Faces May Replace Rod Stewart With Simply Red Singer for Tour
The surviving members of the Faces are planning to embark on a reunion tour in 2010, with or without singer Rod Stewart. Like Aerosmith, who are openly discussing replacing Steven Tyler should he depart to pursue solo opportunities, the Faces are facing facts: With Stewart planning to tour behind his new disc Soulbook into the new year, the remaining three members of the band — guitarist Ron Wood, drummer Kenney Jones and keyboardist Ian McLagan — hope go on their own road trip in 2010 with another singer in Stewart’s place, Billboard reports. “If we don’t do it very soon, one of us is gonna check out,” McLagan said. “We’ve been waiting and waiting for Rod to say yes; now he’s finally said no. He’s busy doing other shit. So we’re gonna do it.”
As Rolling Stone previously reported, the Faces briefly reunited in late 2008 and warmed up for a reunion tour. “We had a few fantastic rehearsals last week and we’re ready to go,” Wood told RS in December 2008. “It’s like no time has passed by.” Despite rumors that Stewart and Wood had written an album’s worth of new Faces songs, Stewart’s spokesperson quickly denied the claim, adding that the Faces would definitely not be reuniting for a tour in 2009 due to Stewart’s prior commitments. As Wood is still a member of the Rolling Stones, he’d also have to tour around his commitments to Mick and Keith, so the window for a Faces reunion grows smaller by the day.
McLagan told Billboard that the band was inspired by working with several vocalists during a London benefit show on October 25th, where the Faces performed with Simply Red’s Mick Hucknall and Squeeze’s Paul Carrack. “I think it’s more exciting, actually, with different singers, different bass players, maybe some other guests, another guitarist or whatever,” McLagan said, adding that Hucknall would definitely be asked if he’d like to join the group in some capacity for the tour.
Another issue at hand is who would replace Faces bassist Ronnie Lane, who passed away in 1997. Wood told RS that he heard Flea was interested in joining the reunited band in December 2008, but a year has passed and Flea has obligations to both the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Thom Yorke’s new live band in 2010. Former Stones bassist Bill Wyman sat in with the Faces at the London benefit, but it’s unlikely he would tour with the group. Instead, McLagan hopes to recruit former Sex Pistols/Rich Kids bassist Glenn Matlock.
In other Stewart news, the singer has been sued for $3.3 million by entertainment firm Glaser, Weil, Fink, Jacobs, Howard & Shapiro for unpaid legal fees, the AP reports. Stewart was involved in three legal cases — a copyright infringement case, a lawsuit by a concert promoter and one case where a jury ruled Stewart owed a Las Vegas hotel $2 million for a canceled concert — and the firm is now alleging he never paid the tab for their work.
Related Stories:
• Despite Rumors, No Faces Reunion Tour or Album in 2009
• Ron Wood Says Faces Reunion Tour Is “Ready to Go”
• Faces Keyboardist Says Faces Are “Serious” About Reunion