Alan Lancaster’s Bombers Marseille 1995 Rehearsal
In the mid-1990s rock history witnessed one of its quieter yet significant moments when Alan Lancaster’s Bombers, the band led by the late British rock veteran Alan Lancaster, gathered in Marseille for a rehearsal session that was captured on video in 1995. The footage, long circulating among collectors and fans, offers a rare and candid look at Lancaster and his bandmates in a creative moment that came near the end of this project’s lifespan.
Alan Lancaster, best known as the founding bass player of Status Quo, carved out a reputation over decades of rock performance with that band before moving to Australia in the 1980s and forming several new groups. After co-founding The Party Boys and later The Bombers in the late 1980s, he established Alan Lancaster’s Bombers, a distinct lineup that recorded an EP and undertook tours in Scandinavia before disbanding in 1995.
The Marseille 1995 rehearsal video does not document a full concert or an official live release, but it is valuable for what it reveals about the band’s dynamics, work ethic, and musical focus during that period. At this stage Lancaster was seasoned in both studio and stage environments, bringing decades of experience from hard-driving UK rock stages to a more collaborative and fluid rehearsal setting. Viewers of the video witness the group working through material with intense concentration, refining arrangements and tightening the band’s interplay. This type of rehearsal footage rarely becomes public, making this clip a useful document for scholars of rock performance and admirers of Lancaster’s craft.
Musically the rehearsal reflects a blend of hard rock and boogie-rock sensibilities that echo Lancaster’s earlier work while also showing the band’s own identity. Whether running through original compositions or interpreting familiar forms with fresh energy, the musicianship on display demonstrates a professional approach to ensemble performance. Even without the presence of a crowd, the energy in the room is palpable: Lancaster’s leadership as a bassist and bandleader anchors the session, while other band members contribute complementary textures and rhythmic strength.
For many fans aware of Lancaster’s long tenure with Status Quo, this rehearsal stands as a reminder of his relentless commitment to rock music. Throughout his career he helped shape a sound that became synonymous with boogie-style rock in Britain and beyond, and he continued to pursue that passion long after leaving the international fame of his original band. The Marseille 1995 rehearsal may not be widely known in mainstream rock histories, but it remains a vivid piece of the narrative of Lancaster’s later years with Alan Lancaster’s Bombers.