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(from scrapbook 1, page 15)

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Bonfires cast an eerie light, smoke and ash drifted, and flags and banners swayed aloft. The great army were preparing themselves for the final onslaught of the evening.

As the curtain parted, Status Quo were posed like a piece of sculpture against a background of dry ice and blazing lights. The last time I saw them was on the same stage at Reading a few years ago when they made their memorable breakthrough. Even then they were veterans but now they are successful, famous veterans.

As they shuffled their way boogie-ishly into "Caroline" it was a pity that the sound quality began to break up a bit, despite the massed ranks of AC 30s, a backline of a type I haven't seen since the days of the Saville Theatre.

With Andy Bown of the Herd on keyboards, the Quo tonal range has been extended and made more interesting, and as they dug into "Roll Over Lay Down" it was diffcult not to be caught up in the general rauchiness.

Francis Rossi made his famous announcements between numbers, in a salty manner that reminded me of a combination of Lonnie Donegan and Max Wall. You couldn't help liking him, Missus.

They played quite a bit of new material which I didn't recognise and which seemed to cast a bit of a damper on the crowd's willingness to get up and holler, and the group seemed to sense they wouldn't have it all their own way. "Rocking All Over The World" swiftly rekindled the flame.

Backstage, the bars and restaurant worked overtime, as did the hospital, and water trickled gaily in the miniature rock garden that evoked the Ideal Home Exhibition, in stark contrast to the Somme up front.

Organisers Harold Pendleton and Jack Barrie seemed well satisfied with the weekend, although I got the feeling they were glad to see the back of the skinheads.

As I quit Reading to make way for the arrival of Ian Birch, I pondered that it had been left to the older bands like the Pirates, Spirit and Quo to bring any musical stature to procedures - a sad commentary on the state of rock.

People keep saying: "The new wave bands are a breath of fresh air, and some really talented people are going to come through." Having seen it, I don't think that's true.