"Aquostic – Stripped Bare" is the thirty-first studio album by English rock band Status Quo, released on October 17, 2014. Produced by Mike Paxman, this marks the band’s first entirely acoustic album and their first recorded with drummer Leon Cave. The album's cover features a photograph by Canadian singer Bryan Adams, and it achieved Gold certification in January 2015.
In discussing the album, Francis Rossi noted the appeal of revisiting their old songs in a new format, emphasizing the unique experience of posing nude for the cover and having Bryan Adams photograph it. He reflected on the challenges of wanting to create new acoustic material versus the expectations of the record label for the band's hits.
Rossi expressed a shift in his attitude towards the project, highlighting how some of the acoustic versions, like "All the Reasons" and "Rain," exceeded his expectations. Rick Parfitt pointed out that many arrangements were vastly different from the originals, particularly "Don't Drive My Car," which he described as blending styles reminiscent of jazz greats Stéphane Grappelli and Django Reinhardt.
To promote the album, Status Quo performed a ninety-minute set at The Roundhouse in London on October 22, 2014. The concert was recorded and broadcast live by BBC Radio 2 as part of their In Concert series, with the band joined on stage by guitarist Freddie Edwards, son of bassist John Edwards. The setlist for the concert varied from the track listing on the album.
