They began as a rock and roll freakbeat band called The Spectres. By 1967, with very little commercial success, they discovered psychedelia and changed their name to Traffic (later Traffic Jam, to avoid confusion with Steve Winwood's Traffic.) At this time the line-up also included organist Roy Lynes and drummer John Coghlan. Late in 1967 they recruited second guitarist Rick Parfitt and became The Status Quo, scoring Top 10 singles with Pictures Of Matchstick Men and Ice in The Sun. "Pictures of Matchstick Men" remains the only Top 40 hit single the group has ever charted in the United States. They have never achieved the same level of success there, that they have enjoyed in their home country.
After their second album Spare Parts they decided to change into a heavy boogie rock band. During the seventies they became one of the UK's leading rock bands, gaining a faithful following due to their excellent live gigs. They showed a great amount of energy during this decade and in the early 80s. They and are best known for songs from this era such as Paper Plane (1972), Caroline (1973), Down Down (1975), John Fogerty's Rockin' All Over The World (1977) and Whatever You Want (1979). Down Down topped the UK charts in January 1975 (their only British No. 1 single to date).
Lynes left in 1971, to be replaced initially by guest keyboard players on album, including Jimmy Horowitz and John Parker, and later on a more permanent basis on record and stage by ex-The Herd and Judas Jump member Andy Bown, though as he was contracted as a solo artist with EMI, he was not credited as a full-time member until 1982. Coghlan left in late 1981, to be replaced by Pete Kircher from 1960s band Honeybus. This short-lived lineup played its last gig in 1984 at the Milton Keynes Bowl, and reformed briefly to open the Live Aid charity event at Wembley in July 1985.
That year Rossi recorded and released two solo singles with longtime writing partner Bernie Frost. Parfitt was also working on a solo album which is still unreleased, although some tracks have been re-recorded by Status Quo and released as 'B' sides. Bass player John Edwards and drummer Jeff Rich, both ex-Judie Tzuke Band and Climax Blues Band, assisted Parfitt in the studio.
In the summer of 1985 Rossi, Parfitt and Bown, along with Edwards and Rich started work on a new album. Lancaster, who was living in Australia at the time, took out a legal injunction to stop the band using the Status Quo name on any records. The injunction was lifted after a court hearing in January 1986. Lancaster had had increasing musical differences with the group, notably during the sessions for the 1983 album Back to Back over two tracks which became hit singles for the group around that time. He had written Ol' Rag Blues, but was angered when the producers chose to release a version with Rossi singing lead vocal in preference to the one sung by himself, and he objected to Marguerita Time, which he thought unduly corny and too pop-oriented for them. He remained in Australia, forming a band called Party Boys, who had no success in Britain.
The commercially successful In The Army Now album was released in 1986, and the band continues to this day with the revised personnel. Rich left in 2000 and was replaced by Matthew Letley. Andrew Bown took a year off at the same time for family reasons and was replaced on stage by Paul Hirsh, formerly of Voyager.
According to Songfacts.com, Quo's 29th studio album, Quid Pro Quo, was released in a deluxe format exclusively at Tesco on 30 May 2011. The regular edition was released elsewhere a week later on 7th June. The LP debuted at #10 in the UK charts, the band's best chart placing for an original album since Don't Stop peaked at #2 in 1996.
Although Quo still release new material every few years, recent years have seen them release a series of greatest hits compilations and covers albums. One of the band's most recent original albums, Heavy Traffic, shows a return to classic form not seen since the late 1970s.
Status Quo have often been characterized, perhaps unfairly, as producing very simple songs, always in the same format: 4/4 rhythm, three chord structure. However, the recordings from their first decade demonstrate a diversity in musical style and complexity to rival most of the late 60s UK bands, and several of their singles and album tracks from later show considerable subtlety, not least the mainly acoustic 1979 single Living On An Island, and the 1980 album track, later a single, Rock'n'Roll, which is ironically one of the least rock'n'roll-like songs they have ever recorded.
They have a loyal group of fans in the United Kingdom, where they have enjoyed more hits than any other group in rock and roll history (over 60 as of mid-2005), as well as a big following in Europe, notably in The Netherlands.
In September 2005 a contestant on the long-running BBC television quiz programme Mastermind chose Status Quo as his specialist subject. That same year they took part in the long running ITV soap opera Coronation Street in a storyline which involved them being sued by the layabout Les Battersby.
In December 2005 it was announced that Parfitt was undergoing tests for throat cancer. All subsequent dates of the UK tour were cancelled as a result. However on 20th December it was further announced that the growths found in Parfitt's throat were benign and had been removed.
Quo have even been the subject of a Doctoral Thesis, purporting to demonstrate that their music composition skills could be favourably compared to the likes of the classical music composers, such as Beethoven!
In Autumn 2008 German techno legend Scooter released new single Jump that rock together with Status Quo.
On 1 February 2016, it was officially announced that Status Quo, in addition to the spring and summer dates already scheduled, would tour Europe starting in October. The final dates would take place in the UK towards the end of the year, after which the group would retire from playing 'electric' tours.
On 28 October 2016, Rick Parfitt permanently retired from live performances after suffering a heart attack earlier the same year. On 24 December 2017, he died in hospital in Marbella, Spain as a result of severe infection, after suffering an injury to his shoulder. Parfitt's funeral was held at Woking Crematorium on 19 January 2017. Irish guitarist Richie Malone, who had substituted for Parfitt during some 2016 live shows, took his place on rhythm guitar.
Heart On Hold
Status Quo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You are in control, you know all the angles
Forget your trigonometry
Please release my soul, please undo this tangle
You have the power remote control
One look from you and my blood runs cold
You've put my heart on hold, freeze frame
You've put my heart on hold, freeze frame
You had compatibility
You're not giving in, you're not user friendly
There's every possibility
We can make a spark with the right connection
I need your wiring diagram
I need to break into your programme
You've put my heart on hold, freeze frame
You've put my heart on hold, freeze frame
You've put my heart on hold
You know the terminology
You leave me behind, I could use some training
Equipment is top quality
I'll supply the base, you supply the software
It's done by numbers, or so they say
So one plus one equals two today
You've put my heart on hold, freeze frame
You've put my heart on hold, freeze frame
You've put my heart on hold, freeze frame
You've put my heart on hold, freeze frame
You've put my heart on hold, freeze frame
You've put my heart on hold, freeze frame
You've put my heart on hold, freeze frame
You've put my heart on hold
The lyrics of Status Quo's song "Heart On Hold" can be interpreted in different ways. One possible interpretation is that the song talks about a person who is in a relationship with someone who has all the power and control, and they feel trapped and frozen in their emotions. The first stanza, "You have the technology, You are in control, you know all the angles, Forget your trigonometry, Please release my soul, please undo this tangle," suggests that the other person has all the power and knowledge to manipulate the situation, leaving the singer feeling helpless and frustrated. They feel like they are frozen in time, hence the image of a freeze frame.
In the following stanzas, the singer tries to reason with the other person and asks for help to understand what is happening. The second stanza, "You had compatibility, You're not giving in, you're not user friendly, There's every possibility, We can make a spark with the right connection," shows that there was a connection between the two, but now the other person is distant, and the singer is struggling to connect with them. They need a roadmap or a guide to understand and break through the other person's barriers.
The last stanza continues with the metaphor of technology, "You know the terminology, You leave me behind, I could use some training, Equipment is top quality, I'll supply the base, you supply the software," suggesting that the singer is willing to learn and adapt to the other person's needs, but they need help to do so. The final refrain, "You've put my heart on hold, freeze frame," repeats the idea that the singer feels trapped and frozen, with their heart suspended in time until the other person releases it.
Line by Line Meaning
You have the technology
You possess the advanced tools and methods for controlling and manipulating things.
You are in control, you know all the angles
You have complete authority and knowledge of all aspects, giving you an advantage.
Forget your trigonometry
Disregard the complex calculations and formulas.
Please release my soul, please undo this tangle
Free me from this complicated and confusing situation.
You have the power remote control
You possess the ability to govern and command from afar.
One look from you and my blood runs cold
Your mere presence or gaze fills me with fear and apprehension.
You've put my heart on hold, freeze frame
You have suspended my emotions and feelings.
You had compatibility
We were originally compatible and able to work together.
You're not giving in, you're not user friendly
You are resistant and difficult to work with or understand.
There's every possibility
There exists a chance or opportunity.
We can make a spark with the right connection
We may be able to ignite a passion or chemistry if the circumstances are favorable.
I need your wiring diagram
I require a detailed explanation of your inner workings in order to comprehend you.
I need to break into your programme
I must gain access and control of your system in order to make progress.
You know the terminology
You have a thorough understanding of the specialized language and jargon.
You leave me behind, I could use some training
You are progressing too quickly for me to keep up, and I require instruction or education.
Equipment is top quality
The tools and materials are of the highest caliber and standard.
I'll supply the base, you supply the software
I will provide the foundation, and you will provide the necessary components to complete the project.
It's done by numbers, or so they say
The process is supposed to be simple and straightforward, although there may be doubts.
So one plus one equals two today
The situation is straightforward and logical, with no complications or obstacles.
You've put my heart on hold, freeze frame (repeated)
You have halted and suspended my feelings, leaving me in an emotional stagnation.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ANDREW STEVEN BOWN, PHIL PALMER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ruben Fernando Cipolla
Junto con el anterior, los 2 peores temas que escuche hasta el momento de Status Quo.