Status Quo legend Francis Rossi is currently on his Tunes and Chat tour across the UK. In the show, he plays a selection of songs from his career, along with a few life stories sprinkled in. The songs are played in acoustic variations, leading to a low-key atmosphere. Some of these tracks have been preserved in recordings, and released officially. Originally released as a limited-run 10″ vinyl record, this small collection of tracks has now been made available on digital and streaming platforms. This follows the recent success of the vinyl version in UK charts.
The first batch was recorded in Francis’ own studio. The guitars have a clean sound, while the vocal production evokes a life performance. The second batch of recordings is of a live performance from the Tunes & Chat tour. The sound has a slightly rougher bite on these recordings, but it works to their credit. The guitars have a crisper edge and an electric sound on some of the solos. Both guitars, the second played by Andy Brook, are pleasantly panned to give a full stereo sound.
Spinning Wheel Blues and April Spring Summer, and Wednesdays were first featured on the Ma Kelly’s Greasy Spoon album from 1970. The bare-bones recording approach shown in the originals made them a perfect target for this project. In My Chair was first released as a non-album single in 1971. It’s bluesy laid-back vibe was a perfect contender for the stripped-back approach. The solos differ from the original record, but they suit the needs of the new format. And It’s Better Now was first included on the chart-topping Hello album in 1973; It was revived and reinvented in 2014 when it was featured on the Aquostic album; The two versions included in this EP appear to be heavily inspired by that version which accentuates the spiritual nature of the composition.
I haven’t personally heard these songs on the vinyl release, but I can imagine this tracklisting makes more sense in the format. In some ways, this release helps to fulfil the wish of two camps. Some fans get a taste of newly recorded studio material, while others get a more live experience. This also serves as a taster for the actual tour, which is still on the road. It is currently unknown whether any more materials of this type will be released by Francis Rossi. Based on the small selection here, it would be an interesting listen whatever the format
Francis Rossi’s Tunes & Chat is available on digital and streaming platforms. The limited edition 10″ vinyl is still available to buy from Francis Rossi’s Official Website.
The Greystone Studio Sessions
- Spinning Wheel Blues
- April Spring Summer and Wednesdays
- In My Chair
- And It’s Better Now
Live from The Stables, Milton Keynes, 2023
- Spinning Wheel Blues
- April Spring Summer, and Wednesdays
- In My Chair
- And It’s Better Now
This review was written by Jamie Dyer, who is the host of The Quo-Cast: A Status Quo fan podcast.
