An edited version of the interview follows. One of Stewart’s most amusing responses can’t be printed. Suffice to say, he’s cheerfully unimpressed by anyone who thinks a mere rock singer shouldn’t be tampering with all those American songbook classics by Porter or Gershwin or Rodgers and Hart.
Q : Was there ever really a Maggie May?
Yes, there was, and that wasn’t her name. She was my first sexual encounter when I was, I think, either 16 or 17. So I wasn’t a late starter. It was a very, very quick romantic situation at a jazz festival in the south of England . . . She took me into her tent and threw me aside . . . And there’s also a few embellishments along the way in the song. But basically that’s who it was about.
Do you have any idea where she is now?
No. But I imagine she must be about 68 or 70 now, because she was a lot older than me.
(Kidding along) Just a young chick?
Yes, I was just a little virgin and she took advantage of me.
You’ve taken some flak from people who feel the guy who sang Maggie May has no business touching the great American songbook. Did you anticipate a backlash, do you have a sense of what’s fuelling it and, ultimately, do you care?
Well, obviously one cares . . . I don’t feel a backlash. They’ve sold extremely well. Where’s the backlash? I ask you, my friend. I mean, if they didn’t sell, that would be a backlash and I would be there with egg on my face because it was a tremendous risk doing these albums. Does that answer your question? Can you answer mine?
You are working on Vol. III. What songs are you looking at doing there and how far along are you on this project?
It’s more or less finished. We’ve done — let me think — Stardust, Cheek to Cheek, It’s Wonderful, Blue Moon . . . (U.S. pop jazz singer Steve Tyrell) is the producer . . . which is quite amazing, to actually work with another singer. I didn’t think it was going to come off, our egos would collide in the studio. But he turned out to be just wonderful. So he’s produced all of this album. I chose most of the songs, but he’s put them all together.
I’ll tell you what the secret is. Because, as I said, he’s a singer, and he sings these songs, he’s got a really, really deep knowledge and understanding. He brought to the party some lyrics (in) songs I’d never heard of . . . He turned out to be one of the nicest people I know.
You’re coming back to London, Ontario. Having seen the show, there’s a kind of make-believe ballroom feel to the Songbook section of it. Is that part of what you feel about that music?
Yes, it’s paying homage, I suppose, to the whole period . . . It’s merely a piece of theatre; it’s not really meant to be taken seriously.
The music is meant to be taken seriously. But it’s just a backdrop to the music. I mean, it would be very easy for me not to spend the money, which I do, on the staging, and just go on the bare boards with a couple of lights, and I may get away with it or I may not. But I think I’ve been a very fortunate guy in this business and it’s nice to put something back into it. We still start the first half of the show with a white set, which is all the rock and roll songs and all the songs that people love. But I just think it’s a bit of camp theatre.
Which of your songs do you hope or do you think might be considered standards of their own some day, that somebody may be able to do a show of standards like this and include Rod Stewart songs.
Well, that would be a marvellous honour. I mean, I’ve never actually thought about it. I mean, maybe somebody else should tell me. I always thought the best song I’ve ever written is Mandolin Wind. If someone recorded that in 40 or 50 years’ time, I’d be very happy. But that’s a very interesting point you say that, because I also believe all the Motown songs will be just of the same ilk in 30 or 40 years’ time.
Is that something you’d like to record as well, in some future album?
Not necessarily the Motown stuff. I’ve got plans, when I’ve finished doing an album with Ronnie Wood, to do just an R&B album . . . There’s so much R&B stuff out there, some stuff by Joe Tex and Solomon Burke, all those guys.
Do you ever think, like Frank Sinatra, that there is going to be a moment when you say enough is enough — or is it a case of as long as it’s fun you’re going to continue?
Well, yes, you answered the question, as long as it is fun. And it still is fun . . . although I’ve said it’s very physically testing. I would miss it the day I (weren’t) given the opportunity to go out and tour. Because it’s a marvellous thing that God’s given me. I hate to sound syrupy, but it’s a tremendous gift from God.
But all things cannot last, and there will be one day when I’ll have to pack it in. I mean, I don’t think I can do these long tours for much more. But as long as the legs will carry me on the stage and I’ve got air in my lungs, I’ll continue. And as long as the public want me to.
Courtesy The London Free Press