Status Quo comes to Zwarte Cross: “Isn't this the festival where they also race around a circuit with these strange cars?” | Bronkhorst

This isn't the first time British rockers Status Quo have played at Lichtenvoorde – including at the Zwarte Cross and Arrow Classic Rock Festival – but Status Quo founder, singer and lead guitarist Francis Rossi doesn't have any active memories of it to begin with.

,,no, sorry. I know we are popular in the countryside in Holland. but why? Maybe because you see farmers as the real working class. We always clicked with that.

“Then throwing beers during concerts. Someone asked me if I didn’t find that annoying. No, you know, they really listen and they always sing fanatically. For us, that’s really cool, the sound of the crowd, as if we were in the middle of it. I love that about the Dutch fans.” .

He has sold tens of millions of albums and is partly responsible for the top 2000 classic albums such as Roll over and lie down, whatever you want in Down down. Status Quo's Francis Rossi has seen just about it all.

He escapes from it somewhere in the middle of the conversation. “The status quo could easily be last summer. The last party. I don't really know why, but I think this is the first time I've said this out loud. I've always said I'll stop in 2026. I'll be 76 or 77 then, “But this may be the last year. Who is still waiting for the status quo?”

Francis Rossi was overcome with doubt. And that's for someone who's been playing Full Houses music for over 60 years with his famous rock band. “You know, there's nothing better than playing in a band in front of an enthusiastic audience. The applause, making great music together, and the energy that's released during a concert.

But it turns out that this is not a given. “I've always been an insecure little man. I still think. I've always been able to hide behind the band. Maybe because of that insecurity, I also had, and still have, an enormous desire to get to that stage. To prove myself.”

“Last year we had a bad year with the band,” Rossi continues. “It's probably our worst year ever. People are comparing us to the past. Then after the gig I read comments on social media that the band couldn't do without Rick Parfitt (co-founder and guitarist in the band, GM), but he passed away seven years ago. Of course. It hurts to know he's gone, but we have to move on, right?

“His replacement Richie Malone doesn't get a chance, no matter how well he plays. This negative feedback makes you doubt and takes away some of the fun. Many fans still talk about Alan Lancaster, but his replacement John Edwards has been playing guitar with Status Quo for over Thirty years.

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