Speaking during a break in the sound-check at a concert in Dusseldorf, Quo frontman Francis Rossi told Martin Hutchinson about the tour and how things are within the band.

"Everything's very good at the moment," he said. "We've been on tour a couple of weeks already and we've been juggling the set around a bit."

In their 40 year plus history, the band are renowned for their work ethic, having toured constantly – in fact, they've spent more time on the road than they have at home.

Last year, they were crowned Britain's hardest-working band in the Arena Venues category by the Performing Rights Society as in 2008, they played 35 arena concerts to an audience in excess of 300,000.

But Francis isn't a big fan of the Arena setting, as he explained.
"I think that from the people's point of view, it's better in a theatre than an arena."

"Sometimes, an arena lacks feeling, and it doesn't help that we don't do anything to our theatres to improve them. They haven't changed in years."

They have also surpassed The Beatles in terms of the number of Top Twenty albums they have had, with their recent album 'Pictures' becoming their 29th. Only The Rolling Stones have had more.

The latest trawl around the UK which runs until December 21 gives the fans yet another chance to see the band doing what they do best – playing live.

"Playing to our fans is still and has always been the most important thing for the band." Francis stated.
"Nothing beats playing live and this is as relevant today as it always has been."

However, much as the Quo machine marches relentlessly on, there is one big difference this time, and that's the disappearance of Francis' trademark ponytail. Earlier this year, he decided to have it cut off.

"It was ten years past it's sell-by date really and I though it was time to change.
"I felt quite rebellious about it really."

Status Quo really need no introduction, from their first hit in 1968 with 'Pictures of Matchstick Men', they have proved to be music's greatest survivors.

They reinvented themselves in the early seventies and became a hard-rocking outfit with a string of hit albums like 'Hello', 'Quo' and 'Blue For You'.

There were masses of singles like 'Caroline', 'Down Down' (their only chart-topper) and 'In The Army Now'.
In the eighties, despite some personnel changes, they opened Live Aid with their anthem 'Rocking All Over The World' and have continued to tour and record almost without break since then.

"We grew up being a working band and we find it funny that a lot of bands don't tour as much as we do." Francis said.
"It's a different age now. When we started out there were no bands over 30, and the bonus is that now we can see these 'old' bands, as they are still working bands."

But after so long, there must be times when you think that you'd like a break from it. After all, the band only have January off and then they're off again on tour.

"We think it, but the problem is, if you have a long break then it takes a long time to get back into it."
"It would be nice, but I'd still do something in music."

Like a solo album for instance. Francis has been working on a second solo outing for some time.
"It's nearly finished and it's considerably better than the last one. After it's released I may go out on the road with it."

Speaking of going on the road, Francis and Rick Parfitt keep their feet on the ground when they're on tour.
"Early on, we used to travel around in limo's, but Rick and I now like to stay on the tour bus. It's homey and personal."

In October, the band released the CD/DVD package of last year's tour.
'Pictures – Live At Montreux 2009' captured the band in concert at the famous music festival last July and includes not only the concert on CD and DVD, but also an extended version of a new Biography Channel documentary on 40 years of Status Quo.

Status Quo's 2009 tour takes in the Harrogate International Centre on Tuesday 1st and Wednesday 2nd December. Tickets are priced at £33.50 plus booking fee and are available from all the usual agencies.

And the way things are going, I wouldn't bet against them celebrating their 50th anniversary in 2015.
As Francis concluded: "I can't see us stopping yet."