The ironic album portrait could have steered in any other case, however life was something however boring for Rod Stewart in 1972. After limitless toil, he had made it massive past his wildest imaginings the 12 months earlier than, each as a solo artist and together with his beloved Faces.
Now, after the spectacular breakthrough of Rod’s Each Image Tells A Story album and “Maggie May” single, got here additional new glory. The follow-up album could have featured greater than somewhat assist from his mates, but it surely was once more fully self-produced. When it was launched, on July 21, By no means A Uninteresting Second was an apt title.
Faces by one other title
The north London-born singer gained reward for his diligence on the brand new album in each his songwriting and selection of outdoor materials. He composed three songs for By no means A Uninteresting Second together with his longtime pal and confidant Ronnie Wooden, whereas the album’s best-known monitor, the fantastic single “You Wear It Well,” was one other collaboration with writer-guitarist Martin Quittenton, Rod’s foil on “Maggie May.” Elsewhere, Stewart’s vary of influences was nicely displayed with a spread of covers of such inspirations as Sam Cooke, Jimi Hendrix, and Bob Dylan.
To equal the achievements of late 1971 can be the tallest of orders. “Maggie May” and Each Image Tells A Story had recorded the extraordinarily uncommon achievement of every topping the charts on either side of the Atlantic on the similar time. However the focus now, admirably, was on inventive credibility fairly than out-and-out industrial potential. Recording the brand new album at two London studios, Morgan and Olympic, Stewart the producer created an atmosphere through which the inventive camaraderie oozed from the grooves.
By no means A Uninteresting Second opened confidently with two of the Stewart-Wooden creations, the primary the relaxed and melodic “True Blue.” It was, successfully, the good-time rock of Faces by one other title, with Rod’s spontaneous power complemented by Wooden’s pressing electrical guitar, Ian “Mac” McLagan’s eloquent electrical piano, Ronnie “Plonk” Lane’s regular bass (on this music and on two others) and, for this music solely, the drums of Kenney Jones (changed elsewhere by Micky Waller).
‘The best rocker Stewart has committed to vinyl’
An enthusiastic fan of this opening salvo was author Mark Leviton, who reviewed the album for the New York-based Phrases And Music journal. “Stewart’s unique, bright songwriting talents are highlighted with the opening ‘True Blue’,” he wrote. “Rod writes catchy lyrics, couplets that depart an actual impression due to their looseness and the best way they circulation naturally off the tongue.
“The hero of the cut is Ian McLagan, who contributes dazzling electric piano. Ron Wood and Kenn[e]y Jones produce crisp assertive lines with clever syncopations which make this tune the most cooking Faces recording for a long time. ‘True Blue’ may just be the best rocker Stewart has committed to vinyl in his last three outings.”
That led to the luxurious “Misplaced Paraguayos’, which showcased extra of Stewart’s winningly plain-speaking lyrics, particularly regarding his relationships with ladies. Wooden’s nimble fretwork had uncredited horns as their counterpoint, because the narrator introduced his departure for South America.
‘There’s no letdown’
The album’s first cowl was of Dylan’s “Mama, You Been On My Mind.” The bard wrote this music in 1964 and carried out it in live performance, however didn’t launch his model till many years later, on 1991’s The Bootleg Collection Vol.1-3 (Uncommon And Unreleased) 1961-1991. Stewart’s fantastically sympathetic studying was underpinned by Waller’s drums and Wooden’s lyrical pedal metal.
“Italian Girls” was a brawny Stewart-Wooden rock exercise with a lot to admire, together with Lane’s lithe bass runs, McLagan’s stirring piano element and Dick Powell on violin (as he was, thrillingly, on “You Wear It Well”). Mandolin was by Ray Jackson, of Newcastle-upon-Tyne’s very personal Lindisfarne, additionally a key function of “Maggie May.”
Ken Barnes in Phonograph Document provided one other extremely supportive evaluate of the album. “The Stewart formula,” he avowed, “is broad-based enough to allow for widely varied species of old folk tunes, blues and funk numbers, hard rockers, and the melodic ‘Maggie May’ mainstream; the instrumentalists have it all down, Rod himself stands ready to apply the smooth sandpaper finish, and all that’s required for another ace album is a new set of dynamics – and on Never A Dull Moment there’s no letdown in this department.”
‘When Stewart strikes, the listener gets caught’
Facet Two of the unique vinyl album started with Rod’s tribute to Woody’s late pal Jimi Hendrix, with a suitably reflective remake of “Angel.” Later within the 12 months, it could be launched as a double-sided single with Stewart’s tackle Jerry Lee Lewis’ “What Made Milwaukee Famous,” making a No.4 UK hit. In his notes for the 1989 field set Storyteller, Rod described his model of “Angel” as being “played with gusto by the Faces in splendid disarray.”
The album’s 40-second “Interludings” constituted an acoustic guitar piece with a writing credit score for Ronnie Wooden’s older brother Artwork. Then got here “You Wear It Well,” which gave the singer one other UK No.1 single and which stands as one among his biggest items of labor. It recreated the texture of “Maggie May,” however with its personal marvellous temper and a self-effacingly rueful lyric a few misplaced love.
“Very similar to [‘Maggie May’] in many ways (which I was quite aware of),” wrote Stewart of the brand new hit. “I’ve always loved the combination of acoustic guitar with loud snare drum and Hammond organ – played here by the delectable Ian McLagan, of loud, obtrusive sock fame.”
‘Isn’t that what rock’n’roll is all about?’
By no means A Uninteresting Second was additionally the album on which Rod provided his interpretation of the much-covered Billy Foster/Ellington Jordan music most related to Etta James, “I’d Rather Go Blind.” James reduce it in 1967 and British blues band Hen Shack had scored the UK hit with it in 1969. Stewart’s move on the music spoke of his backstory as a rhythm’n’blues devotee. “I first heard Etta James sing this, a version I urge you to find and listen to,” he wrote. “In the meantime, here’s my humble effort.”
The album closed with a tip of the hat to a different of Rod’s biggest heroes, Sam Cooke, on a rollicking model of Sam’s 1962 pop and R&B hit “Twistin’ The Night Away.” “I could never sing it better, so we just took it in another direction,” he stated modestly.
Gold very quickly
By no means A Uninteresting Second entered the UK chart at No.5 and was licensed gold there inside every week of launch. It moved as much as No.3 after which spent no fewer than 4 weeks at No.2, earlier than a two-week run on the prime in September. In America, the album rose to No.2, solely overwhelmed to the highest spot by Chicago V. It was additionally a High 3 vendor in Australia, Holland and elsewhere.
Mark Leviton of Phrases And Music wrote of “Twistin’ The Night Away,” in abstract of the album: “The closer embodies all the qualities that one admires in Stewart, the refusal to take himself too seriously, the attention to detailed arranging, the energetic involvement in the material, the way his voice can propel a tune as well as the best drummer. When Stewart strikes, the listener gets caught up and has a good time right along with him. And isn’t that what rock’n’roll is all about?”
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