- Hardcover: 408 pages
- Publisher: Sidgwick & Jackson Ltd (17 Sep 2004)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0283073756
- ISBN-13: 978-0283073755
- Product Dimensions: 23.4 x 16 x 4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 494,167 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Product Description
The story of Status Quo is essentially the story of two people: Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt. It is the story of two outwardly very different characters - Rossi, the moody insecure one, Parfitt, the smiling, permanently at ease golden boy - who against the odds forged an unlikely yet enduring bond that would see them through the dizzying highs and terrifying lows of a forty-year career. Quo are the most successful band in British history after the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. From 1973 to the mid-80s they had a string of hits, including 'Down, Down', 'Rockin' All Over the World', 'Again and Again', 'What You're Proposing' - all classic rock anthems. When the band imploded, and the other members left, Rossi and Parfitt reinvented Quo for the 90s and kept going, touring constantly and winning new fans. Rossi and Parfitt admit that in the past they've hidden some of the truth about their stories, unable to admit quite how out of control things were even to themselves. Now they are prepared to tell it all - the groupies, the drug-taking, the marriage breakdowns, Parfitt's brush with death when he was forced to undergo bypass surgery. From their early days as a sixties 'boy band' t
Book Description
Quo are the most successful band in British history after the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. From 1973 to the mid-80s they had a string of hits, including 'Down, Down', 'Rockin' All Over the World', 'Again and Again', 'What You're Proposing' - all classic rock anthems. When the band imploded, and the other members left, Rossi and Parfitt reinvented Quo for the 90s and kept going, touring constantly and winning new fans. The story of Status Quo is essentially the story of two people: Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt. It is the story of two outwardly very different characters - Rossi, the moody insecure one, Parfitt, the smiling, permanantly at ease golden boy - who against the odds forged an unlikely yet enduring bond that would see them through the dizzying highs and terrifying lows of a forty-year career. Rossi and Parfitt admit that in the past they've hidden some of the truth about their lives, unable to admit how out of control things were even to themselves. Now they tell it all - the drug-taking, the marriage breakdowns, Parfitt's brush with death when he was forced to undergo by-pass surgery. From their early days as a sixties 'boy band' through the massive international success of the seventies to the present day, this is an explosive no-holds-barred autobiography from two of Britain's most enduring rock stars.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I'm not really what you'd call a hardcore Quo fan at all. But like most of us who grew up through their 70's and 80's heyday I've always had a soft spot for their greater no nonsense heads down 12 bar rockers such as "Caroline", "Proposin'" etc... and yes, I have been guilty of pushing my thumbs into the loopholes of my jeans and doing that dance!
I came accross this book completely by accident in a friends house, seeing it left on the shelf. Picking it up for a quick browse I became instantly absorbed and quite anti-social as I settled into their sofa reading from cover to cover of Francis and Ricky's tales of hitmaking, alcohol, drugs, heartbreaks, ego's, farwell's, media and management manipulation and comebacks.
Although all of these of course relate to many rock 'n' roll stories, the difference here to most is that all is told with a humour and blazing honesty that put me in mind of Bob Geldoff's brilliant "Is that it?". It reads quickly with all the buzz of one of Quo's smasheroonies!
That, plus of course the fact that the Quo have always had a knack and suss to know a damn good hit tune when they hit one. This is of course what separates those that last through these "XS's" to the also rans.
By the end, all those songs which have served to make Status Quo such an institution were running through my head, "In the army now", "Margarita time", "Living on an Island" etc, etc...Pete Doherty, take note!
I came accross this book completely by accident in a friends house, seeing it left on the shelf. Picking it up for a quick browse I became instantly absorbed and quite anti-social as I settled into their sofa reading from cover to cover of Francis and Ricky's tales of hitmaking, alcohol, drugs, heartbreaks, ego's, farwell's, media and management manipulation and comebacks.
Although all of these of course relate to many rock 'n' roll stories, the difference here to most is that all is told with a humour and blazing honesty that put me in mind of Bob Geldoff's brilliant "Is that it?". It reads quickly with all the buzz of one of Quo's smasheroonies!
That, plus of course the fact that the Quo have always had a knack and suss to know a damn good hit tune when they hit one. This is of course what separates those that last through these "XS's" to the also rans.
By the end, all those songs which have served to make Status Quo such an institution were running through my head, "In the army now", "Margarita time", "Living on an Island" etc, etc...Pete Doherty, take note!
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Someone bought me this as a present and it remained on the shelf unread and unwanted, until my wife persuaded me to see them live at the Fairfield Halls, Croydon recently. The show was great and reminded me why I used to like them before they became a middle of the road covers band. I've now read the book and can honestly say that it was one of the best rock (auto)biographies I've read. Francis and Rick alternate chapters to tell their stories with very few punches pulled. It is brutally honest and cuts through the marketing crap too often associated with the biz. They know that much of their recent output has been poor and explain why, they know their failings and now so do we. Buy this book if you want to know too...
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Firstly, I have been a great fan for many years. I disliked the period when they seemed to release album after album of the "best of" variety. That period reeked of blatent commercialism. However Francis and Rick explain all of that so frankly and honestly in this book that I forgave them those shortcomings. Yes, there is repetition as the guys tell their story in alternate chapters, but it only serves to reinforce those stories. It is a tale of sudden rise to stardom after so many unsuccessful attempts where many would have thrown in the towel. Then come the tales of drug and alcohol abuse and abuse my those they employed and trusted to manage them. Behind their backs they had been ripped off for years and were practically destitute. There were the inevitable internal frictions within the band - of course we are only hearing two sides of the story. I was never a fan of Alan Lancaster and the new band members seemed to fill the bill very successfully and ended the dissention.
Francis goes into great detail about his many failed relationships and speaks frankly about his regrets at missing out on really getting to know his daughter who lives across the pond and whom he seldom sees.
Rick opens up his heart on the loss of his daughter little Heidi, yet he had to perform on stage and smile through the pain. He spiralled out of control after this tragic event.
Francis seems to be the one who eventually came down to earth and got some normality into his own life, whereas Rick, even though he underwent major heart surgery, thoroughly abused his body and ran riot for years. Heidi's death broke his heart and he ceased to care what happened to him.
The one thing that stood out for me is that these guys really love each other. Frankly they are like chalk and cheese. They have little in common, but there is that bond between them that is evident when they are on stage and is the sort of relationship that few of us ever experience in a lifetime.
I can only wish them well as they soldier on, still smiling and rocking and writing the sort of music the fans love and which they themselves enjoy and perform like no other band can.
This is a terrific read. Whether they actually wrote it themselves or had help writing it, matters not. It is forthright and lets the fans have it straight. Well done guys.
Francis goes into great detail about his many failed relationships and speaks frankly about his regrets at missing out on really getting to know his daughter who lives across the pond and whom he seldom sees.
Rick opens up his heart on the loss of his daughter little Heidi, yet he had to perform on stage and smile through the pain. He spiralled out of control after this tragic event.
Francis seems to be the one who eventually came down to earth and got some normality into his own life, whereas Rick, even though he underwent major heart surgery, thoroughly abused his body and ran riot for years. Heidi's death broke his heart and he ceased to care what happened to him.
The one thing that stood out for me is that these guys really love each other. Frankly they are like chalk and cheese. They have little in common, but there is that bond between them that is evident when they are on stage and is the sort of relationship that few of us ever experience in a lifetime.
I can only wish them well as they soldier on, still smiling and rocking and writing the sort of music the fans love and which they themselves enjoy and perform like no other band can.
This is a terrific read. Whether they actually wrote it themselves or had help writing it, matters not. It is forthright and lets the fans have it straight. Well done guys.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Alan Lancaster was right
What's clear from the reminiscences of Rossi and Parfitt is that it was Alan Lancaster who forged the classic Quo sound, and Lancaster who tried but failed to keep the band as the... Read more
Published on 27 Dec 2006 by Marcus Horatius
Difficult at Times
Although I did enjoy this book, to a certain degree, the promised tales of Rock 'n' Roll excess never really appeared. Read more
Published on 20 Aug 2006 by Roxy Campbell
Best read ever!
This is such a fantastic book, i recommend all music fans, not just Status Quo fans read this. It's witty, moving, facinating and most of all ROCKING! Read more
Published on 5 Dec 2004 by J Cattermole
XS ALL areas has a real impact
I have all of the Status quo biographies and think that this is the best, its easy to read and frank. It details the band from its early days up to today. Read more
Published on 16 Sep 2004 by Craig Smith
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