The Lounge Kittens: Rossi was like fatherly figure on tour

The Lounge Kittens say Status Quo's Francis Rossi was like a "fatherly figure" when they supported the legendary rockers last year. The comedy rock trio - comprised of Jenny Deacon, Timia Gwendoline and Zan Lawther - got the chance to perform on the 'Rockin' All Over the World' hitmakers' 'Last Night Of The Electrics Tour' in December and have heaped praise on the 68-year-old singer and guitarist who looked after them as if they were his daughters and encouraged them before they went on stage. Speaking exclusively to BANG Showbiz at Download Festival at Donington Park, Leicestershire on Sunday Zan said: "They were just lovely people. Francis [Rossi] is a bit of a fan. He was like this father figure on the tour. He would pop up and he keeps a lot of time for himself and obviously Rick wasn't there and he passed just after the tour finished. "Francis would be there when you wouldn't expect it. "Moments before we were going on stage at The O2, Francis appeared and was like, 'I'm really p***ed off girls there is not enough people out there to see you, they are all in the band.'" When they performed at The O2 in London, which seats 20,000 people, Francis apologized to them about the small amount of people who turned up to see them, but they were happy to even be performing at the famous venue. The pink-haired beauty said: "Even when there are only 10 people in The O2 it is still lots of people. We were fine. "He was there and ushering you onto the stage like he's got your back. Lovely guys." The girls were gutted that Status Quo's late rhythm guitarist Rick Parfitt, who died last Christmas Eve at the age of 68 as a result of a severe infection, was too unwell to perform on the tour and even more so when he passed away shortly after the tour ended. Zan added: "He was too unwell for the tour and he died the day after, it was a shame. But his presence was there."