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US AND THEM - 1973
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"...Roll Over Lay Down And Let Me In..."
Arguably the worst album cover artwork and LP title in their entire cannon - or possibly in the entire world ("Hello!" for Gawd's sake and in jet black so you can't see them) - none of this stopped the mighty Quo from smashing it in 1973.
Released in late September of that year on Vertigo Records in the UK (A&M Records in the USA) with its lyrics inner sleeve and eye-catching poster – more importantly Status Quo's sixth studio platter had the heads-down monster hits of "Roll Over Lay Down" and "Caroline" alongside others like "Forty Five Hundred Times" that would soon become fan craves. You also can't help thinking that had they released the boogie-pleaser "Blue Eyed Lady" with say "Softer Ride" on the flipside as a third 45-single, Quo would have easily achieved a Top 5 placing if not another Number 1.
Their sound and success had been years coming - starting on 1970's "Ma Kelly's Greasy Spoon" and getting stuck in proper on 1971's "Dog Of Two Head" while they were on Pye Records. But it was the move to Vertigo that saw the charge truly begin. Building on the eventual No. 5 LP placing of the preceding "Piledriver" album issued December 1972 - "Hello!" railroaded its Classic Rock riffage to the top of the British album charts - No. 1. This started an astonishing chart run in Blighty - 1974's "Quo" at No. 2, 1975 and 1976's "On The Level" and "Blue For You" also at No. 1 with the live-double in 1977 managing No. 3.
The Quo defined good old-fashioned Seventies Blues Rock with a double-fronted guitar wallop (they meant naught in the USA). And this dinky little 2005 CD Remaster of "Hello!" complete with its period-relevant Bonus Track (the Non-LP B-side of "Caroline") does that fond memory proud. Time to Shake and Vac and don the faded Levis...
UK released February 2005 - "Hello!" by STATUS QUO on Universal/Mercury 982 594-2 (Barcode 602498259429) is an Expanded Edition CD Reissue and Remaster (One Bonus Track) in the 'From The Makers Of' Reissue Series that plays out as follows (43:08 minutes):
1. Roll Over Lay Down [Side 1]
2. Claudie
3. A Reason Of Living
4. Blue Eyed Lady
5. Caroline [Side 2]
6. Softer Ride
7. And It's Better Now
8. Forty Five Hundred Times
Tracks 1 to 8 are their sixth studio album "Hello!" - released 28 September 1973 in the UK on Vertigo 6360 098 and in the USA on A&M Records SP-3615. Produced by STATUS QUO - it peaked at No. 1 in the UK (didn't chart USA).
BONUS TRACK:
9. Joanne
31 August 1973 UK 7" 45-single on Vertigo 6059 085, Non-LP B-side to "Caroline"
The 16-page booklet all the lyrics, the poster shots, rare seven-inch picture sleeves and new liner notes from Quo aficionado GARRY FIELDING with the Remaster done by TIM TURAN who did such great work on the Nazareth back catalogue for Salvo Records. The boogie is strong with this one - each track with a cohesive power as it pounds out your speaker stack with bovver boots and denim waistcoats badly in need of a wash. "Hello!" always rocked and this CD does that legacy a solid. To the tunes...
Almost a full month before the LP hit the shops - Quo had unleashed the "Caroline" seven-inch single on the British Public on the last day of August 1973. Vertigo 6059 085 with the Non-LP "Joanne" on the flipside was a winner - DJ Radio loving its no-nonsense Rock simplicity and those catchy "...if you want to – turn me on to..." lyrics. Eventually peaking at No. 5 in the week leading up the LP's release, it primed the Rock Mad Brits for the album and they responded with frenzied purchasing.
The whole of Side 1 feels like a party - heads-down boogie punctuated by those Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt Vocals and Guitars. Very cool Bluesy Slide Guitar on "A Reason To Believe" where their playing reminds me of Micky Moody from Snafu and later with Whitesnake. "Blue Eyed Lady" is surely one of their best LP gems and as I suggested above, would have made for a storming third single. You kind of get blind-sided by the musicality of "And It's Better Now" (everyone must have a song) - but it's the near ten-minutes of "Forty Five Hundred Times" ending Side 2 that makes real fans weak at the knees. As he pleads "...be my friend..." during its melodic beginning - it then launches into a great riff-fest that pile-drives along to its almost-Doors Rock ending. The throwback vocals to older days on "Joanne" will appeal to fans that long for pictures of matchstick men.
Never a phenomenon in the States like they were back home (they charted "Blue For You" and that was it), Status Quo have had legions of fans for decades on end in Blighty like say Lizzy or Nazareth or other great Rock Bands of the period. And dribbling over the aural evidence on this cheap-as-chips CD Remaster, you can 'so' hear why...
