Francis Rossi

AAA

AWAY WITH MEDIA Quo veteran’s coffee-table tome ventures behind the scenes.

“Why would I want to look at pictures of myself?” Francis Rossi asks in his sparse thoughts in this limited-edition, individually signed glossy art book of blackand-white photos that capture him in the studio, at home and on stage. He might not, but others might well do. The thoughts accompanying the photos are also surprisingly revealing, particularly because Rossi has always been a bit of an eccentric on the quiet. Asked by one young fan what his favourite part of a Quo show was, he explained that it was “The end”, because that’s when he can look back on it with most enjoyment.

Due to the timing, there’s a bit of an elephant absent from the room in these photos – the audiences, since it was produced during lockdown. And while casual Quo fans will probably have little inclination to look at glossy photos of sound desks, guitars and a septuagenarian rocker in repose, for the band’s many loyalists it will make for a tidy souvenir. ■■■■■■■■■■