This week’s news and gossip

Main photo by Roland Macher

Box Of Pin-Ups

Rod is featured on a new box set collection of songs from 1965 to be released this March

The latest instalment in Grapefruit’s acclaimed series of 3-CD, four-hour celebrations of a specific calendar year in British pop history.

• 1965 saw the beat/R&B revolution of the previous two years twisted into new, more ambitious shapes as British pop reached a shattering crescendo of sound, with feedback, fuzzboxes and (in Graham Bond’s case) the Mellotron adding to the sonic mix.
• The year was a dizzying melange of visceral Pretty Things/Kinks/Small Faces garage band raunch, blue-eyed club soul (courtesy of mod-favoured groups like The Action), Searchers-derived jingle-jangle folk-rock and Zombies/Poets-style minor chord introspection.

While ‘A Slight Disturbance In My Mind’ examined the proto-psychedelic sounds of 1966, Grapefruit now reverses into 1965 with ‘Box Of Pin-Ups’, named after David Bailey’s epoch-defining publication chronicling the nascent Swinging London scene.

Boasting 92 tracks, ‘Box Of Pin-Ups’ takes in the market leaders as well as the year’s hard-up heroes and nowhere men. Established Top Ten acts like Manfred Mann, The Hollies and The Yardbirds are joined by cult names and such glorious one-shot unknowns as Glenn Athens & The Trojans and Irish band The Spectres, both now legally included on CD for the first time.

Presented in a striking clamshell box that houses a 48-page booklet crammed with rare facts and photos, ‘Box Of Pin-Ups’ also includes formative efforts from young hopefuls Elton John, Jimmy Page, Rod Stewart and Marc Bolan, all of whom would eventually shake off their status as minor players on the mid-60s London club scene to become pin- ups in their own right.

TRACK LISTING

DISC ONE
1 MIDNIGHT TO SIX MAN – The Pretty Things
2 WHAT’CHA GONNA DO ABOUT IT (alternative version) – Small Faces
3 I’M ROWED OUT – The Eyes
4 HEART OF STONE – The Hi-Numbers
5 HEY GYP (DIG THE SLOWNESS) – Donovan
6 SURPRISE SURPRISE – Lulu & The Luvers
7 THE FACTS OF LIFE – The Spectres
8 GLORIA – The Wheels
9 I WANT CANDY – Brian Poole & The Tremeloes
10 THAT’S THE WAY IT’S GOT TO BE – The Poets
11 UNTO US – The New Breed
12 NEXT IN LINE – The Birds
13 TIRED OF TRYING, BORED WITH LYING, SCARED OF DYING – Manfred Mann
14 THIS STRANGE EFFECT – Dave Berry
15 COME BACK BABY – Bluesology
16 WHY DOES IT GO ON – Rod Stewart
17 FOOL KILLER – The Brian Auger Trinity
18 EV’RYBODY’S TALKING ‘BOUT MY BABY – The Beatstalkers
19 GOTTA KEEP ON MOVING BABY – The Game
20 KEEP A HOLD OF WHAT YOU GOT – The Shots
21 SOME THINGS JUST STICK IN YOUR MIND – Vashti
22 I’LL BE DOGGONE – The Searchers
23 ‘COS MY BABY’S GONE – The Kirkbys
24 DAY TRIPPER (live) – The Baskervilles
25 DONE ME WRONG – The Couriers
26 KEEP ME COVERED – The Frays
27 LONG BLACK TRAIN – Alexis Korner’s Blues Incorporated (featuring Duffy Power)
28 LET ME SHOW YOU HOW – Glenn Athens & The Trojans
29 I’M LEAVING – The Mark Four
30 CRAWDADDY SIMONE – The Syndicats

DISC TWO
1 EVIL HEARTED YOU – The Yardbirds
2 NO, NO, NO, NO – The Sorrows
3 SHE AIN’T NO GOOD – The Clique
4 LAND OF ONE THOUSAND DANCES – The Action
5 I CAN’T GET ANY JOY – The End
6 BAD TOUGH LUCK GIRL (live) – The Iveys
7 PUT YOURSELF IN MY PLACE – The Hollies
8 I STAND ACCUSED – The Merseybeats
9 LOVE POTION NO. 9 – Tony Jackson & The Vibrations
10 TOO MANY THINGS – The Afex
11 YOU GOT WHAT I WANT – Boys Blue
12 SHE JUST SATISFIES – Jimmy Page
13 SHE KNOWS WHAT TO DO – The Artwoods
14 NEIGHBOUR NEIGHBOUR – The Graham Bond Organisation
15 MERCY MERCY – The Athenians
16 LEADER OF THE SECT – Downliners Sect
17 ZING! WENT THE STRINGS OF MY HEART – Rev. Black & The Rocking Vickers
18 HEY LITTLE GIRL – The Chasers
19 THE ‘IN’ CROWD – First Gear
20 LONG LIVE LOVE – Phillip Goodhand-Tait & The Stormsville Shakers
21 I’LL GO CRAZY – Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band
22 THE SPORTING LIFE – Mickey Finn
23 GET OUT OF MY WAY – Bo Street Runners
24 THE WIZARD – Marc Bolan
25 IT’S JUST YOU – The Uprooted
26 DIAMOND GIRL – The Kingpins
27 MY LITTLE GIRL – The Lemmings
28 IT’S ALRIGHT – The Ugly’s
29 THAT’S MY STORY – The Nightshift
30 DON’T LIE TO ME – Four + One
31 AND MY BABY’S GONE – The Moody Blues
32 REELIN’ AND ROCKIN’ – The In-Sect
33 THERE YOU GO! – Thee

DISC THREE
1 IT’S MY LIFE – The Animals
2 JUMP AND DANCE – The Carnaby
3 BRING IT TO JEROME – David John & The Mood
4 GET A BUZZ – The Pretty Things
5 YOU SAID – The Primitives
6 THE LONG CIGARETTE – The Roulettes
7 WHY MUST THEY CRITICISE – George Bean
8 TELL ME WHAT YOU SEE – John Bryant
9 WHERE IS MY GIRL? – Robb Storme & The Whispers
10 TELL HER NO – The Zombies
11 BABY MINE – Five Steps Beyond
12 I’VE GOT A WAY OF MY OWN – The Hollies
13 SHE’S ABOUT A MOVER – James Royal & The Hawks
14 WHAT YOU GOT – The Eccentrics
15 YOU’RE ON YOUR OWN – The In Crowd
16 I FOUND OUT – The Cops ‘N Robbers
17 I WISH YOU WOULD (live) – The Yardbirds
18 COPS AND ROBBERS – The Richmond Group
19 FORGIVE ME IF I’M WRONG – The Silence
20 YOU DON’T KNOW – Arthur Brown with The Diamonds
21 WAIT FOR ME – Les Fleur De Lys
22 I’LL GIVE YOU LOVE – Miki Dallon
23 FANNIE MAE – The Wild Oats
24 PLENTY OF LOVE – The Sheffields
25 HONEY WHAT’S WRONG – The Betterdays
26 STUPIDITY – Guy Darrell
27 AND TEARS FELL – The Clayton Squares
28 GET OFF OF MY CLOUD – The Tomcats
29 WHERE HAVE ALL THE GOOD TIMES GONE – The Kinks

You can pre order here https://www.cherryred.co.uk/box-of-pinups-the-british-sounds-of-1965-3cd-box-set

San Diego Private show

On Sunday Rod played a private show in San Diego

Knoxville, TN – Boiling Arena

On Wednesday Rod was in Knoxville SMILER photographer Marc Baulisch-Stiens, Roland Macher and Nathan Falin-Dunlap were all at the show to bring us some great shots and here are the thoughts of Martin Heidt

Rod Stewart is back on tour: Knoxville celebrates the music legend

Almost exactly four weeks after his last performance in Allentown, a visibly refreshed and revitalised Sir Rod Stewart has returned to the stage. In the packed Thompson Boling Arena, the British singer thrilled the audience and treated young and old alike to his hits spanning over six decades.

“Back where I came from” is the title of Kenny Chesney’s song of the same name, a tribute to East Tennessee and the city of Knoxville. This title could almost be applied word for word to the tour of music legend Rod Stewart. After four weeks during which the 81-year-old was able to put his feet up and relax, Sir Rod returned to where the enthusiasm and love of the crowds always greet him – the concert stage. “Playing live is the very best drug,” the ‘Maggie May’ singer once said, and – with 80s superstar Howard Jones in tow – proved once again that he is one of the best, if not the best, live entertainers of all time.

First up, special guest Howard Jones kicked off the evening in the packed arena with a seven-song set as a warm-up, including classics such as “No One Is To Blame” and “What Is Love”.

Then came the main course: Rod took to the stage right on time and immediately belted out his hits “Infatuation” and “Tonight I’m Yours” to the party-ready crowd. The fans were instantly fired up and turned the evening into a huge party.

“Hot Legs”, “Forever Young” or “The First Cut Is The Deepest” – Stewart left little to be desired with his song selection. The crowd swayed and sang along wistfully when the Brit paid tribute to his beloved club Celtic FC with “You’re In My Heart” or breathed the Etta James classic “I’d Rather Go Blind” into the microphone. During “Maggie May” and “Young Turks”, the audience were just as restless in their seats as they were during the interludes performed by the magnificent band, such as “I’m Every Woman” or “Proud Mary”.

True to the motto “Some Guys Have All The Luck” – the 1984 song, which was of course also on the setlist that evening – became the unofficial motto of the night. For those who were there that evening and got to enjoy a Rod Stewart in top form were indeed lucky.

And Vicky Phillips Marrow [The Mad Hatter] told us

Rod was in top form, but the arena was very warm and he was uncomfortably hot until he got the stage guys to move the fans to blow on him. All commentary from attendee, “The man still has it!!!! He did NOT disappoint!!! “This is NOT my photo, but the HAT made it into many photos. !!!

Setlist:

Win Kings Trust tickets

To win tickets for the upcoming A King’s Trust Celebration at the Royal Albert hall on 11th May 2026, there are currently two official giveaways you can enter: 

1. VIP Hospitality Box Raffle

The King’s Trust is running a raffle where a donation (minimum £5) enters you into a draw to win a 4-seater hospitality box with red-carpet a

• Prize: A 4-seater hospitality box for the night.
• Deadline: Entries close on 26 April 2026.
• How to enter: Follow the links on official King’s Trust social media posts on Facebook or Instagram to donate and enter

2. Red Carpet VIP Viewing Ballot

There is a separate giveaway for a chance to be in the VIP viewing area to see stars arrive on the red carpet

Prize: Access to the exclusive VIP viewing area.

• Deadline: Ballot closes at 23:59 on 26 April 2026.
• How to enter: Enter the ballot via the link in the comments of the official King’s Trust Facebook announcement. 

Event Details

• Date: Monday 11 May 2026.
• Hosts: Ant and Dec.
• Performers: An all-star lineup including Sir Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood, Rita Ora, Craig David, Anne-Marie, and Jools Holland. 

If you don’t win, a limited number of extra tickets were recently made available on the Royal Albert Hall website or through authorized resellers like Twickets. 

https://uk.emma-live.com/AKingsTrustCelebration/prize-draw/1000057937

Street Fighting Man

Ronnie Wood was ringside at The Tottenham Hotspur stadium in London on Saturday night to see Conor Benn beat Regis Prograis

And the main bout Tyson Fury beating Arslanbek Makhmudov

This week’s Rod Art

This week we feature the work of digital artist Kelly Brink from nextchapterart in Dayton, Ohio who creates these stunning inspirational works of art

Kelly told SMILER this week “I use the app Procreate to create my designs and Forever Young is a song I’ve listened to since I was young. It really reminds me of my 84 year old dad. He will always be forever young to me”.

What’s On

Penny will be closing the Friday night at this years Boswell Book Festival talking about her book “Someone Like Me”

Penny Lancaster | Fri 8 May | 19:30

TICKETS: bit.ly/PennyLancastertickets

Andy Kershaw

As we post this week news is just coming in about the passing of former Radio 1 DJ and Live Aid presenter and broadcaster Andy Kershaw

From presenting his own programmes on Radio 1,3 and 4 for nearly 20 years, The Old Grey Whistle Test on BBC2, and co-presenting Live Aid to a global audience of 1billion, to foreign correspondence and war reporting. Andy was a man of many talents.

Andy was also a fan of the Faces and mentioned on the No Off Switch blogsite, published on January 2013, that his father disapproved of him liking the band:

“Since Rod Stewart’s departure – around 1975 – into self-caricature, Hollywood, and the attentions of a string of blonde actresses, it’s been all too easy to forget that The Faces were a bloody great band, and that he was a tremendous R&B vocalist (second only, in the UK, to Frankie Miller). The Faces made a strength of being loose but – somehow – tight with it. And, as this track demonstrates, they had an innate capacity not to rock but to boogie. Oh, and my dad hated them for being prime specimens of the “long-haired layabout.” So, what was I waiting for?”

And finally…

Back in 1980 John Altman worked on Rod’s track Downtown Train and on Monday he finally received his certificate from The Recording Academy, Of it’s arrival John said “Turning professional in the mid 70s I never expected to be anything more than a saxophone player, certainly not anyone in the limelight. As my ‘career’ progressed I was lucky to meet and write for some amazing people and projects. The Rod Stewart certificate arrived today – it’s never too late”

Good luck with your Record Store finds tomorrow and if you are attending Orion Ampitheater, Huntsville, AL tonight, Cynthia Woods Mitchel Pavilion, Houston, TX on Sunday, or Walmart Amp
Rogers, AR on Wednesday please send in any photos or thoughts and we will see you next week..