It's All Freddie Mercury's Fault

Freddie Made Me Do It

Why did I start this project? Trust me, over the past few months I’ve often considered this question. Music managers, pop agents, sarcastic rock stars and the endless chasing have more than once seemed like a nightmarish battle of wills. But if we can’t stand up for what we believe in then why bother getting out of bed in the morning?

It all started after I’d finished making a documentary about overpopulation. I popped on the old musical machine, hit the random button and the Queen song, “Is This The World We Created?” came on. It’s a truly beautiful song delivered brilliantly by Freddie. The words struck me like no other. We claim to be the most advanced species on planet Earth, and yet if we were to judge on the levels of destruction, we’d be the worst. There and then I decided I had to do something. In my past life I was a marketing man. Yeah I know, line up to take aim. My head spun, I must be able to use some of my rubbish skills to help out our planet and all the suffering we create!

And then it struck me! I had absolutely no idea what to do. Needless to say I was in a bit of a mood that afternoon. And so off to bed I went. I woke up with the whole idea in my head. Music stars have a massive amount of influence in the world. I mean, why else would people wear hoodies and a certain brand of training shoes? It’s a selfie and selfless world we often live in. If I could possibly get through to a few musicians and get them to give me interviews then maybe people would read a book. If I went for rock, pop and folk stars I’d be getting a wide range of people interested. Even if they bought the book and went straight to the chapter with their music hero in, it would be worth while. The questions would have to be interesting of course and so why not ask them stupid questions? Like do you believe in aliens? Obviously I was perfectly capable of coming up with stupid questions. Boy was I surprised with the answers.

And so, that morning I put together an email and opened up the web browser. I already knew a few music stars and I tried them first. Within an hour I had responses. Within a week I had dozens of stars all saying yes Phil! Blimey. I have to say it, the response from the music world has been amazing and I want to thank each and every one of them for putting in the effort. Apart from those who didn’t of course. I just deleted them from my play lists. You know who you are. Of course, you can always get in touch now and we’ll consider you for the follow up book.

Find out more here Minds Behind the Music 

Listen to some of Francis Rossi's answers here

Rock Legend - Francis Rossi

Status Quo: The Francis Rossi Interview

I managed to catch up again with legendary rocker, no-nonsense frontman and ‘Coronation Street’ fan Francis Rossi OBE, for a chat about life, the universe and everything.

Speaking of ‘Corrie’, you know you’re etched indelibly onto the minds of the public, when your fans can lop several syllables off your name, and everybody still knows exactly who you mean. Perhaps the most famous ‘Quo fan is ‘Coronation Street’ character Les Batters by, played by real-life fan Bruce Jones. Francis Rossi and band-mate Rick Parfitt had a memorable cameo on the long-running show in 2005.

Best known as the guitarist & frontman from Status Quo, prolific songwriter Rossi has also enjoyed success with a number of side projects and collaborations. 

My first question is, what would you most like to be remembered for? Is it the music or the meaning?

Neither.

We know most politicians were born in the fiery pit of hell as the spawn of Satan, but what’s your opinion of the politics of the world today?

Bullshit propaganda. Same old, same old.

Can you tell us all about your past, present and future?

We haven’t got that long to live

Tell us a little about your kind of music please! Yeah, Rock right…But seriously, don’t you ever just want to rap or smile nicely at the camera like a boy band and sing lame songs?

No, I don’t want to rap. However I have no problem smiling at the camera, and I don’t have a downer on a boy band just because they’re a boy band.

If you were an alien visiting planet earth, what would you do? Would you turn around and go back? Or stay and try and help? Or maybe conquer?

Go back.

What has been your greatest achievement so far?

Getting to 64.

What has been mankind’s greatest achievement?

You’d get the best or truest answer from someone who wasn’t of mankind.

If you had the chance to speak to every human being on earth, what would your message be?

Live and let live. There is no judgement. There is no punishment.

If your life depended on it, which Soap Opera would you do a cameo in?

Done it. (Status Quo had a cameo in the longest-running British soap opera ‘Coronation Street’, and are ‘Corrie’ character Les Battersby’s favourite band)

If a tree falls in a forest, and nobody is around to see or hear it, does it make a sound?

Doh!

Have you ever felt pressured by the fact that what you sing about affects society? Have you ever wondered whether you were doing the right thing?

I don’t necessarily think that what Quo sing affects society.

What advice would you give to musicians today? And what’s your opinion of the highly engineered and marketed music we see in the charts today?

Leave it. It is the logical course and progression for pop music, within the capitalist system that we live in.

Why do you think music and words seems to work so much better than just words as a means to get a message across?

I don’t believe the combination of music and words is any more or less potent than words alone. Music does however have a stimulatory effect on the senses, and is therefore more emotive.

What kind of movies do you watch and why?

No particular type or reason.

What are your opinions about the power of the internet?

It’s powerful!

Do you think man is created in the image of God (or Goddess) or the other way around?

No, I do not think man is created in the image of God or vice-versa.

A recent scientific report stated that religion will eventually die out completely. What’s your opinion on that? A good thing or a bad thing?

Good. However, any research or report usually has a bias towards the body that commissioned it.

Is ‘free will’ the whole of the law? Can man ever be truly free?

It’s man himself that creates his own restraints.

Do you back Nuclear Power? If not, why not.

I don’t have enough knowledge concerning nuclear power to make a valid comment regarding this matter.

Do you believe in Ghosts? UFO’s i.e. aliens visiting planet earth? God?

Yes, believe in ghosts, UFO’s , aliens and God but not the one popularised by most religions.

Have you ever experienced altered states of consciousness? How, why, and was it beneficial? And would you recommend it to all politicians, business and religious leaders?

Been drunk a few times.

What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done?

Pass.

What would you still like to achieve?

More.

Would you ever record a duet with Justin Bieber?

You mean to endear myself to millions of young people around the world? When?

Do you believe in manmade global warming? Or is it natural?

Natural and cyclical, but being accelerated by man.

And last of all, please feel free to say anything at all you want to the world of readers, and tell us all about what you’re up to these days. Plug an album, website or carboot sale.

Goodbye, and thank you.