Sir Rod Stewart reveals he needed a bottle of wine to write his early hits
He is one of the most celebrated musicians of the last century, but legend Sir Rod Stewart has revealed he needed locking in a room with some alcohol to write his early hits.
There aren’t many professions where a manager would encourage boozing to get the job done, but the world of rock and roll is obviously an exception.
The Sailing hitmaker is known to enjoy a tipple, and music bosses used this to their advantage, with Stewart saying he would be locked in hotel rooms with a bottle until songs were complete.
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He told Johnnie Walker on BBC Radio 2’s Sounds of the Seventies: “They used to have to lock me up with a bottle of wine and take the key and say, ‘Get it finished in the next four or five hours’. That would work.
“I’d hear them all in the corridor, laughing, at the Holiday Inn: ‘Oh yeah look at Stewart. He is there trying to finish the lyrics’.”
The 75-year-old also revealed that despite his confident on-stage persona, he was often plagued with doubts his lyrics weren’t up to scratch.
He said: “That’s the worst feeling, when you think you’re writing absolute tripe.”
He added: “You’ve really got it or you haven’t. It’s either in your blood or it’s a natural feel for music. I’ve always loved listening to music.”
Unsurprising, considering millions of records sold and his place his rock and roll history cemented, Steward’s doubts about his ability are a thing of the past.
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He explained: “I have gained a lot more confidence now of course. These are the happiest days of my life.”
The former Faces frontman is still performing his hits to an adoring audience, though his 2020 summer tour of the US has been postponed until 2021 due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Stewart’s appearance on Johnnie Walker’s Sounds of the Seventies can be listened to online now.