In Memoriam: Alan Lancaster

Former Status Quo bassist and founding member Alan Lancaster has died of complications from multiple sclerosis, the band’s management confirmed. He was 72 years old. Singer Francis Rossi remembered his old bandmate in the statement.

“I am so sorry to hear of Alan’s passing. We were friends and colleagues for many years and achieved fantastic success together as the Frantic Four alongside Rick Parfitt and John Coghlan. Alan was an integral part of the sound and the enormous success of Status Quo during the 60s and 70s,” he wrote. “Although it is well documented that we were estranged in recent years, I will always have very fond memories of our early days together and my condolences go to [his wife] Dayle and Alan’s family.”

Lancaster was born in London in 1949 and met Rossi while still in school. They formed a band that after several lineups came to be Status Quo in 1967. At that time, the group leaned into the psychedelic rock of the times and garnered a hit with “Pictures of Matchstick Men”.

The bassist recorded 16 studio albums with Status Quo up through 1983’s Back to Back. He also appeared with them at their 1985 Live Aid performance, though he left the band soon after. Lancaster had by then moved to Australia. In 1987 he joined The Party Boys, then formed The Bombers in 1988.

Lancaster made amends with the Status Quo and joined the band for their “Frantic Four” reunions in 2013 and 2014.

Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Alan Lancaster.