Rod Stewart: 'I'll Definitely Make Myself Available' for a Faces Reunion
'We were just always bloody drunk . . . It was a very fleeting existence'

By Andy Greene
December 7, 2011 11:45 AM ET


Rod Stewart, Ian McLagan and Ronnie Lane performing at the Weeley FestivalGarry Clarke/Redferns

When Rod Stewart was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist in 1994 he was unable to make the event. An earthquake had just hit Los Angeles hard and he didn't want to leave his children. Stewart pledges to make up for that next year by heading to Cleveland to reunite with the Faces, who will be inducted next year – even if he's not exactly seeing eye-to-eye with his former keyboardist Ian McLagan.

Tell me your first reaction to the news.
I was absolutely over the moon, as one should be. I never thought that would happen. I was a little disappointed with Ian McLagan's remarks about how the two bands shouldn't be lumped in together. I think that was a little out of order. I think Mac should think himself lucky that he's in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I know that Woody [Ronnie Wood] and I talked about it and we're over the moon. I'm in as a solo artist and now as a group member, and he being a Stone and a Face. I'll knock him into shape when I see him, McLagan. It's great. It's wonderful. Hopefully the band is going to get together. I said that I'd do it if we can get the rest of the band together. I was with Ronnie a couple of weeks ago. He came up to Las Vegas with me and he said, "I'd love to do it."

The Faces have always been a very under-appreciated group, so it's nice they get this spotlight on them.
Yeah. We're sort of partly to blame for that. We were just always bloody drunk, to be honest with you. It was a very fleeting existence. It was all over in four years, five at the most. It would be nice to get the appreciation.

I can understand why both groups are getting in at the same time. The Small Faces and the Faces are basically the same band with a different singer.
Yes, it was. I can give you a rundown of history. Steve Marriott left to chase a solo career. Ronnie and I were both out of work. Was I? Yeah, Ronnie had been fired by Jeff Beck. Once he left, Jeff knew that I wasn't happy. I decided to leave anyway because I missed my mate. The Faces got together in the Rolling Stones' rehearsal room in the East End of London and they were all playing away. Ronnie Lane was singing, but it wasn't very powerful and they decided that they wanted a new singer. Kenny Jones had already spoken to Ronnie Wood about where I was. Ronnie said, "Why don't you have a listen? Stand on the top of the stairs, have a listen, and see what you think of the band." I said, "Okay." I stood at the top of the stairs and they played well, but nobody was doing any singing [laughs]. They were just doing Booker T and the MG's songs. So, Kenny came up the stairs and said, "We haven't got a singer, do you want to join?" I went, "Yeah!" And that was it. We went down to the pub and the Faces were born.

You're definitely willing to perform with them again at the ceremony?
Oh, yeah! I'd love it. If they're all available I'll definitely make myself available.

Did you mind at all that they've toured without you these past few years?
No, not at all, mate. It's something that I would want to do, but it's getting a commitment from Ronnie –who is hanging onto what the Stones are going to do. He'll suddenly say, "Hey, let's tour next week!" I'll say, "Hold on Ronnie, I've got commitments! I've got commitments for the next year." If we all sat around and said, "Let's do it next summer, or let's do it for charity" or whatever reason, I would do it. It's not totally ruled out.

It's nice you'll get to attend this time, because you missed your own induction because of the [1994 Los Angeles] earthquake.
Yeah, I was supposed to leave the day after. Two of my children, Renee and Liam, they were just one and three. They were just terrified. Absolutely terrified. I just couldn't leave them, so I missed it. But I'll be there this time!

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/rod-stewart-ill-definitely-make-myself-av...

It's like Groundhog Day with Stewart.

Piss off, Rod.

You had four years to put this together while the Stones were bickering or scratching their arses and were full of hot air as usual, using the reunion talk as a tool to hype up interest in your own solo career.

Ronald will have bigger fish to fry in 2012.

Gazza wrote on Dec 7^th, 2011 at 1:58pm:

Well to be somewhat fair Gazza. I think Rod was referring to showing up for the RRHOF ceremony with The Faces. Not neccessarily a new tour.

Rod doesn't even show up for the odd show here and there and then he twats on about Ronnie's Stones commitments. What a twat. They should update the old Rod the Mod nickname and call him Rod the Knob.

The Wick wrote on Dec 8^th, 2011 at 1:59am:



priceless!!!

Rod Stewart makes god awful music these days, no one should be bothered with him, they proved they don't need him... lead singers are just as replaceable as guitarist,drummers, piano players ect... fuck off Rod, you suck nowadays, you're cover songs of shitty music for old ladies in Vegas makes me sick!!! you should be denied access to the RaRHOF! Eat shit piss burger!
have a nice day...

The Wick wrote on Dec 8^th, 2011 at 1:59am:


All I needed to know about Rod's attitude to The Faces was summed up in a 10 minute chat I had with Ian McLagan in February 2009, when I asked him what was happening with The Faces reunion. Mac told me straight that they'd rehearsed for three days in November 2008, Rod had shown up each day and was so friendly and full of enthusiasm about working together - and then on the fourth day he didnt appear and none of them had heard a word from him since. As far as they were concerned, he was using the press attention surrounding a possible reunion for his own ends - he duly announced solo dates a few weeks later.  

Heart Of Stone wrote on Dec 8^th, 2011 at 4:50pm:



Sharon.

LOL

uncleson wrote on Dec 7^th, 2011 at 2:27pm:



He was. And I liked Ronnie Lane too.....sad that neither are alive for this HOF induction.

Mick Huknall was a great choice for the Faces.Rod can' t sing anymore  like Mick does!
He should do a Vegas super band with Celine Dion and Elton John.. Supercheesy!!

"Rod wants to be a FACE again"

Well I suppose he's spent long enough being an arse...

Rod Stewart Finishes First Album of New Material in a Decade, Begins Autobiography
'They're grown-up songs. There's no 'Hot Legs' or 'Do You Think I'm Sexy?''
Comment 0
By Andy Greene
December 9, 2011 2:25 PM ET
rod stewart

Rod Stewart performs during the launch of his two-year residency at the Colosseum at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas.
Ethan Miller/Getty Images

New Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Rod Stewart has just finished work on his first album of new material in more than a decade. "It's ready to go," Stewart says. "It's seven new songs by R.D. Stewart, that's me."

The album will also feature four covers, one of a Tom Waits song. "I don't think I've ever written seven songs for one album, which I have here," says Stewart. "People are saying that it sounds like Gasoline Alley revisited, though I don't see that. It's a hats off to the past, and also a hats off to the future." Stewart hopes to release the LP in May.

Rod surprised even himself when he began to write songs for the project. "During the American Songbook period I thought that the art of writing songs had left," he says. "Suddenly, it all came flooding back to me. It was so much more enjoyable than when I used to write songs. I've got a bit more to write about now. They're grown-up songs. There's no 'Hot Legs' or 'Do You Think I'm Sexy?'"

The new project marks the end of his highly successful American Songbook series of covers albums. "That's all dead and gone," Stewart says. "I did five of those. We milked it dry. They all sold tremendously well. I think 7 million all together."

Jeff Beck and Rod Stewart have been planning their first collaborative album  since the original Jeff Beck Group split in 1969, but the project has been delayed. "We've run into contractual problems," Stewart says. "Hopefully we can start on it next year, if Jeff still wants to do it. I signed a deal with Universal, and they just wanted me to do an album by myself. Hopefully we can do it next, or sometime next year."

Finally, Stewart is also beginning to work on his autobiography. "As you speak to me now, I was just in my first hour," he says. "I'm doing the period from 1945, when I was born, through 1962. I was just explaining to the guy who is writing the book what a powerful influence Bob Dylan was on me when his first album came out, which was 1962, when I was 17. So, I'm right in the middle of the book. It's going to be an epic story."

Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/rod-stewart-finishes-first-album-of-new-m...
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/rod-stewart-finishes-first-album-of-new-m...