Latest news with #JeffBeckGroup
Forbes
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Rod Stewart, Cheap Trick Sizzle As ‘One Last Time' Tour Hits Indy
'It's Saturday night!' shouted Rod Stewart on stage just outside Indianapolis, early in the set as his 'One Last Time' tour arrived at Ruoff Music Center. 'We had a wonderful crowd last night - but tonight you're gonna beat them!' Stewart, 80, proved to be an engaging host and energetic frontman on stage in Noblesville, Indiana, remaining in fine voice Saturday night for just shy of two hours alongside fellow classic rock stalwarts Cheap Trick. While known for his work as part of both the Jeff Beck Group and Faces, it's the solo material that sold best, with Stewart moving more than 120 million records globally as one of the best selling artists of all time. Releasing It Had to be You: The Great American Songbook in 2002, the first in what would become an uber-successful five album series of pop standards, Stewart would settle on a successful formula, continuing a pivot toward covers which has largely guided his career over the last 25 years. Covers made up the majority of Saturday's set on stage in the Circle City, with Stewart and company wasting no time getting to them. 'Here's a song from Bonnie Tyler!' asserted the singer early, with two violinists soon driving 'It's A Heartache.' Opening with 'Infatuation,' Steward headed to his right, carrying the mic stand overhead as he strutted and pranced. A 12 piece backing group featured a trio of backing singers and three more multi-instrumentalists in addition to live guitar, keys, bass, saxophone and dueling percussion. 'Last week, we were in Mississippi - the birthplace of one of my heroes growing up,' Rod began to explain, noting a tour that runs into mid-September ahead of a six night Las Vegas residency (Caesars Palace starting September 24) and international dates taking him into mid-December. 'So, I'd like to pay tribute to Muddy Waters.' Stewart headed left to explore the stage's furthest reaches as cowbell and violin rang out early, offering up a bit of air guitar late as the ensemble worked up the Hambone Willie Newbern-penned cut 'Rollin' and Tumblin,'' which Waters himself covered 75 years ago. A slight miscommunication found Stewart readying 'Forever Young' as the band began Kim Weston's 'It Takes Two.' Stopping on a dime to start again proved this show was taking place live and in the moment, a welcome deviation in an era of live performance often defined by the use of pre-recorded backing tracks at the expense of actual, authentic on stage moments. Stewart sent 'Forever Young' out to recently deceased rocker Ozzy Osbourne, soon shouting out Tina Turner, with whom he collaborated on a cover of 'It Takes Two' in 1990. Violin and live mandolin drove a lovely take on 'Maggie May' that more closely resembled Stewart's sort of stripped down MTV Unplugged take on his original 1971 recording. 'Next stop, 1976!' yelled Stewart excitedly, with live harp resplendent on a warm night in Indy. Synths rang out moments later as Stewart more talked than sang his way through 'Young Turks.' 'A little sweaty,' said Stewart, understating the evening's high temps. 'Sweating my ears off!' he continued. 'Carry on, Rod,' mused the singer with a smile. 'Here's a song I love doing. Did this with my dear old buddy Ronnie Wood,' Stewart continued, looking back upon the 1972 sessions for his fourth solo album Never a Dull Moment, one which found Wood backing him as he put his spin upon Etta James' 'I'd Rather go Blind,' ultimately dedicating the track to Fleetwood Mac's Christine McVie. A long sax solo cooked with the band stretching out late on the James cover. 'How about these guys?' said Stewart midway through, glancing left at his terrific band while guitar and saxophone rang out. Following 'Downtown Train,' the band got a chance to work up an even greater head of steam as Stewart left the stage for the night's first costume change, diving into Chaka Khan's 'I'm Every Woman,' a trend which would continue during Stewart breaks with the stellar band later tackling Creedence Clearwater Revival via 'Proud Mary.' 'Did you see there really is a full moon?' asked Stewart, gesturing out toward the venue's general admission lawn setting and up as the crowd in front turned to gaze. Delicately plucked acoustic guitar and harp drove the early moments of 'You're in my Heart (The Final Acclaim)' while upright bass, piano and slow but deliberate violin enhanced the live presentation of Van Morrison's 'Have I Told you Lately.' Distributing signed soccer balls throughout the seated pavilion, a pulsing bass and disco beat brought the capacity crowd to its feet as Stewart and company danced their way through 'Do Ya Think I'm Sexy,' with the crowd supplying the closing chorus. 'I used to be in a band called the Faces,' said Stewart, recalling a more rollicking period which featured a future Rolling Stone on guitar as he again referenced Ronnie Wood. 'So, a tribute now to my friends in the Faces!' he said, finally revisiting his former band via 'Stay With Me' as Saturday's show entered its final moments via scorching slide guitar. 'I want to thank you very, very much from the bottom of my heart,' said Stewart, wrapping up with 'Some Guys Have All the Luck' and his take on The O'Jays' 'Love Train.' For just about one hour on stage Saturday in Indianapolis, mighty midwestern rockers Cheap Trick set the stage for Stewart, pulling most heavily from classic albums like Dream Police and In Color. 'Just in case you were unsure, we are the one and only Cheap Trick! Accept no substitute,' declared guitarist Rick Nielsen on stage Saturday at Ruoff. 'We are thrilled to be here in Indiana with Rod,' said the guitarist, introducing 'He's A Whore.' Bookending their 60 minutes appropriately enough via 'Hello There' and 'Goodnight,' Cheap Trick got to the hits early, working through Fats Domino's 'Ain't That a Shame' en route to one of their biggest. Sirens wailed as red and blue lights flashed, setting the stage for a raucous early take on 'Dream Police' which featured drummer Daxx Nielsen joining frontman Robin Zander with a backing vocal as his father flicked picks by the dozen to lucky fans in front. Nielsen noodled his way through a fun, meandering solo that ultimately gave way to 'California Man,' with Zander initiating a classic late call and response vocal approach with the audience midway through. 'What a fine looking bunch we have here this evening…' deadpanned Rick Nielsen, sense of humor in check as he set up his punchline. 'The girls look gorgeous - and the guys are here,' joked the guitarist, introducing a Dream Police deep cut via 'The House is Rockin' (With Domestic Problems).' Prefacing it with a few quick lines from 'It All Comes Back to You,' Zander kicked off 'The Flame' solo acoustic shortly after a thumping but melodic Tom Petersson bass solo. 'Oh yeah?' responded Zander as the crowd reacted to the hit ballad. 'Well, I want you to want me!' Closing with a murderer's row of hits, Zander smiled wide as he leaned into his mic stand, with Rick Nielsen shredding away on a saxophone-shaped guitar nearby as 'I Want You to Want Me' gave way to 'Surrender' late in Saturday's opening set. 'Thank you, Rod Stewart for having us!' shouted Rick Nielsen as Cheap Trick closed up in Indianapolis. 'Good night!'
Edinburgh Live
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
Sir Rod Stewart clarifies real reason behind shock split as he admits 'I would've stayed'
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Sir Rod Stewart, one of this year's Glastonbury Festival headliners, has put a long-standing rumour to bed about why The Faces split. Established in 1969 in London, the rock band featured members Rod, Ronnie Lane, Ian McLagan, Ronnie Wood, and Kenney Jones. The band was made up of former members of other groups, with Ronnie L, Ian, and Kenney moving on from Small Faces, and Sir Rod and Ronnie disbanding from the Jeff Beck Group around the same time. For many years, 80-year-old Rod has been named as the catalyst for the band's split in 1975, due to his solo career. In a recent interview with Zoe Ball on BBC Radio 2 however, he claimed this wasn't the case after all. Reflecting on his friendship with Ronnie W and Kenney, Rod reminisced: "We don't talk about the old times very much, I mean there's only three of us left, obviously that's without Mac and Ronnie. "But they were wonderful those days. That was a band I would've stayed in for the rest of my life." Debunking myths about his departure, he clarified: "People think I left but I didn't, you know, Ronnie joined the [Rolling] Stones and so the whole thing floundered. "Ronnie Lane had already left because he wasn't happy, so once we lost Ronnie Lane, we lost the soul of the band really." The remaining members of the band are currently working on an album and a documentary together, and there's even talk of a reunion at Glastonbury this weekend. Updating fans on their projects, Rod added: "Yeah we've been filming it [the documentary] for some time, we're trying to finish off an album and it's all down to me again, because I've got to get the lyrics finished. "I've been working so bl***y hard, I've got two albums on the go, two documentaries. "I'm supposed to be doing a book about my modern railway, which I've just dropped because I ain't got the time, but yeah, there is a documentary. "We've got a considerable amount of film and some really old stuff. Apparently Kodak gave all of The Faces cameras way back [then and said] 'Shoot what you want' and Kenney has still got it all. "So, it's going to go way back. I don't know when it's going to be finished, the album is down to me, I need to finish the lyrics off." Rod is scheduled to headline the Glastonbury Legends slot on Sunday, and last month, he confirmed that Ronnie will be joining him on stage. Rumour has it that Kenney will also be on board, though this hasn't been confirmed. Festival organiser Emily Eavis expressed her excitement over Rod performing, stating on Instagram: "Bringing Sir Rod Stewart back for the Sunday afternoon slot on the Pyramid stage is everything we could wish for. What a way to bow out with the final legends slot before we take a fallow year. We cannot wait!".
Daily Record
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Rod Stewart blasts Glastonbury set critics and makes huge pledge to fans
Rod Stewart also admitted he doesn't remember recording many of his oldest hits and can't recall his last Glastonbury slot in 2002. Rod Stewart has promised to entertain with a hit-packed set at Glastonbury but insists his tea time slot will not be 'pipe and slippers'. The 80-year old rocker also admitted he doesn't remember recording many of his oldest hits and can't recall the last time he played the legendary festival in 2002. Sir Rod said: "I don't remember a thing. I do so many concerts, they all blend into one." He added: I just wish they wouldn't call it the tea time slot. "That sounds like pipe and slippers, doesn't it? "You know, it's wonderful. I'll be in good voice. I'll enjoy myself. I don't care anymore what the critics think. "I'm there to entertain my people." Sir Rod also revealed the secret to his spike-topped hairstyle before he could afford one. 'I used to use sugared hot water, before the days of hair lacquer. And I couldn't afford hair lacquer, anyway,' he said. He's also persuaded organisers to extend his set, securing an hour-and-a-half slot after initially being offered 75 minutes. He added: 'Usually I do well over two hours so there's still a load of songs we won't be able to do. "But we've been working at it. I'm not gonna make any announcements between songs. I'll do one number, shout 'next', and go straight into the next one. "I'm going to get in as many songs I can." Sir Rod will select from from early hits with the Faces such as Stay With Me and Ooh La La, to his solo breakthrough with Maggie May, the slick pop of Do Ya Think I'm Sexy and his reinvention as a crooner on songs like Downtown Train and Have I Told You Lately. Recalling his early years, when he was championed by blues musician Long John Baldry, Rod said: 'I wanted to always sound like Sam Cooke and Otis Redding, so that's the way I went. I suppose I was trying to be different from anybody else." One of his youngest fans likely to catch his Glastonbury set, which is likely to feature his old Faces pal Ronnie Wood, is his youngest son, Aidan, 14. "He's gone back and listened to everything I've done, bless him," Rod said. "He knows songs that I don't even remember recording.' His Glastonbury appearance will coincide with the release of his 20th greatest hits album. Sir Rod, who performed with the Jeff Beck Group and the Faces, before going solo, admits he was so drunk he used to forget the words to his own songs. In the US, the group received a 40-year ban from the Holiday Inn hotel chain after racking up an £8,000 bill for trashing their rooms. "We only did it because the Holiday Inns would treat us so badly, like we were the scum of the earth," he said. 'So we'd get our own back by smashing the hotels up. 'One time we actually got a couple of spoons and chiselled through the walls to one another's rooms. But we used to book in as Fleetwood Mac, so they'd get the blame." He also says he only 'dabbled' in drugs at a time when many rock stars were getting high. "I never was a really druggy person, because I played football all the time and I had to be match fit," he said. "I would use the word dabble. I've dabbled in drugs, but not anymore."
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Rod Stewart Collects Lifetime Achievement Award & Closes 2025 AMAs by Singing ‘Forever Young'
Sir Rod Stewart capped the 2025 American Music Awards by accepting the Lifetime Achievement Award and giving the audience one of his patented high-energy performances to end the show on Monday (May 26). The 80-year-old icon was introduced by five of his eight children — Kim, Ruby, Renee, Liam and Sean — who honored their dad's 60-year career, which has seen him sell millions upon millions of albums worldwide thanks to such Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hits as 'Maggie May, 'Hot Legs,' 'Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?' and 'Some Guys Have All the Luck.' More from Billboard Here Are the 2025 American Music Awards Winners (Updating Live) Shakira Falls Onstage During 'Whenever, Wherever' Performance at Montreal Concert Billy Joel's Daughter Alexa Ray Joel Offers Encouraging Words About Dad's Health Diagnosis 'I'm absolutely flabbergasted — I had no idea they were here,' a gobsmacked Rod the Mod said after hugging it out with his brood, cheekily joking that he's got 'eight all together … I didn't have a television.' Stewart recalled that when he started singing in the early 1960s, 'well before all of you lot were here,' he said, gesturing to the crowd, 'the reason I got into it was because I had this burning ambition to sing. That's all I wanted to do. I didn't want to be rich or famous.' The vocalist who began his career singing blues and R&B standards in his native England before joining the Jeff Beck Group and then Faces and launching his mega-successful solo era, thanked all the musicians he's played with over the years as well as his biggest influences, including Sam Cooke, Temptations singer and solo star David Ruffin and blues great Muddy Waters. Honors aside, Stewart seemed genuinely touched that five of his children were sharing the stage with him, shouting out the sweet surprise once again before plugging his Caesars Palace residency gig and then jauntily skipping over to the stage to perform his 1988 Hot 100 No. 12 hit 'Forever Young.' Wearing daringly tight pinstriped black pants, a white tuxedo jacket and a ruffled white shirt opened to reveal his chest and a chunky necklace, the raspy voiced icon looked ageless as he played air guitar while singing 'May good fortune be with you, may your guiding light be strong/ Build a stairway to heaven with a prince or a vagabond/ And may you never love in vain,' as a trio of backup singers in shimmering black minidresses echoed the song's ageless chorus back to him. Stewart's spirited show-closer also roped in a three-man bagpipe team, adding a bit more pizzazz to a performance that also spun through a Vegas-worthy tap dance break and a double fiddle and marching band drum solo. Watch Stewart accept the Lifetime Achievement Award below. The American Music Awards are produced by Dick Clark Productions, which is owned by Penske Media Eldridge, a joint venture between Eldridge Industries and Billboard parent company Penske Media. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
