
From Planet Rock.
Status Quo guitarist and vocalist Francis Rossi has marked the 35th anniversary of Live Aid today (13th July) by reflecting upon the momentous concert at Wembley Stadium.
After the Coldstream Guards band opened with the Royal Salute and a brief version of ‘God Save the Queen’, at one minute past midday on a gloriously sunny Saturday 13th July 1985, Status Quo were the first band to grace the Wembley stage.
Live Aid was Status Quo’s first concert since the conclusion of the End of the Road Tour in Milton Keynes in July 1984, which, in Francis Rossi’s own words, ended with everybody “coked-up and hating each other.”
Despite these fraught tensions within the band, Status Quo triumphed during their 14-minute set at Live Aid and had the 72,000 strong Wembley crowd bouncing as they performed ‘Rockin’ All Over The World’, ‘Caroline’ and ‘Don’t Waste My Time’.
Ultimately it proved to be Status Quo’s only show of 1985 and their final gig with bassist Alan Lancaster (except the reunion Frantic Four tour in 2013-2014) and drummer Peter Kircher in their ranks.
Reflecting upon Live Aid on the event’s 35th anniversary today, Francis Rossi said:
“Whenever Quo step onto a stage we strive to give it our best, no one audience or gig is more important than another to the band, but it is undeniable that the 13th of July 1985 was special. There were serious tensions in the band at the time, I arrived in some ways wondering how I’d been persuaded to turn up.
“Some of the other acts were interested in who was going to play last, to headline, whilst we decided to go on first so that we could be done and dusted. Turned out to be a great decision, it was Quo’s music that kicked things off as seemingly the whole world’s attention came to bear to on what Live Aid was trying to communicate.
“It was over in a flash and, whilst I’m not one for nostalgia or dwelling on past glories, at the time it felt important and thirty-five years later it still does.”
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- Status Quo - Something 'Bout You Baby I Like - UK - 7" vinyl - £8.00, $10.08, €9.44 (New Item) (arrived 26-May-2022 09:59)on May 26, 2022 at 3:29 pm
STATUS QUO Something 'Bout You Baby I Like (1981 UK injection moulded 7" vinyl single, also including Enough Is Enough, record Records company die cut paper sleeve QUO5)
- Band Aid - Do They Know It's Christmas - 2nd - Inj - UK - 7" vinyl - £8.00, $10.08, €9.44 (New Item) (arrived 11-May-2022 12:43)on May 26, 2022 at 3:29 pm
BAND AID Do They Know It's Christmas (1984 UK injection label 7" single, also including Feed The World. The picture sleeve has the entire artist group photograph on the back & shows minimal wear whilst the vinyl appears in excellent conditionFEED1)
- Status Quo - Whatever You Want - German - 7" vinyl - £6.99, $8.81, €8.25 (New Item) (arrived 28-Apr-2022 17:13)on May 26, 2022 at 3:29 pm
STATUS QUO Whatever You Want (1979 German injection moulded 7" vinyl single, also including Hard Ride, plain company die cut paper sleeve)
- Status Quo - Live + Inners - EX - UK - 2-LP vinyl set - £10.00, $12.60, €11.80 (New Item) (arrived 02-May-2022 09:35)on May 26, 2022 at 3:29 pm
STATUS QUO Live (1977 UK first press 15-track double vinyl LP on the 'spaceship' Vertigo label, comprising live recordings from their historic gigs at Glasgow's Apollo Theatre between 27th-29th October 1976. Housed in a gatefold picture sleeve with picture inners. The inners have small seam splits, whilst the sleeve shows minimal wear and the vinyl looks barely played)
- Status Quo - In The Army Now - Solid - UK - 7" vinyl - £8.00, $10.08, €9.44 (Back In Stock) (arrived 03-May-2022 08:51)on May 26, 2022 at 3:29 pm
STATUS QUO In The Army Now (1986 UK 7" vinyl single with crossed guitar logo labels, also including Heartburn, picture sleeve QUO20)
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