Status Quo legend Francis Rossi’s acoustic gig with chat at Alhambra Theatre

He is bringing his acoustic guitar for an evening of songs from the band’s remarkable 50-year career together with stories of life on the road and in the recording studio. His show at the Dunfermline venue on Sunday, November 5 is part of a massive 101-date tour, which takes him to venues across the UK.

Rossi will revisit some classic Quo songs as well as some that haven’t been heard perhaps as often - and he’ll chat in between them.

Quo’s hits are the stuff of legend. From Down Down and Rockin’ All Over The World, to Whatever You Want and Caroline. The band has sold over 100 million records since their debut in 1968, as well as opening Live Aid at Wembley Stadium, and winning a BRIT Award for outstanding contribution to music.

Rossi also has a new book out which focuses on the very hits that the public loves. Songbook is his ode to a remarkable career.

“I’m calling it ‘Tunes and Chat’,” he said. “I’ll have another acoustic guitarist with me and we’ll be playing songs that people love, explaining how they came about. We’ll be doing about twenty songs, so it’ll be a really good show with plenty of hits and some deeper cuts that don’t often get played.”

He has played in theatres in recent years, on a hugely successful spoken word tour called: I Talk Too Much. That focused on his life and times, from watching his ice-cream-selling family as a kid to learning how to play music, from blowing a seven-figure sum on drink and drugs to the passing of his former bandmate, Rick Parfitt. His new tour, in contrast, will focus on the music, as fans get to hear the songs they love – as well as the stories behind them.

Rockin’ All Over The World, for instance, came about when Rick Parfitt was going down the A3 one night, drunk. Francis said: “Rick used to pick people up thumbing a lift. The radio came on and Rockin’ All Over The World was playing. At the time, none of us were that keen about it. We thought the song was alright, but we didn’t know what it would become.

“We got more slagged off for that record than anything we’d done in our lives, until In The Army and Marguerita Time. I still find it weird today that people go ‘And I like it, and I like it…’ And they think it’s rock. No it’s not. It’s a pop song. “

Songbook is a fascinating book – and tour – for fans who want to know more about their favourites. Rossi has also recorded a CD EP, featuring acoustic versions of classic tracks: Jack To A King, Spinning Wheel Blues, April, Spring, Summer And Wednesdays, and It’s Better Now.

“I really love this. I’m finally getting to do what I’ve always wanted to do, which is just play, simply, without the volume turned up to number 11. It’s taken me all of my career to strip it back and get really simple. I’m letting the songs do the talking.”