This week’s news and gossip

Stitched Denim

Fashion designer Scott Kunis from Stitched Denim handed Rod this fabulous jacket [Main picture] that he had made during a meet at The Hard Rock Fort Lauderdale last Monday

Scott told SMILER ‘Rod said he liked it very much, My jackets are hand made with real Swarovski Crystals on the patches’

To see more of Scott’s amazing work go to https://stitcheddenim.com/ Or https://www.instagram.com/stitcheddenim/?hl=en

Hard Rock Cafe Memorabilia #11

We have not had a Hard Rock section for a while now so well done to Madelyn Dwyer LaRosa for sending this shot of Rod’s yellow suit from Hard Rock Cafe Tampa, Florida.

The suit was worn in Rod’s video for his 1991 hit ‘The Motown Song’

Have you ever spotted a Rod item in a Hard Rock Cafe while you were visiting?..If you have send a picture in to [email protected] and tell us about it and I will post them in future ‘This week’s news and gossip’ posts.

This weeks Rod Art

This week we feature Leena Suomi from Finland who did this great sketch of The Jeff Beck Group

Leena told SMILER this week “My hobby is to draw identification tasks for my friends. Inspration came for this one when I saw a documentry on TV about Jeff Beck’ The sketch features Jeff, Rod, Ronnie and Nicky Hopkins”.

To see more great artwork by Leena go to https://www.instagram.com/suomenleena/?hl=en

Sweet Heart Tattoo…or This weeks Rod Art 2

This week we came across this brilliant portrait of Rod that was done by tattoo artist Jag Seyd @gold.tooth.cult Jag’s shop is Sweet Heart Tattoo @sweet.heart.tattoo in Portland OR. USA and Jag told SMILER this week “I am a huge fan of Rock’n’Roll music and specialises in portraiture”

Adding “Thanks again and “whatever road you choose
I’m right behind you, win or lose Forever young…Rod Stewart Forever!” To see more stunning work from Jag go to https://www.instagram.com/gold.tooth.cult/?hl=en or https://www.instagram.com/sweet.heart.tattoo/?hl=en

Farewell Gary

Assistant tour manager and personal trainer to Rod, Gary O’ Connor posted an announcement this week.. ‘Julie & Gary the ‘Quick Change Duo’ signing off after their last show for the Sir Rod Stewart Tour. February 16th 2023 in Tampa FL.
Many thanks to Sir Rod Stewart and our tour family. it’s been a blast. Best wishes to all for future tours and shows’.

Good luck with your next adventure.

Congratulations Sean

Congratulations to Sean who eloped to Las Vegas for a surprise wedding with his girlfriend, TV producer Jody Weintraub, in a “spur-of-the-moment” ceremony on Valentine’s Day just hours after popping the questions during a romantic meal, Sean reportedly wore jeans and a YSL sweater, while his bride donned a black, cashmere jumpsuit for the ceremony. Confirming the couple’s wedding news, Sean’s mom, Alana Stewart, shared a photo of the newlyweds on Instagram, alongside a snap of them posing with Rod.

Ruby’s Baby Shower

Rod might have missed out on his invite to Sean’s wedding but he did attend Ruby’s ‘Baby Shower’

Ruby’s proud Mom Kelly posted some lovely family pictures on her social media and commented ‘What a beautiful baby shower! Ruby was glowing. Everyone is so excited to welcome baby Kalick into the world! I’m so happy for Ruby & Jake and of course me! 🤣🍼🤣. I can’t wait!!!’

Rod’s Demo Tape

The demo tape which launched Rod’s career we told you about last week fetched £3,400 at auction on Thursday – triple its estimate!.

The reel-to-reel tape was recorded in a basement studio in London in 1964 when Rod was just 18. The tape was used to audition him before he was signed by Decca Records. It was sold by Jonathan Rowlands who was Rod’s manager at the time.

My Black Dog Charity Auction

Rod has donated a signed Celtic shirt to the My Black Dog mental health charity auction and If you make a donation you also have chance to win tickets to the event [Rod has already bought tickets for his table].

For more information go to https://virginradio.co.uk/entertainment/95973/mental-health-charity-my-black-dog-the-big-bash-2023

Viaplay Cup Final

Alan Brazil told his Talk Sport breakfast show listeners that he would be flying up to Glasgow in the lap of luxury aboard Sir Rod’s private jet for The Viaplay Cup Final showdown for the first silverware of the season between Celtic and Rangers at Hampden Park on Sunday.

Rod visits NHS hospital where he paid for patients’ scans

Rod ended the week with a visit to The Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow after paying for a mobile MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) unit to visit – reducing the waiting list by 10%.

The mobile unit supplemented the two existing MRI scanners at the hospital, enabling an extra 20-25 patients to be scanned in a day.

Edmund Devlin, who received a scan, said: “I’m here to have a much-needed MRI scan as I’m in a lot of pain and it’s really difficult to walk at the moment. Hopefully they’ll be able to find out what’s wrong and go from there. It’s a really generous thing of Sir Rod to do and I’m very thankful.” On meeting Mr Devlin Rod said “So this is my first customer!

All good pal? You take care of yourself, stay healthy, alright mate.”

To laughter from the watching crowd, he added: “And I have a new CD coming out in five weeks!”

On arriving at The Princess Alexandra Rod joked “let’s all have a sing-song” and signed autographs for fans, before speaking to reporters. Explaining how he came to pay for a day of scans at his local hospital, Rod said: “I had just come from my scan in a private clinic near Harley Street.

“I walked in and said, ‘I’m terribly sorry I’m half hour late’.

“They said, ‘don’t worry, there’s hardly anybody in here today’.

“There were eight people with hardly anything to do.

“Then I thought this is a terrible injustice, so here we are.”

Rod also said he was “here not to talk about politics, please, because otherwise it overshadows what we’re trying to do”.

Adding “If this is a big success, which I think it will be, I’d like to do it in Belfast, Dublin, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester, and just keep it going, and hope some other people follow me,”

“Because I want to prove I’m not all mouth and trousers and that’s why I’m here to prove that I followed through with it, ok folks, There must be enough money in the coffers to pay up for these nurses – only two years ago we were clapping and now…

“Bless them, they work so hard, salt of the earth.”

Rod finished by saying “We’ve got to sort this out, really…We’re in dire straits.

“If I am going to get political, I think we should send the Ukrainians F-16s…It’s up to you, Prime Minister. I’ve been supporting them for years, Ukrainians.

“On stage I have the flag and I wear a blue and yellow suit and do a song and dedicate it to them.

“I feel very strongly about it.

“If the Ukrainians lose it’s the end of civilisation as we know it, it’s all over.”

And Finally…

Rod went back to his roots this week and had his highlights done..and posted a shot at the hairdressers with leopard print foils in his barnet!

See you next week