"ROCKIN' ALL OVER THE YEARS" - Status Quo in the year 1977

Backstage Pass Rockin all over the world Tour     swedish tourposter 1977
jugoslawian cover of the Status Quo single 'Rockin all over the world'     german cover of the Status Quo single 'Rockin all over the world'

concerts, publications, charts, miscellaneous

The year 1977 - while a film revolutioned the Science Fiction genre (Star Wars) and while another film started the disco fever (Saturday Night Fever), 1977 became the most successfulst year for Status Quo. The first live-album caused a sensation around the globe and is regarded as one of the best live-albums in rock history. In Germany the Live-LP is a record breaking album. It was awarded with gold status and spent a record breaking 62 weeks !!! in the german LP-Charts, with 5 months !! in the TOP10 !! It's the most successfulst Status Quo album worldwide (excluding compilations). Even the critics were enthusiastic about this album. And with the new single "Rockin' all over the world" a worldwide TOP hit was born, who became an anthem. In November the band kicked-off their biggest and most successfulst tour - the "Rockin' all over the world" tour. And at the end of the year the new studio-album war released. The first, which was produced by Pip Williams. All known shows of 1977: ...mehr
Pictures: swedish tourposter 1977 - Backstagepass "Rockin all over the world" tour (by kind permission Bob Young/Günter Röder) - jugoslawian cover of the single "Rockin all over the world" - german cover of the single "Rockin all over the world".

Chronological:

  • 05.01.1977: german charts entry of the single "Mystery Song". It became a TOP10-Hit. Highest position No. 5 and it spent a total of 20 weeks in the charts with 6 weeks in the TOP10.
  • 09.01.1977: Status Quo at Bingley Hall, Stafford. This was recorded by ATV when Status Quo were voted Daily Mirror's Best Rock Band and some of it was televised some weeks later.
  • 13.01.1977: "Top of the Pops" played the promo-video of "Wild Side of Life". Moderator: David Hamilton.
  • 27.01.1977: again the song "Wild Side of Life" in the show "Top of the Pops" (Promo-Video). Moderator: Tony Blackburn.
  • 31.01.1977: the airplay of "Mystery Song" in germans radio stations is that often, that the single entered the german Airplay-Charts and later peaked at No.15. It spent a total of 15 weeks in the german airplay charts.
  • 31.01.1977: start of a tour through France in Paris with 14 concerts.
  • 02.02.1977: in Germany the re-release of "Paper Plane" entered the german Airplay-Charts and reached to No.37 with 2 weeks in the airplay charts.
  • 01.03.1977: in Kiel is the kick-off of a german tour with 11 shows.
  • 05.03.1977: release of the double Live-LP "Status Quo Live" in UK. The album climbed up to No.5 of the british LP charts and spent a total of 14 weeks in the charts (5 weeks in TOP10) and was later honoured with platinum. The album was recorded live at the Apollo Theatre in Glasgow - 27.10.1976.
  • 15.03.1977: the Live-Album entered the german album-charts and became a record breaking album. It spent a total of 62 weeks in the german album-charts; with 20 weeks in the TOP10. It climbed up to No. 3 and is worldwide the most successfulst Status Quo studio or live-album. An album for eternity and its still (after almost 30 years) regarded as one of the best live-albums in rock history. It was voted on No.6 of the best albums released in 1977 in Germany. It was later awarded with gold status.
  • 06.04.1977: in the german youth mag Bravo appeared a report about Status Quo (for collectors: Bravo No.16/77)
  • 14.05.1977: the english music magazine "SOUNDS" published a 15-page QUO-special.
  • May 1977: the first 12"-maxi single was released in UK "Down the dustpipe" (Cat.No. PYE BD103). Other included songs are "Mean Girl" - "In my chair" - "Gerdundula".
  • June - August : the recording sessions for the new album started in Dublin, but have to be cancelled because of illness of John Coghlan. After being healthy the recordings continued, but this time in Gothenburg/Sweden. It's the first Vertigo-album, which wasn't produced by the band itself, but by Pip Williams. They intended to deliver an album which aimed to the bigger mass of the music fans.
  • 07.09.1977: start of a german tour in Hamburg with 9 concerts.
  • 30.09.1977: 1.single-release in UK - "Rockin' all over the world" a cover of the John Fogerty song, who originally wrote the song in 1975. The B-side is "Ring of a change", which was included on the "Blue for you" album the year before. The single became a wordwide hit and became the anthem for Status Quo.
  • October 1977: the record company PYE released another Status Quo compilation with songs of the PYE era. Out of their "The File Series" - Status Quo's 2x LP "The File Series Vol.5" (Cat.No.PYE FILD005) was released.
  • 06.10.1977: the new single "Rockin' all over the world" entered the UK-singles-charts and peaked at No. 3. It stayed a total of 16 weeks in the charts.
  • 06.10.1977: a Status Quo poster was issued in german's youth mag Bravo (for collectors issue 42/77).
  • 20.10.1977: a very notable performance at the show "Top of the Pops". Alan Lancaster was in Australia with his wife and couldn't anticipate at this show. But they didn't want to cancel the performance. So a life size marionette of Alan Lancaster was chosen as substitute at Status Quo's performance. The song played was "Rockin all over the world". Moderator: Dave Lee Travis.
  • 24.10.1977: the single "Rockin' all over the world" entered the german singles charts and became a big success. Another german TOP10 with the single notching up on No.7. It spent a total of 28 weeks in the german charts, with 3 weeks in the TOP10.
  • 01.11.1977: "Rockin' all over the world" entered the german airplay charts and climbed up to No. 14 and stayed a total of 6 weeks in this charts.
  • 06.11.1977: Status Quo kick-off their UK-Tour in Cork/Ireland. The "Rockin' all over the world" tour covered a total of 40 shows in UK and was continued in 1978 with a lot of shows at european countries, Australia etc. It became the most successfulst tour for Status Quo so far and its said, that around 1,5 million people attended this tour.
  • 11.11.1977: release of the album "Rockin' all over the world" in UK. The album included 12 songs. The Quo fans were a bit disappointed with this album because with it's smooth production it wasn't the true Quo sound and it marked a turning point in Status Quo's career. But there are true hardrocking songs on this album; "Rockers Rollin", the title track and "Hold you Back" were or are included in the setlist. The album was a massive success "all over the world" (e.g. gold awards in Germany).
  • 12.11.1977: Status Quo in german TV. "Rockin'all over the world" was performed at Ilja Richter's "Disco '77".
  • 19.11.1977: the new album entered the british charts and climbed up to No.5 and spent 17 weeks in the UK album charts and was later awarded with platinum.
  • 01.12.1977: the album "Rockin' all over the world' entered the german album charts and became a TOP10 album. Highest position was No.7 with a total of 26 weeks in the german album charts (8 weeks in TOP10).
  • at the annual BRAVO-Otto-Wahlen of the youth mag "BRAVO" Status Quo was voted on No.5 of the best bands.
  • the Live-LP "TOKYO QUO" (Vertigo RJ-7202) was released in Japan, which was recorded at Sun Plaza Hall, Tokyo in late 1976.

    UK discography 1977:

  • Single: Rockin' all over the world (Fogerty) / Ring of a change (Cat.No.: Vertigo 6059 184)
  • LP: LIVE! (Vertigo 6641 590) (Cassette: 7599 171) (8-track Vol.1: 7789197) (8-track Vol.2: 7789198) (8-track: Vol.1+Vol.2: 7799004)
  • LP: Rockin' all over the world (Vertigo 9102 014) (Cassette: 7231 012) (8-track: 7739036)
  • LP: The File Series Vol.5 (PYE FILD005) (Cassette: ZCFLD005)

    Charts 1977:

  • Wild Side of Life - Platz 5 (Germany)
  • Rockin' all over the world - Platz 3 (UK)
  • Rockin' all over the world - Platz 7 (Germany)
  • "Live" - Platz 5 (UK)
  • "Live" - Platz 3 (Germany)

    Sonstiges:
    1. AC/DC released one of the best hardrock albums ever: "Let there be rock" - rarely an album had such a groove like this one.
    Other good albums in 1977: Seconds Out (live) (Genesis) - News of the world (Queen) - Out of the Blue (Electric Light Orchestra) - Love you live (Rolling Stones)
    2.Hits of the year in UK:
    Singles: 1. Mull of Kintyre (Paul McCartney) 2. Don't give Up on Us (David Soul) 3. Knowing me knowing you (Abba)
    Alben: 1. Arrival (Abba) 2. Rumours (Fleetwood Mac) 3. Hotel California (Eagles)
    3. Football: FC Liverpool became english champions and Celtic Glasgow won the scottish trophy.
    4. Cinema films of the year: "Star Wars" - "Close encounters" - "Iron cross" - "Saturday Night Fever" - "James Bond - The spy who loved me"