This week’s Platinum Jubilee news and gossip

Hope everyone is enjoying the Platinum Jubilee celebrations so far and looking forward to Rod’s big appearance tomorrow …

Sound Check

Sir Rod Stewart said: “Queen Elizabeth has given incredible service to the United Kingdom over the last 70 years and I’m delighted to be able to join her in celebrating her Platinum Jubilee with the Party At The Palace. She has demonstrated to the world what a special person she is and how lucky we are to have her. This will be a momentous occasion.”

Penny posted this great photo outside the gates at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday captioning the snap: ‘Sound check, very excited’.

Rod also posted behind-the-scenes footage of his rehearsals for the big moment on his Instagram Story: He was literally sound checking in front of the gates. Rod was looking good in a plaid jacket and a black face mask, watching his the girls rehearse their moves.

In the U.S. viewers will be able to watch the concert on ABC News following an agreement struck between the network and BBC Studios.

Rod joins star-studded line-up for Raise The Roof

If you missed it in our news through the week… Rod will join Olly Alexander and Van Morrison who will be taking to the stage for a fundraiser organised by Jools Holland and Prostate Cancer UK.

Jools and the men’s health charity have united for Raise The Roof, which will see stars from the world of music and comedy performing to raise money for charity at the event being held at the Royal Albert Hall on Wednesday 22 June 2022.

Funds from Raise The Roof, which was the idea of Jools and his friend and the founder of Prostate Cancer UK, Professor Jonathan Waxman, will go towards research into helping to find a better testing approach to prostate cancer and one which could be used for a UK-wide screening programme

Other news names announced include Emeli Sande, Squeeze’s Chris Difford, singer Paul Jones and the already announced line-up of Celeste, Melanie C, Paloma Faith, Paul Weller, and Nitin Sawhney.

For tickets go to https://prostatecanceruk.org/get-involved/raise-the-roof

Rod photo and our main photo from Vegas 21st May with thanks to Karen Chande

Rod And Her Majesty Spotted At Pre Platinum Party at the Palace Event

Sir Rod and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Green were among around 100 scarecrows exhibited in the 2022 Gatcombe and Chillerton Scarecrow Festival on The Isle of Wight that ran from Saturday 28th May to Friday 3rd June

This event has been running biannually since 2010 and is an event that the two villages of Chillerton and Gatcombe put on for the enjoyment of Islanders and visitors over the half term break.

Many of the households make scarecrows or Gallybaggers to use the correct name and display them in and around their gardens. This years event is being coordinated by the Chillerton and Gatcombe Community Association CGCA, They are a charity that has responsibility for the running of the two buildings in Chillerton Village and this provides entertainment and activities all year round both for Villagers and anyone outside the village who wish to come along to the many events and activities, and join in.

Ian Dockray who made the Rod scarecrow told SMILER “There is a story. I actually played Rod in a panto just before lock down. So that is where it came from. Whilst he sat on my drive we played Rods greatest hits. The response via social media has been amazing”.

SMILER would like to wish Sir Rod good luck in the peoples vote for the best three scarecrows tonight [Friday].

Thanks to Chelsea Rodd, Kerry Weston and Ian Dockray

This Week’s Rod Art

This week has also been a big footballing week and this weeks Rod art was sent in by Garry Mcg Sturrock from Glasgow and features Rod in all star football team.

Speaking to SMILER this week Garry told the story …

“In 1998 I wanted to raise some money for the Princess Margaret Rose hospital in Edinburgh, I went to a friend of mine Jim Clarke who does caricatures but never on this scale, I told him that it would represent a football pitch, standing in the line up I wanted Rod Stewart wearing a Celtic strip, Billy Connolly, Tony Blair, Jimmy Johnstone, and Paul Gascoigne. Each local company mentioned on the advertising boards would be there for 3yrs for £50 cash donation. It raised 350.00 in one week , it was 15ft. long and it was outside my barbers for 7 years I had an unveiling evening inviting company’s who had donated . It was even a feature in three newspapers”.

Hard Rock Memorabilia #7…with a twist

Garry Mcg Sturrock also brings us a report from Hard Rock Cafe Buchanan St, Glasgow.

Garry was there on Wednesday before the big football match between Scotland and Ukraine, Speaking to SMILER Garry said “My mate and me are playing for the two sets of fans tonight”.

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

Scotland v Ukraine

Rod was at Hampden Park on Wednesday to see Scotland lose their play-off semi-final against Ukraine 3-1, It was arguably Scotland’s biggest game for a generation, but they were a shadow of the side who beat Denmark at a packed Hampden Park six months ago to guarantee home advantage for the play-off semi-final.

Ukraine were really up for the game and while many had predicted the circumstances the country is in would impact the team negatively, it had the opposite effect as Oleksandr Petrakov’s team were really up for the fight and did their country proud.

While at the match Rod met Joel Cantau.

Happy Birthday Renee

Rod’s daughter Renee celebrated her 30th birthday on Wednesday

Happy Birthday Renee from everyone at SMILER.

San Bernadino

‎ The X-Ray label are releasing a Faces live CD on June 10th titled Rod Stewart and The Faces – San Bernadino The Classic 1975 Broadcast.

Product description
DYNAMIC CAREER END BROADCAST FROM THE FACES • In the wake of calamitous label mismanagement that left one of the most important bands of the mod/psychedelic movement creatively hog-tied and practically bankrupt, Small Faces singer/guitarist Steve Marriott jumped ship to form Humble Pie with Peter Frampton. So prodigious were Marriott’s talents that it took two musicians to fill his shoes. Luckily, a couple of guys that would soon be among the most recognizable and popularly adored rock stars in the world found their social calendars surprisingly wide open at the dawn of the ’70s. • And so it was, with Ron Wood contributing thick and fuzzy slide guitar and Rod Stewart out front wheezing like the Stax horn section, that the Small was dropped from their moniker and the tight R&B focus was dropped from their sound in favour of a hard and sloppy brand of country-soul. The result was crude perfection – like the Stones with a glassy-eyed grin instead of a sneer. Sadly, nothing beautiful lasts forever, and the Faces, such as they were, couldn’t compete with the rocketing stardom of their jet-setting singer’s solo career. • This concert, recorded shortly before their demise, is a good example of what was right with the Faces, with Woody and the team providing the ramshackle performance and rollicking good time that the punters paid to see. Particularly great are a slow and loose version of Sam Cooke’s ‘Bring It on Home to Me’ and the classic ‘Stay with Me,’ featuring a breakdown that threatens to literally breakdown. • Their reputations as musicians and generally wild and crazy guys guaranteed ample opportunities following their break-up, and the members of the Faces would go on to support the best in the industry, most notably The Rolling Stones (Wood, McLagan) and The Who (Jones). But even when playing with giants, these lads were hard-pressed to match the well-crafted chaos they first made together. Tracks: 1 Take A Look At The Guy 4:58 2 (I Know) I’m Losing You 7:34 3 Bring It On Home To Me 4:41 4 Sweet Little Rock ‘N’ Roller 5:39 5 I’d Rather Go Blind 6:54 6 Too Bad/Every Picture Tells A Story 7:47 7 Angel 4:17 8 Stay With Me/Gasoline Alley 12:53 9 I Can Feel The Fire 5:38 10 You Wear It Well/Maggie May 9:22 11 Twisting The Night Away 8:59

For more information go to https://www.amazon.co.uk/San-Bernadino-Rod-Stewart-Faces/dp/B09YQYDCBT/ref=sr_1_3?crid=24UBU0NRWZML0&keywords=Rod+Stewart&qid=1654018090&refinements=p_n_date%3A182239031&rnid=182236031&s=music&sprefix=rod+stewart+%2Cpopular%2C111&sr=1-3

Out Of Order 35th Anniversary

Out Of Order is celebrating it’s 35th Anniversary next year, As we all know Rhino have had the tracks for a deluxe edition ready since 2008…maybe a campaign is In Order to get this released? Any one have any ideas on what we should do? Please contact us with your thoughts…

ABBA Voyage

Last week we told you about Penny attending the ABBA Voyage concert and this week we bring you some great shots from the night thanks to Sabrina Winter.

Sabrina is the partner/manager of Spandau Ballet star Steve Norman and took these fantastic shots of Abba’s Bjorn, Steve and Penny.

The reviews for the show have been really good but did you know that although Abba won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974 and went on to top the UK singles chart nine times they split up in 1982 after only playing live to a paying audience 15 times in the UK.

It looks like the ABBAtars will certainly beat that!

Anyone up for a Rod night ?

Rod fan Brian Batey is organising a party for all fans of Rod’s music at The Elloughton Village Hall in Brough Yorkshire.

Brian has booked the fantastic Rod tribute act Paul and Laura Farrow to provide first class entertainment and it all takes place on Saturday 22nd October 2022.

The event is a bring your own drinks night and it’s on until 11.30pm, Tickets are £10 and available now, Please phone Brian on 07855771335 for full details.

BBC Breakfast

Rod gave an interview to Naga Munchetty from BBC Breakfast on Thursday and told her he would be singing something he has never sang before at the big concert, He also said he was looking forward to seeing George Ezra and he will be doing a ‘Pod thing’ with him soon.

The interview was broadcast this morning but you can catch it on the BBC iPlayer.

And Finally…

We hope you enjoy the rest of this historic week and Rod’s big performance tomorrow…Lets finish with this brilliant photo from Rod’s Vegas show on May 22nd from Aimee Gatlin Porter and her new friend…Sir Rod!

See you next week.