"ROCKIN' ALL OVER THE YEARS" - Status Quo in the year 1980

german cover of the Status Quo Single 'What you're proposing' french cover of the Status Quo single 'What you're proposing' italian cover of the Status Quo single 'What you're proposing' spain cover of the Status Quo single 'What you're proposing' british cover of the Status Quo single 'What you're proposing' german cover-single 'Was Du gern möchtest' by Desiree Nosbusch

concerts, publications, charts, infos, miscellaneous

The year 1980 - it could be described as "both very good and bad". Bad news at the beginning of the year: Rick Parfitt suffering on massive spine problems and the doctors told him to stop working for 3 months. Therefore the german tour, which was due to be kicked-off 2 weeks later, had to be cancelled, which was a big disappointment for the german Quo fans. In March the first Best-of Release by Vertigo "12 Gold Bars" with 12 covering the period from 1972 to 1980. It became a massive hit album for Status Quo and it went platinum in UK. In August a heavy blow for Rick Parfitt; his 4-year old daughter Heidi died. In autumn the release of the new single "What you're proposing". It became another big hit for Status Quo riding high in the charts throughout Europe. And with the self-produced album "Just supposin'" Status Quo proved that they can deliver successful albums without a tour. The year 1980 was the first year in Quo's history without playing any concerts at all.
Pictures: german, french, italian, spain and british single cover of "What you're proposing" and the german cover-song "Was Du gern möchtest" by german artist Desiree Nosbusch.

Chronological:

  • 01.01.1980: the single "Living on an island" entered the german airplay-charts. It spent 4 weeks in this charts with highest position on No.34.
  • 07.01.1980: german charts-entry of the single "Living on an island" reaching No.38 and a total of 15 weeks in the charts.
  • January 1980: the band went to Dublin to record songs for a new album. They chose the Windmill studios and they intended to self-produce the album.
  • 11.02.1980: Rick Parfitt was investigated in hospital because he suffered on massive spine problems. The doctors told him to stop working and have a rest for 3 months. The german tour, which was already sold-out and due to kick-off in Munich, March 1, had to be cancelled and this was really a big disappointment for all german Status Quo fans who were looking forward to this tour, especially when the news came up that the cancelled tour wasn't rescheduled.
  • 06.03.1980: in germans youth magazine BRAVO (No.11/80) Status Quo is featured on the frontcover. Issued in the magazine is a Status Quo poster and they are featured in the series "Bilderbogen".
  • 14.03.1980: release of the Best-of album "12 Gold Bars" in UK. 12 singles were issued on the LP, covering the period from 1972 to 1980 with the exception of "Roll over lay down" - not the Live-single but the version of the 1973 "Hello!" album was chosen by record company Vertigo. This was the first Vertigo compilation of Status Quo material.
  • 29.03.1980: Charts-entry of "12 Gold Bars" in UK. The album notched up at No.3 and spent a total of 54 weeks in the UK-singles-charts (there are different numbers known of the total weeks; e.g. Rockers Rollin book states 40 weeks, in the "Just supposin'" remaster booklet a total stay of 17 months is written, my origin is the british "Record Retailer". At least its a very long stay in the charts.) Later that year the album was awarded for platinum sales.
  • March 1980: in german's music magazine "POP No.03/80" a A2-sized poster of Status Quo was issued.
  • 14.04.1980: "12 Gold Bars" entered the german album-charts climbing up to No.19 and stayed 15 weeks in the charts.
  • May 1980: after Rick Parfitt had recovered from his spine problems the band returned to the Windmill Studios in Dublin to continue recording new material.
  • May 1980: Manager Colin Johnson secured a new record deal for the american market with US company RIVA Records.
  • 24.07.1980: another Status Quo poster issued in german's BRAVO mag (No.31/80).
  • July 1980: first US release of RVA Records with the single "Living on an island". The single didn't chart and sank without any success.
  • August 1980: a heavy blow for Rick Parfitt and his wife Marietta. Their 4-year old daughter Heidi died in their own swimming-pool.
  • August 1980: the "Whatever you want" album was released in America, but with the name "Now hear this". The track-listing also differed from the european one, opener of Side 1 was "Living on an island" and "Whatever you want" first track on Side 2. The album cover featured a complete different cover to the european issue. (Cat.No.: RVL 7402)
  • September 1980: the PYE record company released another Status Quo compilation. This time out of their series "Super Stars" the 2xLP "Pickwick Super Stars - Status Quo" (Pickwick SSD 8035) showing Quo songs of their PYE period.
  • 03.10.1980: UK release of the new Status Quo single "What you're proposing". The song is written by Francis Rossi and Bernie Frost. Its a boogie-rocker par excellence and soon it was clear that the single became a big hit. B-Side the song "AB Blues" the second instrumental song of the band.
  • 09.10.1980: Status Quo performed live in the show "Top of the Pops" with the song "What you're proposing". Moderator: Peter Powell.
  • 11.10.1980: "What you're proposing" entered the UK charts. The single became a massive hit reaching No.2. Only Barbra Streisand's "Woman in love" prevented them to become Status Quo's second No.1 hit-single in UK. The single stayed 11 weeks in the charts. But in other european countries the single was a big hit too being No.2 in Switzerland, No.3 in Germany, No.7 in Belgium and Netherlands and No.17 in Frnace.
  • 17.10.1980: the album "Just supposin'" was released in UK. The album featured 9 self-penned songs and impressed with strong boogie-rock songs. In total 4 songs of the album were released as singles (What you're proposing - Lies - Don't drive my car - Rock n Roll). Notable: the Alan Lancaster song "Wild Ones" was originally intended to be the title track of the planned Marlon Brando film "The wild ones", but the film project was never realised.
  • 20.10.1980: the single "What you're proposing" entered the german charts peaking up at No.3. After "In the army now" this was the most successfulst single in Germany spending 10 weeks in german's TOP10 (!) and 22 weeks in the charts.
  • 23.10.1980: Status Quo again live in "Top of the Pops" performing "What you're proposing". Moderator: Dave Lee Travis.
  • 01.11.1980: and the german airplay of "What you're proposing" was that often, that the single entered the german airplay charts climbing up to No.6 (!) and stayed 20 weeks in this airplay charts.
  • 01.11.1980: UK charts entry of "Just supposin'". The album went to No.4 and stayed a total of 18 weeks in the charts.
  • 03.11.1980: the new album also in the german charts reaching No.14. (27 weeks in the german album-charts)
  • 06.11.1980: repeat performance of Status Quo's "What you're proposing" in "Top of the Pops". Moderator: Peter Powell.
  • 27.11.1980: another report about Status Quo in german's mag BRAVO (No.49/80).
  • 28.11.1980: second single release in UK with the double A-side "Lies" and "Don't drive my car". "Lies" is written by Francis Rossi and Bernie Frost and "Don't drive my car" is a Parfitt-Bown song. For collectors: some french singles appeared with the misspressed title "Don't drive my CAF" and later some british copies appeared with the misspelled "Don't drive myicar".
  • 06.12.1980: the new single entered the UK charts peaking at No.11 with a total of 10 weeks in the charts.
  • 11.12.1980: the promo-video of "Lies" is featured at "Top of the Pops". Moderator: Richard Skinner.
  • 11.12.1980: Status Quo again on the frontcover of german's BRAVO No.51/80. A report about Quo showed Rick Parfitt in underpants entitled "Status Quo ins Herz geschaut" (translated: "A look into Status Quo's heart."). The picture was taken from the book "Stars in their underpants."
  • in Germany the PYE compilation "The Best of Status Quo - Club Edition" (Cat.No. PYE 66497-9) was released and another PYE album called "Star Discothek" (Cat.No. PYE 202 389-241).
  • out of the series "Legendary Oldies" german Vertigo record company released the single "Rockin all over the world" / "Rain" (Cat.No.: Vertigo 6059 315).
  • Status Quo performed live in german TV at Ilja Richter's "Disco '80" with the song "What you're proposing".
  • german artist Desiree Nosbusch released a single "Was Du gern möchtest" with the B-side "Darüber reden". Both songs were cover of the Status Quo song "What you're proposing" (see picure at the top of this page).

    UK discography 1980:

  • Single: What you're proposing (Rossi/Frost) / AB Blues (Cat.No.: Vertigo QUO 3)
  • Single: Lies (Rossi/Frost) / Don't drive my car (Parfitt/Bown) (Cat.No.: Vertigo QUO 4)
  • LP: 12 Gold Bars (Vertigo QUO TV 1) (Cassette: QUO MC 1)
  • LP: Pickwick Super Stars (Pickwick SSD 8035)
  • LP: Just supposin' (Vertigo 6063 057) (Cassette: 7144 057)

    Charts 1980 (UK + Germany only):

  • Living on an island - No. 38 (D)
  • What you're proposing - No. 2 (UK)
  • What you're proposing - No. 3 (D)
  • Lies / Don't drive my car - No. 11 (UK)
  • LP "12 Gold Bars" - No. 3 (UK)
  • LP "12 Gold Bars" - No. 19 (D)
  • LP "Just supposin'" - No. 4 (UK)
  • LP "Just supposin'" - No. 19 (D)

    Miscellaneous:
    1. a shock for the music: John Lennon was shot death DEcember 1980. The first member of the ex-Beatles died. After the Beatles split, John proved what an outstanding musician he was. His ballad "Imagine" became one of the best songs in modern music.
    2. Judas Priest delivered a milestone in hardrock history. "British Steel" defined a new genre of hardrock - the heavy rock.
    And there was the Pink Floyd album "The Wall" and australian hardrockers AC/DC caused a sensation with a new singer and the album "Back in Black" for many one of the all-time high hardrock albums.
    3. hits of the year in UK:
    albums: 1. Regatta de Blanc (Police) 2. Off the Wall (Michael Jackson) 3. Flesh & Blood (Roxy Music)
    4. Football: english champions: FC Liverpool Scotland: FC Aberdeen