| Alan Lancaster | |
|---|---|
Alan Lancaster with vocalist Tyrone Coates and guitarist John Brewster of The Bombers |
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| Background information | |
| Born | 7 February 1949 |
| Origin | London, England |
| Genres | Hard rock, rock and roll, blues rock, boogie rock, psychedelic rock |
| Occupations | Musician |
| Instruments | Bass guitar, vocals |
| Associated acts | Status Quo, The Party Boys, The Bombers |
Alan Lancaster (born Alan Charles Lancaster, 7 February 1949 in Peckham, London, England[1]) is a bassist and a founding ex-member of the English rock band, Status Quo. As well as contributing to songwriting, he was also one of the lead vocalists on albums and live concerts taking the lead on tracks such as "Backwater", "Bye Bye Johnny", "High Flyer" and "Roadhouse Blues", etc.
Alan Lancaster formed the group in 1962 with his then schoolmate Francis Rossi. His final performance as Status Quo was at Wembley Stadium on 13 July 1985 for the opening of Live Aid.
Following "Live Aid", Lancaster's relationship with Francis Rossi became increasingly strained, when Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt covertly began recording a new album under the name of "Status Quo". Unbeknown to Lancaster - by now living in Australia - and the group's then recording company, Rossi had utilised the assistance of the group's then manager, to drawdown on the group's contracted recording advances, provided by Phonogram Limited. Lancaster was substituted with session musician John 'Rhino' Edwards, who had been recording on a solo project of Rick's - "Recorded Delivery" - which was eventually scrapped. Edwards remains Quo's bassist to this day.
When Lancaster discovered what was going on, he applied for an injunction to protect his interests in the Status Quo name. When this came to the attention of Phonogram Records Limited, it applied to become a joint defendant, in order to protect its own interests in releasing recordings under the name, and for the advances provided. This persuaded the judge to disallow the injunction on a 'balance of convenience', but gave Lancaster permission to take the matter to trial and claim damages. The parties to the action made an out of court settlement in January 1987. Lancaster allowed the new partnership to continue using the Status Quo name and takeover his interests in the recording contract with Phonogram. This was mainly due to practical problems with financing the trial and by Lancaster's relocation to Australia.
Lancaster continues to live in Sydney, Australia. He joined a new line up of Australian band The Party Boys in 1987 and then co produced a hit album, achieving platinum sales. Also achieving 'gold' and reaching the number one spot with hit single "He's Gonna Step On You Again". In 1988, he formed the Bombers, which signed to A & M Records in the USA. It was paid the largest advance ever paid to an Australian based band, but unfortunately after the band had completed a five-star reviewed album, A & M was sold to Phonogram; leaving the band high and dry. The Bombers' original drummer was Lancaster's ex-Status Quo band mate John Coghlan. Ironically, Lancaster had been complicit in Coghlan's departure from Status Quo in 1981. The Bombers supported Cheap Trick (1988), Alice Cooper (1990) and Skid Row (1990) on their tours of Australia. When the Bombers disbanded, Lancaster continued with his then partner John Brewster ("The Angels") with "The Lancaster Brewster Band", in which Angry Anderson performed as a guest artist for some time. Lancaster then formed his own band: Alan Lancaster's Bombers which released an E.P. and toured Scandinavia before disbanding in 1995. As well as writing the theme song for the film "Indecent Obsession", he also produced an album for classical pianist Roger Woodward, which achieved platinum sales in Australia.
In March 2010 Lancaster and Rossi met in Sydney leading to speculation of the original line-up reuniting.[2] This was later denied by current bassist, Rhino, who explained in an interview that Lancaster was in poor health and unable to participate in any such reunion.[3]