Logo design by Tommy Kevitt
Back in London
Rod was back in London at the start of this week and on Saturday morning VH1 Hip Hop Honors Nominee Vijay Manu Chandegra bunped into him and got a selfie
And it was back to work for Penny
The British Heart Foundation
Don’t forget tonight 9.30 [Friday] is the your last chance to bid on these items…
Rod’s Football Team “The Vagabond Old Boys” played a charity Football Match on Sunday 26 July 2026 to raise money for The British Heart Foundation in memory of Don and Bobby Stewart.
Rod kindly signed these items for them to auction with all monies raised going to the British Heart Foundation.
Please message Jessica Heff on what’s app with your bids. 07932 695892
There are reserved bids on each shirt of £100 each and on the vinyl singles there are reserved bids of £50 each.
Please remember what an important cause you will be donating to.
The auctions will end on Friday, 31st July 2026 at 10pm UK Time. Winners will need to pay for postage.
1) This is a 7″ single sleeve – showing both the front and back side by side.
**Front cover – left side:**
* Bright pink background with a photo of Rod Stewart in his iconic late-70s look – blonde shaggy hair, wearing an open, shiny pink satin suit with no shirt underneath.
* Text at the top: “(IF LOVING YOU IS WRONG) I DON’T WANT TO BE RIGHT”
* Large white stylized logo at the bottom: “Rod Stewart”
* It’s signed in thick black marker across his chest with what looks like “Rod Stewart” plus an inscription above it that reads “BHS 2026.
**Back cover – right side:**
* Full-length shot of the same photo, showing the pink trousers and red boots.
* Top right corner: “RIVA 23” – the UK catalogue number for Riva Records.
* Pink text box with the track details:
> A-side: “(IF LOVING YOU IS WRONG) I DON’T WANT TO BE RIGHT – Taken from the album RVLP5 ‘Foot Loose & Fancy Free'”
> b/w LAST SUMMER* – Taken from the album RVLP8 ‘Blondes Have More Fun’
> Produced by Tom Dowd
* Bottom right: copyright text “© 1977 WEA Records BV / © 1980 Riva Records Ltd” and the Riva Records logo (a griffin).
The sleeve shows a little wear and creasing, consistent with a vintage 1970s single that’s been kept. It’s a nice piece of memorabilia, especially with the autograph.
2) This is both sides of a vintage 7-inch vinyl single, displayed side-by-side against a plain black background. Both records are housed in their original, aged off-white paper sleeves and are labeled as being made in England by Mercury Records in 1973.
Left Record (A-Side):
Sleeve: The paper sleeve is heavily autographed in black marker across the bottom half with a large, clear signature by “Rod Stewart”. At the top, there is handwritten text in black ink that reads “BHS 2026”.
Label: The record label is light cream with black text. It features a “45” and the letter “A”. The song title is “OH! NO NOT MY BABY” (Goffin/King), and the artist is credited as “ROD STEWART”. The matrix number is “6052371”. There is a small handwritten note in blue ink that says “Debbie”.
Right Record (B-Side):
Sleeve: The paper sleeve is clean. At the top, there is a handwritten note in blue ink that says “Debbie”.
Label: The label is identical in style and color to the A-side. It features a “45” and the letter “B”. The song title is “JODIE” (Wood/Stewart/McLagan), and the artist is credited as “ROD & FACES”. The matrix number is “6052371”. There is no autograph on this sleeve.
Overall, this is a rare collectible set for Rod Stewart fans, featuring an autographed copy of his solo A-side alongside its B-side, both in their period-correct Mercury sleeves.
3) Brand new with tags (BNWT)
Size: Large
Beneficiary: British Heart Foundation
Signatory/Inscription Details: Autographed by legendary singer Rod Stewart, featuring hand-written inscriptions including “BHF 2026” and his famous football nod “MON THE CELTIC!” alongside a custom British Heart Foundation graphic tag and printed CPR instructions on the neck label.
4) Brand new with tags (BNWT)
Size: Extra Large
Beneficiary: British Heart Foundation
Signatory/Inscription Details: Autographed by legendary singer Rod Stewart, featuring hand-written inscriptions including “BHF 2026” and his famous football nod “MON THE CELTIC!” alongside a custom British Heart Foundation graphic tag and printed CPR instructions on the neck label.
What’s On
Rod fans in Leicestershire can see the excellent Melton Theatre The Rod Stewart Songbook at The Melton Theatre on Friday August 7th
Fronted by Pete McCall, who is widely regarded as Europe’s leading Rod Stewart tribute artist, and the group will be inviting the audience to sing along to timeless classics including Sailing, Maggie May, Da Ya Think I’m Sexy, Baby Jane, Hot Legs, Rhythm Of My Heart, and many more.
Promoter and performer Terry Bell, who will be on keyboard and vocals, commented: “This show delivers the full Rod Stewart experience.
“With Pete McCall’s powerful and authentic vocals leading a fantastic live band, this concert evening promises a night of nostalgia, packed with all the greatest hits.
“This is the very best celebration of one of music’s true greats. Even Rod’s sister, Mary Cady, praised Pete, telling him ‘you were excellent’ – and we think audiences will agree.”
Go to www.meltontheatre.co.uk to buy tickets, which cost £26 – the show starts at 7.30pm.
What’s On Competition Special
last week we told you about something happening down in the New Forest this autumn…
Paul Metcalfe is doing his brilliant show at Beaulieu Village Hall who are celebrating their Golden Jubilee — 50 years since it opened back in 1976 — and to mark it, they’re throwing a curry night with a live “Rod Stewart Story Some Guys Have All the Luck” on Saturday 3 October 2026. Doors at 6:30pm with curry, sides and drinks, then two live sets at 7:30pm and 9pm (45 minutes each).
It’s all run by volunteer trustees for a small village hall, so it’s very much a community night rather than a big commercial gig — good food, a great atmosphere, and a set of Rod’s classics to sing along to. If you’re anywhere near Hampshire/the New Forest that weekend, the team would love to see some of you there!
https://beaulieuvillagehall.org.uk/rod-stewart-concert-beaulieu-village
Organiser Tony Bishop-Weston is offering two free tickets to the SMILER news reader who who can spot the most ” Spot the difference” differences between their version and the original sleeve of ” a Night on the Town” and Rod’s
Send your your answers to [email protected]
Good Luck
Talking to SMILER this week Tony said “There’s so many of Rod’s anniversaries that coincide with Beaulieu’s be it the Beaulieu Jazz festival, Maggie May about the Jazz festival or A Night on the Town / Tonight’s the night that share a 50th Anniversary with our opening in 1976 it’s an honour to share these dates with him. Also a coup to have Paul Metcalfe who Mary and Don regard as the next best thing!!”
Beaulieu Village Hall, Beaulieu, New Forest, Hampshire
Saturday 3 October 2026 — doors 6:30pm
More info https://beaulieuvillagehall.org.uk/rod-stewart-concert-beaulieu-village/
This week’s Rod Art
This week we feature a superb painting that you can actually buy for a great price..
Andrew Ward from Long Eaton painted this acrylic on canvas portrait of Rod in a classic early 70’s Faces pose
Talking to SMILER this week Andrew told us “I am a just hobby artist really – but I really enjoy painting music stars and icons that have inspired me over the years.
A close friend of mine, Sharon, has been a huge fan of Rod for many years and I actually selected the image to paint for her as a birthday gift. In the end, I was asked to paint her horse for her birthday, so the painting got shelved – but it’s an image I have kept coming back to. I’ve been a casual fan of Rod myself over the years and his music has been a constant presence throughout my life.
I thought this image was a good reflection of how I remember him from my childhood and I liked the idea of making it more current and unique by rampant up some of the skin tones and hair colours to give more of a ‘pop art’ feel.”
The original painting is available for sale at an amazing price of £175.
Anyone interested can send Andrew a fb friend request and then he won’t miss out on any messages. https://www.facebook.com/andrew.ward48?mibextid=wwXIfr&rdid=p7TrXC3Hn4IGx4yr&share_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fshare%2F1DSZnHnwmX%2F%3Fmibextid%3DwwXIfr#
Jim Cregan Goes Acoustic On His New Ensemble’s Album
By Dmitry M. Epstein – Let It Rock
To call a guitar solo iconic – but how else could one describe the series of Jim Cregan acoustic vignettes on “Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me)” by COCKNEY REBEL, one of many classics by quite a few bands the British guitarist was part of, including also FAMILY and BLOSSOM TOES – and one must not forget his long stint as a sidekick to Rod Stewart. The veteran’s not been as prolific on a solo, or quasi-solo, front, however, with CREGAN & CO.’s discography numbering only one studio platter, “Spreading Rumours” from 2021, yet now there’s a new collective he’s leading, JIM CREGAN & THE NEW ACOUSTIC BAND, and a new record just released.
Issued on July 18th, “All Those Dreams Ago” – titled after Jim’s original – collects familiar pieces, those from various points of his long career and even ventures into his work with Murray Head, with a fresh look at a certian THE BEATLES ballad, which opens the album, and a take on John Martyn’s evergreen evoked without any link, apart from emotional, to Cregan’s past. And yes, the aforementioned hit is there too – and how could it not make the cut if the group’s drummer is his old compadre Stuart Elliott, who also played on it.
“For a long time now I have wanted to move the band to an acoustic lineup,” says Jim, “and this album is a selection of songs that I now rearranged acoustically, taking advantage of the fantastic musicians I am working with: Sam Tanner on keyboards and vocals, Pat Davey on bass and vocals, Stuart Elliott on drums and percussion, and Marion Fleetwood on cello, violin and vocals. Between us, we have played on albums with sales totaling fifty million or more. ‘All Those Dreams Ago’ features songs that I played on or co-wrote, apart from ‘She’s Leaving Home’ which I’ve always loved but thought it needed an original arrangement so that it wasn’t just a simple cover. I’m looking forward to seeing new people out on the road and I hope the album brings joy to the listeners.”
JIM CREGAN &
THE NEW ACOUSTIC BAND –
All Those Dreams Ago
- She’s Leaving Home
- All Those Dreams Ago
- Forever Young
- Say It Ain’t So, Joe
- May You Never
- Brighton Beach
- Blondes Have More Fun
- Mr Watchmaker
- Come Up And See Me (Make Me Smile)
- My Friend The Sun
- Only A Boy
- The Best Days Of My Life
Reproduced with thanks to Dmitry M. Epstein https://dmme.net/category/news
We will keep you posted as to where you can buy copies of this album
Blow By Blow
The two winners from last week’s Blow By Blow The Jeff Beck Story book competition are Sue Davie from Edgware and John Rafferty From Stockport, Books are on the way.
Copies of the book by Brad Tolinski & Chris Gill are available at a Limited time deal can by bought from https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=blow+by+blow+the+jeff+beck+story&crid=C7N30N1JY9LE&sprefix=%2Caps%2C120&ref=nb_sb_ss_recent_1_0_recent or if you are in the US you can buy the book from https://www.amazon.com/Blow-Jeff-Beck-Story/dp/0306836580/ref=sr_1_1?
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.”
__________________
“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
My Little Runaway
Jackie Fox the bass player in The Runaways who played bass during their peak years from 1975 to 1977 posted this great throwback photo on Facebook this week of the door to the garage in the house she grew up in.
The gallery featured a photo she had taken with Rod and Britt Ekland at a party!
“That same old tingle that I feel inside / When that elevator starts its ride” That Old Black Magic
Meanwhile on Wednesday Rod ended the week leaving The Peninsula New York in Midtown Manhattan and got stuck in Prada’s elevator The main Prada New York 5th Avenue flagship is located very close to The Peninsula
But Luckily made it out in time to play a charity event in Southampton, Long Island for TeachRock a charity launched by Stevie Van Zandt with the Founders Board of Bono, Jackson Browne, Martin Scorsese, and Bruce Springsteen
Teachrock.org has provided free, standards-aligned resources to help teachers, students, and families succeed for more than a decade
TeachRock is on a mission to help every student discover joy, meaning, and a sense of purpose by bringing core curriculum to life through music and culture. 1 million students have found their purpose through TeachRock lessons powered by the music that shapes their world. Founded by Stevie Van Zandt, TeachRock gives teachers free, ready-to-use lesson plans that connect music, history, and culture to core subjects, making school relevant, engaging, and joyful.
The intimate private concert for 200 guests at the home of philanthropists Bob and Lauren Day Roberts was curated by producer and creative director Mark Aldridge and raised $1.7 million.
One of the highlights of the night was when Van Zandt joined Rod on stage for performances of Having a Party and Stay With Me.
Rod later commented “Playing alongside the legend that is Stevie Van Zandt for TeachRock — what a night,” adding “Music changed my life, and TeachRock is making sure it can change theirs too.”
For more information go to https://teachrock.org/about/
And Finally …
The One Last Time tour continues so anyone attending tonight’s show in Northwell at Jones Beach Wantagh, NY or Saturday at Veterans United Home Loan Mortgage Virginia Beach, VA or Tuesday at OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino Niagara Falls, NY please send in any photos or thoughts on the show
See you next week…