Piledriver (album)

Piledriver is the fifth studio album by the English rock band Status Quo, released in 1972. It was the first to be produced by the group themselves, and their first on the Vertigo label after their departure from Pye Records.

The album's only single, "Paper Plane" (by Francis Rossi and Bob Young), with the b-side "Softer Ride" (written by Rick Parfitt and Alan Lancaster), was to become the first in a sequence of thirty-three Top 40 hits on the UK Singles Chart when it peaked at #8 after its release in November 1972. The b-side would later be incorporated into the band's following album, Hello!, released the following year.

The album itself was released in December the same year, and reached the highest position of #5 in the UK charts, spending 37 weeks there.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	^[1]
Robert Christgau	C+ ^[2]

In their retrospective review, Allmusic applauded the album as both crowd-pleasing and moderately intellectual, commenting that "Despite the name, most of the music on Piledriver is varied and subtle enough to be interesting." They particularly praised "A Year" and "Big Fat Mama".^[1] Robert Christgau asserted that the band had no decent singer or guitarist, and criticized their attempts at ballads and blues as "boring".^[2]

Track listing

"Don't Waste My Time" (Francis Rossi/Bob Young) - 4:22
"Oh Baby" (Francis Rossi/Rick Parfitt) - 4:39
"A Year" (Alan Lancaster/Bernie Frost) - 5:51
"Unspoken Words" (Francis Rossi/Bob Young) - 5:06
"Big Fat Mama" (Francis Rossi/Rick Parfitt) - 5:53
"Paper Plane" (Francis Rossi/Bob Young) - 2:52
"All the Reasons" (Rick Parfitt/Alan Lancaster) - 3:42
"Roadhouse Blues (Jim Morrison/John Densmore/Robby Krieger/Ray Manzarek) - 7:26

1990 bonus track

"Joanne" (Alan Lancaster) (B-side of Caroline) - 4:11
"Lonely Night" (Alan Lancaster, Bob Young, Francis Rossi, John Coghlan, Rick Parfitt) (B-Side of Break the Rules) - 3:16

2005 reissue bonus track

"Don't Waste My Time [Live Version]" (Francis Rossi/Bob Young)

2014 reissue bonus track CD

"Don't Waste My Time" [BBC Sounds Of The Seventies 1972] - 4:24 Live
"Oh Baby" [BBC Sounds Of The Seventies 1972] - 4:25 Live
"Unspoken Words" [BBC Sounds Of The Seventies 1972] - 5:06 Live
"Paper Plane" [BBC Sounds Of The Seventies 1972] - 2:59 Live
"Softer Ride" [BBC Sounds Of The Seventies 1972] (Rick Parfitt, Alan Lancaster) - 4:03 Live
"Paper Plane" [John Peel Session 1973] - 2:57 Live
"Don't Waste My Time" [John Peel Session 1973] - 4:19 Live
"Junior's Wailing" [BBC In Concert, Paris Theatre, London 1973] - 3:35 Live
"Someone's Learning" [BBC In Concert, Paris Theatre, London 1973] - 8:07 Live
"In My Chair" [BBC In Concert, Paris Theatre, London 1973] - 3:44 Live
"Railroad" [BBC In Concert, Paris Theatre, London 1973] - 6:14 Live
"Don't Waste My Time" [BBC In Concert, Paris Theatre, London 1973] - 4:31 Live
"Paper Plane" [BBC In Concert, Paris Theatre, London 1973] - 3:37 Live
"Roadhouse Blues" [BBC In Concert, Paris Theatre, London 1973] - 15:47 Live
"Bye Bye Johnny" [BBC In Concert, Paris Theatre, London 1973] (Chuck Berry) - 5:14 Live

Personnel

Francis Rossi - guitar, vocals
Rick Parfitt - guitar, keyboards, vocals
Alan Lancaster - bass, vocals
John Coghlan - drums

Bob Young - Harmonica on 'Roadhouse Blues'
Jimmy Horowitz - Piano on 'Roadhouse Blues'

References

↑ 1.0 1.1 Piledriver (album) at AllMusic
↑ 2.0 2.1 Status Quo reviews, Robert Christgau. Retrieved January 31, 2012.

Status Quo

Francis Rossi Rick Parfitt Andy Bown John 'Rhino' Edwards Leon Cave Alan Lancaster Jess Jaworski Alan Key John Coghlan Roy Lynes Pete Kircher Jeff Rich Matt Letley

Studio albums (UK)	Picturesque Matchstickable Messages from the Status Quo Spare Parts Ma Kelly's Greasy Spoon Dog of Two Head Piledriver Hello! Quo On the Level Blue for You Rockin' All Over the World If You Can't Stand the Heat... Whatever You Want Just Supposin' Never Too Late 1+9+8+2 Back to Back In the Army Now Ain't Complaining Perfect Remedy Rock 'Til You Drop Thirsty Work Don't Stop Under the Influence Famous in the Last Century Heavy Traffic Riffs The Party Ain't Over Yet In Search of the Fourth Chord Quid Pro Quo Bula Quo! Aquostic (Stripped Bare)

UK Top 20 singles	"Pictures of Matchstick Men" "Ice in the Sun" "Down the Dustpipe" "Paper Plane" "Mean Girl" "Caroline" "Break the Rules" "Down Down" "Roll Over Lay Down" "Rain" "Mystery Song" "The Wild Side of Life" "Rockin' All Over the World" "Again and Again" "Whatever You Want" "Living on an Island" "What You're Proposing" "Lies" / "Don't Drive my Car" "Something 'Bout You Baby I Like" "Rock 'n' Roll" "Dear John" "Ol' Rag Blues" "A Mess of Blues" "Marguerita Time" "Going Down Town Tonight" "The Wanderer" "Rollin' Home" "Red Sky" "In the Army Now" "Dreamin'" "Ain't Complaining" "Running All Over the World" "Burning Bridges" "The Anniversary Waltz (Parts One and Two)" "Come on You Reds" "Jam Side Down" "You'll Come 'Round" "The Party Ain't Over Yet"

Other singles	"Black Veils of Melancholy" "Make Me Stay a Bit Longer" "Are You Growing Tired of My Love" "The Price of Love" "In My Chair" "Tune to the Music" "Gerdundula" "Rockers Rollin' / Hold You Back" "Accident Prone" "She Don't Fool Me" "Who Gets the Love?" "Not at All" "Little Dreamer" "Can't Give You More" "Rock 'til You Drop" "Roadhouse Medley" "I Didn't Mean It" "Sherri, Don't Fail Me Now!" "Restless" "When You Walk in the Room" "Fun Fun Fun" "Don't Stop" "All Around My Hat" "The Way It Goes" "Little White Lies" "Twenty Wild Horses" "Mony Mony" "Old Time Rock and Roll" "All Stand Up" "Thinking of You" "All That Counts Is Love" "Beginning of the End" "It's Christmas Time" "Jump That Rock (Whatever You Want)"

See also	Status Quo discography Bob Young

Book