The King Biscuit Flower Hour recorded several shows on Rod Stewart’s 1978 "Blondes Have More Fun" UK Tour, including multiple nights at the Olympia Theater in London. This show, the first of three at this venue, is another great night from the flamboyant rocker, we all know as "Rod the Mod.”
From the opening song, a spirited version of his late '70s hit, "Hot Legs” Rod was on his home turf and determined to blow the roof off the sucker. Stewart had a red hot band that included former …entire summary
Rod Stewart - vocals
Carmine Appice - drums, vocals
Phil Chen - bass, vocals
Jim Cregan - guitar, vocals
Paulinho Da Costa - percussion
Mike Finnegan - organ vocals
Gary Grainger - guitar
Max Gronenthal - vocals, keyboards
Duane Hitchings - synthesizer, keyboards
Phil Kenzie - trumpet
Steve Madaio - trumpet, horn
Michael Manoogian - sax
Linda Lewis - backing vocals
The King Biscuit Flower Hour recorded several shows on Rod Stewart’s 1978 "Blondes Have More Fun" UK Tour, including multiple nights at the Olympia Theater in London. This show, the first of three at this venue, is another great night from the flamboyant rocker, we all know as "Rod the Mod.”
From the opening song, a spirited version of his late '70s hit, "Hot Legs” Rod was on his home turf and determined to blow the roof off the sucker. Stewart had a red hot band that included former Vanilla Fudge/ Cactus drummer Carmine Appice (who, co-authored "Do You Think I’m Sexy;” and had originally planned to work with Stewart when the ill-fated merger of the Fudge rhythm section with guitarist Jeff Beck Group in 1969 fell apart after Beck’s near-fatal car crash). Also on board was Duane Hitchings on keyboards (he had also been in a latter version of Cactus with Appice); and Max Gronenthal (known professionally as Max Carl) who later would become a singer and keyboard player for 38 Special and now has replaced Mark Farner in Grand Funk Railroad. Mike Finnegan, a musical director for Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, among others, also lent his talent to this extraordinary band.
Stewart balances the hit ballads ("Tonight’s The Night,” "You’re In My Heart,” and Delaney & Bonnie’s classic, "I Don’t Want to Talk About It”) against pop-dance tracks such as "Do You Think I’m Sexy” and "Wild Side Of Life.”
His big acoustic-oriented solo hits go down with a storm ("The Killing of Georgie,” "Maggie May,” and "You Wear It Well”), but the real fire comes from the rockers, most of which are covers. He tears through The Beatles’ "Get Back;” Chuck Berry’s "Sweet Little Rock ‘n’ Roller;” and a vicious medley of The Temptations’ "(I Know) I’m Losing You,” coupled with The Four Tops’ "Standing in the Shadows of Love.” He also does a killer version of James Ingram’s 1972 soul hit, "If Loving You Is Wrong (I Don’t Want to Be Right).”
Stewart had departed from the Faces three years prior, but this show was very much still in the Faces-sounding tradition. Since most of the Faces played on the ‘70s-era Stewart solo albums, it is all a musical blur between his own hits and those of the band. Among the highlights is a song written by Gavin Sutherland called "Sailing,” which was a minor hit in the U.S., but remains one of Britain’s largest selling singles. He closes with the Sam Cooke hit, "Twistin’ the Night Away.” This show is a must.
collapse