A photographer is suing Sir Rod Stewart for breach of copyright, claiming he used her image without permission.
Julia McLellan, from Hatfield Peverel, has lodged a claim of £9,999.99 against the singer at Chelmsford County Court.
She claims that Sir Rod, 73, was not authorised to use a picture of him with a previous girlfriend at a 2015 gig.
Sending the matter to trial, District Judge Stephen Hodges urged both parties to mediate as the case had "tears written all over it".
Mrs McLellan, 63, said she repeatedly asked Sir Rod's lawyers for a fee to cover the use of the image, but they refused.
She took action on behalf of McLellans agency, which she runs with her husband John, after efforts to settle the matter amicably failed.
'Totally innocent'
The photograph in dispute dates from the 1960s and had never been published until it was used on a video backdrop at BBC2's Live in Hyde Park: A Festival in a Day
concert.
It was taken by Sir Rod's former school friend, Christopher Southwood, but Mrs McLellan says she acquired the copyright in 2004.
She claims Mr Southwood gave Sir Rod a copy of the photograph as a keepsake but said: "That's very different from using it commercially."
In defence papers lodged with the court, Sir Rod's team argued the court should reject Mrs McLellan's claim for "an absurd level of damages for a totally innocent, brief
and incidental use by Sir Rod of a personal snapshot as part of another, more substantial, artistic work".
Sir Rod, whose first number one album was "Every Picture Tells A Story", states the image was one of hundreds used and it appeared for only eight seconds.
Speaking after the hearing, Mrs McLellan said if she wins she will split the payout equally with Mr Southwood.
District Judge Stephen Hodges said: "In terms of the totality of Sir Rod's lifestyle, it's a modest claim.
"We cannot make people mediate but I will repeat the encouragement and request.
"Try and resolve this. I think this has got tears written all over it."
No date has been fixed for the next hearing
Rod Stewart, 73, and son Sean, 37, splash out
on jewellery as they enjoy some retail therapy in Beverly Hills
He's a proud dad to eight
children, whom he shares with five different women.
And Rod Stewart looked every inch
the devoted father as he spent some quality time with eldest son Sean while splashing the cash on jewellery in Beverly Hills on Thursday.
The musician, 73, dressed for
comfort in a blue checked shirt and jeans as he and Sean, 37, enjoyed their family shopping trip
Shop 'til you drop: Rod Stewart looked every inch the devoted father as he spent some quality time with eldest son Sean while splashing the cash on jewellery in
Beverly Hills on Thursday
The Maggie May hitmaker looked in
a good mood as he sauntered through the sunshine in a pair of cobalt blue sneakers.
Sir Rod
shielded his eyes from the sun in classic mirrored shades and sported his signature tousled blond locks a.s he left
the upmarket store with a bag full of goodies
Sean wasn't too far behind, and
cut his own casual figure in a white vest, grey running shorts and box-fresh sneakers.
The reality star showed off his
extensive body art in the simple design, teamed with layers of silver chains.
Fashionable family: The musician, 73, dressed for comfort in a blue checked shirt and jeans as he and Sean, 37, enjoyed their family shopping
trip
Rod forgets he's famous in Malibu
Rod Stewart says: 'I wouldn't change
anything,' as he reflects on new album, storied career and being one of the 'older chaps now'
"I'm a born show-off!" says Rod Stewart, who
describes performing concerts as "a great massage for your ego." His 30th studio album, "Blood Red Roses," is due out Sept. 28. (Photo by Penny Lancaster
At least a few rock and pop-music legends have struggled with writer’s block as they try to come up with new songs. But two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Rod Stewart may be the first to have ended a
nearly 15-year songwriting drought — releasing nine albums of cover versions of classics in between — by first penning a best-seller.
“When I started writing my (2012) book, ‘Rod: The Autobiography’ — which is still in shops — I realized I had a lot to write about,” said Stewart, who performs here
Sunday at Mattress Firm Amphitheatre and releases his new album, “Blood Red Roses,” Sept. 28 on Republic Records.
But having a realization is no guarantee of overcoming obstacles, as Stewart noted in a 1998 Union-Tribune interview.
"My output is very slim,” he said at the time. “I think it has something to do with laziness, plus I hate writing lyrics. I'm good at it, but you have to lock me in a
room. And my confidence has taken a bit of a bashing. The last song I wrote that was a hit was (the Bob Dylan-inspired) ‘Forever Young,’ and that was 10 years ago (in 1988). I’s all about confidence.
... But there’s no one more confident when walking on stage — that's why I was put on this Earth.
Stewart, who co-wrote 11 of the songs on his new album, chuckled during an interview last week when reminded of his 20-year-old comments.
“The songwriting ability has returned, and I’m thoroughly enjoying songwriting, so I take that back!” he said by phone from his Beverly Hills home.
“When I did my first album (‘Time’) after the book, I wrote a song about my father (‘Can’t Stop Me Now’) and I realized I had so much stuff to write about,” Stewart
recalled.
“And also, I found a very good songwriting partner in Kevin Savigar, who is the co-producer of ‘Blood Red Roses.’ It’s much easier now to write songs, and I enjoy it
more, although I don’t entirely know why that is.”
New album touches on Stewart’s musical hallmarks
His 30th studio album, “Blood Red Roses” features 11 songs co-written by Stewart and Savigar, who became the keyboardist in the singer’s band in 1978. Stewart also
co-wrote 10 songs — eight of them with Savigar — on his 2015 album, “Another Country.”
Their latest collaboration, “Blood Red Roses,” sounds like a partial summary of Stewart’s career, which began in 1963 when he joined the London R&B band The
Dimensions.
The new album includes a charged version of the Muddy Waters’ blues classic “Rollin &
Tumblin.” It harks back to Stewart’s days in the late 1960s as the fiery singer in the Jeff Beck Group, while the thumping, four-on-the-floor beat of “Give Me Love” evokes Stewart’s 1978 hit “Do Ya
Think I’m Sexy?”
The upbeat Motown feel of The Supremes-styled “Rest of My Life” echoes “Soulbook,” Stewart’s 2009 album of vintage soul hits. He makes another allusion to Motown on the
album-opening “Hole In My Heart,” singing the words “doody wop” as a salute to Stevie Wonder’s 1974 funk gem “You Haven’t Done Nothin’ ”
Then there’s the tender acoustic balladry of “Grace,” the bluesy hard-rock of “Vegas Shuffle” and the unabashedly melancholic “Farewell,” which strikes a similar musical
tone to “The Killing of Georgie (Part 1 and 2),” Stewart’s heartfelt 1976 ode to a murdered gay friend.
Several songs on “Blood Red Roses” have a Celtic flavor, something Stewart featured more lightly on his 1971 breakthrough single, “Maggie May,” overtly on his 1977 hit
“You’re in My Heart (The Final Acclaim),” and on other songs since then.
Yet, despite such familiar reference points, he demurred when asked if he was taking stock of his career on his new album by touching on some of his musical
hallmarks.
“Not intentionally, no,” replied Stewart, who was recovering from bronchitis.
“It’s just that when you sit around with another songwriter, I don’t want to close myself off to different rhythms or ideas. It’s just the way it came down. God gave me a
very flexible voice. So I can take on Motown stuff, or standards, as I proved with my ‘Great American Songbook’ albums. I can sing many genres, but ‘Blood Red Roses’ isn’t an exercise in melancholia
or nostalgia.”
‘I always loved those standards’
Stewart’s career got a major boost in 2000, when he released “It Had To Be You: The Great American Songbook.” The album featured lush versions of classics written by
George and Ira Gershwin, Cole Porter and others. Jazz critics were generally unimpressed, but scores of listeners embraced Stewart’s new/old musical chapter.
The success of “It Had To Be You,” here and abroad, led to four more “Great American Songbook” albums by Stewart. He cites Anita O’Day’s singing in “Jazz On a Summer’s
Day” — the landmark documentary film shot at the star-packed 1958 Newport Jazz Festival — as an enduring favorite.
“I always loved those standards,” Stewart said. “And being brought up with them — before rock ’n’ roll came along — those songs enter your psyche and stay there. I had no
idea I’d ever record them. But if I was asked to do a ‘Vol. 6,’ I would do it very happily.
“I wouldn’t say I was a really knowledgeable jazz fan. I do like to listen, but don’t ask me who the drummer in MJQ (the Modern Jazz Quartet) was.”
In fact, MJQ’s second drummer — Connie Kay — became a key member of the Atlantic Records’ house rhythm section in the 1950s and later played on Van Morrison’s epic
“Astral Weeks” album in 1968. During his tenure at Atlantic, Kay played on countless R&B, rock and blues sessions for such Stewart favorites as Ray Charles, Big Joe Turner and Clyde
McPhatter.
In turn, those three vocal greats influenced the two singers who Stewart has long cited as his greatest inspirations.
“My guys are Sam Cooke and Otis Redding,” he affirmed.
“I feel I sing with a fair amount of conviction and I tried, always, to sound like Otis and Sam. If you come to my show, I do (Etta James’) ‘I’d Rather Go Blind’, (Curtis
Mayfield & The Impressions’) ‘People Get Ready” and some of the great ballads of the R&B era. It’s up to the audience to decide whether they’re convinced by my singing and my
feeling.”
Has Stewart’s impetus for making music changed significantly since the early 1970s, when — as the front man in rollicking English rock band The Faces — he was striving to
prove himself?
“I’m still driven to record music,” he said. “My career, like any other, has its ups and downs. But I’m not deterred. I enjoy putting records together. And I make albums
for my friends now. I don’t expect to sell 10 million copes any more, although it would be nice if I did.
“Music still burns deep inside me, although probably not so much as when I was a lot younger. I enjoy the couple of hours when I’m on stage as much as back then, in fact,
probably more now. That’s a very interesting comparison — being in the (music) business has changed so much since the ’70s; the recording side of it especially. There are no real singles now; you
can’t buy them in shops anymore.”
What is it about performing that makes doing concerts more enjoyable for him now? Experience? Gravitas?
“That’s a good question,” Stewart said. “I’d like to know if I did enjoy it as much (back then). I mean, it’s hard to remember. But I’ve always enjoyed
getting up on stage.
“I’m a born show-off! It’s a great massage for your ego. When I started, all I wanted to do is sing, and it’s come true and I’m eternally thankful. That’s why I enjoy it
every night. If not, you should pack it in, because the audience will certainly know if you’re not giving 100 percent,”
‘Sir Rod’
Stewart, who was knighted in London in 2016, is now 73. He has two young sons with his third wife, Penny Lancaster, who shot the promotional photos for his new album. He
also has six other children from two other marriages and an affair he had in his late teens.
Like Mick Jagger, who is 75, and Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler, 70, Stewart wears his age
well.
True, a lingering knee injury prevents him from continuing to play in competitive soccer games. But he still has a professional-size playing field adjacent one of his
homes in England. He also kicks the ball around with his two youngest sons on the lawn of their Beverly Hills home. And he still boots more than 40 balls into the audience during each of his
concerts.
His energy on stage is apparent. But as far back as his 1998 Union-Tribune interview, when he was all of 53, Stewart worried about his age in a music business perpetually
geared to youth.
“People never ask me about what it's like growing old in this business. And it can be frightful!” he said at the time. He also complained that the cover photo of his
then-new 1998 album, “When We Were the New Boys,” had been so airbrushed he nearly looked like a teenager.
Is growing old in “this business” more frightful now than in 1998? Or have things changed for the better?
“I don’t feel any fright, at all, now,” he replied. “I’d say that I’m an older citizen and enjoying every moment.”
Stewart laughed as he reconsidered his 1998 comments on aging.
“That’’s not me! Are you sure you’re quoting me?” he said. “I think us older chaps now are accepted — me, Elton, the Stones and anybody of our age who’s
lasted.”
But Elton John, 71, this year announced that his extensive retirement tour will begin this fall. Paul Simon, 76, is scheduled to play the last date
on his retirement tour next month in New York. And everyone from Joan Baez to Lynyrd Skynyrd announced their own retirement tours this year, while two of Stewart’s former band
mates in The Faces — keyboardist Ian McLagan and bassist-singer Ronnie Laine — are both deceased.
Is Stewart concerned that so many of his still-active contemporaries are now set to retire?
“No,” he replied. “There comes a time in any performer’s life when you think: ‘Well, this is it, time to pack it up. Have I got the energy? The stamina? Am I missing my
children?’ And then you say: ‘That’s it.’
“That could be one factor. No one showing up will be another! Not selling any tickets is a good reason to pack it in. Fortunately, this tour with Cyndi (Lauper) is going
very well. We sold out two nights at the Hollywood Bowl.
“I try and schedule my tours around my two youngest kids’ (school) holidays. I’m good until that day (to retire) comes along. I love making music and performing. And, as
long as I’m capable, I’ll continue … I have had a lovely run. I wouldn’t change a thing.”
The video has been unveiled for the new
Rod Stewart single ‘Didn’t I,’ already a substantial airplay hit both in the UK and internationally. It’s the lead song from the superstar’s upcoming Blood Red Roses album, which will be released by Decca/Republic on 24 September.
‘Didn’t I’ features
guest vocals by Bridget Cady, who has toured extensively with Stewart. He is currently on the road in North America with special guest Cyndi Lauper. The tour ends with Canadian shows in late October
and early November, after which Rod resumes his residency in Las Vegas, with half a dozen concerts booked at the Colosseum at the famed Caesar’s Palace.
The song, which tells of
the perils of drugs from a father’s perspective, has had extensive airplay in the UK on BBC Radio 2 and in America, it’s the fastest-moving song in the adult contemporary format.
Stewart, who has career
sales of more than 200 million singles and albums, has co-produced Blood Red Roses with his longtime
collaborator Kevin Savigar. “I always think I make albums for a few friends and this record has that intimacy,” he says of the album. “Sincerity and honesty go a long way in life and the same is true
in songwriting.”
Cady, New York-born and
bred, was in the touring production of Rent and sang with other artists before coming to Stewart’s
attention. “I sang with a Italian artist named Eros Ramazzotti,” she told the Rod Stewart Fan Club. “Paul Warren toured with him as well and I met [him]. We finished Eros and a spot for Rod opened
up. Paul called me and told me about the audition and the rest is history.”
On learning of the 16
August death of Aretha Franklin, Stewart tweeted: “Always loved you, always will. Not only the Queen of Soul but the queen of all our hearts.”
Rod Stewart will perform at Bucharest’s Days
Famous British singer Rod Stewart
will have a concert in Bucharest’s Constitutiei Square on September 23, within the Bucharest’s Days event series.
The 73-year old singer had his
previous concert in Romania 23 years ago. Access to the concert will be free of charge. Romanian band Vunk will perform in the opening.
The concert is part of the events
organized by the Bucharest City Hall to celebrate 559 years since Bucharest was first mentioned in an official document. This year, the event also combines with the celebration of Romania’s
Centennial.
Three concerts will take place in
Bucharest between September 21 and September 23. On September 21, famous Romanian pan flute maestro Gheorghe Zamfir will have a concert and on September 22, the iMapp video mapping contest will take
place followed by a concert of British band Hurts.
Rod Stewart reunites with ex Alana to
celebrate their daughter Kimberly's 39th birthday... but rocker's wife Penny Lancaster is nowhere to be seen
Having had eight children with
five different women — three of whom he married — Rod Stewart has learned a thing or two about keeping things harmonious with exes.
So it came as no surprise that the
73-year-old rocker was spotted in the company of his ex-wife Alana, also 73, as they stepped out to celebrate the 39th birthday of their daughter Kimberly in Los Angeles on Monday night.
However, while the exes reunited
for the lavish meal at West Hollywood hotspot Craig's, notably absent from the intimate group — which also included their 37-year-old son Sean — was Rod's current wife Penny Lancaster, 47.
Celebrate: Rod Stewart, left, reunited with his ex-wife Alana Stewart, right, on Monday, as they teamed up to celebrate their daughter Kimberly's 39th birthday at Craig's
in West Hollywood
Leggy beauty Penny, who has two
sons of her own with the Maggie May hitmaker, may well have been kept away by work commitments, as she was most recently spotted in London, where she appears as a panellist on UK talk show Loose
Women.
London-born Rod arrived for the
celebration in typically sharp style, wearing a powder pink blazer with a patterned semi-sheer white shirt, cropped black trousers and a pair of gold-tinged black loafers.
Wearing his silver locks in his
signature spiky style, the star strolled into the venue to meet his first wife Alana, who looked sensational in a sleeveless floral dress, which she teamed with a purple shawl and light towering
heels.
Black to basics: Birthday girl Kimberly Stewart put on a leggy display in a black long-sleeved minidress with a pair of matching suede thigh-high
boots
Not to be outdone, birthday girl
Kimberly put on a leggy display in a black long-sleeved minidress with a pair of matching suede thigh-high boots.
With her golden tresses falling
beyond her shoulders in lustrous waves, the mother-of-one — who shares seven-year-old daughter Delilah with actor Benicio del Toro
Sharp style: London-born Rod arrived for the celebration in typically sharp style, wearing a powder pink blazer with a patterned semi-sheer white
shirt
Sensational: Meanwhile, Alana looked sensational in a sleeveless floral dress, which she teamed with a purple shawl and light towering
heels
THE RODFATHER RETURNS
Read Sir Rod Stewart’s classy
message to The Moose after the talkSPORT reporter ridiculed Celtic and the state of Scottish football
Ian Abrahams, aka The Moose, sparked a bit of a storm last week with a rant about Scottish football.
The talkSPORT
reporter slaughtered the state of the game north of the border following Celtic’s defeat to AEK Athens in their Champions
League qualifying clash.
He branded the
SPL ‘The Scottish Pub League’, claimed there was no point in Scottish clubs competing in European competition and told Brendan Rodgers he was wasting his career by managing
Celtic. LISTEN TO THE RANT IN FULL HERE.
Well, those
comments did not go unnoticed by one of Celtic’s most famous fans, Sir Rod Stewart.
Sir Rod, a
regular listener of talkSPORT, wrote to The Moose to express his feelings about the rant, revealing it left him ‘hurt’ and defending Celtic’s history. Read what he had to say below…
Sex at 73. Why I’m happy my boy dresses like a
girl. And how I need to say sorry to Elton – and my wife Penny – for being so damned rude! Rod Stewart lets rip
'Sex is
still great at 73. I’ve got a Ferrari in the drive. All I need is a new knee and a decent haircut and my life is
complete!'
In the discreet snug bar of an
elegant London pub, Sir Rod Stewart CBE is contemplating the act of physical love and how it has changed for him over the years.
‘Well, I need a bit of a start on
the handle now, that’s for sure,’ the 73-year-old roué chuckles. ‘Like a vintage car.’ Having parked that classic, he continues confidentially.
‘Sex becomes more spiritual, I
think is the word, as one gets older. You know, I love sex with my wife, but I love just giving her a hug before we go to bed. Every night we have a kiss and a hug, and that doesn’t always lead to
sex but it’s still lovely.
Sir Rod Stewart is releasing a deeply personal new album, Blood Red Roses, which he has co-written, and is up there with some of the finest work he has put his name
to
‘You know when anyone gives you a
hug, it’s the most important thing. When I’m away from her a long time and I don’t get a hug, I really miss it. And I know it sounds daft, but I’m a great one for giving my children a
cuddle.
‘Because although my dad loved me,
and I loved him, we didn’t hug each other. In the last 15 years of his life I taught him to hug. Now I pass it on to my kids and we hug all the time. I got a lovely Father’s Day card. Brought tears
to my eyes,’ he says, the famously fibrous voice getting wobbly. ‘It said, “Dad, happy Father’s Day. I have so much to thank you for, but thank you for giving me big hugs every time Celtic score.” It
just broke my heart.’
Stewart notes that his young sons,
Alastair and Aiden, to whom he is touchingly devoted, have hopped aboard the carousel of love.
‘My seven-year-old made his
girlfriend a paper ring and gave it to her,’ he sighs, affectionately. ‘But he’s like me, a big romantic. He’s been dressing up as a lady and I wanted to buy him a nice outfit for Christmas, but Pen
said, “Don’t encourage him.”
‘I’ve seen lots of kids dress up
as girls when they’re little, it doesn’t mean anything. And anyway, if he’s gay, so what? We need gay men in the world.
‘The 12-year-old, Alastair, has
just had his heart broken for the first time. He doesn’t want to talk about it, he just does his, what are they called, broken-hearted little faces with crying eyes.’
Stewart shares these
emoji-enhanced thoughts in a hoarse, humorous croak. He is dressed in white linen and a bold, golden blouson – needless to say, he wears it well.
Rod Stewart with wife Penny Lancaster. Stewart has been with Penny since they met in 1999 and married in 2007
The 200 million-selling megastar
arrived alone. His wife, Penny Lancaster, 47, was last seen pottering locally. ‘Coffee with the girls’ is her husband’s best guess.
Stewart has eight children, has
had three wives and innumerable partners, but has been with Penny since they met in 1999 and married in 2007.
What, you wonder, are the pros and
cons of being with a woman a quarter-century his junior?
‘With Pen, the points of reference
are different,’ he acknowledges. ‘Like mine would be, musically speaking, Sam Cooke and Otis Redding, and hers are all from the Eighties.’
Which begs the question: was
Penny, who was a teenager in the Eighties, a Rod Stewart fan before she met him?
‘Do you know what, she’s never
mentioned it,’ he frowns, puzzled. ‘We were talking yesterday among friends and she was telling everybody how we met and all that palaver, and she said, “I’d heard of him.” But it wouldn’t be natural
for her to be a fan, she’d have been far too young.’ He pauses, deep in thought. ‘I’m going to ask her about that.’
I ask Stewart if he has any grumpy
old bloke idiosyncrasies that annoy his partner and the reply is surprising.
‘There is one thing that upsets
her, and I’m always apologising for it. I’m so ashamed but I sometimes tell her to “eff off,”’ he winces.
‘It’s horrible, I dread it coming
out. She goes mad. I don’t know what it is but I’ve always done it. I’ve told my brother to eff off too – of course I don’t mean it but it’s not knowing what to say. I get frustrated.’
Stewart issues a hissed dismissal
by way of illustration. ‘Unpleasant habit,’ he exhales.
He is here to discuss his deeply
personal and hugely satisfying new album, Blood Red Roses, which he has co-written, and is up there with some of the finest work he has put his name to: Maggie May, The Killing Of Georgie, I Was Only
Joking, You’re In My Heart (The Final Acclaim) and Young Turks.
The album’s first single, Didn’t
I, examines drug addiction from a parent’s perspective. ‘It isn’t an anti-drug song,’ Stewart explains. ‘But there’s a clear warning message in there.’
Sir Rod on stage with Elton John in 1991. ‘I was a bit unfair to Elton,’ Stewart grimaces, ‘on a drunk night on television in New York, when I spitefully said, “I
think it’s bang out of order that you announce a farewell tour every time, and it stinks of grabbing money.” I wish I hadn’t said it,’ Stewart decides. ‘I think he’s very upset with
me'
Stewart’s own dalliance with drugs
had peaked by the decadent mid-Eighties but he claims never to have purchased cocaine and can’t recollect the last time he powdered his celebrated nose.
‘When The Faces did the Hollywood
Bowl,’ he laughs, ‘Ian McLagan, our keyboard player, bless his soul, he’s gone now, had a fake carnation with coke buried in it so he could have a sniff on stage without anyone knowing.’
Blood Red Roses’s autobiographical
approach shines a light on many of Stewart’s quirky personal secrets. The rocking Hole In My Heart reveals him to be utterly undomesticated. ‘Absolutely hopeless,’ he despairs. ‘I can’t cook to save
my life. I can do a boiled egg just about. I always had a housekeeper, or a chef, or something like that. Before that I just used to go around me mum’s. There were a lot of mates of mine, in those
days, who were the same. You’d get your first little apartment and then you’d go, “Oh, no one to cook – get the girlfriend in.”
Rod with his dad Robert in 1984. Stewart says: 'In the last 15 years of his life I taught him to hug. Now I pass it on to my kids and we hug all the
time'
More sensitively, the standout
track from the album is the heart-rending Farewell (‘which I think will be played at a lot of funerals,’ its author predicts). Stewart wrote the tear-jerking eulogy for his recently departed buddy
Ewan Dawson, a mentor and confidant (‘he was like my posher, public-school brother’) with whom he shared any number of outrageous adventures.
The following week Stewart calls
from a yacht in the Bay of Naples (‘Yes, I am sailing, very funny’) where he is holidaying with his family.
He complains about his hair, which
has been suffering some dysfunction. ‘It’s been flat for a week,’ he laments. ‘It’s got to have a rest, I suppose. But it’s too long, I’m going to get it done when I get back to London.
‘Although I find it easier to get
around when it’s flat,’ he observes, instinctively conscious of the paparazzi. ‘Or if I put my hat on and the sunglasses and have my man bag, usually I can get away with it – I have come to the man
bag quite late in life, I must say.’
Back in London, in a more
reflective mood, Stewart admits that he came to responsibility quite late in life too, and often ended relationships in a cavalier, even cowardly, fashion.
‘It’s true,’ he confesses. ‘I just
didn’t have the b*******. I didn’t want the confrontation.
‘It was a different era but that’s
no excuse really. I can be accused of being cowardly, and rightly so. There was a lot of running away to the next one. I’m certainly not proud of it.’
Has he apologised to any of those
women?
‘A few of them, when I bump into
them, yes,’ he nods. ‘Especially my daughter Ruby’s mum [American model Kelly Emberg], who’s an absolute diamond.’
His ‘gallivanting days’ are long
behind him, but there’s one beauty from his hair-raising heyday that continues to haunt him. Not Dee Harrington, Britt Ekland, Alana Hamilton or Rachel Hunter but a more exotic creature still. ‘Oh,
man,’ Stewart begins excitedly. ‘Australia, 1973, there’s this astonishing-looking specimen at the bar, an absolutely gorgeous woman. I’m the last one down in the bar. The other boys had set me up
with her.
‘So we went out, we had dinner and
we finished up in the same room. Even then you couldn’t tell, right up close.
‘Then, of course, there was the
unveiling. She still had her knickers on but I could see something was awry. “She” was a bloke.
‘I said, “No mate, you’ve got the
wrong one here.”’ He points with great purpose to a far horizon. ‘On your bike!’
Stewart becomes equally animated
at the prospect of the forthcoming Bohemian Rhapsody movie (‘We’ve got to go to that’), which opens in October and remembers his friend Freddie Mercury fondly. ‘The last time I saw Freddie,’ he says,
‘Queen were having a party but he didn’t want to appear with the band. He was ill and he didn’t want everyone to know. I remember going up this spiral staircase to see him and I said, “Freddie, come
on, keep it together, man. You’ve got the best band in the world.” He leant around, he was really losing weight, and he said, “Rod, I’m far too tired.”
‘Of course, me and Freddie and
Elton nearly formed a band called Hair Nose and Teeth,’ he adds, visibly brightening. ‘I must have been nose, and Fred was teeth. Elton was hair, it was ironic at the time.’
Stewart believes he owes his dear
pal Sir Elton John an apology for his uncharitable verdict on Elton’s recently announced Farewell Yellow Brick Road shows, as he feels he has done the man he calls ‘Phyllis’ (Rod in turn is ‘Sharon’)
an injustice.
‘I was a bit unfair to Elton,’ he
grimaces, ‘on a drunk night on television in New York, when I spitefully said, “I think it’s bang out of order that you announce a farewell tour every time, and it stinks of grabbing
money.”
‘I wish I hadn’t said it,’ Stewart
decides. ‘I think he’s very upset with me. Penny keeps saying, “Send him an apology.” So I should really.’
He treasures the Rembrandt sketch
that Elton gave him in 1974 (‘Why would I sell that? It’s going up in price’) but Stewart, who is careful with his finances, has made a few mistakes along the way.
‘I was asked to invest in
Starbucks about 20 years ago and I turned it down,’ he groans. ‘I was saying, “Who is going to want to drink coffee all day? It’ll never happen.” I was a cup of tea man. Now they’re on every street
corner. I must have lost millions.’
Stewart straightens his trousers
indignantly and considers his fortune.
‘I’ve got more money than I can
spend,’ he shrugs. ‘I’m not complaining at all.
Rod Stewart in 1976. Stewart admits that he came to responsibility quite late in life, and often ended relationships in a cavalier, even cowardly, fashion
‘I got up about half-past six this
morning, and I was having a little stroll outside, looking at the beauty of the gardens and the house, and there’s a Ferrari and a Lamborghini on the drive, and I’m thinking, you lucky
bugger.’
Last year at their 18th-century
Essex home, Stewart and his wife renewed their marriage vows on the couple’s tenth anniversary. ‘It was bloody sweltering but it was a lovely day,’ reports the born-again groom.
Asked if there is anything else
he’d like to renew, the singer rises gingerly to his feet.
‘If I could just have a new knee,
then there’s nothing else I want,’ he says, then remembers.
‘Apart from a haircut, which is
happening this afternoon.’
Rod the eternal mod rubs his hands
together gleefully. ‘I’m very happy indeed,’ he grins. ‘Tremendously contented.’
Rod Stewart’s new album, ‘Blood Red Roses’, is released on September 28 on Decca
Rod Stewart to hold auction after clear-out at Essex mansion
Leopard print cushions and gold
candelabras are just some of the lavish items being sold in a house clearance sale in Essex - but they haven't had just any old owner.
The eye-catching cushioned chairs,
sofas and furnishings come from the Epping Forest mansion of music legend Sir Rod Stewart.
Penny Lancaster and her husband
are selling items from the stunning £4.65million Durrington House near Epping Forest, which they bought in 2013.
Sir Rod is selling over 60 items,
including eye-catching settees, armchairs and furniture, tipped to sell for more than £40,000.
The star is believed to be having
a clear out of the property, which he is looking to sell, so he can purchase another home elsewhere in an attempt to downsize.
Grade II-listed Durrington House in Sheering, Essex, on the edge of Epping Forest, is Scottish rock star Rod Stewart's latest country
home
This pair of gilt bronze-mounted side tables are estimated to be worth around £3,000 and were owned by Rod Stewart and Penny
Lancaster
A matching pair of mirrors are also expected to fetch around £3,000 when they are sold as part of a sixty piece collection
Sir Rod is renowned for his bold
fashion style and his decor choices are similarly striking with lots of gold and leather patterns.
A pair of gilt bronze mounted side
tables with glass tops are valued at £3,000, while a pair of 7ft pier mirrors carry the same estimate.
A teak lounge armchair with a faux
leopard print cushion is tipped to sell for £250.
Two 19th century carved giltwood
brackets with cherub mounts are valued for £1,800.
A Louis XV-style settee with light
blue fabric upholstery could fetch £800.
Two 19th century gilt bronze
candelabra featuring a boar, a lion and a dog are tipped to sell for £2,000, while a pair of Victorian crimson leather armchairs are valued at £600.
A set of four gilt bronze
two-branch wall lights carry an estimate of £1,200.
The collection is from the mansion
owned by Rod and Penny which they renovated extensively before moving in.
Its bedrooms date back to 1712 and
overlook a lake set in 46 acres of pastures and ancient woodland.
The property has a swimming pool,
four self-contained cottages, croquet lawn and walled garden - and a football pitch.
Rod had a full-sized football
pitch in the back garden of his previous home, Wood House - put on the market for £7.5million - just a few miles from his Sheering home.
Wall brackets are also making up part of the collection. The cherub decorated golden pair will fetch around £1,800 it is
believed
Dolphin arm chairs could fetch at least £800 when they are sold at auction - according to auctioneers selling Rod Stewart's
furniture
Lavish candelabras from Rod Stewart's home could soon be in your living room as the singer and his wife Penny Lancaster have a sale - if you have £2000 to
spare
A Louis XV style settee is also being sold. The luxury seating will be sold off for around £800
The collection is being sold by
auction house Sworders, of Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex.
Sworders director John Black said:
“We all have a good out sort out once in a while and that is the case with Sir Rod Stewart in this instance.
“He has accumulated many things
over his lifetime and has decided now is the time to have a bit of a clear out.
“He lives locally to us and we are
selling items of his including settees, lighting and furniture.
“The items are all very glitzy and
glamorous and there is lots of gold - all very rock and roll.”
Grade II listed Durrington House,
which dates from 1712, has 10 bedrooms and overlooks a lake set in 46 acres of pastures and woodland.
The sale takes place on September
11.
A set of four gilt bronze two-branch wall lights are included in the auction and will be selling for around £1,200
A pair of Victorian crimson leather armchairs have been plucked from the multi-million pound estate of Rod Stewart and put up for
auction
Rod Stewart, Cyndi Lauper concert in Kansas City
rescheduled
KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -
Tuesday night's concert with Rod Stewart and Cyndi Lauper at the Sprint Center has been rescheduled
until Oct. 16.
Stewart said the postponement happened due to him being sick.
“Gutted that strep throat has left me unable to perform this week in Kansas City and the Twin
Cities," he said. "Thanks to the fans and promoters for their support and swift rescheduling — I look forward to seeing you in October.”
All original tickets will be honored. Refunds are available for those who cannot attend the new
date.
Rod Stewart is selling his stash of antiques in Essex
The collection of Rod Stewart. Picture:
Sworders Fine Art Auctioneers
The
Maggie May singer, who was knighted at Buckingham Palace in October 2016, is selling property locally in Essex and, in need of a good old fashioned sort out, approached the Sworders Fine Art
Auctioneers in Stansted Mountfitchet with his collection of antique and decorative furnishings.
Rod
and his wife Penny Lancaster have been trying to sell their former home in Essex – complete with full-size football pitch, swimming pool, tennis courts and boating lake – for two years. They have
shaved £1.5m off the asking price to £5m, but have no takers yet.
With
estimates in the collection ranging from £60-£3,000, fans of the artist, who releases his 30th studio album “Blood Red Roses” on the 28 September, could now be in with a chance to own their very own
piece of rock star memorabilia.
The
collection of over 60 lots includes a pair of gilt bronze-mounted side tables, estimated at £2,000-3,000, a teak lounge armchair, with a cane back and a faux leopard print cushion, estimated at
£250-£350, a pair of late 19th century pier mirrors, estimated at £2,000-£3,000 and a set of four gilt bronze two-branch wall lights, estimated at £800-£1,200.
Rod Stewart says he doesn’t take his job for granted
With his critically
acclaimed summer tour with Cyndi Lauper and the September 28th release his 30th studio album, titled Blood Red Roses, Rod Stewart would be hard pressed to start thinking about retirement now. During
a new chat with The Associated Press, Rod Stewart spoke about his career today, with the 73-year-old rocker asking himself: “How long can I go on? That’s the million-dollar question. I enjoy it. I
get excited by it. And as long as that exists, I think I can carry on for another three weeks (laughter). I never, ever take it for granted, I really don’t. It’s just the best job in the world — I
know that’s an old cliche, but it really is. (Donald) Trump thinks he’s got a good job — I’ve really got a great job (laughs).”
Updated: Rod Stewart &
Cyndi Lauper tour dates (subject to change):
August 14 – Kansas City,
MO – Sprint Center
August 15 – St. Paul, MN – Xcel Energy Center
August 18 – Indianapolis, IN – Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center
August 19 – St. Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
August 22 – Denver, CO – Pepsi Center Arena
August 24 – Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resort Arena
August 26 – San Diego, CA – Mattress Firm Amphitheatre
August 28 – Reno, NV – Event Center
August 29 – San Francisco, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre
August 31 – Portland, OR – Sunlight Supply Amphitheatre
September 1 – Laughlin, NV – Laughlin Event Center (Rod Stewart only)
September 8 – Nampa, ID – Fort Idaho Center (Rod Stewart only)
October 18 – Oklahoma City, OK – Chesapeake Energy Arena (Rod Stewart only)
October 20 – Laughlin, NV – Laughlin Event Center (Rod Stewart only)
October 24 – Nampa, ID – Ford Idaho Center Arena (Rod Stewart only)
October 26 – Billings, MT – Rimrock Auto Arena At MetraPark (Rod Stewart only)
October 29 – Ontario, CA Citizens Business Bank Arena (Rod Stewart only)
October 30 – Victoria, BC – Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre (Rod Stewart only)
November 1 – Kelowna, BC – Prospera Place (Rod Stewart only)
November 21, 23, 24, 28 – Las Vegas, NV – The Coliseum At Caesars Palace (Rod Stewart only)
December 1, 2 – Las Vegas, NV – The Coliseum At Caesars Palace (Rod Stewart only)
Did you know?
Throughout his career, Rod
Stewart has only earned one Grammy Award. In 2005 he snagged the prize for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album for the previous year’s standards collection, Stardust. . . The Great American
Songbook Volume III.
Rod is part of the rare
club of twice-inducted members of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Back in 2004 he was voted in as a solo act and again in 2012 as the frontman of the Faces.
Although not primarily
recognized as a songwriter, Rod Stewart co-wrote many of his most timeless and enduring hits, including “Maggie May,” “Gasoline Alley,” “Every Picture Tells A Story,” “Stay With Me,” “You Wear It
Well,” “Mandolin Wind,” “You’re In My Heart (The Final Acclaim),” “Hot Legs,” “Tonight’s The Night (Gonna Be Alright),” “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?,” “Passion,” “Tonight I’m Yours (Don’t Hurt Me),” “Young
Turks,” “Infatuation,” “Every Beat Of My Heart,” and “Forever Young,” among others.
Rod Stewart could reunite with Jeff Beck Group
Rod Stewart would like to see egos put aside to get the Jeff
Beck Group
back together.
The 73-year-old singer was an original member of the band, which also featured guitarist Jeff Beck, Ronnie
Wood on rhythm guitars and various drummers and bassists, until they split after two years in 1969 and he'd like to see them put their differences aside
and go out on the road again.
He said: ''I'm still in contact with Ron. He sends me videos of his kids.
''But with Jeff, we did try and get together again. I still don't think it's too late for us to shrink our egos a little bit and do it.''
Rod and Ronnie went on to team up with Small
Faces members Ian McLagan, Ronnie Lane and Kenney Jones to form The Faces and though both Ian and Ronnie Lane have passed away, the 'Maggie May' hitmaker
would love to get back on the road with drummer Kenney and the Rolling
Stones guitarist if their schedules will allow it.
Asked if he's still in touch with Kenney, Rod told Uncut magazine: ''I might invite him over for Christmas once or twice if we're having a party at the house but we don't
keep in touch like me and Ron do.
''There's always a chance of the Faces getting back together.
''Just every time I'm about to start a tour, the Stones are going to start a tour, then I start and they star. We can't go on forever. But I said that 20 years
ago.''
Rod and Ronnie initially bonded over their big noses and love of fashion.
Rod recalled: ''We introduced each other. I said, ''Ello Nose' and he said, ''Ello Nose'. We both had big noses.
''I think what brought us together was our sense of clothing - we both liked style - and our unique sense of humour.
''That's bonded us together over the years. I don't see so much of him now, of course.''
More than 50 years into career, Rod Stewart
not slowing down
NEW YORK (AP) - More than fifty
years into his career, Rod Stewart shows no sign of slowing down.
When he's not on tour, he's busy
at home chasing his two young sons, Aiden and Alastair, around the yard. And on Sept. 28, he will release his 30th studio album, "Blood Red Roses."
While known for writing sultry
songs - from "Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)" to "You're In My Heart (The Final Acclaim)" - Stewart's also not afraid to tackle social issues. In 1976, he broke new ground with "The Killing
of Georgie (Part I and II)," about his friend who was killed because of his sexual identity.
Rod Stewart poses for a portrait on Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2018 in New York to promote his tour and upcoming album, "Blood Red Roses." (Photo by Drew
Gurian/Invision/AP)
Stewart dismisses the idea of
being courageous writing the first mainstream pop song to deal with gay bashing.
"It was a true story and it's much
easier to write about the truth," Stewart said about the iconic song.
The 73-year old crooner gets
serious again with his new album's first single, "Didn't I," which deals with teenage substance abuse from the parent's perspective.
In an interview with The
Associated Press this week, the Grammy-winning singer discussed his longevity in the music business, what he thinks of the #MeToo movement and maintaining his signature hairstyle.
_____
AP: That hair is just amazing. How
do you keep it up?
Stewart: It's pretty good, isn't
it? I don't know. I think I've just been lucky, you know, with the hair. It gets a lot of manipulation, you know, because I always have to keep it (up). When I'm doing a show, I have to go and dry
it. ...I cut it every two weeks. No, but other than that I just think I'm lucky.
_____
AP: You move pretty well onstage
for a guy in his seventies...
Stewart: Soccer has always been a
passion of mine. You know, I played it, read about it, watched it all my life, and I still play a little bit. And I do work out a lot, I must admit. And that keeps me fit for onstage. How long can I
go on? That's the million-dollar question. You know, I enjoy it. I get excited about it, and as long as that exists, I think I can carry on for another three weeks (laughs).
_____
AP: Your two sons were onstage
with you at your Madison Square Garden show this week. Do you always take them on the road?
Stewart: They don't come on the
stage every night. Only when they're on tour (with me in the summer). And they pester me. The older one is getting a bit too old for it now. But the young one loves it. You know, he loves it. But
having younger kids, I've got eight kids all together, certainly does keep you on your toes, and they, especially the youngest one, he's just so cute. He amuses me all day long. It makes me smile.
And that's longevity in itself, I think being able to smile all day.
_____
AP: You've always been a fan of
the ladies, do you consider yourself a.
Stewart: Sex symbol? Now I hate
that word. ..I never purposely went out to attract the opposite sex. I mean, it just comes with the music, you know, the music is very sensuous and vibrant. So, if I do something suggestive onstage
it's merely by accident.
_____
AP: "The Killing of Georgie" was
bold for its time. Do you feel it helped change attitudes in some small way?
Stewart: Yeah, yeah, you're right.
It was actually banned by the BBC when it first came out. But the most interesting thing about "Georgie" is I bump into a lot of people, gay men who say, "You know when 'The Killing of Georgie' came
out, it really helped me through my breaking out and feeling proud about who I am." And that means a lot to me.
_____
AP: The industry has changed. Is
it no longer sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll?
Stewart: Obviously, I'm not, you
know, sweet 16 anymore, and there are things I have to preserve, namely my voice. I really have to look after that. So, as I said, I was never really a druggy-type person because I played football
and I was always getting up in the morning playing football and so that side hasn't changed a great deal for me.
_____
AP: But things are changing,
especially with the #MeToo movement.
Stewart: Well that's true. There
were a lot of women throwing themselves at us in the '70s and '80s, and they were good old times, really great times. But, you know, the #MeToo movement is long overdue. But I must admit I've never
had trouble, you know, entertaining women. I've always enjoyed the chase, actually. I'd never thrown myself on any woman. You know, I enjoyed romance and then the chase.
_____
AP: Do you ever look back and go,
"Wow, what a career?"
Stewart: Every day. Every day. I
never take it for granted. I really don't. You know, it's just the best job in the world. I know that's an old cliche, but it really is. (President Donald) Trump thinks he's got a good job. I've
really got a great job.
_____
Rod Stewart poses for a portrait on Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2018 in New York to promote his tour and upcoming album, "Blood Red Roses." (Photo by Drew
Gurian/Invision/AP)
Rod Stewart is currently out on a headlining tour with support from Cyndi Lauper. While the two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Famer
adores hitting the road, he says there's one thing that makes him prefer his Las Vegas residency over a regular nationwide trek: It's much more efficient.
"The only thing I don't like about touring -- and believe me, I do love it -- is the downtime," Sir Rod tells ABC Radio. "It's a hell of a lot of wasted time in traveling and
everything like that. But I wouldn't have it any other way!"
On the plus side, Stewart says when he's visiting different cities, "the songs take on a different meaning, 'cause they get different reactions from the crowd." When he's in
Vegas, he says, "I have a bit of a déjà vu moment, normally -- 'cause I see the same people in the front row."
During his current tour, Rod is performing all his big hits, plus a few new songs from his upcoming album, Blood Red Roses, due out September
28.
He tells ABC Radio that it can be "really, really difficult" to get his fans enthusiastic about his new material. Describing what it was like singing one new number at his New York
City show this week, Rod laughs, "I said, 'Just make [believe] you've listened to "Maggie May" and give it a big round of applause!'"
As for "Maggie," she's in the set list, of course, but Stewart says these days, he most enjoys singing another new song -- a highly emotional ballad called "Grace" -- as well as the
blues classic "I'd Rather Go Blind."
"But I love singing all the songs," he insists. "I love being up there. You can tell!"
Stewart's on tour through October; on November 21, he'll resume his Las Vegas residency.
Continuing our Try It TODAY series, Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb got the chance to be back-up singers for
legendary singer and performer Rod Stewart at Madison Square Garden!
Rod Stewart shows
off his quirky sense of style in busy print blazer as he reunites with former backing vocalist Becca Kotte at Broadway
They go way back as the rising
star previously toured with the rocker.
So of course Rod Stewart was happy
to see his ex-background vocalist Becca Kotte on Broadway starring in Gettin' the Band Back Together in New York
City on Monday.
The Maggie May hitmaker, 73, threw
his arm around the Broadway singer when they were reunited once again backstage.
See you again: Rod Stewart showed off his quirky sense of style in a busy print blazer as he reunited with former backing vocalist Becca Kotte at Broadway on
Monday
Recognised for his quirky sense of
style, it's no wonder Rod picked out a white jacket with a busy powder blue print of pine cones and flowers dotted all over the number.
The rocker matched the blazer
confidently with a floral embroidered shirt worn open, white trousers and a skinny electric blue belt.
Meanwhile, Becca looked incredible
in her white dress which had blue and pink carnations printed across the body of the garment.
Having fun! The musician and his pal showed off their sense of fun as they posed playfully for the cameras backstage
Hello again! The Maggie May hitmaker, 73, threw his arm around the Broadway singer when they were reunited once again backstage
Gettin' the Band Back Together
tells the story of businessman Mitch Papadopolous who decides to reunite his old band after he is fired on his 40th birthday.
As the story unfolds, the band
have their hearts set on performing in the Battle of the Bands competition but a fierce bar fight which puts their dreams in jeopardy.
Before securing her gig on
Broadway, Becca joined forces with Rod as his backing vocalist on his long-running tour Rock of the Ages two years ago in 2016.
Penny Lancaster: 'Memories of our first home
are a lifelong joy that help shape our future'
Why do we place so much importance
on actually owning a property? I don’t think it’s the bricks and mortar any of us are after – it’s a home. And anywhere we buy only feels like a home if we are lucky enough to form a strong emotional
attachment to the place.
Both Rod and I consider ourselves
lucky to have really fond memories of our childhood homes. He’s taken me back to the place where he grew up in Highgate’s Archway Road, where his family home has now been demolished and replaced by a
petrol station.
However, he still remembers
sitting in his room as a child, looking at the rail tracks that ran behind the terrace houses. It’s these memories, he says, that sparked his love for railway modelling.
Penny Lancaster (pictured with husband Rod Stewart) believes a new house only starts to feels like home 'if we're lucky enough to form a strong emotional
attachment to the place'
My experience of going back to my
childhood home in Ilford, Essex, was just as sad. It was a beautiful corner property with a lovely tree in the front garden that I used to play under, and in the back garden there was a large fish
pond where I spent hours staring into the water, fascinated by the tadpoles and newts.
The new owners have totally
remodelled the house, blocking in windows for an extra downstairs bedroom.
The tree has vanished and the pond
has been filled in. All the charm I remember has gone.
Rod and I have found ourselves
affected by the recent property stalemate thanks to Brexit. We can’t sell our old place in Essex, The Woodhouse, despite its unique architecture and strong historical links.
The hike in stamp duty hasn’t
helped – it almost stopped me in my tracks when I recently invested in an apartment just down the road from our new Essex home.
Between us, Rod and I have a big
family and it’s a sure sign of a happy childhood that Rod’s children have gravitated back to where they grew up; and it makes me wonder where our boys will live when they’re older.
Rod’s eldest son Sean (he’s 36)
frequently hangs out in Malibu, as it’s where he grew up. Ruby (now 31), Rod’s daughter, has this romantic vision that she will one day buy back The Woodhouse, where she enjoyed so many fantastic
years.
I hope Ruby realises her dream:
The Woodhouse appears in so many of our memories. Rod and I brought our boys back there as newborns and they spent many happy summers there.
Call me sentimental, but even
after they’ve flown the nest, The Woodhouse will always provide their first-home memories and I hope those feelings of comfort and belonging last for ever.
MAGGIE DISMAY
Sir Rod Stewart reveals regret at selling limited edition supercar
now worth around £3MILLION for a knockdown pric
The rocker and Celtic superfan, 73, snapped up the high performance vehicle when they were launched in
2002
SIR
Rod Stewart has revealed his regret at flogging a supercar now worth around £3million for a knockdown price.
The rocker and Celtic superfan, 73,
snapped up the limited edition Ferrari Enzo — top speed 220mph — when they were launched in 2002.
Rod poses in front of his supercar
The motors’ value rocketed in recent
years and Rod admitted he lost out by getting under £1million for his five years ago.
The singer, wed to ex-model Penny
Lancaster, said: “When I was young I was trying to save up to buy an MG Sprite — they were £450.
“Then I struck it lucky. I got a
lovely Marcos. Then a Lamborghini.
“When I married Penny I had a Ferrari
Enzo. I sold it. I shouldn’t have — it’s worth a fortune now.”
Rod previously revealed he offloaded
the car due to unwanted attention from fellow petrolheads whenever he parked it.
He said: “You had to clear frenzied
car lovers out of the way to get back in the driving seat.”
Rod Stewart, 73, breaks into the flossing
dance on stage with son Aiden, seven, during energetic performance in Nashville
He's a devoted father to his eight
children.
And Rod Stewart showed off his
trendy dance moves as he dominated the stage in Nashville with his son Aiden, seven, on Thursday.
In an Instagram video shared by wife Penny Lancaster, the rock icon, 73, showcased his skills by doing the floss, before Aiden took over with his own impressive moves.
Showing off! Rod Stewart, 73, proved he's a cool dad as he flossed on stage with son Aiden, seven, during an energetic performance in Nashville on Thursday
Rod looked every inch the musical
legend in a sharp white ensemble - embellished with polka dots, palm tree patterns and sparkling shoes.
The Forever Young artist could
barely contain his excitement as he belted out Stay With Me with Aiden by his side, and Rod prompted the youngster to break out into the meme-worthy craze by doing his own floss dance.
Going wild with his dynamic moves,
Aidan then lept onto the floor to wow the crowd with his break-dancing skills.
Later on, Rod and Aidan playfully
turned the arena into their own football pitch as they enjoyed a quick kick-about on stage with some inflatable footballs.
The fun and frolics on stage come
after Rod admitted he plans his whole tour schedule around his eight children.
In a candid interview with ITV's
Lorraine in July, the chart topper revealed: 'I’ve got two youngsters, 8 children altogether. I plan my tours around the kids’ holidays. So this weekend we’re all off to Florida where I start a
US tour, during their holidays. That won’t go on forever as they’ll say I don’t want to go tour with dad… '
The Maggie May hit-maker also
explained he works out on a regular basis to ensure he's bursting with the energy needed to look after his two youngest children, Alastair, 12, and Aiden.
He explained: 'I do keep myself
fit. I’ve always played football, I don’t play so much now. But I do work out a lot, I do believe in it. And lots of water and the odd, occasional glass of wine... and a nice sherry of an
evening'.
The candid interview also saw Rod
- who shares Aiden and Alastair with model Penny Lancaster, 47, admit that his eldest children, Kimberly, 38, and Sean, 37, found it particularly difficult to cope with his hectic touring schedule
when they were children, which eventually led to 'bad feelings'.
He said: 'The oldest two, Kim and
Sean, I was on tour so much they didn’t really see so much of their dad and there was some bad feelings about that.
'I explained, "Listen, your dad
wasn’t out there partying every night, I was working my bum off, because I was in debt to the tune of about $1million." I had to work my way out of debt.'
Rod also discussed the prospect of
retirement, though relieved his fans when he admitted he doesn't plan to call it a day anytime soon.
'Everything has to come to an end
eventually,' he said. 'But, the thing is, I enjoy it so much. To get up there on the stage and send people home happy, hopefully, it’s a gift from god, it really is.'
Get-together: The trip to Nashville became a family affair as Rod and Penny, plus the two boys, visited Rod's daughter Ruby,
3
Rod's rockin' V12 Lamborghini crossing the auction block in London next month
In the 1960s, the Lamborghini Miura was the definitive supercar.
If you were an A-list celebrity, you had to have it.
Rod Stewart bought this particular Miura P400 S new in 1971 in a right-hand-drive configuration, finished in white and with a black leather interior. This amazing slice of
1960s design is being auctioned off at RM Sotheby’s London auction next month, where it’s expected to sell for around US$1.8 million.
Stewart was one of Lamborghini’s top customers and ordered a new version of each Miura model as they came out — the P400, S, and SV. He owned
this car until 1976, and a subsequent owner converted it to the more powerful SV specification.
But as happens often with high-dollar cars, the most recent owner paid some €400,000 to convert it back to its original S specification, and restored it to
exactly how Stewart bought it.
Stewart wasn’t the only A-lister to own a Miura — Eddie Van Halen and Twiggy also had Miuras in their garages. Like all P400 S cars, this
Miura is powered by a transversely mounted, 4.0-litre DOHC V12 topped with six carburetors, making 375 horsepower. And the sound of the engine and straight-cut gears is like nothing else out
there.
RM Sotheby’s London auction will take place on September 5.
Rod Stewart performs at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2018.
On the other hand, he might be setting a slower pace. Stewart took no less than three significant breaks during his performance, leaving his band and singers to fill in the gaps
with drum and sax solos, plus an Ike and Tina Turner cover of "Nutbush City Limits" that played well in Tennessee.
The breaks also included a cameo performance from The Sisterhood, a Nashville-based country duo that features his daughter, Ruby Stewart and fellow songwriter Alyssa Bonagura. The
two performed their tune "Half Way" with Stewart's band, before dad returned to sing "Forever Young" with them.
"There's my lovely daughter. I think she's turned out rather well," Stewart said afterwards, then adding: "She was a little s--- when she was 14."
Breaks aside, Stewart made the most of his stage time during his near two-hour set. Few songs went by without turning into arena-wide sing-alongs, especially "Maggie Mae," during
which Stewart repeatedly turned his microphone out to the masses.
Between acoustic renditions of "The First Cut Is the Deepest" and "You're In My Heart," Stewart had to exclaim, “You’re all singers! Everybody sings in
Nashville!”
Balloons rained down from ceiling during the disco anthem "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy," and "Stay With Me" (from his old band, Faces) featured another Stewart kid: his 7-year-old son,
Aiden, who kicked soccer balls into the crowd alongside his dad, then breakdanced on the stage floor. Perhaps that was the moment everyone under that arena roof witnessed Stewart's secret to
staying "Forever Young."
Rod Stewart performs at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2018.
On the other hand, he might be setting a slower pace. Stewart took no less than three significant breaks during his performance, leaving his band and singers to fill in the gaps
with drum and sax solos, plus an Ike and Tina Turner cover of "Nutbush City Limits" that played well in Tennessee.
The breaks also included a cameo performance from The Sisterhood, a Nashville-based country duo that features his daughter, Ruby Stewart and fellow songwriter Alyssa Bonagura. The
two performed their tune "Half Way" with Stewart's band, before dad returned to sing "Forever Young" with them.
"There's my lovely daughter. I think she's turned out rather well," Stewart said afterwards, then adding: "She was a little s--- when she was 14."
Breaks aside, Stewart made the most of his stage time during his near two-hour set. Few songs went by without turning into arena-wide sing-alongs, especially "Maggie Mae," during
which Stewart repeatedly turned his microphone out to the masses.
Between acoustic renditions of "The First Cut Is the Deepest" and "You're In My Heart," Stewart had to exclaim, “You’re all singers! Everybody sings in
Nashville!”
Balloons rained down from ceiling during the disco anthem "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy," and "Stay With Me" (from his old band, Faces) featured another Stewart kid: his 7-year-old son,
Aiden, who kicked soccer balls into the crowd alongside his dad, then breakdanced on the stage floor. Perhaps that was the moment everyone under that arena roof witnessed Stewart's secret to
staying "Forever Young."
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