ABSTRACT
This chapter explores Status Quo’s first recordings following their conversion to hard-rock in 1970—the album Ma Kelly’s Greasy Spoon and the singles ‘Down the Dustpipe’ and ‘In My Chair’. The analysis of those recordings reveals a wide range of compositional and performance techniques that laid the foundation for Status Quo to become one of the most influential and innovative bands of the decade. The core of their new sound was based on the transgression, development and re-contextualisation of blues and rock ‘n’ roll devices such as12-bar riffs and sequences. The styling varied widely from the development of ‘rock ‘n’ boogie’ to progressiverock, blues-rock and elements of catatonic, psychedelic jamming. In addition, the band experimented with unusual melodic patterns such as the Phrygian mode and new forms of rock architecture—complex binary and ternary structures that are semi-classical in nature. The band also developed a unique muscular singularity in their performing style to marry with their onstage camaraderie and a growing number of fixed-form, improvisation-free compositions. This chapter also includes original interviews with Alan Lancaster and John Coghlan.
