A FORMER Status Quo member is backing a Battle of the Bands contest for musicians to bag a slot on stage at this summer’s Witney Music Festival.

John Coghlan, who joined Staus Quo in 1962, will headline the summer festival on The Leys with his band Jon Coghlan’s Quo, playing much of the Status Quo setlist.

He is backing a battle of the bands competition at the newly- established Koi Bar in Corn Street, Witney.

The contest aims to recruit talented bands from Witney who will rock off for a slot on the festival’s main stage.

Our top stories

The drummer, who left Status Quo in 1982 but rejoined in 2013 for a series of reunion tours, said: “It will be really nice to play locally for a local event.

“It’s great to see youngsters making an effort rather than playing music on computers in their own bedrooms. This will give youngsters a wonderful chance to get out there and play in front of a great audience.

“When I first played in south London, I was playing drums alongside a woman on a piano – but everyone’s got to start somewhere.”

Organiser Eric Marshall said: “This is a chance for a local band to play in front of 5,000 people and gain great exposure.

“Two of the four bands that reach the final will appear on the main stage of the festival on May 30, where the headline act will be John Coghlan’s Quo and a combination of local bands.

“This is a high-quality line-up with many of the acts signed to labels, all giving their time to make this the best free all-day festival on the Leys yet.”

When he takes to the stage, Mr Coghlan will be using the same drum kit he played on Top of the Pops with Quo.

The contest will run every Thursday from April 23 until the final on May 21 at Koi Bar. Preliminary rounds will be held on April 23 and 30 and May 7 and 14 with one band from four going through to the final on May 21.

The final four will compete with two being selected to perform at the festival.

A team of judges – including representatives from Koi, Rapture record store in Witney and Witney Music Festival – will pick 16 of the best to perform in the preliminary rounds.

Bands already confirmed for the festival include Witney groups Twisted State of Mind and Reejai and Oxford singer Ags Connolly.