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.
Reality Cheque
Status Quo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
now we only got history
I'm playing my cards with an unmarked deck
cashing in my chips with a reality cheque
cashing in my chips with a reality cheque
Could have had everything but you're moving on
now you will know a lot of nothing at all
I'm paying my bill with a reality cheque
I'm paying my bill with a reality cheque
With a fat reality cheque
With a fat reality cheque
There's nothing worse than a woman scorned
I'm telling you baby, you're ill informed
lucky for you I'm not feeling mad
believe I specialise in being bad
You're stalling on this you got nothing on me
now we only got history
I'm playing my cards with an unmarked deck
cashing in my chips with a reality cheque
cashing in my chips with a reality cheque
I sold your clothes and I cancelled your cards
I changed the lock on the house and the car
And didn't I tell you, the diamonds are fake
I must admit, that's the icing on the cake
It wasn't me that got you into this mess
I wanted to try and make it all a success
But now you're hanging on around my neck
Shaking you off with a reality cheque
Shaking you off with a reality cheque
With a fat reality cheque
With a fat reality cheque
With a fat reality cheque
Paying my bill with a reality cheque
Paying my bill with a reality cheque
Paying my bill with a reality cheque
The lyrics to Status Quo's "Reality Cheque" reflect the aftermath of a failed relationship, as the singer is now determined to move on and cash out their chips (or cut their losses) with a reality cheque. The opening lines suggest that there was some sort of conflict or accusation between the two parties, but the singer feels like they have nothing to hide or be afraid of now that the relationship is in the past. They also mention playing their cards with an unmarked deck, which could imply that they were holding back or trying to conceal their true intentions while in the relationship.
The chorus reinforces this idea of being ready to move on and settle the score, with the singer using the metaphor of a reality cheque to symbolize their newfound clarity and determination. They also take a stab at their former partner by suggesting that they will "know a lot of nothing at all" now that they are no longer together. The second verse takes a more combative tone, with the singer implying that they had been wronged by their partner but have no desire to seek revenge. Instead, they claim to specialize in being "bad" and are content to simply cut ties and move on. The final lines suggest that the singer was more invested in the relationship than their partner, but ultimately had to sever ties in order to move on with their life.
Line by Line Meaning
You're stalling on this you got nothing on me
You are hesitant to confront me because you have no evidence against me
now we only got history
Our relationship is over and the only thing left between us is our past
I'm playing my cards with an unmarked deck
I am approaching this situation with a hidden strategy
cashing in my chips with a reality cheque
I am using this opportunity to gain something tangible and real
Could have had everything but you're moving on
You had the chance to have everything but you chose to move away
now you will know a lot of nothing at all
You will be left with no information or knowledge
before I turn into a nervous wreck
Before I become anxious and unstable
I'm paying my bill with a reality cheque
I am using my own reality and actions to pay for my past mistakes
There's nothing worse than a woman scorned
A woman who has been mistreated and hurt can be extremely dangerous
I'm telling you baby, you're ill informed
You are not fully aware of what you are dealing with
lucky for you I'm not feeling mad
You are fortunate that I am not angry or vengeful
believe I specialise in being bad
I have a particular talent for causing trouble and being difficult
I sold your clothes and I cancelled your cards
I have taken revenge on you by removing your belongings and disabling your access to money
I changed the lock on the house and the car
I have also taken away your access to your own property
And didn't I tell you, the diamonds are fake
I have also deceived you by making you think that you have valuable possessions
I must admit, that's the icing on the cake
That is the final touch to my act of revenge
It wasn't me that got you into this mess
I am not responsible for the situation that you are in
I wanted to try and make it all a success
I tried my best to make our relationship work
But now you're hanging on around my neck
But now you are weighing me down with your problems
Shaking you off with a reality cheque
I am using my own reality and actions to rid myself of your troubles
Paying my bill with a reality cheque
I am using my own responsibility and accountability to deal with my past actions
Contributed by Riley C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jaime Alvarado
on Rain
great song ,,, !!!!!!!