A rock legend is gearing up to bring a taste of classic rock to the Festival of Motorcycling.
John Coghlan, a founding member of Status Quo, is bringing his band, ‘John Coghlan’s Quo’, to the Villa Marina tonight (Saturday).
There will be a support act on first at 8pm, and, should racing be delayed, it has been agreed that John and the band will not go on stage until after the roads have reopened.
John, who lived in the island with his wife Gillie for 10 years during the 1980s and 1990s, was a key member of the classic line up that enjoyed stratospheric success between 1968 and 1982.
His set comprises only the original classic Quo songs that defined the band in the 70s and 80s.
‘Status Quo music, especially the 70s stuff that I played on, it’s really bikers’ music, ’ he said.
‘Paper Plane, Down Down, and stuff like that, it’s just real biker music.
‘The band will only play songs that I played on.
‘The first hit record was Pictures of Matchstick Men, so from there right up until 1981.
‘We tend to play an hour and a half of Status Quo songs that I played on.’
Two years ago John, affectionately known as the ‘Mad Turk’ during his time with Quo, teamed up with Francis Rossi, Rick Parfitt and Alan Lancaster as Status Quo Frantic Four, playing two tours, finishing up in April 2014 at a packed O2 Arena in Dublin for their Final Fling.
He said that during a European tour last year he met many fans who were excitedly talking about travelling to the Festival of Motorcycling.
It will be the first time John has officially played here on the island.
‘When I lived here for 10 years, I sat in with a couple of bands over here and also I played here in 1976 when I was still with Status Quo, ’ he said.
‘We played at the place behind the Palace there. The Lido. I remember that.
‘We were the first band to move the stage, because in those days the bands played half way across the room, but we put the stage down by the far end and it made it more of a proper rock gig.’
During his time in the island he said that he and Gillie spent their time in Ballasalla and on the coast of Jurby, where John would enjoy watching the American bombers practice on the bombing range out at sea from his back garden.
John is being brought to the island for a night of vintage Quo by Mark Armstrong of TalisMann Promotions.
He said that the opportunity to bring John back to the island with his own version of Quo had proved irresistible.
Tickets cost £19.50 (£15 for senior citizens and under 16s) and are available via the Villa Gaiety website. Doors open at 7pm.
The Steam Packet Company and Sure are sponsoring the concert.