Gasoline Alley

Personnel: Rod Stewart (vocals, acoustic guitar); Rod Stewart; William Gaff (whistling); Ron Wood (guitar, acoustic guitar, bass instrument); Sam Mitchell (guitar); Dennis O'Flynn (violin, bass violin); Pete Sears (piano); Ronnie Lane (bass instrument); Kenney Jones, Kenny Jones (drums); Martin Quittenton (guitar, acoustic guitar); Stanley Matthews (mandolin); Dick Powell (violin); Ian McLagan (piano, organ); Mickey Waller (drums). With the help of his drinking buddies and members of the Faces (often one and the same), Rod Stewart made his breakout hit album, GASOLINE ALLEY. The marriage of bottleneck guitar and mandolin, abundant barrelhouse piano, and Rod the Mod's passionate rasp were the beginnings of a sound associated with Stewart up through the mid-'70s. After covering the Stones, Ewan McColl and Mike D'Abo on his debut album, Stewart included tunes by Dylan ("Only A Hobo"), Bobby Womack ("It's All Over Now"), and Elton John ("Country Comforts") for the follow-up. Although songs like the Stewart-penned "Lady Day" and "Jo's Lament" show off the bawdy Scot's more introspective side, "You're My Girl (I Don't Want To Discuss It)" is a hearty slice of rock & roll that could easily be a Faces number (seeing as Ron Wood, Ronnie Lane, and Kenny Jones back him up here). With GASOLINE ALLEY serving as a stylistic blueprint, the table was set for many of this album's participants to return and partake in the creation of EVERY PICTURE TELLS A STORY, Stewart's most successful album ever.

• Genre: Rock
• Format: CD
• Released: 3/31/1998