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Status Quo music biography continued...

Rossi (vocals, guitar) and Alan Lancaster (bass) were the core members of the Spectres from their inception; within a few years, the band had added drummer John Coughlan and organist Roy Lynes. In August 1967, the group added Rick Harrison (guitar, vocals) and changed their name to Status Quo. After two well-received but relatively poor selling albums in 1970 and 1971 their major breakthrough came when they signed with the well-respected heavy rock and progressive label Vertigo. Their first album for Vertigo, Piledriver came in 1972 and heralded a hard rock boogie-oriented sound. This album was essentially the template for each album they released up until Blue for You in 1976. During this period, and throughout the rest of the 70s, they became one of the UK's leading rock bands, gaining a faithful following due to their engaging live performances. Quo's more popular songs from this era include "Paper Plane" (1972), "Caroline" (1973), "Down Down" (1975), "Rockin' All Over the World" (1977) and "Whatever You Want" (1979). The group would go on to employ a more polished sound and after some line-up changes and inter-band legal disputes, Quo went onto become one of the leading hitmakers in the United Kingdom throughout the Eighties, with such hugely popular songs as "Red Sky", "Rollin' Home" and "Dreamin' and "Come on You Reds," which gave the band their second UK Number 1 single.



The Nineties saw a decline in Status Quo's sales, as well as further lineup changes, but the band continued to perform and record. 1999's Famous In The Last Century brought some chart success for Quo with covers of Fleetwood Mac's "Don't Stop" and The Beach Boy's "Fun, Fun, Fun". Although Status Quo still release new material every few years, recent years have seen them come out with a series of greatest hits compilations and covers albums. Through it all, there fan following in the UK and continental Europe, particularly The Netherlands, has remained strong. The Quo has always represented boogie rock at its best, and no doubt this fan base will carry them through well into the new millennium.