Rod Stewart: Classic Or Dud

I just saw that Rhino is releasing a Rod Stewart Sessions box set of outtakes etc. from 1971-1998. The track listing looks intriguing, but I don't know much of his work from the late 70s through the 90s except the big singles (which I typically like and in some cases, e.g. "Young Turks", absolutely adore). Any recommendations on which 80s or 90s albums to start with? There are lots of them, and Spotify has a bunch of recently remastered ones with lots of extra tracks, making it even more bewildering. I may just dive in chronologically but I'd be happy to hear advice on how else to traverse these.

Tonight I'm Yours, "Young Turks"' home, is rather good.

Ok, I'll start there. After reading so many bad things over the years about every Stewart album after the first four, I've never ventured further. My loss, or at least that's what I'd like to determine for myself.

The continuing lie told about Rod Stewart is that he "sold out," but even on those first four albums you can hear how fine the line is between a shambles and greatness. The guy always liked to party; he'll write a song or play with anyone. That approach guarantees erratic albums.

That's a good point. I hear the thin line you're talking about more when I listen to the Faces; I love those songs but they're falling apart. On his solo records Stewart seems to have picked less ramshackle performances, and strong cover material. In the 1992 Rolling Stone Record Guide, I remember the reviewer lamenting how Stewart had gone from having such sympathy for the characters he sang about, and thus having sympathy for his audience, to patronizing them both. This artistic criticism is then linked with the usual "he's a cynical sell out looking to cash out" line. But the artistic critique was the one that stuck with me.

So far Tonight I'm Yours sounds great, esp. the title song which has the same new-wave-jumpiness of "Young Turks".

yeah the "sold out" meme needs some challenging. more a case of bandwagon-hopping. he's still doing it now, with those execrable "great american songbook vol. 7" albums.

pretty excited for the first two discs of this box set.

Whatever happened to mandolins? More people should use mandolins.

Most OTM comment on ILM ever.

Move to Asheville, NC. You can't walk two blocks without hearing a mandolin!

bbc version of "maggie mae" on repeat right now.. so wonderful. vocals just shred

I'm in a hotel room watching the view because I got fuck-all else to do and Rod Stewart is flogging his American Songbook Vol. 5 yes volume FIVE

how stoked is Satan going to be when he gets to cash the check on this guy? he's more tenacious than a damn cockroach

9-piece band bravely forging through "I Get A Kick Out You" as Rod slowly leeches the will to live from the viewing audience

Don't worry: Bryan Ferry releases an album next week.

Robert Palmer>>>>Rod Stewart>Bryan Ferry

been listening to the rod stewart album a lot lately

so amazing, early rod stewart is my anti-drug

just saw a long-form TV interview with the dude (Piers Morgan Presents? i think) and he came off as really mature, funny, humble, and self-deprecating. would definitely kick it with him, and now I need to get those early records cause I bet there are some great deep cuts that I've never heard.

I certainly don't want to actually hear anything after Young Turks though.

rod's ex-wife lived across the street from my elementary school. true story.
haven't listened to this yet, but in terms of early rod ... does it get any earlier than this?
http://bigozine2.com/roio/?p=745
thought for a second i'd finally get a chance to hear him sing "natural woman" but i guess it's just instrumental.

xp Ha! I started a poll last weekend because of the Piers Morgan interview...and went completely the opposite direction: Rod Stewart in the 1980s poll: Singles (that reached the Top 40)

Me on <i>Atlantic Crossing</i>: http://nobilliards.blogspot.com/2012/02/rod-stewart-atlantic-crossing.html

D'ya Think I'm Sexy steals a Bobby Womack string riff. That said, The Killing of Sister George is pretty nice.

For me, classic from the first Faces record up until the 1973 compilation 'Sing It Again Rod', after that I wouldn't touch any of his stuff with a bargepole.

My rather muted thoughts on Rod's last non-compilation UK number one album: http://nobilliards.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/rod-stewart-night-on-town.html

You're right about the rote concepualization of "Georgie" (i.e. another gay victim) but his singing is empathetic and searching. The song may be about a victim but Stewart's vocal doesn't treat Georgie as such.

I would agree with "searching": the question is whether he actually finds anything. But really; "There ensued a fearful fight" - what is this, Alfred Austin?

I bought the 4 cd "Storyteller" set this week (seven quid from HMV) and worked my way through it in a day. Dear me, it all goes wrong half way through disc three (which is whereabouts you are on "TPL") and there's hardly anything worth talking about on disc four, but the first two discs have some incredible moments. I know Rod has said he finds songwriting hard but the evidence shows that when he applies himself (and has someone else to work with who inspires him) he can write heartfelt touching songs. More than anything it feels like he has been wasting his talent for decades by being this interpretive singer. But why should he try? People still buy his records, still go to his shows. That's enough for him, but is it enough for us?

Dave Marsh refers to him as having turned into a "jaded middle-aged cad" at around this time and I'd find it hard to disagree. I don't doubt that the sentiments of "Georgie" are heartfelt and I see what he's getting at but sadly I don't think he quite gets there. It's like he's trying to hang on to a fragment of what/who he once was and it's too fragile for him to grasp.

I submit there's still enough going on in the eighties and nineties: "Oh God I Wish I Was Home Tonight," "Young Turks," of course, "People Get Ready," "This Old Heart of Mine" (genuine warmth b/w him and Isley), "Broken Arrow."

Sadly none of it's going to get written about on TPL.

what are your thoughts on the singles I named?

Only two of these were singles in the UK.

A month after "Georgie" entered the UK Top 40, it was joined by another gay death disc, namely the extraordinary "Under One Roof" from The Rubettes. As a troubled gay 14-year old, I was desperately grateful for any crumbs of comfort that could possibly be snatched from mainstream media, so - as Alfred suggests above - it was Rod's empathy rather than Georgie's tragedy which grabbed me the most. In fact, I could scarcely believe that a star of his standing was making such a bold statement of support - even if it was couched in the standard "victim" narrative of the time.

Only two of these were singles in the UK.

and you guys got "Baby Jane" at #1.

And it's on Now That's What I Call Music Volume 1 so I have to write about it. There's no justice, I tell you.

He's got a new album coming...and as you let the horrifying awfulness wash over you, remember that this is what the label thinks are the highlights:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSn8OzBKthQ

TS: Old Sock vs. Old Rod

a Pink Floyd cover?

wow, Sexual Religion is pretty edgy!

i'll take this over "the Great American Songbook, vol. 9"

weird how his voice sound younger now than it did 40 years ago. Where did that gravelly-ness go?

he wrote songs!

Interview.

It’s not only his songwriting that made a return for Stewart on Time — he also produced the album, with Savigar engineering and mixing.

“People forget I am also a producer, as I’d even forgotten,” he laughs. “There were a lot of those early Seventies albums I did on my own. Even when I hired producers like Lou Reizner and Tom Dowd, I was really at the helm then.

“They were just like the conduit for me to get the band and me out of the pub and get us working.

“Tommy Dowd was always like a big schoolteacher with us. I did all the production really — it was all more or less my idea.”

Time includes one cover — Picture In A Frame by Tom Waits, from his 1999 record Mule Variations.

“I don’t know what it is about Tom Waits that suits me,” says Stewart. “Downtown Train was a hit for me in 1989 and that was one of his too. I’ve never ever met him either! And I’ve loved Picture In A Frame for a long time. So does Penny.

“And I’ve always done and am known for my covers. It’s very gratifying and satisfying to do them.”

man, 'tonight's the night' is kind of a creepy song, isn't it?

"stay away from my back door too"

I realised the other day "(I Know) I'm Losing You" might just be the best song on Every Picture Tells A Story. And this is an album with the title track and Mandolin Wind on it, not to kention Maggie May.

Live version kills:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrOPJXrUWII

I remember being disappointed when I first heard the Tempts original and it didn't have the chanting breakdown.

That's a tight band coming in after the drum solo, right there.

Good day at the office - started out with "First Cut is the Deepest" and now onto 140 minutes of greatest Rod Stewart hits. How good are his covers?!

So, it would seem that Rod Stewart is now Sir Rod. I can't knock Faces, but at the same time, I can't help but wonder what the knighthood is for? "Services to supermodels"!?

Not being dead.

Great hair throughout

I am reading his autobio…almost every page has a howlingly funny line… he really seems like a funny, pleasant guy, and this job of ghostwriting this book had to have been the easiest lift of the ghostwriter's career, being that his authentic voice exudes forth… he describes his model trains and his football fandom in ways that very much interest a non-adherent like me… the only thing where he does not come off well is his womanizing, like when he wants to mend his relationship with Kelly Emberg or whoever after banging some other model, then meets Rachel Hunter or whoever, completely abandons his intentions, shrugs his shoulders and rolls his eyes in the telling, "oh well, what are you gonna do? I"m the lad of all lads!" Yeah well, it's just gross as fuck when you can't curtail this behavior when you have like 10 children and you're pushing 60.

That train set is awesome. I'm going to put this here for some that might not have come across it before. It's pretty funny and definitely classic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baCeALX2vlM

Autobiography is an excellent read so far - up to the Tom Dowd chapter but Stewart's wonderfully charming and self-effacing. I love how he describes his first attempt at songwriting with Ronnie Wood.

I hear "Forever Young" in the wild ar least twice a week.

Speaking of '80s favorites, I never saw the video for "People Get Ready" until I was doing a deep dive of Jeff Beck over the weekend. Starts off with Stewart hand writing a letter to Beck on a standard post office mailbox in the middle of nowhere saying "Jeff, why not come to L.A. and take up the guitar professionally? Rod" I love how much fun they're having at the end, like they clearly think this is corny (rightfully so) but go with it and do all the hand gestures and everything.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yC_j_dzkaVE

Can you get an abridged version that stops in 1972?

rude

Lol