MICHAEL VOSS – Rockers Rollin’ (A Tribute To Rick Parfitt)

From almost year one, MICHAEL VOSS has been a huge Status Quo fan after attending his first live concert in a big arena in 1979 at Halle Münsterland, where dumbstruck and starstruck he witnessed the mighty Status Quo on their “If You Can’t Stand The Heat” tour.

Rick Parfitt stepped into the spotlight and fired his intro riff of ‘Caroline’ into the crowd, and MICHAEL VOSS was suddenly infected with his hard hitting, take-no-prisoners rhythm.

Filled with an irrepressible desire to embrace all that is Status Quo, he greedily snapped up all their albums and became an ardent soldier in the Quo Army fan club as well.

Furthermore, Status Quo gave this impressionable 14-year-old the great inspiration to follow in their footsteps by learning to sing play and compose.

Many years later he found himself with the skill to render Parfitt’s great contribution to rock music in this tribute to his first all-time hero.

He has carefully chosen ten songs, that Parfitt sang and wrote, and now proudly presents them in this glorious rock tribute.

He hopes that the spirit and soul of Rick’s great legacy will live on through his labors, and that the mood of these cuts are still pumpin’, sweaty, heavy and riff-driven with loads of harmony vocals on them.

It was really important for MICHAEL VOSS to collaborate with companions that shared the music and stage with Rick. That is why he was reaching out for a helping hand from friends that worked with Rick.

First mentioning Rick’s longtime tour manager and co-writer of many super hits, Bob Young, playing the harmonica on the up-tempo rock song “Coming And Going”.

Original founding member of the Frantic Four, John Coghlan, is featured on drums reviving “Living On An Island”.

Moreover, the actual bass player Rhino Edwards takes part in three tracks and brings the boogie back, and original band member Andy Bown brings back his Hammond sound on “Oh! What a Night”.

On Rick’s last and only solo album, “Over and Out”, Alex Toff (a-ha, Bonnie Tyler) laid down all drums. His fine expertise can be heard on this album on 9 scorching rock tracks.

Rick’s soulmate, co-writer and ex-Savoy Brown singer Jackie Lynton can be heard on “Again And Again”. Finally, the guest appearance of Rick’s son, Rick Parfitt Jr. duetting with MICHAEL VOSS on “Something ‘Bout You Baby I Like” rounds off the tribute album in an unique and dignified way.

More additional guests who complete the team are bassists Ed Poole (ex-Sam Brown, ex-Romeos Daughter), Mat Sinner (Primal Fear), Gregory Harper (Zendemic, The Soul Convicts), Marc Lynn (Gotthard), Uwe Köhler (ex-Bonfire, Switchblade Romance) and on the keys Jens Skwirblies (ex-Lake, Barclay James Harvest) and Holggy Begg (ex-Herman Rarebell, Lakota Sun).

Even Tony Thorpe, former guitarist of the glam rockers The Rubettes, has conjured up a guitar solo on “Reason For Living” and brought his drummer John Richardson along, who laid down some backing vocals just like Eva von der Forst did. Uwe Schneider (Teens), Andy Susemihl (ex-U.D.O) and Jörg Sander (Udo Lindenberg) have all contributed some smoking lead guitars as well.

Last but not least, Jan David on percussions, and Dieter Michel on brass instruments can be heard on the album as well. What a motley crew!

As if that weren’t enough, the songs have been ennobled and mastered by the Grammy nominated Christoph Stickel at CS Mastering Studios in Vienna.

Let’s celebrate Rick Parfitt, the man with the mighty rhythm in his hands and the powerful vocal cords!

GUEST MUSICIANS
Vocals
– Rick Parfitt Jr.: Lead Vocals on “Something ‘Bout You Baby I Like”
– Jackie Lynton: Additional Vocals on “Again And Again”
– Eva von der Forst: Backing Vocals on “Oh! What A Night”
– John Richardson: Backing Vocals on “Again And Again”

Guitars
– Tony Thorpe: Slide- & Lead Guitar on “Reason For Living”
– Jörg Sander: Rhythm- & Lead Guitar (2nd half) on “Reason For Living”
– Uwe Schneider: Guitar Solo on “Rain”
– Andy Susemihl: Lead Solo (Out) on “Don’t Drive My Car” & “Rockers Rollin'”

Bass
– Uwe Köhler: Bass on “Again And Again”
– Mat Sinner: Bass on “Rain”
– Gregory Harper: Bass on “Don’t Drive My Car” & “Rockers Rollin'”
– Ed Poole: Bass on “For You” & “Living On An Island”
– Rhino Edwards: Bass on “Oh! What A Night”, “Something ‘Bout You Baby I Like” & “Reason For Living”
– Marc Lynn: Bass on “Coming And Going”

Drums
– John Coghlan: Drums on “Living On An Island”

Misc. Instruments
– Tim Oliver: Piano on “Rockers Rollin'”, “Reason For Living”
– Andy Bown: Hammond B3 Organ on “Oh! What A Night”
– Shannon Harris: Piano & Hammond Organ on “Something ‘Bout You Baby I Like”
– Jens Skwirblies: Clavinet on “Oh! What A Night” & “Coming And Going”; Hammond B3 Organ on “Living On An Island”; Moog on “Again And Again”
– Bob Young: Harmonica on “Coming And Going”
– Dieter Michel: Trumpets & Trombones on “Again And Again” & “Something ‘Bout You Baby I Like”
– Holggy Begg: Memotron on “Again And Again” & “Oh! What A Night”
– Jan David: Percussions on “For You” & “Oh! What A Night”

Tracklist:

01 – Again And Again
02 – Rain
03 – Don’t Drive My Car
04 – For You
05 – Rockers Rollin’
06 – Oh! What A Night
07 – Something ‘Bout You Baby I Like
08 – Reason For Living
09 – Coming And Going
10 – Living On An Island

Line-Up:

– Michael Voss – Vocals, Guitars, Synthesizer (Track 3), Keyboards (Track 5), Rhodes Piano (Track 4 & 10)
– Alex Toff – Drums (except Track 10)