I agree, I like the early stuff, pretty much anything pre-1980: with the Jeff Beck Group, with the Faces especially, and some of his early solo material.
He's alright.. It's funny that he went from a 70s rocker, still hung on in the 80s, now he's a crooning geezer doing standards with the likes of Tom Jones and others.
A fav song..? "Ooh La La" ("Wish that I knew what I know now") Wonderful song, wistful and true.
Like the others here, I can deal with some Faces & Jeff Beck stuff('I Ain't Superstitious'), but I can't listen to any of his solo albums besides 'Every Picture Tells A Story'.
I Ain't Superstitious is the stuff of legend! The whole band was on fire for that session. Jeff Beck's wah-wah playing gave a Hendrix a run for his money, and even Micky Waller's drum solo at the end rocked. I love Stewart's vocals across the whole album, but I was particularly impressed by his singing on Old Man River. Who knew that would work?
Bad news, david_b: That's Ron Wood doing his best Rod Stewart impression on Ooh La La. According to Ian McLagan's book, Stewart's ego was too big by that point to condescend to sing it, so Wood stepped in. Ironically, Stewart later covered it live. What an idiot. And what a terrific song to end Rushmore with.
Yeah, I like a few of his later songs (Motown Song, any of his Sam Cooke covers), but those Faces songs are classic...Borstal Boys, Had Me a Real Good Time, etc.
Rod's okay......got a lot of blues in his soul. His stuff with Jeff Beck was top notch, and with Faces, too. Solo stuff was sort of hit and miss to me, but apparently a lot of folks liked it. I really liked his version of "People Get Ready," that he did on Jeff Beck's album, Flash. I think he's at his best when he does soul and blues.
Rod's one of those artists some of whose songs I like, but none enough to have ever compelled me to buy any of his albums, either solo or with the Faces or Jeff Beck, although I do have a couple of Jeff Beck albums. During the latter half of the '70s, when I was in high school, his songs probably got more airplay on the radio than any other artist except the Bee Gees, and as with Rod, I liked a few of their songs but never enough to have bought any of their lps (and I never got in to buying singles).
I love the Faces, but they never really made that one great album. However, I would recommend that you pick up Truth by The Jeff Beck Group sometime. Every song is excellent, but it really works best as a complete album, and is arguably the most fully realized album that Beck or Stewart ever made.
Do Ya Think I'm Sexy? Really? Maybe I should give it a second chance (It's only been thirty or so years since I last gave it a chance).
Hi, James, I will have to add Truth to my collection and maybe I'll get a collection from the Faces as well. I already have a greatest hits selection from the Small Faces, as well as Ronnie Lane's collaboration with Pete Townshend from 1977, Rough Mix. I might even get one of Rod's early albums one day. I don't buy as many cds as I used to, particularly since there aren't that many record stores around any more, but I haven't add long past oldies as well as newer releases to my collection every so often.
I seem to remember reading somewhere that when he started with Jeff Beck, Stewart was so shy that he would either sing with his back to the audience or stand behind the speakers. Can't remember where I saw that, but obviously he overcame his stage fright.
I remember going to see him in maybe 1994 or '95. My ex and I were sitting in our seats at the Skydome in Toronto, along with 50,000 or so other fans. Rod came out on stage, then walked out in the audience to talk to someone (?), then the next thing we knew, the announcer came on the PA and said the show was cancelled. Rod couldn't sing. We thought it was an April Fools day joke, since it was at the end of March. But it wasn't a joke.
His work with the Jeff Beck Group, particularly the album "Truth," totally makes up for any musical sins he may have committed after that.
ReplyDeleteI agree, I like the early stuff, pretty much anything pre-1980: with the Jeff Beck Group, with the Faces especially, and some of his early solo material.
ReplyDeleteHe's alright.. It's funny that he went from a 70s rocker, still hung on in the 80s, now he's a crooning geezer doing standards with the likes of Tom Jones and others.
ReplyDeleteA fav song..? "Ooh La La" ("Wish that I knew what I know now") Wonderful song, wistful and true.
Like the others here, I can deal with some Faces & Jeff Beck stuff('I Ain't Superstitious'), but I can't listen to any of his solo albums besides 'Every Picture Tells A Story'.
ReplyDeletePeople are jumpin' off that Downtown Train and no one thinks Rod's sexy...
ReplyDelete:)
Doug
I Ain't Superstitious is the stuff of legend! The whole band was on fire for that session. Jeff Beck's wah-wah playing gave a Hendrix a run for his money, and even Micky Waller's drum solo at the end rocked. I love Stewart's vocals across the whole album, but I was particularly impressed by his singing on Old Man River. Who knew that would work?
ReplyDeleteBad news, david_b: That's Ron Wood doing his best Rod Stewart impression on Ooh La La. According to Ian McLagan's book, Stewart's ego was too big by that point to condescend to sing it, so Wood stepped in. Ironically, Stewart later covered it live. What an idiot. And what a terrific song to end Rushmore with.
James Chatterton
Yeah, I like a few of his later songs (Motown Song, any of his Sam Cooke covers), but those Faces songs are classic...Borstal Boys, Had Me a Real Good Time, etc.
ReplyDeleteMike W.
Rod's okay......got a lot of blues in his soul. His stuff with Jeff Beck was top notch, and with Faces, too. Solo stuff was sort of hit and miss to me, but apparently a lot of folks liked it. I really liked his version of "People Get Ready," that he did on Jeff Beck's album, Flash. I think he's at his best when he does soul and blues.
ReplyDeleteRod's one of those artists some of whose songs I like, but none enough to have ever compelled me to buy any of his albums, either solo or with the Faces or Jeff Beck, although I do have a couple of Jeff Beck albums. During the latter half of the '70s, when I was in high school, his songs probably got more airplay on the radio than any other artist except the Bee Gees, and as with Rod, I liked a few of their songs but never enough to have bought any of their lps (and I never got in to buying singles).
ReplyDeleteTo this day my favourite Rod Stewart song is 'Do ya think I'm sexy"!
ReplyDelete- Mike from Trinidad & Tobago.
Fred,
ReplyDeleteI love the Faces, but they never really made that one great album. However, I would recommend that you pick up Truth by The Jeff Beck Group sometime. Every song is excellent, but it really works best as a complete album, and is arguably the most fully realized album that Beck or Stewart ever made.
Do Ya Think I'm Sexy? Really? Maybe I should give it a second chance (It's only been thirty or so years since I last gave it a chance).
James Chatterton
Hi, James, I will have to add Truth to my collection and maybe I'll get a collection from the Faces as well. I already have a greatest hits selection from the Small Faces, as well as Ronnie Lane's collaboration with Pete Townshend from 1977, Rough Mix. I might even get one of Rod's early albums one day. I don't buy as many cds as I used to, particularly since there aren't that many record stores around any more, but I haven't add long past oldies as well as newer releases to my collection every so often.
ReplyDeleteI seem to remember reading somewhere that when he started with Jeff Beck, Stewart was so shy that he would either sing with his back to the audience or stand behind the speakers. Can't remember where I saw that, but obviously he overcame his stage fright.
ReplyDeleteI remember going to see him in maybe 1994 or '95. My ex and I were sitting in our seats at the Skydome in Toronto, along with 50,000 or so other fans. Rod came out on stage, then walked out in the audience to talk to someone (?), then the next thing we knew, the announcer came on the PA and said the show was cancelled. Rod couldn't sing. We thought it was an April Fools day joke, since it was at the end of March. But it wasn't a joke.
ReplyDelete