''Quo'' is the seventh studio album by the English rock band

Status Quo is a Latin phrase meaning the existing state of affairs, particularly with regard to social, economic, legal, environmental, political, religious, scientific or military issues. In the sociological sense, the ''status quo'' refers to the curren ...

. Issued in May 1974, it reached #2 in the UK. Like its predecessor '' Hello!'', it consisted entirely of songs written or co-written by the group. The album features guest musicians Bob Young and Tom Parker, who played

harmonica The harmonica, also known as a French harp or mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used worldwide in many musical genres, notably in blues, American folk music, classical music, jazz, country, and rock. The many types of harmonica incl ...

and

piano A piano is a keyboard instrument that produces sound when its keys are depressed, activating an Action (music), action mechanism where hammers strike String (music), strings. Modern pianos have a row of 88 black and white keys, tuned to a c ...

respectively on "Break the Rules". The album is regarded as one of their heaviest, possibly due to the influence of bassist

Alan Lancaster Alan Charles Lancaster (7 February 1949 – 26 September 2021) was an English musician, best known as a founding member and bassist of the rock band Status Quo, playing with the band from 1967 to 1985, with brief reunions in 2013 and 2014. As wel ...

, who co-wrote six of the eight tracks. "When we wrote 'Drifting Away'," recalled

Rick Parfitt Richard John Parfitt, (12 October 1948 24 December 2016) was an English musician, best known as a rhythm guitarist, singer and songwriter with rock band Status Quo (band), Status Quo. Parfitt began his career in the early 1960s, playing in p ...

, "it sounded so, so heavy. That rhythm was constant, right in your face. It was just such a turn-on. That's where my head was at back then. You know: just let it fucking rock." The UK LP contained a gatefold insert with a picture of the band playing live on one side, and the lyrics on the other. The sleeve art was by British artist Dave Field. The band believed the opening "Backwater" to be the most suitable candidate for a single. However, the only track released as a single was " Break the Rules", in April 1974. It peaked in the UK at #8. The B-side of the single was "Lonely Night", which was not on an album until it became a bonus track on the 2005 reissue. Two years after release, "Lonely Night" was plagiarised by Australian band the Angels in their song "Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again", for which Status Quo subsequently received royalties.

Track listing

2005 remaster bonus track

# Lonely Night (Rossi, Parfitt, Lancaster, Coghlan, Young) – 3:26

2015 deluxe edition bonus tracks (all except track 1 live At Paris L'Olympia, 11th January 1975)

# Lonely Night (Studio Version) (Rossi, Parfitt, Lancaster, Coghlan, Young) – 3:26 # Junior's Wailing (Kieran Raymond White, Martin John Pugh) – 5:41 # Backwater (Parfitt, Lancaster) – 4:25 # Just Take Me (Parfitt, Lancaster) – 4:33 # Claudie (Rossi, Young) – 4:53 # Railroad (Rossi, Young) – 5:44 # Roll Over Lay Down (Rossi, Parfitt, Lancaster, Coghlan, Young) – 5:36 # Big Fat Mama (Rossi, Parfitt) – 5:45 # Don't Waste My Time (Rossi, Young) – 4:04 # Roadhouse Blues (Morrison, Densmore, Manzarek, Krieger) – 16:53 # Caroline (Rossi, Young) – 8:00 # Bye By Johnny (Chuck Berry) – 7:02 # Lonely Night (Rossi, Parfitt, Lancaster, Coghlan, Young) – 3:26

Personnel

;Status Quo * Francis Rossi – guitar, vocals *

– guitar, vocals *

–

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Wood * Bass or basswood, the wood of the tilia americana tree Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in th ...

, vocals * John Coghlan –

drums The drum is a member of the percussion instrument, percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel–Sachs classification system, it is a membranophones, membranophone. Drums consist of at least one Acoustic membrane, membrane, c ...

;Additional personnel * Bob Young – harmonica * Tom Parker – keyboards *

– producers * Damon Lyon-Shaw –

engineer Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who Invention, invent, design, build, maintain and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials. They aim to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while ...

and mix * Richard Manwaring, Andy Miller – assistant engineers * Dave Field – illustration and design

Charts

Certifications

References

{{Authority control Status Quo (band) albums 1974 albums A&M Records albums Vertigo Records albums