John Coghlan, Hubcap

John Coghlan : Drums & Percussion,
Mick Hughes : Guitar/Vocals,
Rick Chase : Bass Guitar/Vocals
Rick Abbs : Guitar Vocals

John Coghlan joined Francis Rossi and Alan Lancaster in their newly-formed band in 1962 and the group went through a series of names, including Traffic Jam, bef...ore meeting up with Rick Parfitt and becoming Status Quo in the late 60's. A long string of hit albums, singles, successful worldwide tours and television appearance followed for the next 20 years. John played on all of Quo’s generally accepted greatest albums Piledriver, Hello!, Quo, On The Level, Blue For You and Classic Rock Award winning album “Status Quo Live!”. The many hits included Pictures of Matchstick Men; Paper Plane; Caroline; Down Down; Rain; Rockin' All over the World, and many more.

When John Coghlan left Status Quo in the latter months of 1981 - during rehearsals of new material for the band's 20th Anniversary album in Switzerland, after twenty years it was time for a break and a change.

Since leaving Quo John has worked with many noted and diverse musicians, mostly in his own Diesel Band. Other notable appearances include Partners In Crime and the short-lived ‘Rockers’ featuring Phil Lynott, Roy Wood and Chas Hodges. Other collaborations have included Noel Redding (ex-Jimi Hendrix) and Eric Bell (ex-Thin Lizzy).

During the late nineties John Coghlan’s Quo was formed and through various line-ups has enjoyed regular gigs all over the UK and Europe. The current band since 2010 (previously performing as The John Coghlan Band) consists of John on Drums with Baz Barry (Vocals/Guitar), Mick Hughes (Vocals/Guitar) and Pete Knight (Bass Guitar) from NWOBHM Boogie Band ‘Predatür’ completing the line-up.

It should be clear this is most definitely not a “tribute” act, the prime aim being to recreate an authentic “70’s Quo Sound” in keeping with John’s time with Quo.

John explains, “Since leaving in 1981 I’ve played with loads of guitarists and they’d say let’s stick a couple of Quo songs in and they would come unstuck. They think it is so easy and they just bluff their way through and really do a poor version.
I got a call from Pete Barton who sings with The Animals, but is also a booking agent. He said you had loads of hit records; why not put a band together? I now have these guys from Predatür. Great players and they recreate the sound without this lookalike crap. I don’t want to discuss tribute bands because it is not our bag. Baz, Mick and Pete – we get on great and we have a good following for John Coghlan’s Quo. I still play the way I played with Quo, I haven’t changed anything. We even play down my little local Pub; we take all the furniture out! We did it once for fun and now we have done it twice a year for twenty-six years. We still attack the songs the same as at big gigs and Quo fans love it because that’s the way it should be played.”

In March 2013 things went full circle as John was reunited once more with the classic original line-up of Status Quo to play on the “Frantic Four” Reunion Tour. The tour was such a success that the band are set to do it all again in early 2014. However with this being the “Final” chance to see the original band, John will be continuing with John Coghlan’s Quo playing a mixture of the expected Quo standards in a Set List that will often include songs that have either not been performed by Quo for many years or even on occasion, not at all. If you enjoy a combination of long-lost classic album tracks with a mixture of Quo’s Greatest Hits and delivered with a 70’s vibe, then a John Coghlan’s Quo gig is simply a must.