ROD STEWART: 1975-1978 – FIVE-LP BOXED SET ANNOUNCED
15th April 2021Sir Rod Stewart was on his way to becoming one of the most successful recording artists in history in 1974 when he moved to America and signed with Warner Bros. Records (now Warner Records). Over his next 27 years with the label, Stewart released some of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed records of his extraordinary career.
Today, Warner Records goes back to the start of that legendary run with a new boxed set that features Stewart’s first four Warner albums on vinyl, plus a bonus LP of rare and unreleased studio outtakes from those albums: Atlantic Crossing (1975), A Night on the Town (1976), Footloose & Fancy Free (1977), and Blondes Have More (1978).Â
“It’s extraordinary for me to look back on this era of my career,” says Stewart. “I think fans will enjoy experiencing these songs on vinyl. I know I did.”
After being out of print for decades, the studio albums look and sound better than ever as they return to vinyl, complete with replica sleeves and newly remastered sound. The albums and the bonus LP are all organized in an iridescent box with Stewart foil-stamped on the cover, his blonde shag haircut glistening in gold, and his leopard-print suit shimmering in silver. ROD STEWART 1975-1978 will be available on June 4 at retail outlets and digitally. The collection is also currently available for pre-order at Rhino.com.
After brilliant stints with the Jeff Beck Group and the Faces and several outstanding solo albums, Stewart moved to Los Angeles in 1974. STEWART 1975-1978 reflects the burst of creativity that followed, starting in 1975 with his label debut, Atlantic Crossing. The album was produced by the legendary Tom Dowd, who produced Stewart’s next three albums.Â
That four-album run during the 1970s was one of Stewart’s most successful. After Atlantic Crossing was certified gold, A Night On the Town went double-platinum, and Foot Loose & Fancy Free went triple-platinum, as did its follow-up Blondes Have More Fun, which became Stewart’s first #1 album. That era introduced many of the singer’s best-known tracks: “Sailing,” “I Don’t Want to Talk About It,” “I Was Only Joking,” “The First Cut Is the Deepest,” “You’re in My Heart (The Final Acclaim),” “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?” and “Hot Legs.”
The bonus LP, titled Encores 1975-1978, is a collection of 10 outtakes selected from the recording sessions for all four albums. The first side highlights five songs from the recent deluxe editions released for Atlantic Crossing and A Night on the Town. Songs include an alternate version of the B-side “Rosie” and a cover of the Bee Gees’ “To Love Somebody” recorded with the influential Stax Records house band, Booker T. & The MG’s. The flip side features five previously unreleased session outtakes from Foot Loose & Fancy Free and Blondes Have More Fun. Highlights include a cover of the Motown classic, “You Really Got A Hold On Me,” and the unreleased tracks “Silver Tongue” and “Don’t Hang Up”.
ROD STEWART 1975-1978
Track Listing:
Atlantic Crossing (1975)
Fast Side
“Three Time Loser”
“Alright For An Hour”
“All In The Name Of Rock’ N’ Roll”
“Drift Away”
“Stone Cold Sober”
Slow Side
“I Don’t Want To Talk About It”
“It’s Not The Spotlight”
“This Old Heart Of Mine”
“Still Love You”
“Sailing”
A Night on the Town (1976)
Slow Side
“Tonightâs The Night (Gonna Be Alright)â
âThe First Cut Is The Deepestâ
âFool For Youâ
âThe Killing Of Georgie (Part I And II)â
Fast Side
âThe Balltrapâ
âPretty Flamingoâ
âBig Bayouâ
âThe Wild Side Of Lifeâ
âTrade Windsâ
Footloose & Fancy Free (1977)
Side One
âHot Legsâ
âYouâre Insaneâ
âYouâre In My Heart (The Final Acclaim)â
âBorn Looseâ
Side Two
âYou Keep Me Hanginâ Onâ
â(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Donât Want To Be Rightâ
âYou Got A Nerveâ
âI Was Only Jokingâ
Blondes Have More Fun (1978)
Side One
âDa Ya Think Iâm Sexy?â
âDirty Weekendâ
âAinât Love A Bitchâ
âThe Best Days Of My Lifeâ
âIs That The Thanks I Get?â
Side One Continued
âAttractive Female Wantedâ
âBlondes (Have More Fun)â
âLast Summerâ
âStandinâ In The Shadows Of Loveâ
âScarred and Scaredâ
Encores 1975-1978
Side One
âHoly Cowâ â with Booker T. & The MGâs
âTo Love Somebodyâ â with Booker T. & The MGâs
âReturn To Senderâ â with Booker T. & The MGâs
âRosieâ â Early Version
âGet Backâ â Alternate Version
Side Two
âYou Really Got A Hold On Meâ *
âHoney, Let Me Be Your Manâ *
âLost Loveâ *
âSilver Tongueâ *
âDonât Hang Upâ *
* previously unreleased