Status Quo founding member Alan Lancaster dies in Sydney aged 72 after living 45 years in Australia (original) (raw)

Alan Lancaster, a founding member of British rock group Status Quo who lived more than half his life in Australia, has died in Sydney at the age of 72.

Key points:

A bass guitarist, Lancaster formed the band under the name of The Scorpions in 1962 with lead singer Francis Rossi, who was a schoolmate at Sedgehill Comprehensive School in London.

With a hard-rocking yet melodious style, Status Quo had more than 60 top-40 hits in the UK, including Down Down and Whatever You Want.

They opened the 1985 Live Aid concert at London's Wembley Stadium with arguably their most famous song, Rocking All Over The World.

According to entertainment reporter Craig Bennett, Lancaster "passed away this [Sunday] morning at his Sydney home, surrounded by family".

"At the request of his loving and deeply cherished family, am heartbroken to announce the passing of Alan Lancaster, British-born music royalty, guitar god and founding member of iconic band, Status Quo," Bennett wrote on Facebook.

Lancaster had lived with multiple sclerosis for many years, but did participate in Status Quo concerts in 2013 and 2014, after leaving the band in 1985 soon after Live Aid.

Having moved to Sydney in the mid-1980s, Lancaster played with leading Australian bands including The Bombers and The Party Boys.

Bennett said Lancaster had chosen to leave the UK after meeting Australian wife Dayle on a 1973 tour with Slade and Lindisfarne.

"Alan is survived by Dayle, his children Alan Jr, Toni and David, plus five grandchildren," Bennett wrote on Facebook.

"Dayle said this morning that Alan loved his life in Australia. His mother and father, plus his brother and sister also moved to Australia."

The Status Quo comeback tour of 2013-14 was billed as the Frantic Four reunion as it brought together Lancaster, Rossi, singer-guitarist Rick Parfitt and long-time drummer John Coghlan.

They adopted the name The Status Quo — later shortened to Status Quo — in August 1967 after Parfitt joined the group.

Three middle-aged guitarits wearing denim play their instruments at the front of a brightly lit stage.

Alan Lancaster (right) provides bass guitar alongside singers Rick Parfitt and Francis Rossi in Status Quo's 1970s heyday. (Facebook: Status Quo)

In more recent years, Lancaster repaired relationships with Rossi and Parfitt, having reportedly fallen out when they recorded material without him after his move to Australia.

Parfitt died from sepsis in 2016 at the age of 68, having suffered a heart attack earlier in the year.

Rossi, 72, continues to perform with a five-piece Status Quo that includes John Edwards — Lancaster's replacement on bass guitar — and keyboard player Andy Brown, who has been a full-time member since 1982.

Lancaster played on the first 16 of Status Quo's 33 albums from 1968, including 1975's On The Level which included 1974's Down Down, their first UK number 1 single.