FANS of Status Quo will 'like it' when famous frontman Francis Rossi comes to Greenock to chat to them next month.

The chart-topping musician has sold millions of records and performed to huge crowds in arenas all over the world but now he will get up close and personal with supporters at the Beacon Arts Centre on March 24 with his new spoken word tour, 'I Talk Too Much'.

Rossi and his bandmates, including the late Rick Parfitt, scored hits with songs like 'Down Down', 'Whatever You Want', and, of course, 'Rockin' All Over the World'.

But he has gone back to his other talent - talking - for his latest tour.

It covers his 50-plus years in rock 'n' roll, his new album with vocalist Hannah Rickard and his autobiography in conjunction with award-winning writer and broadcaster Mick Wall.

Rossi told the Tele: "I'm a big mouth, that's why we call it 'I Talk Too Much'.

"You know we have this thing about getting old, we're going to dribble, they're going to wipe our bums and all this stuff, and the other thing I think that happens to us as we get older is we go back to whoever we were when we were pre-seven years old.

"When I was that age I used to talk and talk, and now I talk and talk."

The Beacon is one of 36 UK theatres where Rossi will take to the stage with Wall to discuss his illustrious career and what motivates a man who is approaching 70 and has achieved so much.

Rossi said: "I really enjoy the process of writing records, recording songs and so on.

"A couple of times just after Rick died the sort of hardcore said we shouldn't be doing it, asking 'why are you doing it?', 'you won't be any good without Rick'. "As much as that hurt it was very similar when Rick and I split from the other two, they kept telling us we couldn't do it and we'd be no good without them. "All that served to do was make us dig in and try and prove it wrong, which I suppose is what I'm trying to do now in some way or another, although I'm enjoying the process more.

"One of the things that Status Quo had over the years is that Marmite effect - some people love us, and most people hate us - but they make stuff work.

"'You don't think we'll last?' - watch this."

For tickets to Francis Rossi 'I Talk Too Much' in Greenock visit www.beaconartscentre.co.uk or call 723723.