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''Ma Kelly's Greasy Spoon'' is the third 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 ...
, released in August 1970. It was the first album by the band to leave behind their early
psychedelic Psychedelics are a subclass of hallucinogenic drugs whose primary effect is to trigger non-ordinary states of consciousness (known as psychedelic experiences or "trips").Pollan, Michael (2018). ''How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of ...
sound and begin experimenting with a
hard rock Hard rock or heavy rock is a loosely defined subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the garage, psychedelic and blues rock movements. Some of the earliest hard ...
style, which remains the band's signature sound, and the last album to feature keyboardist Roy Lynes. The album failed in sales and charts and was not successful.


Background

The band began experimenting with a new sound when they hired Australian singer-songwriter Carl Groszmann to write a song for them. That song became " Down the Dustpipe", released as a non-album single in March 1970, with the Francis Rossi/
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 ...
song "Face Without a Soul" – from the band's previous album '' Spare Parts'' – as its B-side. The song, remarked Rossi, “was the irstto feature our soon-to-be trademark boogie shuffle” and became one of the most popular numbers in their live set. The single took the media by surprise as it was so different in sound from their previous work. BBC Radio 1 presenter
Tony Blackburn Anthony Kenneth Blackburn (born 29 January 1943) is an English disc jockey, singer and TV presenter. He first achieved fame broadcasting on the pirate stations Radio Caroline and Radio London in the 1960s, before joining the BBC, on the BBC L ...
dismissed it on-air the first time he played it with the comment, "Down the dustbin for this one." Nevertheless, it was an instant hit, reaching #12 in the UK charts and remaining in the top 50 for 17 weeks. October 1970 saw the release of another non-album single, the Rossi/Young composition "In My Chair", with the non-album B-side "Gerdundula" (written while in Germany by Rossi and Young under the pseudonyms Manston and James, with a title reportedly inspired by their German friends Gerd and Ula). It earned the band another hit, reaching #21. "Gerdundula" would be rerecorded for their next album, '' Dog of Two Head''. While on tour the same year, organist Roy Lynes fell in love. He could see how serious the other members were about fame and glory, but wanted to settle down with his newfound love. According to the group's producer, John Schroeder, who wrote the booklet notes for the 3-CD compilation ''The Early Years'', Lynes was "the quietest member of the group" and "somehow always seemed to be the odd one out". Parfitt has said Lynes was "a bit laid back, the Open University type who liked tinkering and finding out about things", and Rossi remarked that, when Lynes showed up at a gig in New Zealand about ten years later to say hello, "he seemed a much happier bloke." "Just so right and so tight," observed Pavement's Stephen Malkmus of ''Ma Kelly's Greasy Spoon''. "As with ''Dog of Two Head'' from the year after, this record is transitional: it's the man-steps towards their interchangeable album phase of pure-denim-heads-down-choogle, and never gets boring. Smooth voices over solid grooves. If it was a place, I wish I was there."


Track listing

;Side one # "Spinning Wheel Blues" ( Francis Rossi, Bob Young) – 3:21 (listed as "Spinning Wheel" on the original LP) # "Daughter" ( Alan Lancaster) – 3:01 # "Everything" (Rossi,
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 ...
) – 2:36 # "Shy Fly" (Rossi, Young) – 3:49 # "(April) Spring, Summer and Wednesdays" (Rossi, Young) – 4:12 ;Side two # "Junior's Wailing" (
Kieran White Kieran Raymond White (July 27, 1948 - August 9, 1995, Oregon, United States) was an English baritone rock vocalist and guitarist. He sang and played in the blues-rock band Steamhammer, formed in 1968. Their debut album, '' Steamhammer''. was re ...
, Martin Pugh) – 3:33 # "Lakky Lady" (Rossi, Parfitt) – 3:14 # "Need Your Love" (Rossi, Young) – 4:46 # "Lazy Poker Blues" ( Peter Green,
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) – 3:37 # "Is it Really Me/Gotta Go Home" (Lancaster) – 9:34


1998 bonus tracks

#
  • "In My Chair" (Alternate Mix) – 3:34 # "Gerdundula" (Alternate Mix) (Young, Rossi) – 4:10 # "Down the Dustpipe" (Alternate Mix) – 2:08 # "Junior's Wailing" (Alternate Mix) – 3:36


    2003 reissue bonus tracks

    #
  • "Is it Really Me/Gotta Go Home" (Early Rough Mix) (Lancaster) – 6:54 # "Daughter" (Early Working Mix for Poss. Guitar) (Lancaster) – 2:57 # " Down the Dustpipe" (7") (
    Carl Groszman Carl Arnold Groszmann was an Australian songwriter and musician. Also performing as 'Carl Keats', he was the guitarist in the 1960s Australian group Steve & the Board, which included Steve Kipner and Colin Petersen. Groszmann was studying law in ...
    ) – 2:06 # "In My Chair" (7") (Francis Rossi, Bob Young) – 3:19 # "Gerdundula" (7" Original Version) ( Manston, James) – 3:23 # "Down the Dustpipe" (BBC Session) (Groszman) – 1:49 # "Junior's Wailing" (BBC Session) (White, Pugh) – 3:01 # "Spinning Wheel Blues" (BBC Session) (Rossi, Young) – 2:17 # "Need Your Love" (BBC Session) (Rossi, Young) – 2:29 # "In My Chair" (1979 Pye Promo Flexidisc) (Rossi, Young) – 1:37 The BBC Sessions were recorded at BBC Studio 1, Shepherd's Bush October 1970 for The John Peel Show


    Personnel

    ;Status Quo * Francis Rossi – guitar, vocals *
    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 ...
    – guitar, vocals * Alan Lancaster – bass, guitar, vocals * John Coghlan – drums * Roy Lynes – organ, piano, electric piano with: * unknown – cello on "Everything" * Bob Young – harmonica on "Spinning Wheel Blues"


    References

    {{Authority control Status Quo (band) albums 1970 albums Pye Records albums