Veteran rocker Francis Rossi confessed his fandom for American pop star Taylor Swift ahead of Status Quo's Sandown Park show next week.

A self-proclaimed music addict, the 65-year-old says the rock band, who have enjoyed success across five decades, are starting to wind down.

"I love country music and I really like Taylor Swift - even though I know I'm not supposed to," he says.

"My favourite band is definitely Muse though and I love the Killers as well.

"Music has always been something of an escape for me, when I hear something and like it, I have to get it and will listen to it 30 times."

Status Quo, of Down Down and Whatever You Want fame, are renowned for their excessive touring, although Rossi admits the band are starting to take a step back.

He says: "We have slowed down this year.

"Normally we do 200 shows in a year but have only done 100 this year.

"Sandown will be a good night, it isn't far from where we all live and it is a gig - they are all gigs."

The lead vocalist and founding member of the band says he had doubts over recently reforming their Frantic Four line-up.

Rossi and bandmate Parfitt joined forces with former drummer John Coghlan and bassist Alan Lancaster to perform a series of gigs last year.

He says: "It wasn't as rehearsed as it could have been - things have just changed so much and there was a big difference from the way Rick and I work.

"It was very much for the audience to see those people together again.

"It [the band] was fractious for some years and those guys are stuck in that 'then' but I'm a person of 'now'.

"It was good for them to have earned some money."

For a band to have achieved more than 60 chart hits, dating back to 1967's Pictures of Matchstick Men, there is obviously a huge public appeal - but Rossi says he does not know what it is.

"I don't know what the appeal of Status Quo is," he says.

"The one thing we have done is become successful and just kept on going.

"People become successful between the ages of 18 and 22 and lose it, for me that would have been terrible.

"Some guys want to be married to a nymphomaniac and they are just never satisfied.

"A few million people think the sun shines out of Status Quo's derrieres but some people think we are extremely lucky to have lasted this long."

Status Quo; Sandown Park, Portsmouth Road, Esher, Surrey; July 16, first race 6pm, last race 8.50pm; tickets £35; for more information, visit sandown.co.uk.