Alan Charles Lancaster (7 February 1949 – 26 September 2021) was an English musician, best known as a founding member and bassist of the rock band Status Quo, playing with the band from 1967 to 1985, with brief reunions in 2013 and 2014. As well as contributing to songwriting, he was also one of the lead vocalists on albums and live concerts, taking the lead on tracks such as "Backwater", "Is There a Better Way", "Bye Bye Johnny", "High Flyer" and "Roadhouse Blues".

Alan Lancaster formed the group in 1962 with his then-schoolmate Francis Rossi. His final performance as a full-time member of Status Quo was at Wembley Stadium on 13 July 1985 for the opening of Live Aid. In March 2013, he collaborated with his old bandmates for a series of "Frantic Four" concerts in the UK.

While attending Sedgehill Comprehensive School in 1962, Lancaster befriended future Status Quo singer and guitarist Francis Rossi while playing in the school orchestra. With classmates Alan Key (drums) and Jess Jaworski (keyboards), the pair formed a band called The Scorpions, who played their first gig at the Samuel Jones Sports Club in Dulwich. At another gig at the sports club, manager Pat Barlow approached the band, and Lancaster's mother agreed to let him manage the band. Key was replaced by Air Cadets drummer and future Quo member John Coghlan, and the band was renamed The Spectres. "We were novices," noted Lancaster. "None of us could play a note but we were good together."

The Spectres wrote their own material and played live shows, and in 1965 played at Butlin's Minehead. There they met future Quo guitarist Rick Parfitt, who was playing as part of a cabaret act called "The Highlights". The band became close friends with Parfitt, and they agreed to continue working together. In 1966, The Spectres signed a five-year deal with Piccadilly Records, releasing three singles that failed to chart. The group again changed their name, this time to "Traffic Jam", after embracing psychedelia.

Following Live Aid, Lancaster's relationship with Francis Rossi became increasingly strained when Rossi and Rick Parfitt covertly began recording a new album under the name of "Status Quo". Unbeknownst to Lancaster – by now living in Australia – and the group's then recording company, Lancaster was substituted by session musician John 'Rhino' Edwards, who had been recording on a solo project of Parfitt's – Recorded Delivery – which was eventually scrapped. Edwards remains Quo's bassist to this day.

In 1987 Lancaster joined a new line-up of the Australian band The Party Boys and co-produced their self-titled album, achieving platinum sales. The single "He's Gonna Step on You Again" was number one in the Australian charts for two weeks. In 1988, he formed The Bombers, which signed to A&M Records. It was paid the largest advance ever paid to an Australian-based band, but after the band had completed one album, A&M was sold to Phonogram. ...

Source: Article "Alan Lancaster" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.

Alan Lancaster, né le 7 février 1949 à Peckham dans le sud de Londres et mort le 26 septembre 2021 à Sydney, est un musicien britannique.

Il est, avec Francis Rossi, un des membres fondateurs du groupe anglais Status Quo. Il en a été le bassiste / chanteur jusqu'en 1985.

En 1962, Alan Lancaster proposa à son copain de classe Francis Rossi de former un groupe de rock. Ils recrutent un batteur nommé John Coghlan et commencent à répéter ensemble. Ils donneront leur premier concert au club de sport du père d'Alan en mai 1962. En 1965, après avoir quitté leurs études, ils seront rejoints par le claviériste Roy Lynes; et en 1967 c'est au tour de Rick Parfitt de compléter le groupe, qui prendra le nom de Status Quo. À la fin des années 1960, Alan Lancaster convaincra ses acolytes de durcir leur musique en un boogie rock qui fera par la suite le succès du groupe.

Alan Lancaster enregistra 15 albums studio avec Status Quo avant de quitter le groupe en 1985 après un dernier concert en faveur du Live Aid donné le 13 juillet 1985. Trop de désaccords avec Francis Rossi et Rick Parfitt, et le fait qu'Alan habite en Australie, mettront fin à leur collaboration.

Alan Lancaster émigrera définitivement à Sydney et rejoindra, en 1987, le groupe australien The Party Boys avec lesquels il enregistrera l'unique album du groupe.

En 1988, il formera The Bombers (Lancaster est aussi le nom d'un bombardier britannique utilisé pendant la Seconde Guerre mondiale) avec notamment John Brewster (ex-The Angels); John Coghlan en sera le premier batteur. Après avoir formé The Lancaster-Brewster Bombers puis l'Alan Lancaster's Bombers, il se retirera de la scène musicale en 1995.

En 2013, le groupe Status Quo annonce le «Frantic Four Reunion Tour», une tournée réunissant de nouveau les quatre membres fondateurs du groupe: Francis Rossi, Rick Parfitt, Alan Lancaster et John Coghlan. Cela constitue donc l'occasion pour Alan Lancaster de remonter sur scène pour une série de concerts répartis sur les années 2013 et 2014.

Alan Lancaster meurt le 26 septembre 2021 des suites d'une sclérose en plaques.

Après avoir divorcé de Patricia, Alan Lancaster épousa Dayle Thonburn en mars 1978. Il est le père de trois enfants.

Source: Article "Alan Lancaster" de Wikipédia en français, soumis à la licence CC-BY-SA 3.0.