After touring the world and appearing on 14 Quo albums, John left the band in 1981, and has since played in several collaborations as well as self-formed bands including the highly successful John Coghlan’s Quo. JCQ were formed around 2010 and have recently enjoyed chart success.

Pro Mobile’s Editor Peter Holding caught up with John at his local pub near his home in Oxfordshire. The interview covers the early Quo years as well as his latest work – and, throughout, John’s sharp sense of humour shines through.

QHow were you inspired to get into music – in particular, playing drums?

AThrough my mum and dad. In my younger days, they would take me to the Crystal Palace Hotel, and I would be sat in the corner by the bandstand. My dad told me that one day, when the band had a break, I clambered up on to the stage. I couldn’t even get up on the drummer’s stool, but was tapping away when the drummer came back and told me off! So, my dad bought me a bass drum, a snare drum and a few other bits of drum kit, and I taught myself to play by watching other drummers. Once Rock ‘n’ Roll came along, I got myself a better drum kit. I watched a lot of drummers; Tony Meehan from the Shadows was one of my favourites.

QWhen did you join your first band?

AI was in the Air Cadets whilst at school and was part of a little three-piece band. All we did was play a lot of the Shadows’ stuff really, and we only ever played in the squadron. Two guys kept coming in and asking if they could have a listen, and they asked me if I would join their band. That was Francis Rossi and Alan Lancaster. They were still at school as well, and would practise in a garage in Dulwich on the site of the Army Cadets, which was in the same place. So there was Francis on vocals and guitar, and Alan who also sang and played bass, Jess Jaworski played keyboards, and I was the drummer.

QAnd who were your early influences?

ANames you wouldn’t really have heard of now; you’d have to delve into the archives to find out who I used to watch!

QThey say that if you can remember the 60s, you weren’t really there. Can you remember them?

ANo [laughs]. People say to me, “I remember you playing with Francis on so and so date, do you remember it? No [bigger laughs]. What do you mean we played in the Express Dairy garage? No!

It was such a whirlwind. We were young, it was all part of growing up. Great days - you live and learn.

QStatus Quo got really huge, do you remember that coming about?

AMy earliest memories of that are probably getting a record contract with Pye Records, who were in Marble Arch. We worked with the producer John Schroder and this was when Francis wrote ‘Pictures of Matchstick Men’, and we recorded that in the studio in 1968.

We were absolutely amazed we got into the charts. Francis said he wrote that song sitting in the loo. It’s amazing what you can produce in the toilet.

The biggest buzz for us at that time – remember we were only young lads – was when we were invited to do Top of the Pops.

QIt’s fairly well known that Quo have appeared on TOTP more than any other band in history, in itself the longest running music programme ever. What were your memories of it?