FROM FRANCIS ROSSI’S PERSONAL ARCHIVE: A FASCINATING COLLECTION OF PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED DEMO RECORDINGS,
THE WAY WE WERE VOL. 1 IN STORES MAY 2 PRE-ORDER THE ALBUM HERE Francis Rossi of Status Quo will release The Way We Were Vol. 1 on May 2 via earMUSIC on CD, 2LP and Digital formats. This 17-track album is an illuminating collection of previously unreleased demo recordings, all taken from his own personal archive, and written by the powerhouse songwriting team of Rossi and Bob Young. Five songs are previously unreleased, and have never before been heard outside the studio, whilst others went on to appear on a Status Quo or Francis Rossi album. These early versions capture the purity of the initial ideas and provide a fascinating window onto the creative process that they then underwent, as they evolved into a final version. Rossi says, “People say you just can’t recreate a demo; it’s a real moment in time often with a relaxed feel that comes across in the song. A chord sequence or an idea can really shine. Collected on this album are demo recordings that I really like, or even that I now think are better than the recorded versions that people know already, and some alternate takes that really work in this format. Every so often, I would hear these versions and just really feel that they deserved to be heard, and I hope that the fans like them as much as I do.” There are songs featured that went on to appear on a series of Status Quo albums: 2002’s Heavy Traffic; 2005’s The Party Ain’t Over Yet; 2004’s XS All Areas; 2007’s In Search Of The Fourth Chord; and Rossi’s well-received second solo album of 2010, titled One Step At A Time. A variety of styles, and indeed intentions, is on display here. What the songs all have in common is that they are presented in the manner in which they first emerged. There’s a purity and a simplicity to these recordings, and whilst some went on to become rowdy rabble rousers, having received the full classic Quo treatment on some well-loved albums, here they are in the first blush of youth. Pre-order the album here. Whilst all of these songs are indeed demo versions, they have been carefully and comprehensively laid down — these are much more than sketches. The Way We Were Vol. 1 lifts the lid on the creative process that has seen Francis Rossi, over an extraordinary career, create some great rock music. | 
