Jockin’ allover the world
Status Quo frontman Rossi tells how the band used to get danger money to come north of the Border. But at 74, the veteran rocker isn’t ready to roll over and lay down yet
STATUS Quo frontman Francis Rossi has revealed the band were paid danger money when they played in Scotland.
The rock legend said they would get £12 on top of their fee because performing up here was “dangerous”.
Rossi, now 74, who would split the cash with his bandmates, said: “It was £12 more than the gigs in England because lots of bands wouldn’t go to Scotland because they feared they would get beaten up.
“We would drive all day in the van to Berwick and spend the night in some hotel before driving the next day to get to the gig.
“One of the things you knew about the Scottish fans back then was that if they didn’t like you then you knew all about it.”
Status Quo, who have been rockin’ all over the world since 1962, reckoned there was no need for the money though as the fans loved the band. He said: “We were lucky in that respect.
“We played various gigs there in Scotland in the early years. The fans liked us and we liked everything about Scotland including the countryside.
“Fans in Glasgow would sing ‘Rossi Rossi walks on water’ and I could listen to that all day long. They are very passionate and if they love you, they love you for life. I’m so grateful they took to us in the beginning.”
Rossi is heading back north of the Border with The Quo in May and can’t wait to play in front of the most “passionate” fans.
He said: “I remember falling off the stage once and as I fell backwards into the audience I got held up by people and eventually one of my bandmates grabbed the guitar neck, pulled me back up and we carried on.
“We played on a trailer truck once supporting Kenny Ball’s jazz band in the middle of a field and we played at the bottom of a huge quarry in Germany.
“It was this massive hole in the ground with 8000 people down there.
“We played on trains, underground in mines, the weirdest places you can imagine. But the most memorable is always
Scotland because the Scots audiences are the most vociferous and the most passionate.
“The only people who may be on a par are Mexicans from a particular area of Mexico. They have a similar passion to the Scottish and particularly the Glaswegians.”
The Quo will play two dates at Glasgow’s Kelvingrove Bandstand on May 30 and 31 and while he’s not worried about being beaten up, Rossi is a wee bit concerned about the weather.
The singer, who recently recovered from a third bout of pneumonia, said: “They’ve told me we are playing a bandstand. I’ve seen pictures of it and it looks very cute and I’m very much looking forward to it because I haven’t done Glasgow for some time.
“We’re back in front of the people of Glasgow and I hope they don’t
If we go back out in 2026, I’ll be 77. We didn’t see Mick Jagger carrying on as an 80-year-old rossi on the challenges of touring
destroy places like they used to when I was a kid. “My only concern is that it might be cold. I’ll have a long-sleeved thermal undershirt on because I believe in keeping the wrists warm. “That and a North Face top on because I don’t like being cold.” Status Quo are one of Britain’s most successful acts of all time. The band have notched up 60 UK chart singles including, Down Down, Rockin’ All Over The World and Whatever You Want. Twenty two of their songs were Top 10 hits. Among their most memorable performances was their opening slot at Live Aid at Wembley in 1985. The Quo have continued to perform worldwide despite the death of bandmate Rick Parfitt, aged 68, on Christmas Eve in 2016. Bassist Alan Lancaster died in 2021. On leading the charge without the much-loved former members, Rossi said: “I’m aware I cannot bring some people what they want. “They want Rick on the stage or they want the entire old band. “So they hate me for continuing. I’m aware of all those things and it’s made me dig my heels in for the last few years since Rick died.
“But it’s getting to the point where we have to consider the physicality of the rest of the guys in the band.”
He admits the latest world tour could well be the last.
He said: “I’m going out in 2025 to do a solo tunes and chat acoustic tour.
“I don’t want to say this is going to be the last tour. But if we go back out in 2026, I’ll be 77. We definitely didn’t see Mick Jagger carrying on as an 80-year-old.
“I know he’s heavy into training at the moment, trying to get fit and be in the condition to do it; just to breathe in enough to sing, let alone the movement he does.
“I do swimming and I tend to walk about 12 minutes after every meal. I’ve been told it’s very good for keeping the blood pressure correct and then absorbing the sugar. I’ve started doing press-ups, which I stopped for a while because of the hernia I had.
“I had a prostate issue for many years. People don’t want to talk about these things, but that’s looking well. I now have what I call Mackey D. I’ve got macular degeneration so I could lose my eyesight.
“So I’m trying to change the diet in order to keep my eyesight and one of the things I thank this job and this life for is that it makes me keep fit.
“It makes me get in condition to go and stand in front of everybody because I don’t want to seem decrepit. Though I’m sure a 20-year old thinks, ‘look at that old f***’.”
He added: “When I play in Glasgow, I’ll be 75. I thought it was ridiculous when I was 45 and so did everybody else.
“None of us envisaged this going on as long as it has.”