QUO BASSIST JOHN ‘RHINO’ EDWARDS TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM LATER THIS YEAR
John ‘Rhino’ Edwards has been a member of Status Quo since 1986 and plans to release an album towards the end of the year. He is releasing a four track sampler next week through Molano Music.
The album and sampler have been produced by long time collaborator Mike Paxman and features one track, ‘Can’t Count Me Out’, co-written by Quo bandmate, Francis Rossi. ‘My Side Of The Road’ features Chris Wolstenholme of Muse on Bass.
John is no stranger to writing with Francis, and he was delighted to have Chris contribute too, saying “Knowing how much Chris likes Quo, I thought I’d see if he walks it like he talks it with the dying art of the shuffle. He nailed it. What’s not to like about Chris Wolstenholme on your song? Great bass player, and he supports Rotherham; proper”.
The whole album offers some searing musicianship – and a side order of sizzled sacred cows for good measure – as he takes cheerful aim at some of this modern world’s stranger preoccupations. The releases are supported by a UK and European tour, featuring Status Quo rhythm section colleague Leon Cave on drums, with Craig Joiner of Romeo’s Daughter completing the line-up on guitar.
The four track sampler is available from 6th Oct:
Just Sayin’ (Sampler)
1. Can’t Count Me Out (Edwards, Rossi) (3.32) 2. Limbo (Edwards) (3.57)
3. My Side Of The Road (Edwards) (3.09)4. The PC World (Edwards) (4.16)
Rhino is never afraid to ruffle feathers and some of the songs on ‘Just Sayin’’ take on subjects in areas into which others fear to stray. You are free to disagree but he’ll want you to listen to the songs before you do. Despite tracks like ‘The PC World’, the album is by no means a polemic, he’s happy to segue from the topic of people being afraid to speak their mind, to the joys of life in a tin can on ‘Caravan Man’! “It’s a fun ride, from caravans to Evening Primrose, via a few rants, and of course songs about drinking – I am ‘Rhino The Wino’ after all. Plus amazing musicians – what’s not to like?”
Having been a member of acts including The Climax Blues Band, Space and Dexy’s Midnight Runners, Rhino was invited to join Quo in 1986 and has been there ever since. The live band boasts a three-piece band, made up from a pool of stellar players that currently includes guitarists Craig Joiner, Jim Kirkpatrick from FM, Rhino’s son Freddie Edwards, and drummers Leon Cave and Richard Newman, and backing singer Mae Edwards.
John ‘Rhino’ Edwards will perform a hometown launch show at the Teddington Constitutional Club on 6 October, preceded by a [free entry] store signing session from 4pm at the nearby Roan Records store. The UK live shows, which run through October into November, will offer a mix of Rhino’ssolo songs, some Quo favourites which Rhino either wrote or co-wrote, some timeless rock classics, and an element of the spontaneous.
The tour, and of course this, his third album itself, represent a great chance for fans to connect with one of British Rock’s great talents. As a child he trained on the classical violin which, as he jokes, “Came in ’kin handy when it came to joining Quo!” These days, Rhino is an engaging and enthusiastic performer who is not quite content to let the music do all the talking. He’s got plenty of opinions of his own, y’see – ‘Just Sayin’’…
