Status Quo are delighted to announce the release of deluxe reissues of the ‘Heavy Traffic’ [3CD – Cat. No 0744345] and ‘Riffs’ [2CD – Cat. No 0744370] albums through UMC on 30 September 2022.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of ‘Heavy Traffic’ which was the band’s milestone 25th album. This collection marked the rekindling of the writing partnership of Francis Rossi and Bob Young, who between them of course penned many of the band’s classics. Francis described the process of recording these songs as akin to having “a new lease of life”, whilst the band felt at the time that the new album heralded, in the words of the late great Rick Parfitt, “a whole new era”. These albums also featured longstanding members Andy Bown and John ‘Rhino’ Edwards and were the first with Matt Letley, the band’s drummer between 2000 and 2013.

‘Heavy Traffic’ was very well-received upon release and gave the band a Top 20 chart hit in September of 2002. The album featured tracks such as the single ‘Jam Side Down’ for which the band filmed a truly epic video on the legendary HMS Ark Royal, as well as live favourites ‘All Stand Up’ and ‘Creepin Up on You’. This 3CD set features 2 bonus discs of bonus material with studio demoes, live performances and B-sides.

Hot on the heels of ‘Heavy Traffic’ came the ‘Riffs’ album in 2003. The album featured the band covering ten of their all-time favourite tracks, and it includes Quoversions of ‘I Fought The Law’, ‘Born To Be Wild’, ‘Takin’ Care Of Business’, ‘All Day And All Of The Night’ and more. On top of that, there were newly minted recordings of five of the band’s own most reliable crowd favourites; ‘Caroline’, ‘Junior’s Wailing’, Down The Dustpipe’, ‘Whatever You Want’ and ‘Rockin’ All Over the World’.

Both these deluxe editions come bolstered with an enhanced booklet containing new interviews with Francis Rossi and members of the band by Classic Rock’s Dave Ling, in which they discuss the making of each album.

The release of ‘Heavy Traffic’ did indeed herald something of a new chapter for the band. After the release of ‘Riffs’ the newly-invigorated band would go on to release a further seven well-regarded studio albums, giving the band two Top 20 hits in 2005 and 2007, followed by a run of five Top Ten albums!

TRACKLISTING

HEAVY TRAFFIC [3CD]

DISC ONE: Heavy Traffic
1. Blues & Rhythm 2. All Stand Up (Never Say Never) 3. The Oriental 4. Creepin' Up on You 5. Heavy Traffic 6. Solid Gold 7. Green 8. Jam Side Down 9. Diggin' Burt Bacharach 10. Do It Again 11. Another Day 12. I Don't Remember Anymore 13. Money Don't Matter 14. Rhythm Of Life

DISC TWO: Bonus Tracks / Demoes
1. The Madness - B-Side of "Jam Side Down" / 2. You Let Me Down- B-Side of "All Stand Up" / 3. Let's Start Again - Studio Demo 2001 / 4. All Stand Up - Studio Demo 2001 / 5. Solid Gold - Studio Demo 2001 / 6. Caroline - Live* / 7. The Wanderer - Live*/ 8. Something 'Bout You Baby I Like - Live* / 9. Don't Waste My Time - Live* / 10. Forty-Five Hundred Times - Live*/ 11. Rain - Live* / 12. All Stand Up (Never Say Never) - Live* / 13. Solid Gold - Live* / 14. Heavy Traffic - Live*/ 15. Creepin' Up on You - Live*
* Heitere Festival, 10th August 2003

DISC THREE: Live at Heitere Festival
1. Mystery Medley: Mystery Song, Railroad, Most of The Time, Wild Side of Life, Rollin' Home, Again and Again, Slow Train / 2. Gerdundula / 3. Big Fat Mama / 4. Roll Over Lay Down / 5. Down Down / 6. Whatever You Want / 7. Rockin' All Over the World / 8. Junior's Wailing / 9. Encore Medley: Rock and Roll Music, Carol, Bye Bye Johnny

RIFFS [2CD]

DISC ONE: Riffs
1. Caroline / 2. I Fought the Law / 3. Born To Be Wild / 4. Takin' Care of Business / 5. Wild One / 6. On The Road Again / 7. Tobacco Road / 8. Centerfold / 9. All Day and All Of The Night / 10. Don't Bring Me Down / 11. Junior's Wailing / 12. Pump It Up / 13. Down The Dustpipe / 14. Whatever You Want / 15. Rockin' All Over the World /
Bonus Tracks 16. You'll Come Round (Single Edit) - A-Side of You'll Come Round / 17. Lucinda - B-Side of You'll Come Round / 18. Thinking Of You (Remix) - A-Side of Thinking Of You

DISC TWO: Bonus Tracks
1. Caroline – Unreleased Alternate Version / 2. Something 'Bout You Baby I Like - B-Side of Thinking Of You / 3 Break The Rules – B Side of Thinking Of You / 4. Forty-Five Hundred Times - XS All Areas DVD / 5. Rain – Live* / 6. Hold You Back – Live* / 7. Mystery Medley: Mystery Song, Railroad, Most of The Time, Wild Side of Life, Rollin' Home, Again and Again, Slow Train – Live* / 8. Gerdundula – Live* / 9. Roll Over Lay Down – Live* / 10. Down Down – Live* / 11. Whatever You Want – Live* / 12. Rockin' All Over the World – Live* / 13. Encore Medley: Rock and Roll Music, Carol, Bye Bye Johnny – Live*
* Montreux Jazz Festival, 4th July 2004

Photo by Jeff Moh (previously unpublished)

Previously unpublished photo’s of Status Quo by Jeff Moh

Status Quo announce deluxe reissues of ‘Heavy Traffic’ and ‘Riffs’ packed with bonuses and extras