Quatro

Suzi’s second album, Quatro, is a classic containing three major UK hit singles—”Devil Gate Drive,” “Too Big,” and “The Wild One”.

Quatro 1974

The album was recorded in early 1974 and was released in September of that year by Rak Records as SRAK 509, with the exceptions of the United States and Canada (where Bell Records released the album), Japan (EMI Records), and several territories in Europe (Columbia Records) The album was recorded at Audio International Studios in London.

It was produced by Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn and released under the label RAK, with variations in the United States, Canada, Japan, and several European territories.

Songs

“Devil Gate Drive and “Too Big” were released as singles in advance of the album. The songs feature Quatro’s trademark bass sound and catchy choruses.

Other standout tracks include “Cat Size,” a ballad, and a fantastic cover of Elvis Presley’s “Trouble.”

The singles “Devil Gate Drive,” “The Wild One,” and “Too Big” were notable hits from this album, with “Devil Gate Drive” reaching No. 1 in the UK and Australian charts.

Cover Songs

The album included 5 cover songs. Suzi frequently featured Little Richard’s “Keep A-Knockin'” in her concerts and included it on her live album “Live and Kickin’.”

Title	Songwriters
Keep A-Knockin’	Richard Penniman	A classic rock and roll song, originally by Little Richard.
Move It	Ian Samwell	Move it was originally a hit for Cliff Richard.
Hit the Road Jack	Percy Mayfield	A famous song, widely known through Ray Charles’ version.
Trouble	Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller	The Elvis Presley classic from the 1958 film King Creole
Shot of Rhythm and Blues	Terry Thompson	A classic rhythm and blues number first performed by American soul singer Arthur Alexander in 1961.

Performance

The album performed well commercially, reaching number 1 in Australia. It was also successful in other countries, including New Zealand. Japan, Norway, and Germany. Sadly, even with three hit singles, the record didn’t chart in the UK.

The album’s hard-hitting sound and catchy hooks, along with Quatro’s distinctive vocals and bass playing, make it a standout record.

Interestingly, “Devil Gate Drive” was included in the album in most countries but was omitted from the UK first pressing. Also, in some territories, including the UK and the US, the album contained a slow arrangement of “The Wild One” in place of the single version on the album.

Suzi Quatro’s “Quatro” album is a rock classic that has stood the test of time. With chart-topping hits and its unique sound, it’s a testament to Suzi and the enduring power of rock and roll.