America couldn't really understand Quo's music, which was one of the problems for the band. A lot of rock fans here (and radio programmers) were used to the slickly overproduced US recordings, whereas Quo's 70's LPs (Piledriver and On The Level would be classic examples) were more rawly delivered, and in your face. AC/DC had the same problem until '79 when Highway To Hell came out. In fact, Atlantic was going to drop AC/DC in '77 except their manager was able to convince the record company that technically, despite the low sales of High Voltage, they actually made money. Today those AC/DC albums are considered classics, but in 1975 and 76 radio wouldn't touch them, and a lot of musicians couldn't stand them, and I think with Quo's music of that period it was the same situation -- the raw, gritty recordings and simple, blues based punchy drum rhythms just turned them off. The average American rock fan didn't really get it until after Back In Black broke and then US rock radio began playing AC/DC's backlog, and people began to see the light. Unfortunately, despite the acceptance of raw, bluesy rock after 1980, Quo got lost in the shuffle over here. Great to see at least one rendition of the band still going, though.
I would have loved to have seen them when I lived in SoCal. My first concert experience was Shawn Phillips and the Moody Blues in 74 at the Forum. I've probably got more albums from Status Quo than any other rock band.
Seen Quo at Kutztown University in Pennsylvania around 73 I’m thinking with Rory Gallagher what a fantastic show, also seen Montrose being special guest for Peter Frampton at the same place around the same time as well
What Frank was saying about seeing the elderly German couple dancing; I know EXACTLY what he means. I was at some sort of social function, once, and a young girl asked the band if they could play a tune which was her great grand parents favourite when they were courting. The band played the intro, the old folk's faces lit up - but they had to be
Trapeze were huge in the states and almost unknown in the UK, Slade also couldn’t conquer America. I was told by a friend recently that on a Friday night on the strip in Hollywood, over a 100 bands will play, hard to imagine. How many huge names started there and cut their teeth there, GnR, Motley Crue. I’m not bothered for either to be honest, I’d take the Quo any day of the week.
