Roll over lay down for an intimate evening with Status Quo’s Francis Rossi in Harrogate this weekend

Talking to the Harrogate Advertiser before the launch of a tour inspired partly by the success of his 2019 autobiography I Talk Too Much, the guitarist, lead singer and songwriter admitted playing solo with an acoustic guitar did make things more straightforward than in the days of Rockin’ All Over The World.

"I didn’t used to look forward to playing gigs,” said the rock legend who will be 74 at the end of the month.

"In your mind you were always trying to produce your peak performance for the fans.

"But I would still prefer to be back in my 40s.”

This Saturday’s show at Harrogate Theatre promises to be a unique evening in which Francis will perform original-style, acoustic versions of Quo classics, as well as chatting to fans about mishaps and adventures as a long-standing member of one of the biggest and most loved bands ever.

"To be honest, I’m not sure what to talk about but something always happens,” said Francis who still misses his co-front man Rick Parfitt who died in Spain from sepsis in 2016.

"There will be a lot of Q&A parts with the audience, which I enjoy.

"A lot of us in rock n roll feel insecure and playing live gives us affirmation.

"I am so looking forward to the tour.”

Tickets are available at www.harrogatetheatre.co.uk