STATUS QUO DELIVER WITH DELUXE CLASSIC AND 2016 LONDON SHOW RELEASES
Johnny Main
13th April 2017



status quo

Status Quo are preparing to release another batch of deluxe 2CD releases via Universal Music, and under the spotlight this time are 'Blue For You' from 1976, 'Just Supposin', which was originally released in 1980, and its 1981 follow up, 'Never Too Late', which features the last studio performances of original drummer John Coghlan before he quit the band in early 1982.

These special editions, which all due for release on Friday 26th May, are once again carefully curated special releases that have been re-mastered by Andy Pearce with the assistance of 'fifth band member' Bob Young from the original tapes and come with an enhanced booklet containing new notes by Classic Rock's Dave Ling as well as rare photos and memorabilia from the band's personal collections.

Status Quo have previously released deluxe editions of 'Hello', 'Quo', 'Rocking All Over The World', which included a remix of the original album, 'On The Level', 'If You Can't Stand The Heat' and 'Whatever You Want'.

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'Blue For You' was their ninth album and was originally released in March 1976. Produced by the band themselves, it entered the British album charts at number one and stayed there for three weeks. The album spawned the classic 'Rain', written by guitarist Rick Parfitt, which subsequently became a mainstay in the bands setlist for decades.

Other singles released from the album were 'Mystery Song', another Parfitt penned classic that's stood the test of time. This song was based around a guitar riff that Parfitt had been playing in the studio all night after Quo frontman Francis Rossi, so the story goes, put too much speed in Parfitt's tea.

The band released a third and final single in 1976 that doesn't actually feature on the original album but has been added here as a bonus track. The evergreen 'Wild Side Of Life' single was produced by Deep Purple's Roger Glover, was originally written by Arlie Carter and William Warren and has also been played live by Quo for many years as part of a medley of tracks beginning with the aforementioned 'Mystery Song'.

Moving onto their thirteenth album, 1980s 'Just Supposin', which was recorded at Windmill Lane Studios, Dublin and was a co-production between the band and John Eden whose also worked with artists as diverse as Graham Bonnet, Genesis' Tony Banks, Climax Blues Band, Toyah Wilcox and Jim Diamond.

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The album entered the UK album charts at number four and spawned three hit singles. The first of these was the classic 'What You're Proposing' which peaked at number two in the UK single chart in October 1980. Barely a month later, that single was followed up by the double A-side single, 'Lies'/'Don't Drive My Car' which just missed out on a top ten spot, peaking at number eleven in the charts. The final single, released a year later in November 1981, was an edited version of the ballad 'Rock N' Roll', which turned out to be the last single released with drummer John Coghlan.

The recording sessions for the 'Just Supposin' album ended up being so prolific that band managed to record a second full albums worth of material at Windmill Lane Studios, which became their 'Never Too Late' album, which was released in March 1981 and peaked at number two in the UK album charts.

The sole single released from ‘Never Too Late’ was a cover of the Richie Supa number, 'Something 'Bout You Baby I Like', which has also been recorded by Tom Jones and Glen Campbell along with Rita Coolidge. The Quo single included a memorable promo video directed by Godley and Crème. So popular is the track, in fact, that it still regularly appears in the Status Quo live shows to this day.

All these deluxe editions include a second disc of bonus and live tracks, and in the case of 'Never Too Late', two bonus discs which contain a previously unreleased selection of tracks recorded live at the Cornwall Coliseum, St Austell in early 1981.

'Blue For You' Disc One tracklisting:
Is There A Better Way
Mad About The Boy
Ring Of A Change
Blue For You
Rain
Rolling Home
That's A Fact
Ease Your Mind
Mystery Song

'Blue For You' Disc Two tracklisting:
You Lost The Love (B-Side Of 'Rain' Single)
Mystery Song (Single Version)
Wild Side Of Life
All Through The Night (B-Side Of 'Wild Side Of Life' Single)
Wild Side Of Life (Demo Version)
Bye Bye Johnny (Live at Osaka Koseinenkin Hall, Japan – 19/11/1976)*
Caroline (Live at Osaka Koseinenkin Hall, Japan – 19/11/1976)*
Don't Waste My Time (Live at Osaka Koseinenkin Hall, Japan – 19/11/1976)*
In My Chair (Live at Osaka Koseinenkin Hall, Japan – 19/11/1976)*
Roll Over Lay Down (Live at Osaka Koseinenkin Hall, Japan – 19/11/1976)*
Is There A Better Way (Live at Osaka Koseinenkin Hall, Japan – 19/11/1976)*
Rain (Live at Osaka Koseinenkin Hall, Japan – 19/11/1976)*
Honkey Tonk Angel (Demo Version)

'Just Supposin' Disc One tracklisting:
What You're Proposing
Run To Mummy
Don't Drive My Car
Lies
Over The Edge
The Wild Ones
Name Of The Game
Coming And Going
Rock 'N' Roll

'Just Supposin' Disc Two tracklisting:
AB Blues (B-Side Of 'What You're Proposing' Single)
Coming And Going (Writing Version - 1980)
Don't Drive My Car - Live at Le Mans 1981*
Over The Edge - Live at Le Mans 1981*
Rock N Roll - Live at Le Mans 1981*
Something 'Bout You Baby I Like - Live at Le Mans 1981*
What Your Proposing - Live at Le Mans 1981*

'Never Too Late' Disc One tracklisting:
Never Too Late
Something 'Bout You Baby I Like
Take Me Away
Falling In Falling Out
Carol
Long Ago
Mountain Lady
Don't Stop Me Now
Enough Is Enough
Riverside

'Never Too Late' Disc Two tracklisting:
Rock 'N' Roll - Single Version
Don't Stop Me Now - Austrian Flexi Disc*
What You're Proposing - Austrian Flexi Disc*
LP Overview - Austrian Flexi Disc*
Something 'Bout You Baby I Like (Austrian Flexi Disc)*
Something 'Bout You Baby I Like (Demo Acoustic Instrumental)
Caroline – Live at St Austell 1981*
Roll Over Lay Down - Live at St Austell 1981*
Backwater - Live at St Austell 1981*
Little Lady - Live at St Austell 1981*
Don't Drive My Car - Live at St Austell 1981*
Whatever You Want - Live at St Austell 1981*
Hold You Back - Live at St Austell 1981*
Something 'Bout You Baby I Like - Live at St Austell 1981*
Rockin All Over the World - Live at St Austell 1981*
Over The Edge - Live at St Austell 1981*

'Never Too Late' Disc Three tracklisting:
Rock N Roll - Live at St Austell 1981*
Dirty Water - Live at St Austell 1981*
4500 Times - Live at St Austell 1981*
Big Fat Mama - Live at St Austell 1981*
Don't Waste My Time - Live at St Austell 1981*
Roadhouse Blues - Live at St Austell 1981*
Rain - Live at St Austell 1981*
Down Down - Live at St Austell 1981*
Drum Solo - Live at St Austell 1981*
Bye Bye Johnny - Live at St Austell 1981*

* Previously Unreleased

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Also announced today is a live package recorded at London's O2 Arena last December as part of the Quo's 'Last Night Of The Electrics' tour which is scheduled for release via earMUSIC on Friday 14th July.

The live show will be released on a number of formats including a 2CD, DVD, Blu-ray, Triple black vinyl, earBOOK, Digitally as well as a selection of exclusive bundles. Those who are ordering the extremely limited earBOOK version have until the end of the month to order so they can have their names included in the credits of the book.

Of the release, Francis Rossi said:

"This release captures Quo on incredible form, at a concert that will live long in my memory. It was a difficult time, but we knew what we needed to do and we delivered. This was by no means business as usual, nor should it have been, but the energy of the music, the band and the crowd coming together was palpable."

Having been envisaged as a swansong for the band's legendary electric set, the 2016 Winter tour turned into something very different as Rick Parfitt was forced to be absent having suffered the first of a series of health issues that would tragically end his life as the year closed.

With the band having been urged by both Rick himself and the fans to carry on and keep the music blasting, they found yet another gear, and the show captured in front of a the loyal O2 crowd turned out to be very special indeed.

Status Quo are one of the world's greatest rock bands and their path has taken many a twist and a turn along the way. The events of last year were unparalleled in Quo's history but 'The Last Night Of The Electrics' release sees them meeting difficult times head on, doing justice to their legacy and that incredible back catalogue.

'The Last Night Of The Electrics' can be ordered exclusively at statusquo.tmstor.es.

'The Last Night Of The Electrics' tracklisting:
Caroline
The Wanderer
Something About You Baby I Like
Rain
Softer Ride
Beginning Of The End
Hold You Back
Proposin' Medley
Paper Plane
The Oriental
Creepin' Up On You
Gerdundula
In The Army Now
The Caveman (Drum Solo)
Roll Over Lay Down
Down Down
Whatever You Want
Rocking All Over The World
Burning Bridges
Rock And Roll Music
Bye Bye Johnny







 
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