''Never Too Late'' is the fourteenth studio album by English rock band

Status Quo is a Latin phrase meaning the existing state of affairs, particularly with regard to social, political, religious or military issues. In the sociological sense, the ''status quo'' refers to the current state of social structure and/or values. W ...

, coproduced by the group and John Eden. Released on 13 March 1981, it had been recorded at the same sessions – at

Windmill Lane Studios Windmill Lane Recording Studios (earlier Windmill Lane Studios) is a recording studio in Dublin, Ireland. It was originally opened in 1978 by Brian Masterson and James Morris in premises at 22 Windmill Lane, and it subsequently relocated to its cu ...

, Dublin – as its predecessor ''

Just Supposin' ''Just Supposin is the thirteenth album by Status Quo. Co-produced by the group and John Eden, it was recorded at Windmill Lane Studios, Dublin. Released on 17 October 1980, it entered the UK albums chart at number 4. Three tracks were issued ...

''. It reached number 2 in the UK Albums Chart. Only one single was released from the album: a cover of '

Something 'Bout You Baby I Like "Somethin' 'Bout You Baby I Like" is a popular song written by guitarist Richard Supa in the early 1970s. The version by Tom Jones reached No. 36 in the UK in 1974. Glen Campbell and Rita Coolidge reached No. 42 in the US with their recording o ...

' (previously recorded by Tom Jones, and

Glen Campbell Glen Travis Campbell (April 22, 1936 – August 8, 2017) was an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, actor and television host. He was best known for a series of hit songs in the 1960s and 1970s, and for hosting ''The Glen Campbell Goodt ...

with

Rita Coolidge Rita Coolidge (born May 1, 1945) is an American recording artist. During the 1970s and 1980s, her songs were on '' Billboard'' magazine's pop, country, adult contemporary, and jazz charts, and she won two Grammy Awards with fellow musician and t ...

), backed with 'Enough Is Enough'. This was promoted with a

music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...

directed by

Godley and Creme Godley & Creme were an English rock duo formally established in Manchester in 1977 by Kevin Godley and Lol Creme. The pair began releasing music as a duo after their departure from the rock band 10cc. In 1979, they directed their first music vi ...

. Towards the end of 1981, a third single from ''Just Supposin was issued. This was the last album to feature the 'frantic four' formation of the band as in late 1981 drummer John Coghlan departed the band, with

Pete Kircher Peter Derek Kircher (born 21 January 1945, Folkestone, Kent) is a retired English rock/ pop drummer. Between 1982 and 1985 he was a member of Status Quo, performing with the band at Live Aid and on the albums '' Live at the N.E.C.'' and '' Back ...

replacing him early the following year. "With ''Never Too Late'', we began to lose the plot," recalled singer

Francis Rossi Francis Dominic Nicholas Michael Rossi, (born 29 May 1949) is an English musician, singer and songwriter. He is the co-founder, lead singer, lead guitarist and the sole continuous member of the rock band Status Quo. Early life Rossi was born o ...

. "'' ongwriter' Bob Young was cleverly promoted backwards. I've since learned that he was told the band didn't want him anymore."

Reception

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

's retrospective review was mixed, criticizing the heavy dose of keyboards in the mix but praising most of the individual songs. They commented of the album and its twin, ''

'', that "Neither is what one would describe as a classic Quo disc, but nor are they as disposable as some of the band's later releases."

Track listing

Side one # "Never Too Late" (

, Bernie Frost) - 3:59 # "

" (

Richard Supa Richard "Richie" Supa (born Richard Goodman) is an American songwriter and guitarist best known for his work with Aerosmith, The Rascals and Richie Sambora. Supa released several albums under his own name, including ''Supa's Jamboree'' (1971, ...

) - 2:51 # "Take Me Away" (

Rick Parfitt Richard John Parfitt, (12 October 1948 24 December 2016) was an English musician, best known as a singer, songwriter and rhythm guitarist with rock band Status Quo. Parfitt began his career in the early 1960s, playing in pubs and holiday cam ...

Andy Bown Andrew Steven Bown (born 27 March 1946) is an English musician, who has specialised in keyboards and bass guitar. He is a member of the rock band Status Quo. Career Bown's first major band was The Herd, along with Peter Frampton. After The H ...

) - 4:49 # "Falling in Falling Out" (Parfitt, Bown, Bob Young) - 4:15 # " Carol" (

Chuck Berry Charles Edward Anderson Berry (October 18, 1926 – March 18, 2017) was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist who pioneered rock and roll. Nicknamed the " Father of Rock and Roll", he refined and developed rhythm and blues into th ...

) - 3:41 Side two # "Long Ago" (Rossi, Frost) - 3:46 # "Mountain Lady" (

Alan Lancaster Alan Charles Lancaster (7 February 1949 – 26 September 2021) was an English musician, best known as a founding member and bassist of the rock band Status Quo, playing with the band from 1967 to 1985, with brief reunions in 2013 and 2014. As ...

) - 5:06 # "Don't Stop Me Now" (Lancaster, Bown) - 3:43 # "Enough is Enough" (Rossi, Parfitt, Frost) - 2:54 # "Riverside" (Rossi, Frost) - 5:04 ;2005 reissue bonus track # "

Rock 'N' Roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It originated from African-American music such as jazz, rhythm an ...

" (single version) (Rossi, Frost) ;2017 Deluxe Edition Disc 1 # "Never Too Late" (

, Bernie Frost) # "

" (

) # "Take Me Away" (

) # "Falling in Falling Out" (Parfitt, Bown, Bob Young) # " Carol" (

) # "Long Ago" (Rossi, Frost) # "Mountain Lady" (

) # "Don't Stop Me Now" (Lancaster, Bown) # "Enough is Enough" (Rossi, Parfitt, Frost) # "Riverside" (Rossi, Frost) Disc 2 # "Rock N' Roll" (7" single version) (Rossi, Frost) (Never Too Late Sampler - Austrian Flexi-Disc) # "Don't Stop Me Now" (Lancaster, Bown) # "What You're Proposing" (Rossi, Frost) # LP Overview # "Something 'Bout You Baby I Like" (

) # "Something 'Bout You Baby I Like" (acoustic instrumental demo) (

) (Live at St Austell Coliseum, Cornwall on 7 March 1981) # "Caroline" (Rossi, Young) # "Roll Over Lay Down" (Rossi, Parfitt, Lancaster, John Coghlan, Young) # "Backwater" (Parfitt, Lancaster) # "Little Lady" (Parfitt) # "Don't Drive My Car" (Parfitt, Bown) # "Whatever You Want" (Parfitt, Bown) # "Hold You Back" (Rossi, Parfitt, Young) # "Something 'Bout You Baby I Like" (

) # "Rockin' All Over The World" (

John Fogerty John Cameron Fogerty (born May 28, 1945) is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. Together with Doug Clifford, Stu Cook, and his brother Tom Fogerty Thomas Richard Fogerty (November 9, 1941 – September 6, 1990) was an American mu ...

) # "Over The Edge" (Alan Lancaster, Keith Lamb) Disc 3 (Live at St Austell Coliseum, Cornwall on 7 March 1981) # "Rock N' Roll" (Rossi, Frost) # "Dirty Water" (Rossi, Young) # "Forty-Five Hundred Times" (Rossi, Parfitt) # "Big Fat Mama" (Rossi, Parfitt) # "Don't Waste My Time" (Rossi, Young) # "Roadhouse Blues" (

Jim Morrison James Douglas Morrison (December 8, 1943 – July 3, 1971) was an American singer, poet and songwriter who was the lead vocalist of the Rock music, rock band the Doors. Due to his wild personality, poetic lyrics, distinctive voice, unpredicta ...

John Densmore John Paul Densmore (born December 1, 1944) is an American musician, songwriter, author and actor. He is best known as the drummer of the rock band the Doors, and as such is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He appeared on every recordi ...

Robby Krieger Robert Alan Krieger (born January 8, 1946) is an American guitarist and founding member of the rock band the Doors. Krieger wrote or co-wrote many of the Doors' songs, including the hits "Light My Fire", "Love Me Two Times", " Touch Me", and "L ...

Ray Manzarek Raymond Daniel Manzarek Jr. (né Manczarek; February 12, 1939 – May 20, 2013) was an American keyboardist. He is best known as a member of the Doors, co-founding the band with singer and lyricist Jim Morrison in 1965. Manzarek was induct ...

) # "Rain" (Parfitt) # "Down Down" (Rossi, Young) # "Bye Bye Johnny" (

)

Personnel

;Status Quo *

guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected stri ...

vocals Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or without ...

- guitar, vocals *

- bass * John Coghlan -

drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...

;Additional personnel *

keyboards Keyboard may refer to: Text input * Keyboard, part of a typewriter * Computer keyboard ** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping ** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware Music * Musi ...

*Bernie Frost -

backing vocals A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are use ...

Chart positions

Certifications

References

{{Authority control 1981 albums Status Quo (band) albums Vertigo Records albums