Picturesque Matchstickable Messages from the Status Quo

Status Quo
Studio album by Status Quo
Released	27 September 1968
Recorded	January - September 1968 at Pye Studios
Genre	Pop rock, psychedelic rock
Length	34:00
Label	Pye Records
Producer	John Schroeder
Status Quo chronology
- Picturesque Matchstickable Messages from the Status Quo (1968) Spare Parts (1969) Singles from Picturesque Machstickable Messages from the Status Quo "Pictures of Matchstick Men" Released: 5 January 1968 "Black Veils of Melancholy" Released: 29 March 1968 "Ice in the Sun" Released: 26 July 1968

Picturesque Matchstickable Messages from the Status Quo is the 1968 debut album by British psychedelic rock group, Status Quo. It features a large number of covers, including "Green Tambourine" by The Lemon Pipers.

The album's lead single was originally intended to be "Gentleman Joe's Sidewalk Café", with the original Francis Rossi composition "Pictures of Matchstick Men" as the b-side, but these songs were eventually swapped round. It reached #7 in the UK, and remains the band's only major hit single in the US, where it reached #12. It also reached #8 in Canada. A second single, Rossi's "Black Veils of Melancholy" (with organist Roy Lynes' non-album track "To Be Free" as the b-side), flopped and has even been called "a carbon copy of "Pictures of Matchstick Men"". The third single, "Ice in the Sun", was written for the band by Marty Wilde and Ronnie Scott (not the jazz musician), with the Rossi/Parfitt composition "When My Mind Is Not Live" as the b-side. It reached #8 in the UK, and #29 in Canada.

The album itself was released on 27 September 1968, and reached #12 in the UK album charts. The band planned to release a fourth single from the album - "Technicolour Dreams" backed with the Wilde/Scott composition "Paradise Flat" - but this was withdrawn after a few days in favour of a non-album single release early the following year. The new single, Rossi and Parfitt's "Make Me Stay a Bit Longer", with bassist Alan Lancaster's "Auntie Nellie" as the b-side, was released on 31 January 1969. As well as getting the "thumbs up" from a majority of the record reviewers, this single was also something of a landmark for the group, as it would be their final release to credit them as "the" Status Quo.

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	link

Track listing

1. "Black Veils of Melancholy" (Francis Rossi) – 3:17
2. "When My Mind Is Not Live" (Rossi, Rick Parfitt) – 2:50
3. "Ice in the Sun" (Marty Wilde, Ronnie Scott) – 2:13
4. "Elizabeth Dreams" (Wilde, Scott) – 3:29
5. "Gentleman Joe's Sidewalk Café" (Kenny Young) – 3:01
6. "Paradise Flat" (Wilde, Scott) – 3:13
7. "Technicolour Dreams" (Anthony King) – 2:54
8. "Spicks and Specks" (Barry Gibb) – 2:46
9. "Sheila" (Tommy Roe) – 1:56
10. "Sunny Cellophane Skies" (Alan Lancaster) – 2:47
11. "Green Tambourine" (Paul Leka, Shelly Pinz) – 2:19
12. "Pictures of Matchstick Men" (Rossi) – 3:13

2003 reissue bonus tracks

1. "To Be Free" (Roy Lynes) – 2:37
2. "Make Me Stay a Bit Longer" (Rossi, Parfitt) - 2:55
3. "Auntie Nellie" (Lancaster) - 3:22

Personnel

• Francis Rossi - vocals, lead guitar
• Rick Parfitt - vocals, rhythm guitar
• Alan Lancaster - bass guitar
• John Coghlan - drums
• Roy Lynes - vocals, organ

v d e Status Quo Francis Rossi • Rick Parfitt • Andy Bown • John 'Rhino' Edwards • Matt Letley John Coghlan • Alan Lancaster • Bob Young • Pete Kircher • Jeff Rich • Roy Lynes Studio albums (UK) Picturesque Matchstickable Messages from the Status Quo • Spare Parts • Ma Kelly's Greasy Spoon • Dog of Two Head • Piledriver • Hello! • Quo • On the Level • Blue for You • Rockin' All Over the World • If You Can't Stand the Heat... • Whatever You Want • Just Supposin' • Never Too Late • 1+9+8+2 • Back to Back • In the Army Now • Ain't Complaining • Perfect Remedy • Rock 'Til You Drop • Thirsty Work • Don't Stop • Under the Influence • Famous in the Last Century • Heavy Traffic • Riffs • The Party Ain't Over Yet • In Search of the Fourth Chord • Quid Pro Quo UK Top 20 singles "Pictures of Matchstick Men" • "Ice in the Sun" • "Down the Dustpipe" • "Paper Plane" • "Mean Girl" • "Caroline" • "Break the Rules" • "Down Down" • "Roll Over Lay Down" • "Rain" • "Mystery Song" • "The Wild Side of Life" • "Rockin' All Over the World" • "Again and Again" • "Whatever You Want" • "Living on an Island" • "What You're Proposing" • "Lies" / "Don't Drive my Car" • "Something 'Bout You Baby I Like" • "Rock 'n' Roll" • "Dear John" • "Ol' Rag Blues" • "A Mess of Blues" • "Marguerita Time" • "Going Down Town Tonight" • "The Wanderer" • "Rollin' Home" • "Red Sky" • "In the Army Now" • "Dreamin'" • "Ain't Complaining" • "Running All Over the World" • "Burning Bridges" • "The Anniversary Waltz (Parts One and Two)" • "Come on You Reds" • "Jam Side Down" • "You'll Come 'Round" • "The Party Ain't Over Yet" Other singles "Black Veils of Melancholy" • "Make Me Stay a Bit Longer" • "Are You Growing Tired of My Love" • "The Price of Love" • "In My Chair" • "Tune to the Music" • "Gerdundula" • "Rockers Rollin' / Hold You Back" • "Accident Prone" • "She Don't Fool Me" • "Who Gets the Love?" • "Not at All" • "Little Dreamer" • "Can't Give You More" • "Rock 'til You Drop" • "Roadhouse Medley" • "I Didn't Mean It" • "Sherri, Don't Fail Me Now!" • "Restless" • "When You Walk in the Room" • "Fun Fun Fun" • "Don't Stop" • "All Around My Hat" • "The Way It Goes" • "Little White Lies" • "Twenty Wild Horses" • "Mony Mony" • "Old Time Rock and Roll" • "All Stand Up" • "Thinking of You" • "All That Counts Is Love" • "Beginning of the End" • "It's Christmas Time" • "Jump That Rock (Whatever You Want)" See also Status Quo discography • Bob Young Book