INTERVIEW: STATUS QUO'S FRANCIS ROSSI SPEAKS WITH WWW.TOTALMK.CO.UK

"It's my wife's favourite film," he explains, "She's not well...she's American, you know what they are like!"

We catch up with Francis on the eve of another Quo-tastic tour, which has just taken the band through Europe, and - as you read this - sees them playing to the home crowd with a current UK bout.

If Francis is true to his word, there won't be too many more opportunities to see the band on stage, at least in its current form.

"I'm considering trying to retire in the next couple of years" he tells me, "I want that culmination, that's it's finished.

"People say 'You'll miss it' and ok, I might, but that doesn't mean I have to go back to it, and to actually finish a career  liker this and then say you don't miss it?

"That would be weird.  I probably would miss it, but I still think I might have had enough.

Despite all their years in an ever-changing industry, British gigs always cause the band to panic.

"We normally go through Europe first and it's great, then when you come to England, you think 'What are we going to do?'

"We usually start panicking in October that we need a new set, or need to shuffle things about a bit.  This year I came up with ideas for next year's tour, and everyone was so relieved!

"Whether it's because we are British and we owe them more than anywhere else, or because the audience here are more loyal than anyone else..." he pauses.

"I don't know what it is, but it ends up being quite a pressure.

"Some people must have spent thousands and thousands coming to see us - we go to Australia every two years and we get off the plane, get to the other side of the gate and there will be a bunch of British fans.

"You think 'Why did you waste all that dosh coming over here?'

"There is a responsibility too, because they've kept us where we are, and keep me in the lifestyle I'm used to, and so on."

Quo's responsibility means that they'll never be shedding moments like Rockin' All Over The World or Down Down from their set in preference of a new clutch of movers.

"I find it very difficult when people of my generation, and there are quite a few of them, say 'I'm not doing that old catalogue.'

"We are our back catalogue and I can't help that.  The Stones are, Floyd are...we all struggled and started off wanting to be loved, wanting to get a recording deal, a publishing deal, radio play...it's weird to thing think the Stones or Floyd were these little kids who were desperate to be liked...now they are very cool people...

Your relationship with Rick Parfitt is an enduring one, and one of the most successful long-term unisons in the industry.  How's that relationship work away from the stage after so many years?

"It's pretty good, really.  We see each other all the time.

"We've been together since we were 16 and there are times when we annoy each other, but it works well together.

"When I got back from doing the Glastonbury gig, Lady Graystone, that's what we call my wife, it's a joke," he explains, "..She was ironing and the big TV in the kitchen was on.  I turned to go out and have a shower, and as I turned Whatever You Want Came On, and I look up and see these two blokes," he says, talking of that Parfitt-Rossi union.

"There is something there, I don't want to admit it, and I don't know what it is, but it actually gripped me, even though it's me and him which I've seen a million times.

In the summer, Status Quo will take a headlining slot at the Download Festival, their first time back at 'rock's spiritual home' since 1982 when they headlined the bash.

In those days, it was the Monsters of Rock festival, of course - more about denim and leather, less about tidy-tattoos and eye-liner...

"What, does Monsters of Rock sound a bit passe now?  What shall we do?

"Rename it.  It's in the same place, same everything, but we'll call it Download, that'll do it.

"How long before Download becomes un-hip?" he asks.

But how does it feel to be returning after the prolonged absence?

"With respect, it's a gig," he comes back, quick as a flash, "When I was asked if I was excited to be playing Glastonbury I said 'Why?  What about the night before - a festival in Europe.  Is that not important?

"I've learned over the years that our lives become so full of expectation, particularly if you look at Favourite Gypsy Fat Wedding, whatever it is...

"Those girls are so excited about the biggest day in their lives and it goes wrong - their husband is drunk, they look a dick, and it goes pear-shaped. "It's the same kind of thing with a gig.

"When I was younger the one gig you didn't play was Glastonbury, because it was considered very hammy.

"Now, they've sold it and it's hip...I still don't see those punters as more important than the previous night or the following night.

"I will not look forward to that any more, or any less, than any other show, otherwise it's cheating on your audience..." he says with a refreshing honesty.

In 2014, with such a gargantuan body of work behind you, what keeps Quo fresh today?

"Probably the need, I believe, that most of is are all insecure show-offs in some way - whether screen actors, stage actors, musical theatre actors, pop stars....Lots of us I know are nervous about going on, but you go on, become something else and you are find and happy up  there on stage.

"But there is something about us that needs to go and show off in front of people.

"I don't believe the public has ever seen the really great musicians, because they are all busy at home studying music and don't need to go and show off.

Francis also uses our natter to give his opinion about Saturday night small screen winners The X Factor and The Voice.  He brings up the subject.

Turns out, Mr Rossi is one of the millions who sits down and watches the shows.

"They've all got trained voices, whereas someone like me or Jagger can't really sing, so if a nice song comes along, we'll sing the song because the melody is bitching.

"These other people have trained voices so they are gonna try and show you what they can do with their voices, and I'm not interested in vocal gymnastics," he insists.

"Also you can't say you are looking for a pop star and then say 'We're going to have a disco thing this week...' I've got no idea how to sing that sh*t.

"Jagger would have no idea how to sing that, or Big Band stuff.

"I ain't got a f***ing clue how that guff goes.  It was all passe when I was trying to make it, so to say that a modern day pop star is going to sing all genres...he's not.

"We specialise in one genre, which makes each one of us who we are," he says, with plenty of opinion.

Mind you, at least Status Quo has the perfect way to kick back if things start to irk them a little too much - the band has just launched its own brand of real ale.

Named after their 1972 classic album, Piledriver, it is being stocked in Wetherspoons watering-holes.

"I've tasted it and it knocks your legs out quite quickly," Francis promises.