Quo (Status Quo album)



Quo is the seventh studio album by Status Quo from 1974. 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.

Track listing

 * 1) "Backwater" (Rick Parfitt, Alan Lancaster) - 4:22
 * 2) "Just Take Me" (Parfitt, Lancaster) - 3:31
 * 3) "Break the Rules" (Francis Rossi, Parfitt, Lancaster, John Coghlan, Bob Young) - 3:37
 * 4) "Drifting Away" (Parfitt, Lancaster) - 5:00
 * 5) "Don't Think it Matters" (Parfitt, Lancaster) - 4:48
 * 6) "Fine Fine Fine" (Rossi, Young) - 2:31
 * 7) "Lonely Man" (Parfitt, Lancaster) - 5:05
 * 8) "Slow Train" (Rossi, Young) - 7:55

2005 reissue bonus track

 * 1) "Lonely Night" (Rossi, Parfitt, Lancaster, Coghlan, Young) - 3:26

Personnel

 * Francis Rossi - guitar, vocals
 * Rick Parfitt - guitar, vocals
 * Alan Lancaster - bass, vocals
 * John Coghlan - drums


 * Additional personnel
 * Bob Young - Harmonica
 * Tom Parker - Keys
 * Status Quo - producers
 * Damon Lyon-Shaw - engineer and mix
 * Richard Manwaring, Andy Miller - assistant engineers