ROD STEWART: 1975-1978 – FIVE-LP BOXED SET ANNOUNCED

Sir 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). 

 

“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. 

 

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

“Tonight’s The Night (Gonna Be Alright)”

“The First Cut Is The Deepest”

“Fool For You”

“The Killing Of Georgie (Part I And II)”

Fast Side

“The Balltrap”

“Pretty Flamingo”

“Big Bayou”

“The Wild Side Of Life”

“Trade Winds”

 

Footloose & Fancy Free (1977)

Side One

“Hot Legs”

“You’re Insane”

“You’re In My Heart (The Final Acclaim)”

“Born Loose”

Side Two

“You Keep Me Hangin’ On”

“(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don’t Want To Be Right”

“You Got A Nerve”

“I Was Only Joking”

 

Blondes Have More Fun (1978)

Side One

“Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?”

“Dirty Weekend”

“Ain’t Love A Bitch”

“The Best Days Of My Life”

“Is That The Thanks I Get?”

Side One Continued

“Attractive Female Wanted”

“Blondes (Have More Fun)”

“Last Summer”

“Standin’ In The Shadows Of Love”

“Scarred and Scared”

 

Encores 1975-1978

Side One

“Holy Cow” – with Booker T. & The MG’s

“To Love Somebody” – with Booker T. & The MG’s

“Return To Sender” – with Booker T. & The MG’s

“Rosie” – Early Version

“Get Back” – Alternate Version

Side Two

“You Really Got A Hold On Me” *

“Honey, Let Me Be Your Man” *

“Lost Love” *

“Silver Tongue” *

“Don’t Hang Up” *

 

* previously unreleased