Main photo Sherry Rebecca Parton
Vacation
Pretty quiet week this week as Rod is on a family vacation in Spain
Including taking in the stunning Es Vedrà an uninhabited limestone island off the southwest coast of Ibiza, Spain. Rising 413 meters high, it is part of the Cala d’Hort nature reserve and is famous for its dramatic silhouette, intense magnetic anomalies, and local myths linking it to the lost city of Atlantis
But don’t worry we still have plenty of news including the brilliant new book on jeff Beck by Brad Tolinski and Chris Gill and the new vinyl expanded version of Rod’s
Blow by Blow: The Landmark New Biography of Legendary Guitarist and Rock Icon Jeff Beck
Next week see’s the UK release of the new book about Jeff Beck that is already getting rave reviews in the US
Pre-order the unexplored story of rock’s greatest and perhaps most enigmatic instrumentalist.
“This is the book Jeff deserves. It’s honest, thoughtful, and true”
JOHNNY DEPP
“Fine, fine work … full of deep insights and takes one into Jeff Beck’s life, mind, and singular artistic brilliance … Beck’s story is the stuff of legends and is told masterfully in this high-volume volume”
BILLY F. GIBBONS
‘My friend and hero’ DAVID GILMOUR
‘Inimitable, irreplaceable – the absolute pinnacle’ BRIAN MAY
‘One of the all-time greats’ JOHNNY MARR
‘His unique style was something no one could match’ PAUL MCCARTNEY
‘Jeff Beck was on another planet’ ROD STEWART
‘One of the greatest of all time’ NILE RODGERS
‘The Salvador Dali of the guitar’ JOE PERRY
‘A genius’ JOE SATRIANI
‘The chosen one’ STEVE VAI
A contender for the G.O.A.T. – the greatest of all time – Jeff Beck left an indelible mark on rock history. His sudden loss in 2023 prompted an outpouring of grief and respect from his peers that only underlined his place in the pantheon of legendary guitar slingers.
Not many could have filled the shoes of Eric Clapton in the Yardbirds, but for Beck it only marked the beginning of a trailblazing career that defied expectation and labels. From the wedding pop of Hi Ho Silver Lining through the ground-breaking proto-metal of the Jeff Beck Group, and from the landmark jazz rock recorded of the mid-seventies to the cutting-edge electronica of the 21st century Beck never stood still. Across it all, as he seemed to deliberately swerve the straitjacket of megastardom, his genius as an instrumentalist remained constant.
In Blow by Blow, Brad Tolinski and Chris Gill provide fresh insight and understanding into life of one of rock’s most enigmatic heroes. Drawing on nearly thirty hours of interviews with Beck himself, numerous conversations with those closest to him, and extensive new research, they shed light on the man and musician Jimmy Page once said had “shifted the whole sound and face of electric guitar music.”
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“Fine, fine work … skilfully and artfully captures the story of one of the truly great heroes of the guitar: Jeff Beck. Jeff, in a very real way, stands as a gifted artist and innovator who refined his technical skills to a super-detailed, personal point. The same is true of this great book. It’s full of deep insights and takes one into Jeff Beck’s life, mind, and singular artistic brilliance … Beck’s story is the stuff of legends and is told masterfully in this high-volume volume”
BILLY F. GIBBONS
Watch for an exclusive Blow by Blow SMILER competition coming soon
What’s On
US fans in the Lake Orion area can catch Danny D in on September 4th
The Vagabonds are back and ready to go September 4th 8:30 till 9:45 at Wildwood Amphitheater, 2700 Joslyn CT Lake Orion, MI 48360 !!!
UK fans in the Pontefract area can can catch Andy Berry’s rod tribute on August 8th
The Party in the Park 2026 tribute festival happens on Saturday, August 8th, 2026, starting at 3:00 PM. It takes place at 1988 Bar & Kitchen (Hemsworth Waterpark, Hoyle Mill Road, Pontefract, WF9 5NG). The outdoor, family-friendly event features live music, waterside vibes, and food stalls
Vagabond Heart – Expanded Edition Bonus Tracks
Both the Ruby Red Smoke Vinyl and the Gray, White & Black Splatter Vinyl versions of Vagabond Heart – Expanded Edition came out this week but no sign of the Gold Vinyl version yet that was advertised earlier in the year, we have tried to contact Friday Music to find out if it is still being released but they have not replied yet.
Tracks:
SIDE 1
- Rhythm Of My Heart
- Rebel Heart
- Broken Arrow
- It Takes Two – Rod Stewart & Tina Turner
SIDE 2
- When A Man’s In Love
- You Are Everything 4:09
- The Motown Song – Rod Stewart & The Temptations
- Go Out Dancing
SIDE 3
- No Holding Back
- Have I Told You Lately
- Moment Of Glory
- If Only
SIDE 4
- Sweet Soul Music
- Downtown Train (Early Version)
- Rebel Heart (Early Version)
- Somebody To Hold
The “Vagabond Heart expanded Vinyl Editions” by Rod Stewart presents the expanded version of the album on LP, reissuing the recordings on coloured vinyl pressings. Released on Friday Music Two, it adds bonus tracks to the original material, making the record appealing both to collectors and to listeners who want to experience the album on vinyl for the first time.
Musically, Rod Stewart combines elements of rock and pop songwriting with soul and folk inflections; the striking bagpipe motif of “Rhythm of My Heart” is just one example of the album’s stylistic range. Among the best-known tracks are the duets and cover versions such as “It Takes Two” with Tina Turner, as well as takes on songs by Van Morrison and Robbie Robertson, all of which shape the characteristic blend of melody and arrangement.
Production duties were handled by Rod Stewart together with Bernard Edwards, Trevor Horn, Patrick Leonard, and Richard Perry; they are joined by notable studio musicians including Toto members Jeff Porcaro and Steve Lukather, plus guest appearances by The Temptations and Tina Turner. The combination of sophisticated arrangements, high-profile contributors, and a distinctive studio signature makes this expanded edition on Friday Music Two a carefully curated reworking of a defining album in Stewart’s body of work.
This week’s Rod Art
This week we are showing some amazing art by Wayne Wright who you will remember as the coffee artist from Birmingham who we have featured in the Rod Art section before
This time we are featuring his Rod art that is done in spilt milk!
To see the full clip go to https://www.instagram.com/wrightcoffeeartist/
To see more art by Wayne – Instagram @wrightcoffeeartist or Google Wayne wright coffee artist
And finally…
Congratulations to Ronnie Wood and his fellow band members from his other band who reign supreme on 70th anniversary of the U.K.’s Official Albums Chart with the No. 1 album Foreign Tongues – making it their 15th Official Number 1 album
See you next week…