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.
Ice in the Snow
Status Quo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But when she touches me I'm on the way, I'm underneath the floor
Like ice in the sun I melt away
Whenever she comes I melt away
Like in in the sun I melt away
I sit down in a chair and read a book as if I couldn't there
Like ice in the sun I melt away
Whenever she comes I melt away
Like in in the sun I melt away
She opens up her eyes as if to speak
She looks at me and I am weak
Her eyes they seem much bigger than before
I cannot think anymore
Like ice in the sun I melt away
Whenever she comes I melt away
Like in in the sun I melt away
Like ice in the sun I melt away
Whenever she comes I melt away
Like ice in the sun I melt away
The lyrics to Status Quo's song "Ice in the Snow" express the overwhelming feeling of being in love with someone and the power they hold over the singer. The first stanza establishes that the singer has lived alone and never loved before, but when this person touches them, they are taken over completely. The metaphor of melting away like ice in the sun emphasizes the feeling of being consumed by the person's presence.
The second stanza describes how the presence of this person permeates the singer's surroundings. They try to distract themselves by reading a book, but they are unable to avoid thinking of the person who is "everywhere." The third stanza highlights how the person affects the singer's mental state. The person merely opening their eyes is enough to weaken the singer completely, and they find themselves unable to think.
The repetition of the phrase "like ice in the sun I melt away" emphasizes the feeling of being vulnerable and powerless in the midst of this intense love. The lyrics capture the intensity of infatuation and the overwhelming feeling of being consumed by love.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm not a little boy, I've lived alone and never loved so more
I may not be young and inexperienced, I have been on my own for a while and have never felt this strongly about someone before.
But when she touches me I'm on the way, I'm underneath the floor
When she touches me, I am filled with overwhelming emotions and feel like I am lost in them.
I sit down in a chair and read a book as if I couldn't there
I try to act like I am not affected by her, going about my daily activities as normal.
But she is in a room and I must look I see her everywhere
Despite my efforts to ignore her, I cannot help but notice her presence and feel her impact on me.
She opens up her eyes as if to speak
She looks at me with an expression that suggests she may want to tell me something.
She looks at me and I am weak
Her gaze has a power over me and makes me feel vulnerable.
Her eyes they seem much bigger than before
I notice a change in her expression that makes her eyes appear larger and more captivating.
I cannot think anymore
Her impact on me is so strong that I am temporarily unable to focus on anything else.
Like ice in the sun I melt away
Her presence has the ability to make me feel vulnerable, as if I am melting away like ice in the sun.
Whenever she comes I melt away
Whenever she is near, I cannot help but feel consumed by my emotions towards her.
Like in in the sun I melt away
My feelings for her are so strong that they can make me feel weak and vulnerable like ice melting in the sun.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MARTY WILDE, RONNIE SCOTT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@alanstrom2221
ALAN CHARLES LANCASTER otherwise known as NUFF, has passed away in Sydney, his home for 45 years.
The founding member and the backbone of STATUS QUO had been suffering from Multiple Sclerosis for many years.
Alan battled on bravely, performing at QUO's Reunion gigs in 2013 and 2014.
Even though he had MS, Alan's performance and his vocals were the strongest of the three.
My favourite member of QUO is Alan Lancaster.
I had the pleasure of having a beer and a smoke with Alan at a Sydney pub gig, in Five Dock, when he had The Lancaster Bombers and The Lancaster/Brewster Bands in the late 80's.
We had a longer chat at The Lewisham Hotel as well.
These were dirty, grungy hotels, though this didn't phase the great man of the people.
Alan was the most beautifil man, very humble, down to earth and a great guy to talk with and have a laugh.
Vale Alan ( Nuff ) Lancaster
RIP mate, you were one of the greatest Rockers of all time.
@michaeldurrant6045
I was 15 in 74, when I first heard this song, now I'm 64 and still listen to status Quo and so do my neighbours 😂, a timeless classic from one of the greatest bands you'll ever hear.
@hartwigbachmann3612
me too
@lizardspoint
Brilliant stuff xx
@ginacoles6207
The Quo will always be the best band there ever was in the world if it ever stops it will be the end of good music.
@jasonsansome5579
Thete is only one volume to play the quo at.. flat out!!
@user-ub9fs4ig3g
Будем слушать пока живы
@sanmama1602
So many memories to this: in 74 I was 4. My father was 26. We rocked. Now i'm 50 and my father 72. We still rock.
@lindareynolds659
Like you my Dad exposed me to rock n roll
Dad has passed now but I’m still rocking for both of us!
@keijotoivonen3988
Totisesti!
@DJ_PSYFEST
@@lindareynolds659 our dads are rockin heaven!