TWO songs by a Forest songwriter and producer are set to appear on a posthumous al­bum by Status Quo legend Rick Parfitt.

John David of Berry Hill Studio thought the songs may never see the light of day after the sudden death of the rocker on Christmas Eve last year at the age of 68.

But John says Rick had already done a lot of work recording the songs before his untimely death, and the Forest songwriter is delighted that they are set to be included on Over and Out when it’s released in March.

The songwriter said: “In October last year Rick called me and said he was leaving Quo to pursue a solo career because they were planning an acoustic tour and he ‘wanted to rock’.

“He asked me to send him some songs. He sounded so excited and full of life. He was looking forward to a new career.

“Out of the 15 I sent him, he picked two, Everybody Knows How To Fly and Long Distance Love. Then on December 24, 2016, I heard the news that he died.

“What I didn’t know then, was that he had actually done a lot of work on his new solo album, including my two songs, and after his death, a group of stellar musicians including Brian May, Alan Lancaster and others got together to finish Rick’s project.”

Although Parfitt had finished recording his guitar and vocal parts for the record, some tracks were not totally finished when he died.

His son Rick Parfitt Jnr, Quo duo John ‘Rhino’ Edwards and Lancaster, Queen’s May and Muse’s Chris Wolstenholme step­ped in to ensure that the album could be completed.

Over And Out features 10 new songs, including the title track which was played at Parfitt’s funeral and has been hailed as “an album of depth and passion.”

A statement on the release continues: “Created by Rick Parfitt and producer Jo Webb, the record is a true labour of love and showcases the softer side of Rick as a writer, artist and performer away from the Quo maelstrom as well as the purest rock and roll sound of earlier Status Quo records.”

John, who made his name with Wye Valley-based Dave Edmunds’ band Love Sculpture in the late 1960s, has worked with Quo over many years, penning eight of their hit singles, including Rollin’ Home, Red Sky, I Didn’t Mean It, The Party Ain’t Over Yet, and All That Counts Is Love.

He has also worked with the likes of Shakin’ Stevens, Phil Everly, Cliff Richard and Alvin Stardust.