"ROCKIN' ALL OVER THE YEARS" - Status Quo in the year 1985

the solo-album of Rick Parfitt 'Recorded Delivery', which was never released. the Rossi / Frost - single 'Modern Romance', which was released in 1985.

concerts, publications, charts, miscellaneous

The year 1985 - Status Quo is divided and each member of the band is on his own and working on solo projects. Its very quiet around the band. Rick Parfitt intended to release his first solo album, but it was never released. Francis Rossi was working on solo-projects too. Was it the end for the band? Rumours about the band is splitting came up, when eventually an invitation from Bob Geldof to open the big LIVE AID event brought the band together. Status Quo agreed and on July 13 the band opened the biggest rock concert ever in front of a 72,000 crowd and billion people on the TV. Their opening number "Rockin all over the world" became the anthem of the day. In late summer and autumn a new line-up of the band, including Rossi, Parfitt, Bown, John "Rhino" Edwards and Jeff Rich are rehearsing and recording new material for a new studio album. But concerts and publications using the old band name were forbidden by Alan Lancaster. It eventually became a lawsuit between Alan Lancaster, Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt.
Pictures: cover of Rick Parfitt's solo album "Recorded Delivery" and cover of the Rossi / Frost single 'Modern Romance'.

Chronological:

  • January 1985: new managers are IAIN JONES and ALAN CRUX, who relieved Colin Johnson. He was Status Quo's manager for 13 years (1971 - 1984). Their agency called: All Round Productions.
  • 16.01.1985: the band "Partners in Crime" with drummer John Coghlan is playing 6 songs for Radio BBC 1 at the Greyhound in Fulham. This band was founded in 1984 and they released 2 singles in 1984 and 1 album and 2 singles in 1985. Line-up: Ray Major (gui); Mac McCaffrey (bass); Mack Vanchque (key) Noel McCalla (voc) John Coghlan (drums)
    in the same month the single "Miracles" was released by Partners in Crime.
  • February 1985: release of the video "More from End of the Road". The video included 8 tracks with an approx. running-time of 53 minutes. Again the song "Roll over lay down" was included and the songs "Paper Plane" and "Don't drive my car" amongst others were missed again.
  • 06.04.1985: John Coghlan's Diesel-Band is playing a show at the Greyhound in Fulham with guest musician Rick Parfitt.
  • April 1985: Rick Parfitt is in the studio to record his first solo album. With Pip Williams as producer and Bob Young helping with the song-writing. The session musicians are John "Rhino" Edwards and Jeff Rich. The album was enttitled "Recorded delivery", but the album was never released. There were good songs on the album and 4 from the 10 songs were later chosen to be B-Sides of Status Quo singles. (Helloween -> Who gets the love. Don't give it up -> Red Sky. Long legged girls -> Dreamin and Late last night on the "In the army" maxi-single.). Total tracklist: Helloween - One good reason - Lonely nights - Only love can break your heart - Don't give it up - Long legged girls - Show me the way - Late last night - My baby - Living my life without you
  • April / May 1985: Francis Rossi and Bernie Frost are in the studio, after Francis Rossi signed a record deal with Phonogram. With the guest musicians Andy Bown and Pete Kircher the Rossi / Frost composition "Modern Romance" was released as a single. They even appeared in television (UK: Wogan-Show and at the dutch Pop Shjop). The single eventually entered the UK singles-charts with a No.54.
  • May 1985: Partners in Crime released their album "Organized Crime" featuring John Coghlan on drums.
  • July 1985: the record company Vertigo re-released the single "Rockin all over the world" after the news, that Status Quo will open LIVE AID.
  • 09.07.1985: the fans couldn't hardly believe what they saw on stage at London's Marquee Club when the Diesel Band played a show with Rick Parfitt, Alan Lancaster and Bob Young alongside the drummer John Coghlan. The 3-hours-show (!) featured the songs "Roadhouse Blues"; "Mess of Blues" and "Caroline". Soon rumours came up if this could be the new Status Quo. More about the Diesel-Band: this band was founded in 1976 by John Coghlan and they met and worked together on a "just for fun basis". There were no regular gigs and recordings and rehearsals. Many musicians played with the Diesel Band. In 1992 the album "Flexible Friends" was recorded in Sweden. One of the songs was Status Quo's "Living on an island". The album was never released officially.
  • 13.07.1985: Status Quo kicked-off the now legendary show and "greatest show on earth" LIVE AID. One minute past noon Status Quo hit the stage of the sold-out Wembley stadium. "Live Aid" was a 16-hour event in the sold-out arenas of Wembley and Philadelphia were the show was continued after the final song in Wembley. An estimated 1 billion people saw this big event on the televison and the "Who's Who" of the music business appeared on stage, to raise money for the starving people in Africa. Alongside the fantastic show of QUEEN and the charismatic Bono with U2 Status Quo set the highlight by opening the show with "Rockin all over the world" who became the anthem of the whole event. It was the first time for almost one year that they played a show and it was the last Status Quo show of Alan Lancaster. The other Quo songs were "Caroline" and "Don't waste my time". Both Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt later told in many interviews that the LIVE AID appearance saved the band.
  • August 1985: rerelease of the LP "Rockin all over the world" by Vertigo in UK. And the first rehearsals with John "Rhino" Edwards and Jeff Rich took place.
  • September 1985: the musicians met at the Chipping Norton Studios to record new material for a new LP the record company was demanding for. Francis Rossi, Rick Parfitt, Andy Bown, John "Rhino" Edwards and Jeff Rich is the new line-up of the band. Rick Parfitt suggested John "Rhino" Edwards and Jeff Rich who recently worked with him on his solo-album. The band sounded well and soon the band came up with 4 demos of the songs "In the Army now", "Speechless", "Overdose" and "Naughty Girl", which was the working title for "Dreamin'". But Alan Lancaster heard about this activites and by legal he forbid Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt to play shows and release publications using the old band name. It even became a lawsuit and further plans of publications had been stopped.
  • October 1985: the PRT company released out of their "Flashbacks" series the compilations album "Nanana" which included 12 songs of the PYE period.
  • October 1985: out of the solo-work between Francis Rossi and Bernie Frost another single of this songwriter partnership was released: "Jealousy" / "Where are you now".
  • November 1985: in UK Castle Communications, who had been licensed by PRT, released the Status Quo 2x LP "The Collector Series" with 24 songs of the PYE time.
  • November 1985: and the Old Label saw another chance to release 2 singles-compilations. "Caroline" / "Down Down" and "Rockin all over the world" / "Paper Plane".
  • November 1985: the video "Preserved" was released in the UK. The video includes a compilation of 6 songs played at the Milton Keynes show. "Whatever you want"; "Hold you back"; "Rockin all over the world"; "Don't waste my time"; "What you're proposin'"; "Down Down".

  • Andy Bown played on the Whishbone Ash album "Raw to the bone".

  • UK release of the book "Rockin all over the world" written by Neil Jeffries. Proteus Books Ltd.(ISBN Nr.: 0-86276-273-1 Paperback-Ausgabe and ISBN Nr.: 0-86276-272-3 Softback-Ausgabe). The book is written in english with a total of 128 pages (inkl. UK-Discography) - s/w and color pictures.

  • from Bob Young and Mickey Moody the book "The Language of Rock n Roll" was published.

  • in 1985 the very good book about "The greatest show on earth - LIVE AID" (ISBN 0283 99315-4) written by Peter Hillmore was published. It includes 192 pages with lots of coloured pictures and is all about the LIVE AID event with pictures of Quo.

  • UK release of 4 Interview Vinyl Picture Discs. 2 Picture Discs included an interview with Francis Rossi and Alan Lancaster, which was recorded in 1982 in London (QUO1 and QUO2) and 2 Francis Rossi interviews recorded during the Castle of Donington Festivals 1982. (QUO3 and QUO4)

    UK Discography 1985:

  • LP: "Rockin all over the world" (Vertigo 6059 184-9) (Cassette: 7138095)
  • LP:"Nanana" (Kat.Nr.: PRT Flashbacks FBLP8082) (Cassette: PRT ZCFBL8082)
  • 2x LP: "The Collectors Series" (CCSLP114) (2x Cassette: CCSMC114)
  • Single: "Caroline" / "Down Down" (OG 9566)
  • Single: "Rockin all over the world" / "Paper Plane" (OG 9567)
  • Video: "More from End of the Road" (Videoform VFM31)
  • Video: "Preserved" (Heron VFV033)
  • Intverview picture disc: QUO1 QUO2 QUO3 QUO4

    Partners in Crime Discography 1985:

  • Single:"Miracles" / "What you gonna do?" (EPIC A5040) (12"-Maxi-single EPIC TX5040)
  • Single:"Hollywood Dreams" / "She got eyes for you" (EPIC A6170) (12"-Maxi-single EPIC TX6170)
  • LP:"Organized Crime" (EPIC EPC26356)

    miscellaneous:
    1. the new american rock anthem is called "Born in the USA" and is included on the Bruce Springsteen album with the same title. An outstanding album of the year 1985 - one of the best rock albums ever.
    Another outstanding album was published by scottish band Marillion with their "Misplaced Childhood". A psychedelic album par excellence. Even the critics talked about the new "Genesis". But the enthusiasmus around the band turned into a curse for the band. Never again the band came up with something equally.

    2. Hits of the year in UK:
    Album: 1. Born in the USA (Bruce Springsteen) 2. Like a virgin (Madonna) 3. Songs from the big chair (Tears for fears).

    3. Football: english champion were FC Everton while the scottish champions were FC Aberdeen (with Alex Ferguson).