rod stewart - Interview Hub

ROD STEWART
OPENS HIS HEART AS HE SHARES
MEMORIES OF HIS ROCK’N’ROLL LIFE
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the highs and lows with ex-wives and
partners Alana Hamilton, Kelly
Emberg and Rachel Hunter, up to
his current “domestic bliss” with
Penny, as well as his extraordinary
career from modest beginnings in
North London’s Archway, through
his early success with The Faces and
chart topping as a solo artist.
He has always been very much a
family man and that stands true
today. This year, Rod, Penny and
their sons will spend Christmas at
their home in Epping, Essex, where
he’ll surprise his offspring with his
new album. “They haven’t really
heard it yet so we’re planning to
decorate the Christmas tree and play
Dad’s Christmas album,” he says.
In this exclusive interview, Rod
admits to enlisting his friends and
family to help him recall his past,
tells hello! of his wishes for the
future and admits that “settle” and
“retirement” are foreign words…
Rod, did you have much difficulty
remembering all the stories for
your autobiography?
“Once you start, it’s okay. The secret
for me was getting a few friends
around. When that happened, the
memories started flooding back.
I think I’ve got pretty good recall
anyway, but hey, you do need a bit of
help – you can’t do it on your own.
Even now, with the book out in the
shops, there are so many stories
I keep remembering. And guys
in the band are saying, ‘Did you
▲
Do you think I’m sexy?:
Rod has always had his own
take on fashion, a trait he
shares with old friend and
Faces bandmate Ronnie Wood
(on stage together in the
1970s, inset top). The pair were
equally concerned with their
hair, taking turns to trim each
other’s. “We’d take ages
doing it,” says Rod in his
new autobiography
espite having been in the music
business for five decades, Rod
Stewart is far from slowing down.
When we meet in London, the singer
has just flown in from Los Angeles
with his wife Penny Lancaster and
their two young sons Alastair, six, and
18-month-old Aiden. He’s here to
promote his recently published
autobiography, Rod, and his new
album, Merry Christmas, Baby, and to
pop up to Scotland to record a
glitzy ITV1 Christmas special at
Stirling Castle alongside Michael
Bublé, Kylie Minogue and violinist
Nicola Benedetti.
Over the years, the 67-year-old has
attracted plenty of interest in his
career, love life – Penny is his third
wife and he’s father to eight children
– and very rock’n’roll lifestyle, but
his autobiography is the first time
he’s committed his side of the story
to print. He says he found looking
back over an incredible career –
during which he’s sold more than
150 million records – more
enjoyable than he anticipated.
“Well, I suppose I’m not getting
any younger. I wanted to take full
advantage of the memories my older
brothers and sister have.”
He adds: “The wonderful thing
about putting an autobiography
together is clearing up some of the
half lies and some of the half myths
and things that have been written.”
Football-mad Rod gives a frank
account of his personal life, charting
tell that story and this story…?’
Really, the book could have been
twice as thick.”
Which part did you find most
enjoyable to write?
“The bit that I couldn’t remember
too much of, which was put
together with the help of my two
older brothers and my older sister
– the first say 12 years up to first 15
years. When you read it, you
probably realise what a great family
unit I had and what tremendous
support and love I had as a child.”
What reactions have you had from
family and friends?
“My elder brother, who’s a stickler,
came up with some minor details
that I got wrong… But by and large,
the book has gone down really well
with my family and my children.”
Did any of your children ask: “Dad,
why did you say that?”
“No – I did the decent thing and
ran it all past them to make sure
they were happy, even with the
photographs… It’s been a real
family thing, so life’s been good.”
What’s a typical Christmas like in
the Stewart household?
“Just like everyone else’s. The real
reason I love Christmas is because
there’s a lot of football on the TV
– that and playing the Christmas
album to my two youngest.”
How did you decide what songs
would go on your Christmas album?
“Well it’s really David Foster, the
producer, who should take all the
credit. He not only chose the
tracks, he also selected the co-stars.
He lined up Michael Bublé, CeeLo
Green and Mar y J Blige. My
favourite track of all is the one I did
with Ella Fitzgerald [in a “virtual”
duet; the legendary singer died in
1996]. I’ll be filming the TV special
in Scotland and I’m honoured to
have Michael, Kylie Minogue and
Nicola Benedetti joining me.”
Who would you like to work with in
the future?
“I’d love to do what I did with Ella
Fitzgerald and sing with Sam
Cooke. I’d also like to get The
Faces back together, which I fully
intend to do one day.”
You’ve got a new rock album
coming out as well, which sees you
return to songwriting…
“Yes – it’s finished and will be
released early next year… There will
be a tour as well, in June and July.”
Does that make you too busy to
perform best man duties at your
good friend Ronnie Wood’s
marriage to Sally Humphreys…?
“I’d love to do that. If he can send
me a date so I can pencil it in my
diary, I’ll try my best to get there.”
Where are you happiest – in the UK
or in the US?
“I love being near the ocean, being
in Florida, but I also love being
here. I’m British through and
through – I love the British. I don’t
mean just the football and the pubs
– it’s everything British I adore.”
You zip back and forth between
homes, but can you see yourself
settling in one place?
“I can’t even use the word‘settle’.
H
It’s as alien as ‘retirement’.”
INTERVIEW: STEPHEN MILTON/
INTERVIEW HUB
PHOTOS: PENNY LANCASTER
Rod: The Autobiography (Century) is out
now in hardback and as an eBook. Merry
Christmas, Baby is available now. For tour
tickets, visit aeglive.co.uk.
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES. REDFERNS. REX FEATURES
‘Even now, with the book out in the shops,
there are so many stories I keep remembering.
Really, the book could have been twice as thick’
FAME, FAMILY… AND FOOTBALL
And, of course, Rod
has an infamously
soft spot for
blondes. Marrying
Penny Lancaster in
2007 was, he says,
“love and happiness
personified”
Rod is known to be a man of many passions and perhaps nothing
can move him to tears quite so much as the sight of Celtic winning
a major match, which they did this month, beating Barcelona in a
Champions League game (below left). He’s also committed to his
friends, including ex-bandmate Ronnie, and hopes to be his best
man when he marries fiancée Sally Humphreys (all together, below)
His womanising ways behind
him, Rod is a dedicated
family man, pictured here in
August with seven of his
children and his one
grandchild (back row, from
left): Sean, Kimberly, her
daughter Delilah, Ruby, Liam
and Renee. Alastair and
Aiden sit with Daddy on the 77
front row. It is, says Rod, a
picture of “pure love”, made
possible by wife Penny