Rod Stewart
For some, Rod Stewart embodies all of the conceit and narcissism that susceptible egos are prone to once they make it big in the music industry. Even if that were true, however, that wouldn’t change the fact that he is responsible for some of the greatest recordings ever made. A great number of those songs were recorded for the Mercury label between 1969 and 1975, spread across Stewart’s solo output as well as his side gig as front man for the band Faces. Even when the records were likable more often than they were classic, Stewart was still one of the greatest live attractions in the world, whether on his own or with the band.
Rod Stewart: The Classic Years gives an precedented in-depth look at this crucial phase of Stewart’s career. Author Sean Egan brings together interviews with musicians Mick Waller, Pete Sears, and Ray Jackson, engineer Mike Bobak, manager Billy Gaff, Stewart’s then-girlfriend and muse Dee Harrington, his publicist Jonathan Rowlands, and many other key individuals in orbit around Stewart, including a brand-new interview with the man himself for a first-hand account of the Mercury years. Egan offers a striking portrait of big egos, plenty of decadence, and solid-gold rock ‘n’ roll amidst the long post-‘60s hangover.
Sean Egan has contributed to Billboard, Book Collector, Classic Rock, Reader's Digest, Record Collector, Tennis World, Total Film, Uncut, RollingStone.com, and more. He has written or edited two-dozen books, including works on the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Clash, Manchester United, Coronation Street, Tarzan, James Bond, and William Goldman. His critically acclaimed novel, Sick of Being Me, was published in 2003, while his 2008 collection of short stories, Don't Mess with the Best, carried cover endorsements from Booker Prize–winners Stanley Middleton and David Storey. His 2002 book, Jimi Hendrix and the Making of "Are You Experienced," was nominated for an Award for Excellence in Historical Recorded Sound Research.