Rock’n Me 13: Talking About Western Music - Rod Stewart

Hello, this is Joshua, eager to talk about Western music.
In this 13th edition, I’ll be discussing Rod Stewart. If I had to sum him up in one sentence, it would be “The eternal husky-voiced Don Juan from London.”

Rod Stewart was born in London, England, in 1945 and is currently 77 years old. To put this year into context, 1945 was the year Hitler took his life, Japan was bombed by the United States, and World War II ended with the dropping of atomic bombs. Interestingly, many famous artists were born in the same year: Eric Clapton, Pete Townshend, Ian Gillan and Roger Glover from Deep Purple, and Neil Young. The issue of aging rock stars is still a current challenge.

Back to Rod Stewart, he made his name as the lead vocalist of the first Jeff Beck Group. Later, he joined the Small Faces (later renamed Faces), leaving behind iconic rock and roll songs like “Stay with Me.” At the same time, he pursued a solo career and became a hitmaker with his pop sound. Over time, Faces became his backing band, and they eventually split up, with Rod going fully solo.

Rod moved from the UK to the US, where he assembled a solid band, featuring Jim Cregan (guitar), Carmine Appice (drums), and Phil Chen (bass), who had played on Jeff Beck’s “Blow by Blow”. With a band that could handle everything from ballads to rock and roll, Rod’s signature husky voice, blonde locks, and bold stage presence made him a major heartthrob. This led to explosive success worldwide, especially with his single “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?” from the album Blondes Have More Fun. The song, as the title suggests, is about “picking up a blonde bombshell.” Fun fact: the actress Lillian Müller, who appeared in the video, later became a sex symbol in Van Halen’s “Hot for Teacher.”

■ Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?

The twin guitars of Jim Cregan with his Les Paul Custom and Gary Grainger with his Zemaitis look cool, but personally, I love the rhythm section. Carmine’s kingly presence, combined with his poised breakbeats, and Phil’s cheerful squatting with a Precision bass are unforgettable. Phil’s octave technique in this song was widely imitated, but what’s less often mentioned is that the same album also features a song where Phil seems to be imitating himself.

■ Standing in the Shadows of Love

From his next album Foolish Behaviour (1980), the single “Passion” (1980) also has an unforgettable music video. The most important part is, of course, Rod’s shout, but Carmine endlessly twirling his sticks and Phil dancing with Rod while holding a jazz bass are also highlights. However, the most amusing detail is the matching t-shirts worn by the band members. The shirt’s writing... well, you should watch the video to find out. According to Carmine, the t-shirt was an inside joke among the band members. During tours, it was common for band members to bring women to their rooms. When other members found out, they would change into the same t-shirts and storm the room of the guilty party... a prank typical of '70s rock ‘n’ roll.

■ Passion

Afterward, Rod moved towards a more electronic pop direction, and some members of his band, including Carmine, were replaced. Carmine, when asked why he was fired, replied, “I don’t know. Later I asked Rod, and he said ‘I don’t know either.’” He hinted at drug issues being a factor. Meanwhile, Rod repaired his relationship with Jeff Beck, and they both contributed to each other’s work, leaving behind memorable performances. However, Rod did not return to rock music and, in 2002, released It Had to Be You: The Great American Songbook, an album of American classics. This era, where he became a suave pop singer, doesn’t particularly interest me, but commercially, it was a huge success. The American Songbook Series went on to five albums, and even a soul version titled Soulbook was released, fully ignoring the saying “wait for the rabbit while guarding your stock.”

Now, as an elderly man, Rod has seen a resurgence. The idea of a Faces reunion has come up, and in 2020, they gathered for an event and began recording an album. Moreover, just last November, he released a new solo album The Tears of Hercules.

The promotional video for the lead single “One More Time” is classic Rod. In front of London’s landmarks, he is surrounded by three blonde beauties.

■ One More Time

The lyrics are something else: “I know that I can keep a secret, baby can you too/One more time, baby, one more timе/Baby one more time, just for old timеs sake.” With a title of ‘Sir’, how does he still write such shameless songs in his later years? His ongoing antics make him even more amusing, and I can’t help but replay his songs. London’s Don Juan is still alive and well.

*This column was written around the time Phil Chen’s passing was announced. I loved his playing and presence. His Facebook was filled with warm anecdotes, such as how he had a knack for giving people fun nicknames, which helped him connect with both musicians and fans quickly. My deepest condolences to him.

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