I know it's hard to imagine, but Rod Stewart was cool once. He was actually one of the best rock singers in the world when he fronted perhaps the most underrated band in classic rock history, The Faces. When visitors from other planets ask me, "Dan, what is rock n roll?," I play The Faces. Their music screams "party" and their lyrics have a sense of humor.
On Monday, The Faces, sans bassist Ronnie Lane--the band's heart and soul who died in 1997 after a twenty-year fight with multiple sclerosis--will reunite "just to check if they can remember the songs," with a concert tour presumably to follow. With the exception of Lane, The Faces all became more famous and more wealthy after the demise of their group. Rod Stewart topped charts as a musical chameleon succumbing to disco, synth-pop, soft rock, and crooner trends, among others. Ronnie Wood, whose ax-work in The Faces out-Stonesed the Stones, appropriately joined The Rolling Stones. Kenney Jones replaced Keith Moon in The Who. Ian McLagan replaced Keith Moon in his ex-wife's bed. Breaking up is hard to do, but not, evidently for The Faces. They went on to greener pastures, even if they didn't make better music.
Because their fame and legend have grown, a 1973 concert-hall band transforms into a 2009 arena act. If you haven't heard The Faces, check out my links to the five Faces songs I hope to hear on the reunion tour:
5. Stay with Me
4. Miss Judy's Farm
3. Bad n Ruin
2. Ooh, La, La
1. Too Bad
Cindy Incidentally and Had Me A Real Good Time are two of my favs.
Insert Debris at number 2. Also include You can make me dance. Debris is my favorite Faces tune. Ron Wood is very underatted.
I liked Stewart's solo offerings. The most famous of which was "Every Picture.....". Got very lucky to that album. If, you get my meaning.
I would pay top dollar for a Faces Guitar Hero.
Dan, I know what you mean about the younger people not understanding what and why certain generations like certain groups,music,or individual artists.
I was watching last season's Super Bowl with a group of friends, all of us in our early 40's,we were all loving Tom Petty's halftime show and the kids looked at all us "old" folks like we were nuts.
I was speaking with a younger guy I work with and last year before going to see ,The Police in New Orleans,I was so geeked up and this guy had no idea why.
Those type of incidents make you realize that in the minds of the teenagers, being 40 is akin to having one foot in the grave as well as the impression of being older than dirt.
My son is 8 years old and actually likes the 1980's music,I grew up listening to during HS and college.
Two of my children are college age and both have more late 60's/ 70's and 80's rock on their ipods than anything else.
They both started with stuff from their own generations, but quickly 'graduated' to other bands who I was more familiar with.
It's really nice for me when I'm in the home and they have Hendrix, Zep, Doors, et cetera on the box.
I remember somebody saying that the dirty secret behind the record companies struggling was not downloads, necessarily. Their plan to mass program musical tastes has been a ridiculous failure.
Led Zepplin albums outsell some of the mass-marketed crap among young teens these days.
But on the topic, the Faces were a great authentic rocking band, but I've always thought that Stewart retained some of that authenticity, regardless of the disco thing. But still, it's kind of like having to remember that Phil Collins was once and awesome versatile and tight drummer with Genesis and his fusion combo Brand X, every time I hear Against All Odds, or some radio drivel like that.
Funny how this post morphed into this topic.
I really like to stay new and modern musically so I listen to radio stations that play the newer stuff.
Today I tried to listen for about a half hour. It was tough. Hate to be an old timer, but the music really was not that good.
I am 36 and I HATE old music. I hate 80's music and hate hippie rock from the 70's even more. I am becoming more and more disenchanted with 90's music as the days go on.
The problem with all the people who say that music today is not that good, is that they haven't tried to find something that suits there tastes. Listening to a radio station these days is not indicative of what is out there. Not trying to be insulting but there is good music, you just need to listen for it.
"they haven't tried to find something that suits there tastes".
Trying represents effort. And enjoying music should not be something you need to work at.
It's like sex. You either enjoy it, or you don't. Simple.
