# Why did Status Quo (band) never have much success in America **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 3, 2016, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-status-quo-band-never-have-much-success-in-america/773716 "2016-12-03T10:55:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dunmurry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d2c977/32.png) [@Dunmurry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunmurry)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2016, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-status-quo-band-never-have-much-success-in-america/773716/1 "2016-12-03T10:55:03Z")
This is about the band Status Quo yes the Status Quo (band) which are regarded as an institution in Britain as British as fish and chips and Big Ben yes very good band however they never really managed to “crack America” or whatever you would usually say and they are a very good rock band but they only play three chords and Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt have been in it the longest but I believe they are soon to hang up their Fender Stratocaster guitars for good. they have performed over 4500 live shows to audiences in excess of 20 million people and they have done more than a million miles on the road and one of them has had a quadruple heart bypass and they are still going but of course I saw them live in 2005 with Mel C of the Spice Girls and Meat Loaf and it was really good. Have many people in America heard the band Any other people here are fans of them ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2016, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-status-quo-band-never-have-much-success-in-america/773716/2 "2016-12-03T11:35:32Z")
Because they were just more of the same. ---
**Author:** ![Dunmurry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d2c977/32.png) [@Dunmurry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunmurry)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2016, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-status-quo-band-never-have-much-success-in-america/773716/3 "2016-12-03T12:04:31Z")
But now you have to remember that they did the John Fogarty’s Rockin All Over The World and were at Live Aid as well and The Way It Goes as well [More about Status Quo](http://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/status-quo-star-rick-parfitt-8960906) [Here is some more information about the band](http://www.statusquo.co.uk/) All in all I think a very good band and there is plenty of good music and things that well are nice ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2016, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-status-quo-band-never-have-much-success-in-america/773716/4 "2016-12-03T12:25:37Z")
Better suited to Cafe Society. Off it goes. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2016, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-status-quo-band-never-have-much-success-in-america/773716/5 "2016-12-03T12:46:46Z")
Status Quo certainly weren’t pushed much by marketing in the States, or by a label that I can tell. I was a youngster in the 70’s and from then through the 80’s the only Status Quo song I can identify from radio play is “Pictures Of Matchstick Men”, which was pretty cool, but also kind of a novelty. I really don’t know anything else that they’ve done. I’d say that they never got much label support here. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2016, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-status-quo-band-never-have-much-success-in-america/773716/6 "2016-12-03T12:51:28Z")
I was an American 15-year-old when Live Aid happened, and I actually remember thinking at the time, “How odd that this band Status Quo, that I’ve barely heard of, is being given the same pride of place as Queen and a reunited Led Zeppelin.” I figured they must be Bob Geldof’s mates or something. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2016, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-status-quo-band-never-have-much-success-in-america/773716/7 "2016-12-03T12:52:42Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Because they were just more of the same. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2016, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-status-quo-band-never-have-much-success-in-america/773716/8 "2016-12-03T13:20:54Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > Status Quo certainly weren’t pushed much by marketing in the States, or by a label that I can tell. I was a youngster in the 70’s and from then through the 80’s the only Status Quo song I can identify from radio play is “Pictures Of Matchstick Men”, which was pretty cool, but also kind of a novelty. I really don’t know anything else that they’ve done. I’d say that they never got much label support here. Francis Rossi has said that they had no representative in the States and didn’t really care. It cost them a lot to tour and they didn’t want to spend the money they were earning in Europe trying to make it in the States as they thought the whole thing woud only last a few years. They have managed to sell over 100 million records, more than the _Who,_ _Fleetwood Mac_ and _Dire Straits_ so they have managed OK despite their failure. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2016, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-status-quo-band-never-have-much-success-in-america/773716/9 "2016-12-03T14:30:18Z")
That seems controversial. The relevant wiki page puts the three bands you name at 100m plus. It doesn’t even mention Status Quo. > **[List of best-selling music artists](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_music_artists#cite_note-255)** > > The following list of best-selling music artists includes those music acts from the 20th century to the present with claims of 75 million or more record sales worldwide. This information cannot be listed officially, as there is no organization that has recorded global music sales. > The tables are listed with each artist's claimed sales figure(s) and their total independently certified units and are ranked in descending order by claimed sales. If two or more artists have the same claimed sales,... ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2016, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-status-quo-band-never-have-much-success-in-america/773716/10 "2016-12-04T12:07:59Z")
That list starts off by explaining that it excludes lots of older acts but elsewhere on the same site : [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List\_of\_biggest\_selling\_British\_acts\_of\_all\_time](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_biggest_selling_British_acts_of_all_time) when sorted correctly 122,000,000 sales. They only claim 118,000,000 on [their website.](http://www.statusquo.co.uk/factsheet.htm) ---
**Author:** ![stosh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@stosh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stosh)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2016, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-status-quo-band-never-have-much-success-in-america/773716/11 "2016-12-04T15:30:04Z")
I think they are great. Good old rock and roll. I wish I had heard about them sooner. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2016, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-status-quo-band-never-have-much-success-in-america/773716/12 "2016-12-04T16:09:22Z")
What, the “In the Army Now” guys? I always assumed they were a one-hit wonder. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2016, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-status-quo-band-never-have-much-success-in-america/773716/13 "2016-12-04T16:53:22Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > They have managed to sell over 100 million records, more than the _Who,_ _Fleetwood Mac_ and _Dire Straits_ so they have managed OK despite their failure. And Cliff Richard has sold 260 million. So what? Nobody in the States has the slightest idea who he is, either. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2016, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-status-quo-band-never-have-much-success-in-america/773716/14 "2016-12-04T19:28:38Z")
I know who Cliff Richard is, but only because MTV was kind enough to broadcast The Young Ones in the '80s. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2016, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-status-quo-band-never-have-much-success-in-america/773716/15 "2016-12-04T19:34:49Z")
Judging by their performance at Live Aid,it is because Americans have good taste and don’t need to spend money on these mediocrities ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2016, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-status-quo-band-never-have-much-success-in-america/773716/16 "2016-12-04T19:56:41Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > Status Quo certainly weren’t pushed much by marketing in the States, or by a label that I can tell. I was a youngster in the 70’s and from then through the 80’s the only Status Quo song I can identify from radio play is “Pictures Of Matchstick Men”, which was pretty cool, but also kind of a novelty. I couldn’t have told you who sang it, but Matchstick Men was indeed a cool song. All Leslie speakers and phasing…pretty spacey. Dennis ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2016, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-status-quo-band-never-have-much-success-in-america/773716/17 "2016-12-04T20:33:34Z")
> [@Jim\_s\_Son](#): > > Judging by their performance at Live Aid,it is because Americans have good taste and don’t need to spend money on these mediocrities C’mon, you guys embraced Foghat. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2016, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-status-quo-band-never-have-much-success-in-america/773716/18 "2016-12-04T21:14:56Z")
I’m familiar with POMM because Camper Van Beethoven remade it. p.s. The OP needs to learn how to use punctuation. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2016, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-status-quo-band-never-have-much-success-in-america/773716/19 "2016-12-04T21:59:12Z")
> [@mixdenny](#): > > I couldn’t have told you who sang it, but Matchstick Men was indeed a cool song. All Leslie speakers and phasing…pretty spacey. > > Dennis And utterly unlike the shite they put out for the next few decades. They basically make music for the sort of person who went to a bike rally once in 1975 and has been living the rebel life dream ever since. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2016, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-status-quo-band-never-have-much-success-in-america/773716/20 "2016-12-04T22:24:38Z")
> [@Penfeather](#): > > C’mon, you guys embraced Foghat. Lonesome Dave was a badass! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-status-quo-band-never-have-much-success-in-america/773716.md?page=2)