WITH more than five decades in the spotlight, Status Quo’s work schedule is far from slowing down.

The band, still fronted by stalwarts Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt, are currently touring Sweden, though as Rossi informs me, the weather’s not great.

“Everyone thinks it’s unique to England,” he says. “It’s all over Europe this year. The only two shows we played when it wasn’t windy or cold was in Austria and we had to wear extra clothes and coats. It’s kind of silly, really.” A far cry from the rock- ’n’roll lifestyle, I muse. Francis quickly comes back: “I never believed in that. I’ve done some of what people consider to be rock- ’n’roll lifestyle, but it’s basically idiot behaviour.”

The band’s first hit was the psychedelic smash Pictures of Matchstick Men in 1968. It was Francis’ own self-penned homage to Jimi Hendrix’s Hey Joe . “I’d written Matchstick Men , sang it in falsetto and it just became a huge hit. We were a rock band with a soul set and we had this psychedelic single.”

Pictures of Matchstick Men was followed by several records that varied in style, including Ice in The Sun, Down The Dustpipe and Caroline , which became Quo’s signature rock style.

Francis still believes Quo is a pop band: “People don’t like to hear that. It’s a pop band. It does blues, country, rock, pop. We’re somewhere in there and I don’t care what the label is anymore.”

The band’s hits continued with their first number one Down, Down in 1975 and their recording of John Fogerty’s Rockin’ All Over The World in 1977.

The hit became Quo’s anthem and ultimately the band opened Live Aid with it in 1985. “I’ve never been to any gig before or since that was quite like that,” remembers Francis. “At the time, we were pleased to get on first ’cos we like to get on and get off and didn’t realise we would hit every newsroom around the world.”

Three decades on, the band are as busy as ever, having recently released their Olympic single The Winner . “It didn’t sell any records” confesses Rossi. “You go, what are we doing it for? It maintains the profile of Status Quo. It’s Status Quo maintaining the Status Quo!”

With two Welsh dates lined up for this year, I ask Francis if the band enjoy performing here. “We’ve played Wales many times over the years and all I remember is that ‘ogi ogi ogi’ stuff. I think: ‘What are they on about?’ They know what they’re saying – it always seems like a joyous thing and of course, you all sing so well.”

Other forthcoming projects include a documentary, a film and possibly a musical – it’s certainly all systems Quo... “It’s kind of weird,” muses Francis “We thought we should be done by the time we are 30, and we got to 30 and thought: ‘Well, it must be done soon’. Luckily, it just keeps going.”

  • Status Quo will appear at Tawe Fest in Singleton Park, Swansea, on August 25 – visit  tawefest.com