WHEN Francis Rossi teamed up with Rick Parfitt over 35 years ago, everyone thought they were gay.

"Rick was in a trio called The Highlights and he used to mince about on stage," explained Francis. "So people thought we were gay, which was a big no-no in those days."

While the rumours weren't true, there's no doubt Rick and Francis have always got on extraordinarily well together and their friendship has endured down the decades in one of pop's most imperishable acts -- Status Quo.

The band's move from frills and flounces to denim and trainers came about purely because of financial constraints -- and despite their subsequent success Rick and Francis have never decamped from their jeans.

"We had our first hit - Pictures of Matchstick Men -- in '68," said Francis. "And after that we did a tour with Gene Pitney. Everything was all about what you looked like - if the managers thought you weren't wearing enough make-up you used to have bright orange pan-stick slapped across your face.

"So we were being rebellious when we went on stage in jeans. We had no money to buy fancy clothes, so we just used to wear our jeans because it was a lot cheaper. We didn't smell that clever. We smell a lot better now!"

Regardless of what they smell like, Quo are still sounding as good as ever. Together with keyboardist Andrew Bown, drummer Matt Letley and bassist John "Rhino" Edwards, they have just released their latest album Riffs, which includes brand new recordings of some of their 58 hits, like Rockin' All Over The World and Whatever You Want.

"We always wanted to last," said Francis. "In those days, the biggest problem was all those short-lived acts. It was about proving our parents' generation wrong and saying, 'We're here to stay'."

So, after all this time what still drives Status Quo?

Francis said: "There's something about creating a song and creating a vibe that I love. I love writing and I love playing the material to fans.

"The feeling you get is better than sex, depending on the evening!"

In their latest 40-date tour, Francis is promising fans more of the same. "It's just Status Quo," he said. "Most people say you have to do something different, but we're still playing the songs people pay to come and see."

Catch Status Quo at Preston Guildhall on December 15. Call 0870 4000688 for tickets.