So here it is, translated from German to English by yours truly. The interviewer is Michael Lorant.
eclipsed: Before we talk about Status Quo, a question about your album with singer and violinist Hannah Rickard, which was now released on vinyl. Why did it take so long?
Francis Rossi: That's a good question. I stopped understanding the music business decades ago. But I'm glad that our album, which we made in 2019 with a lot of love for country and folk, is in focus once again. Maybe it sells better on vinyl than on CD. But in general, the market for physical music is almost dead, there's no money in it anymore. Still, I'm glad we made "We Talk Too Much". It was very satisfying.
eclipsed: That's not a big problem for Status Quo as a live band, though?
Rossi: Well, we had the pandemic and the end of touring and the end of making money. Having said that, it's starting again, and we hope we're still an in-demand live act.
eclipsed: Are the ailing physical sales a reason why Status Quo haven't released a studio album since 2019? Many other bands recorded albums during the pandemic.
Rossi: At the beginning of "Backbone", I didn't have a good feeling about whether it would even make sense to make an album. But as time went on, I really enjoyed the process and I think, had it been released in the 70s, it'd have been a hit record. But with streaming and all the modern release channels, you hardly have a chance at getting a hit, even if there are still enough fans out there going to the concerts.
eclipsed: Are you OK with Status Quo being called a live band?
Rossi: If it makes the shows better attended, you can print that. Alright, as you know, I like to be critical of our stuff. I like many of our songs, but hardly an album as a whole, and I feel the same way about gigs. I always hope that the punters are having fun, and we also try to amuse ourselves onstage in spite of all the concentration.
eclipsed: What are your feelings about the "Official Archive Series" with live recordings?
Rossi: I hope people like them, but I think the mistake is making a live album out of a gig. I'd say nine out of ten concerts aren't perfect. So it makes more sense to do it like in the old days, edit a live album together from several concerts.
eclipsed: But aren't you convinced of the current band line-up?
Rossi: You're right, with Richie Malone instead of Rick Parfitt we've become more consistent and better. I hate saying it, but in his final years, Rick was often just too drunk or not really willing to play a good show. Even backstage, he would often spread bad vibes. Everyone was professional, but sadly, he wasn't anymore, except for rare occasions, so that I was this close to disbanding Status Quo. Which is sad, because despite his difficult last phase, Rick was possibly my best friend, and I wouldn't have had the heart to kick him out. Sometimes I hoped he would stop and get his life under control. With Richie, who often reminds me of Rick in the 70s, we're more powerful again live.
eclipsed: Will there be another Status Quo tour after the current one?
Rossi: We once did a "last tour", back in 1984. After that, I wanted to start a solo career, but then we had Live Aid in 1985, and somehow it made more sense to continue as Status Quo. At least, our record label at the time got that into Rick and me. That's why I'd never talk about a "last tour" again. But Andyis 78 and I'm 75, so it can't go on indefinitely. So, we're just enjoying this tour and we'll see if it continues next year.
eclipsed: Although the last albums, including "Backbone", weren't financially rewarding: Are you going to allow this line-up another album, or is the story of Quo studio albums finished?
Rossi: As I said before, I'd be in the 40th year of my solo career. The Status Quo music is a part of me, and I also like a lot of the albums of the last decades - although I'm not going to deny that some of them we probably shouldn't have made. Like another tour, an album with new songs is an option, not an obligation.
eclipsed: Is another country folk album with Hannah Rickard more likely?
Rossi: She's got a happy family life at the moment, so I don't want to disturb that with work. But it would probably be more fun for me than a Quo record.