Rick Parfitt Reflects on Brotherhood Music and Personal Turning Points in a Candid Status Quo Interview
In this revealing interview Rick Parfitt of Status Quo offers an unusually open account of the band’s relationship with Slade and a deeply personal reflection on his decision to stop smoking dope. The conversation captures Parfitt in a reflective mood speaking honestly about the intensity of the early seventies British rock scene and the friendships that grew from rivalry loud stages and shared excess.
Parfitt begins by recalling a time when Status Quo were firmly established as one of the dominant live acts in England. The band was known for sheer volume and power with what he famously calls the Wall of Death behind them. Loudness was not subtlety but identity. Against this backdrop they heard about Slade a hard rocking group from the Black Country whose stage presence and volume rivaled their own. At first this felt like a threat. Another band playing as loud or louder challenged Quo’s sense of supremacy.
What followed was not conflict but mutual respect. Parfitt explains that despite Quo’s established position they found themselves supporting Slade at major venues such as Sheffield City Hall. Rather than resentment this led to admiration. Parfitt speaks warmly of Slade describing their originality Noddy Holder’s unmistakable voice and the band’s bold visual image. He makes it clear that he loved them not only as peers but as fans often attending their shows even when Quo were not working.
The interview then moves into memories of touring together particularly in Australia. These stories are told with humor and honesty reflecting a different era of rock life. Parfitt recounts outrageous behavior airline bans and chaotic fun that cemented a long lasting friendship. He notes that despite the wildness they stayed in touch for decades and even in recent years could sit together and talk easily about old times.
A significant shift in tone comes when Parfitt discusses smoking dope. He describes how it once brought uncontrollable laughter and camaraderie after shows. Over time however the laughter faded and self awareness crept in. He recalls moments of paranoia and discomfort particularly a frightening experience in America involving a Thai stick that left a lasting impression. The vivid memory of fear hallucination and physical distress marked a clear turning point.
Parfitt states plainly that he never smoked again after that night. There is no moralizing only acceptance. He frames it as a realization that it simply was not for him. This honesty gives the interview weight moving beyond nostalgia into personal insight.
Overall the interview stands as a valuable document of rock history. It captures the spirit of early seventies British rock not as myth but as lived experience filled with volume rivalry friendship excess and self discovery. Rick Parfitt speaks not as a legend but as a man looking back with clarity warmth and hard earned perspective.