed contempt or deep friendship?

Status Quo’s Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt have been rockin’ all over the world together for more than four decades and still seem unsure of the answer.

“I’ve been married to my current wife for 23 years,” says Rossi. “Well, that’s nothing compared to what I’ve been with Rick, is it?

“I used to laugh at that, but it’s more like a marriage than I realise.”

Like elderly couples, they know what each other is thinking without a word passing between them, he reveals.

“It’s sad that, isn’t it?” he adds. “He knows what I’m going to do and I know what he’s going to do.

“It’s a bit restrictive in some ways.”

With that in mind, perhaps it’s time to open the marriage up to others – and that’s exactly what they’re doing this winter with their Quofest tour.

When they call into the Echo Arena on December 6, the London rock band will be joined by special guests Roy Wood (The Move, Electric Light Orchestra, Wizzard) and 80s popstar-turned-gardener Kim Wilde for a show billed as “the ultimate Christmas party”.

With more hit albums than The Beatles and more Top of The Pops appearances than any other band, Status Quo’s long career began with their 1968 debut hit, Pictures of Matchstick Men.

“I was trying to write something like Jimi Hendrix’s Hey Joe, so I played two strings then sang it in falsetto,” recalls Rossi.

“The producer said, ‘Why don’t you sing it in a normal voice?’ So I did, and it was a B-side.

“Someone said we should turn that over. It’s better than the other side. It charted and that was it.”

He compares that moment with being an X Factor winner.

“Like them, you think, ‘It starts here’,” he explains.

“There’s this thing where you’re trying to make it all your life, and suddenly bang!

“It was marvellous. Exactly what we were looking for.”

Giddy as they were with the initial glow of fame, they had no clue of what was to come, adds Rossi.

“You could never say at the time, ‘30 hit singles!’ Don't be stupid. Nobody’s ever done that,” he says.

“And to last until you were 40! You know what young people are like – you think you're dead at 40.

“Well, Uncle Mick (Jagger) as I like to call him, he’s pushing 70, isn’t he? And he still looks pretty good.”

At 61, Rossi is touring far later in life than he’d imagined when he started out and, back in May, Status Quo released a new album, Quid Quo Pro, which has been well-received.

“It’s quite nice to be on an album project where everyone’s saying, ‘My God. You’ve done it this time, haven’t you?’.”

Status Quo play the Echo Arena in Liverpool on December 6.