Francis Rossi Speaks Frankly on Loss, Grief, and the Future of Status Quo
In a candid television interview, Francis Rossi addressed public reaction to his response following the death of longtime Status Quo bandmate Rick Parfitt, offering a deeply personal explanation of grief, responsibility, and the decision to continue the band’s legacy. Rossi’s remarks, broadcast by Sky News, challenged common expectations of public mourning and revealed the complex reality behind one of British rock’s most enduring partnerships.
Rick Parfitt, who shared the Status Quo stage with Rossi for more than fifty years, died in December 2016. Since then, some fans have expressed discomfort at Rossi’s apparent lack of visible emotion and his decision not to regularly mention Parfitt during live performances. Rossi addressed this directly, stating that he does not grieve in public and never has. He explained that he did not cry when either of his parents died, and that emotional restraint is simply part of who he is. For Rossi, turning concerts into moments of shared sadness would undermine the purpose of performing and risk, in his words, digging a hole he has no intention of digging.
Rossi also reflected on the personal and professional strains that developed in his relationship with Parfitt in later years. While acknowledging moments of humor and closeness, he spoke openly about the impact of Parfitt’s long struggles with alcohol. According to Rossi, there were periods when Parfitt no longer felt like the same person he had known for decades, as he attempted to live up to a rock star image that did not reflect his true nature.
The interview also revisited a traumatic incident six months before Parfitt’s death, when he suffered a massive heart attack shortly after a concert in Turkey. Rossi witnessed emergency responders attempting to resuscitate his bandmate and described the experience as deeply distressing. He stated that, at the time, Parfitt was clinically dead and that efforts to revive him were physically brutal. The heart attack ended Parfitt’s touring career but led to Status Quo continuing with a younger replacement guitarist.
That decision attracted criticism, including from Parfitt’s son, who questioned the extension of what had been promoted as a retirement tour. Rossi rejected claims of financial motive, emphasizing that Status Quo was jointly owned by himself and Parfitt, and that Parfitt’s estate continues to receive royalties from ongoing activity.
Rossi concluded by stating that had the roles been reversed, Parfitt would have continued without hesitation. At more than seven decades old, Rossi made clear that he has no intention of stepping away yet. For him, carrying on is not an act of disregard, but a reflection of how he honors both the music and the life he and Rick Parfitt built together on stage.