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In the expansive landscape of soul and R&B music, few groups have maintained the devoted following and consistent musical excellence of Maze. Born from the creative vision of Frankie Beverly in Philadelphia in 1970, Maze began its journey as Raw Soul before relocating to San Francisco in 1971, where the group’s fortunes would change dramatically after an introduction to Marvin Gaye. The legendary singer not only took them on tour as his opening act but also suggested they change their name, with founding member Roame Lowry ultimately suggesting “Maze.” This pivotal moment led to the group signing with Capitol Records in 1976 and releasing their debut album “Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly” in 1977, launching a career that would span decades.

Throughout their history, Maze released nine gold albums between 1977 and 1993, establishing themselves as a formidable force in soul music. Their catalog includes widely beloved hits such as “Happy Feelings,” “While I’m Alone,” “Golden Time of Day,” “Southern Girl,” “Joy and Pain,” “Before I Let Go,” and “Back in Stride.” The band became known for their distinctive laid-back yet soulful sound, impeccable musicianship, and Beverly’s smooth, unmistakable vocals. Perhaps most notably, Maze cultivated one of the most loyal fan bases in music, with audiences traditionally donning all-white attire at their concerts to honor the group’s signature stage appearance.

Maze’s journey includes a transition from Capitol Records to Warner Brothers in 1989, continuing their gold record streak with albums like “Silky Soul” and “Back to Basics.” Although the band experienced various lineup changes throughout the decades, they remained a consistent live draw, selling out venues across the United States and building a particularly strong following in the United Kingdom. The band’s final chapter began in July 2023 when Frankie Beverly gave his farewell performances in his hometown of Philadelphia, retiring after more than five decades in music. His retirement came shortly after a significant split in May 2023, when several long-time members departed to form their own group, TMF (“The Music Forever”), while the remaining Maze configuration announced plans to continue as “Maze Honoring Frankie Beverly.”

Frankie Beverly

Howard “Frankie” Beverly, born December 6, 1946, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the founder, lead vocalist, songwriter, producer, arranger, keyboardist, and guitarist of Maze. Beverly’s musical journey began in church, where he performed solos as a child. By age 12, he had renamed himself “Frankie” in homage to his idol Frankie Lymon of the Teenagers. Beverly’s early career included forming The Butlers in Philadelphia during his high school years, recording singles like “The Sun’s Message” and “She Tried to Kiss Me.”

In 1970, Beverly established Raw Soul, which would evolve into Maze following the group’s relocation to San Francisco in 1971. After struggling initially, the band secured a regular gig at a club called The Scene. Their fortunes changed dramatically when Marvin Gaye saw them perform, taking them on tour and helping secure their recording contract with Capitol Records. Beverly’s creative vision has been the consistent driving force behind Maze, as he wrote, produced, and arranged all of the group’s material.

Beverly’s distinctive smooth vocals and soul-stirring compositions yielded the band’s signature sound, a blend of Philadelphia soul with a laid-back California vibe. Under his leadership, Maze released nine gold albums between 1977 and 1993, with hits including “Happy Feelin’s,” “While I’m Alone,” “Golden Time of Day,” “Joy and Pain,” and “Before I Let Go.” His song “Back in Stride” gave the group their first #1 R&B hit in 1985, followed by another chart-topper with “Can’t Get Over You.”

After more than five decades of performing, Beverly retired in July 2023, with his final concerts appropriately held in his hometown of Philadelphia at the Dell Music Center. Throughout his career, he maintained artistic integrity, focusing on soul music that connected deeply with audiences even as musical trends changed. His legacy includes not only his own musical contributions but also providing opportunities for artists like Toni Braxton, Regina Belle, and Anita Baker to gain exposure as opening acts for Maze.

McKinley “Bug” Williams

McKinley “Bug” Williams, a Philadelphia native, was an original member of Maze and Frankie Beverly’s lifetime friend and musical partner. Williams served as the band’s percussionist and background vocalist from its inception until his passing in 2011. His relationship with Beverly began when they were teenagers around age 13 or 14, with both young men singing in local groups and in church.

When the original lineup of The Butlers (Beverly’s high school group) disbanded, Williams joined Beverly’s musical journey. He remained with Beverly through the transition from Raw Soul to Maze, contributing his percussion skills and vocals to every Maze album from their self-titled 1977 debut through their final studio release, “Back to Basics” in 1993.

Williams was often described as the “Tambourine Man” by fans and was known as the guardian and “Papa Hen” of the band. According to Beverly, Williams was “an excellent, schooled musician, top of the line” who “knew music” and was “very well respected.” He kept the band in line and was regarded with deep affection by his bandmates and fans alike.

On September 2, 2011, Williams died suddenly of an apparent heart attack at age 65 while the band was in Chattanooga, Tennessee, for a performance. His passing was a significant loss to the Maze family, with Beverly later remarking, “Bug was my brother. He was with me for 50 years. He was the father of the band, very much like the guardian of the band.” Beverly considered Williams irreplaceable, stating, “Someone asked me if I was going to replace him. I said, ‘That’s impossible, there is no replacing Bug.’”

Roame Lowry

Roame Lowry stands as a pivotal figure in Maze’s history as the last remaining original member alongside Frankie Beverly until May 2023. Serving as the band’s congas player and background vocalist, Lowry’s contributions extend beyond his musical talents to include naming the band itself. When Marvin Gaye suggested that Raw Soul needed a new name in 1976, it was Lowry who proposed “Maze,” establishing the identity that would define their career for over four decades.

Lowry’s percussion work and vocals appear on every Maze album from their 1977 debut through their final studio release in 1993. His distinctive conga rhythms helped shape the group’s signature sound, blending Philadelphia soul traditions with West Coast smoothness. Throughout Maze’s touring years, Lowry remained a constant presence alongside Beverly, creating the rhythmic foundation for their live performances.

In May 2023, after more than 50 years of collaboration with Beverly, Lowry departed Maze amid a labor dispute with Beverly’s management. He subsequently became a founding member of TMF (“The Music Forever”), a group formed by former Maze musicians to continue their musical legacy. As the last original Maze member besides Beverly himself, Lowry’s departure marked the end of an era for the band that had begun in Philadelphia in the early 1970s.

Robin Duhe

Robin Duhe, born in Oakland, California, was the longest-serving bassist for Maze, performing with the group for over three decades. Coming from a large musical family, Duhe began his musical journey in third grade, initially playing trumpet before switching to French horn in high school. His transition to string instruments occurred when his mother gave him a four-string guitar, which he instinctively played like a bass, finding his true instrumental calling.

After high school, Duhe performed around the San Francisco Bay Area with groups including the Soul Messengers, backing artists like Etta James and Bobby Womack. While attending college, he was introduced to members of Frankie Beverly’s band and joined what would become Maze, remaining with them for more than 30 years.

Duhe’s dynamic bass lines provided the foundation for many of Maze’s classic recordings, including “Happy Feelin’s,” “Golden Time of Day,” “Joy and Pain,” and “Back in Stride.” His playing style embodied the laid-back yet groove-oriented approach that defined the group’s sound. He appeared on all of Maze’s studio albums from their 1977 self-titled debut through their final album “Back to Basics” in 1993.

In 2004, Duhe began a solo career with the release of his first album “Do It Duhe,” followed by “Life” in 2009. His solo work evolved from the R&B sound he cultivated with Maze to incorporate smooth jazz with R&B undertones and eventually a fusion of various genres. In 2022, he released a contemporary jazz single titled “Cruis’n,” continuing to build on his musical legacy beyond his time with Maze.

Wayne Thomas

Wayne Thomas, also known as Wuane Thomas, was one of the original guitarists for Maze, joining when the band was still known as Raw Soul in the early 1970s. As a founding member of Maze, Thomas contributed his guitar skills to the band’s early development and their transition from Philadelphia to San Francisco.

Thomas played lead guitar on Maze’s self-titled debut album in 1977, helping establish the band’s distinctive sound with his melodic guitar work on tracks like “Happy Feelin’s,” “While I’m Alone,” and “Lady of Magic.” His guitar style blended elements of soul, funk, and jazz, complementing Frankie Beverly’s compositions with tasteful, understated playing that prioritized the overall groove.

After contributing to several of the band’s early albums, Thomas eventually departed Maze as the group experienced lineup changes throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s. He later returned to work with the band on their 1985 album “Can’t Stop the Love,” demonstrating his continued musical connection with Beverly’s vision. Thomas’s guitar work helped define Maze’s early sound and laid the groundwork for the guitar approach that would become part of their signature style throughout their career.

Ron Smith

Ron Smith joined Maze as a guitarist during a period of personnel changes in the late 1970s, making his debut on the album “Joy and Pain” (1980). He replaced earlier guitarist Wayne Thomas, bringing a fresh guitar approach to the group’s evolving sound.

Smith’s guitar work can be heard on several of Maze’s successful albums, including “Joy and Pain” (1980), “We Are One” (1983), and “Can’t Stop the Love” (1985). His playing contributed to hit singles like “Southern Girl,” “The Look in Your Eyes,” “Joy and Pain,” and “Running Away.” Smith’s guitar style complemented the band’s smooth soul sound, providing tasteful rhythm parts and melodic solos that enhanced without overshadowing Beverly’s vocals.

As a member of Maze through much of the 1980s, Smith was part of the band’s lineup during their popular live shows, including performances that would be captured on the albums “Live in New Orleans” (1981) and “Live in Los Angeles” (1986). His contributions helped maintain the band’s musical consistency even as personnel shifted around the core of Beverly and original members like McKinley Williams and Roame Lowry.

Smith later returned to work with Maze on their Warner Brothers albums “Silky Soul” (1989) and “Back to Basics” (1993), helping the band achieve gold status with these final studio releases. His long association with the group underscores his importance to their sound during their most commercially successful period.

Sam Porter

Sam Porter was a keyboardist who joined Maze during their early days as the band transitioned from Raw Soul to Maze. As one of the original members of the newly named Maze in 1976, Porter contributed to establishing the group’s signature sound on their Capitol Records debut.

Porter’s keyboard work can be heard on Maze’s self-titled 1977 debut album and their follow-up “Golden Time of Day” (1978), providing melodic support and harmonic richness that complemented Beverly’s compositions. His playing style blended elements of soul, jazz, and funk, helping to create the smooth, sophisticated sound that would become the band’s trademark.

After departing from the main lineup, Porter returned to contribute to Maze’s 1985 album “Can’t Stop the Love,” which featured the band’s first #1 R&B hit “Back in Stride.” Throughout his time with Maze, Porter collaborated closely with Frankie Beverly to translate Beverly’s musical vision through his keyboard arrangements and performances, helping to create the distinctive Maze sound that earned them a devoted following.

Joe Provost

Joe Provost served as the drummer for Maze during their formative period, joining the group in its early days after they relocated to San Francisco and became the house band at a local club called The Scene. As one of the original members of Maze when they signed with Capitol Records in 1976, Provost provided the rhythmic foundation for the band’s earliest recordings.

Provost’s drumming can be heard on Maze’s self-titled debut album released in 1977, which included the hit singles “Happy Feelin’s,” “While I’m Alone,” and “Lady of Magic.” His playing style contributed to the laid-back yet groove-oriented approach that defined Maze’s sound, complementing the percussion work of fellow rhythm section member Roame Lowry.

After contributing to the band’s successful debut, Provost departed Maze as the group underwent several personnel changes in their early years. His drumming on their first gold record helped establish the rhythmic template that would influence the band’s approach throughout their career, even as other drummers took his place in subsequent years.

Ahaguna Sun

Ahaguna Sun joined Maze as a drummer for their third album, “Inspiration,” released in 1979. Taking over from Joe Provost, Sun brought a fresh rhythmic approach to the band’s evolving sound as they continued to refine their musical identity.

On “Inspiration,” Sun’s drumming supported hit tracks like “Feel That You’re Feelin’,” helping to earn the album gold certification and further establish Maze’s reputation for sophisticated soul music. His playing style maintained the laid-back groove that characterized Maze’s sound while adding his own subtle touches to the rhythmic foundation.

Sun’s tenure with Maze was relatively brief, as he was replaced by Billy Johnson for the band’s fourth album, “Joy and Pain,” in 1980. Despite his short time with the group, Sun’s contributions to “Inspiration” helped maintain Maze’s commercial and artistic momentum during a crucial period in their development, as they solidified their place in the soul music landscape of the late 1970s.

Billy Johnson

Billy Johnson, also known as Billy “Shoes” Johnson, joined Maze as their drummer in 1980, making his debut on the album “Joy and Pain.” Taking over from previous drummer Ahaguna Sun, Johnson brought a solid rhythmic foundation to the band during a significant period in their development.

Johnson’s crisp, precise drumming can be heard on several of Maze’s successful albums, including “Joy and Pain” (1980), the live album “Live in New Orleans” (1981), and “We Are One” (1983). His playing supported hit singles like “Southern Girl,” “Joy and Pain,” “Running Away,” and “Love is the Key,” helping to maintain the group’s commercial success throughout the early 1980s.

As Maze’s primary drummer during much of their Capitol Records period, Johnson’s rhythmic contributions were essential to the band’s laid-back yet groove-oriented sound. His ability to maintain the pocket while adding subtle embellishments complemented Beverly’s compositions and the overall ensemble approach that characterized Maze’s music.

Johnson’s tenure with Maze established him as an important member of their classic lineup, helping to define their sound during the peak of their popularity. His drumming on both studio albums and their acclaimed live recordings demonstrated his versatility and sensitivity to the band’s musical dynamics.

Carl Wheeler

Carl Wheeler joined Maze as a keyboardist in the late 1970s, becoming one of the band’s most enduring members. His organ and keyboard work helped define the group’s sound through multiple iterations of their lineup over several decades.

Wheeler’s keyboards can be heard on numerous Maze albums, including “Joy and Pain” (1980), “Live in New Orleans” (1981), “We Are One” (1983), and subsequent releases. His playing style, which blended soul, jazz, and funk influences, provided harmonic richness and melodic support that complemented Beverly’s vocals and compositions. Wheeler’s organ work, in particular, added emotional depth to Maze’s ballads and mid-tempo grooves.

Prior to joining Maze, Wheeler was an alumnus of the band Tony Toni Toné, bringing that musical experience to Maze’s evolving sound. His long tenure with the group established him as a core member, providing continuity through various personnel changes around the foundation of Beverly, Williams, and Lowry.

Wheeler remained with Maze through their later years, continuing to perform with the band well into the 2000s. His keyboard contributions were an integral part of their live shows, helping to recreate the band’s classic studio sound while adding spontaneous elements that enhanced their reputation as an exceptional live act.

Philip Woo

Philip Woo joined Maze as a keyboardist and synthesizer player in the late 1970s, contributing to the band’s evolving sound as they expanded their musical palette. His addition brought contemporary keyboard textures that complemented the traditional organ and piano parts in Maze’s arrangements.

Woo’s synthesizer and keyboard work can be heard on several Maze albums, including “Joy and Pain” (1980), “We Are One” (1983), and others from their Capitol Records period. His playing added sonic depth and color to tracks like “Joy and Pain,” “Southern Girl,” and “We Are One,” enhancing the band’s smooth soul sound with modern electronic elements.

As part of Maze’s keyboard section alongside Carl Wheeler, Woo helped create the lush, layered arrangements that characterized many of the band’s recordings. His contributions were particularly valuable as Maze navigated the changing musical landscape of the early 1980s, incorporating contemporary sounds while maintaining their soulful essence.

Woo also contributed to Maze’s acclaimed live performances during his tenure with the band, helping to translate their studio sound to the concert stage. His work with Maze established him as a skilled keyboardist in the soul and R&B world, with a distinctive approach to synthesizer playing that enhanced the group’s signature sound.

Wayne “Ziggy” Lindsay

Wayne “Ziggy” Lindsay joined Maze as a keyboard player and synthesizer specialist in the mid-1980s, contributing to the band’s evolving sound during a period of commercial success. His keyboard work complemented the band’s established sound while adding contemporary elements that helped keep their music fresh.

Lindsay’s synthesizer and keyboard talents can be heard on Maze’s 1985 album “Can’t Stop the Love,” which featured the group’s first #1 R&B hit “Back in Stride” and the Top 5 follow-up “Too Many Games.” His playing helped update the band’s sound for the mid-1980s while maintaining the soulful essence that defined Maze’s music.

Working alongside other keyboard players in various Maze lineups, Lindsay contributed to the lush, layered arrangements that characterized the band’s recordings. His ability to blend traditional soul keyboard approaches with modern synthesizer textures gave Maze’s music a contemporary edge while respecting their musical heritage.

Lindsay’s contributions to Maze during the mid-1980s helped the band achieve some of their greatest commercial success, demonstrating his skill at crafting keyboard parts that enhanced Beverly’s compositions without overwhelming their inherent soulfulness. His work with Maze represents an important chapter in the band’s long musical evolution.

Larry Kimpel

Larry “Bear” Kimpel joined Maze as a bassist in the early 2000s, becoming one of the band’s longest-serving later members. Before joining Maze, Kimpel had already established himself as a respected bassist, beginning his professional career in 1978 as the bass player for Mavis Staples and The Staple Singers, and recording in the studios of his native Chicago with artists like Gene Chandler, Jerry Butler, and Shirley Bassey.

During his approximately 20-year tenure with Maze, Kimpel not only served as the band’s bassist but also as Musical Director, guiding the ensemble through their later period. His solid, groove-oriented bass playing maintained the smooth, soulful foundation that had characterized Maze’s sound since their inception, while adding his own musical personality to the mix.

In addition to his work with Maze, Kimpel recorded and toured with numerous notable artists including Steve Perry of Journey, Babyface, Whitney Houston, George Duke, Anita Baker, and Diana Ross, demonstrating his versatility and skill across various musical styles. His broad experience in R&B, soul, pop, and jazz informed his approach to Maze’s music, helping to keep their sound vibrant during their later years.

In May 2023, Kimpel was among the long-time Maze members who departed the band due to a labor dispute with Beverly’s management. He subsequently became a founding member of TMF (“The Music Forever”), a group formed by former Maze musicians to continue their musical legacy independently.

Vance “Maestro” Taylor

Vance “Maestro” Taylor joined Maze as a keyboardist in May 2003, becoming an important part of the band’s later lineup. Before joining Maze, Taylor had already established himself as a professional musician, landing his first professional gig at age 22 touring with Grammy Award-winning artist Peabo Bryson.

During his approximately 20-year tenure with Maze, Taylor’s keyboard work helped maintain the lush, melodic quality that had long been a hallmark of the band’s sound. His playing style, which incorporated elements of soul, jazz, and gospel, provided rich harmonic support for Beverly’s vocals while adding tasteful solos and embellishments that enhanced the band’s arrangements.

Beyond his work with Maze, Taylor had a diverse career performing and recording with artists like Earth, Wind & Fire, Elton John, Aretha Franklin, Will Downing, and Toni Braxton, for whom he served as musical director. This broad experience with some of music’s biggest names informed his approach to Maze’s music, helping to keep their sound fresh while respecting its traditional elements.

In May 2023, Taylor was among the long-time Maze members who departed the band due to a labor dispute with Beverly’s management. He subsequently became a founding member of TMF (“The Music Forever”), a group formed by former Maze musicians to continue their musical legacy independently. Taylor also released a solo contemporary jazz/funk album titled “Long Overdue,” showcasing his talents as a keyboard player and composer outside the context of Maze.

Jubu Smith

Jubu Smith (born John Smith) joined Maze as lead guitarist in the early 2000s, becoming one of the band’s most prominent later members. Prior to joining Maze, Smith had established himself as a skilled guitarist, working as a sideman for various artists and touring with Tony Toni Toné, whose members had connections to Maze’s earlier lineup.

During his approximately 20-year tenure with Maze, Smith became known for his dynamic guitar work, which blended elements of blues, soul, and jazz. His playing style, often compared to that of B.B. King with its strong, melodic, bluesy tone, added a contemporary dimension to Maze’s classic sound while respecting the band’s musical traditions. Smith’s guitar solos became highlights of Maze’s live performances, earning him a strong following among the band’s devoted fans.

Beyond his work with Maze, Smith recorded with numerous high-profile artists including Luther Vandross, Mary J. Blige, Boyz II Men, Toni Braxton, George Duke, and George Benson, demonstrating his versatility across different styles of R&B, soul, and jazz. These diverse experiences informed his approach to Maze’s music, allowing him to honor the band’s legacy while adding his own musical personality.

In May 2023, Smith was among the long-time Maze members who departed the band due to a labor dispute with Beverly’s management. He subsequently became a founding member of TMF (“The Music Forever”), a group formed by former Maze musicians to continue their musical legacy independently. Outside of Maze, Smith also fronted his own soul-blues band called Legally Blynd, showcasing his talents as a bandleader and vocalist in addition to his guitar skills.

Calvin Napper

Calvin Napper joined Maze as their drummer in the late 2000s, becoming an integral part of the band’s rhythm section during their later years. A Grammy Award-winning drummer from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Napper brought considerable experience to Maze, having previously performed and recorded with artists across various genres.

During his approximately 13-year tenure with Maze, Napper provided the solid rhythmic foundation that had always been essential to the band’s laid-back yet groove-oriented sound. His precise, tasteful drumming maintained the pocket while adding subtle embellishments that enhanced Beverly’s compositions and complemented the overall ensemble’s performance.

Outside of his work with Maze, Napper collaborated with numerous notable artists including Donnie McClurkin (with whom he won a Grammy Award in 2005 for “Psalms, Hymns & Spiritual Songs”), Kirk Franklin, Shirley Caesar, Stephanie Mills, Patti LaBelle, and many others across gospel, R&B, jazz, and soul genres. This diverse experience informed his approach to Maze’s music, allowing him to honor the band’s rhythmic traditions while adding his own personal touches.

Napper also established himself as a solo artist, releasing several albums including “Sticks of Praise” (1999), “Soul Rhythms” (2005), “Good Vibes” (2015), and “Making Moves” (2020), demonstrating his versatility as both a drummer and producer. His production work extended to DVD projects including “Diligent Hands” (2004) and “Rhythmic Inspiration” (2007).

In May 2023, Napper was among the long-time Maze members who departed the band due to a labor dispute with Beverly’s management. He subsequently became a founding member of TMF (“The Music Forever”), a group formed by former Maze musicians to continue their musical legacy independently.

Daniel Weatherspoon

Daniel “Spoon” Weatherspoon was the newest member of Maze’s later lineup, joining the band in the years preceding their 2023 split. A Grammy and Dove Award-winning keyboardist, producer, composer, and musical director based in the Washington, D.C. area, Weatherspoon brought considerable experience and expertise to Maze during his brief tenure with the group.

Known for his passionate, jazz-influenced gospel and R&B playing style, Weatherspoon contributed keyboard parts that complemented the band’s established sound while adding contemporary elements. His musical background, which blended gospel, jazz, and R&B influences, aligned well with Maze’s soulful aesthetic, allowing him to integrate seamlessly into their performances.

In May 2023, shortly after joining Maze, Weatherspoon was among the band members who departed due to a labor dispute with Beverly’s management. He subsequently became a founding member of TMF (“The Music Forever”), a group formed by former Maze musicians to continue their musical legacy independently.

Despite his relatively brief association with Maze itself, Weatherspoon’s inclusion in TMF alongside longer-serving Maze members like Roame Lowry, Larry Kimpel, Vance Taylor, Jubu Smith, and Calvin Napper indicates the respect his fellow musicians had for his talents and his connection to the musical tradition they were seeking to maintain.

Tony Lindsay

Tony Lindsay joined Maze in 2023 as their new lead vocalist following Frankie Beverly’s retirement. After Beverly gave his farewell performances in Philadelphia in July 2023, the remaining members of Maze (not including those who had departed to form TMF) announced plans to continue as “Maze Honoring Frankie Beverly” with Lindsay as their frontman.

Before joining Maze, Lindsay was best known for his long tenure as a lead vocalist with Santana, demonstrating his ability to perform in a band with a strong musical legacy and devoted following. His extensive experience as a professional singer prepared him for the challenging task of stepping into Beverly’s role while respecting the original vocalist’s unique style and connection with fans.

Lindsay’s role represents a new chapter in Maze’s history, as the band attempts to continue their musical legacy without their founder and defining voice. While it remains to be seen how fans will ultimately receive this iteration of Maze, Lindsay’s credentials as a respected vocalist with Santana suggest an attempt to maintain a high level of quality and musical integrity as the band moves forward in honoring Beverly’s contributions to soul music.

Michael White

Michael White joined Maze as a drummer in the mid-1980s, becoming part of the band’s lineup during an important transitional period. His drumming can be heard on Maze’s live album “Live in Los Angeles,” recorded in 1986, which captured the band’s dynamic concert performances during this era.

White’s precise, groove-oriented drumming helped maintain the rhythmic foundation that had always been essential to Maze’s sound. His playing complemented the percussion work of original member Roame Lowry, creating the pocket that supported Beverly’s vocals and the band’s smooth instrumental arrangements.

As part of Maze’s rhythm section during the mid-1980s, White contributed to the band’s evolving sound as they transitioned from their Capitol Records period to their later work with Warner Brothers. His drumming helped bridge these different phases of the band’s career, maintaining continuity in their rhythmic approach while accommodating changes in their overall musical direction.

White’s contributions to Maze, particularly on their “Live in Los Angeles” album, helped document the band’s acclaimed live performances, which were a major factor in their enduring popularity and passionate fan base. His work with Maze established him as a skilled drummer in the soul and R&B world, capable of supporting a band known for its sophisticated, groove-oriented approach.

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Luther Vandross grew up in the Kips Bay neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, where his early exposure to music in a household filled with records and live performances would define his path. He was the youngest of four children in a family that cherished music, and his mother Mary Ida Vandross, a nurse, supported his ambitions after the death of his father when Luther was just eight years old. His journey into professional music began in earnest during his teenage years, singing in groups and eventually joining a workshop that gave him exposure to the business side of the industry. He attended Western Michigan University for a brief period before returning home to fully commit to a career in music.

His earliest professional break came in the early 1970s when he worked as a background vocalist and vocal arranger. Vandross quickly became one of the most in-demand session singers in New York, lending his voice to tracks by David Bowie, Roberta Flack, Chaka Khan, Donna Summer, Bette Midler, and Diana Ross. One of his most influential early roles was providing background vocals and arrangements on Bowie’s Young Americans album, including the title track and “Fascination.” His powerful voice was also part of Chic’s “Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah),” further cementing his influence in the disco and R&B worlds even before releasing his own solo material.

Before establishing himself as a solo act, Vandross formed the group Luther in the mid-1970s, releasing two albums: Luther (1976) and This Close to You (1977). Despite his talent and the quality of the music, both records failed commercially, leading to the group being dropped by their label. Still, these setbacks didn’t deter Vandross. He returned to session work and songwriting, penning “Everybody Rejoice” for The Wiz and continuing to develop his solo sound in the background. His persistence paid off when he was signed to Epic Records and released Never Too Much in 1981.

Never Too Much marked the formal launch of Vandross’s solo career and became an instant success. The title track shot to the top of the R&B charts and remains one of his signature songs. The album itself was certified platinum and established his unique blend of smooth soul, romantic lyrics, and intricate vocal arrangements. It began a string of commercially and critically successful releases throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Albums like Forever, for Always, for Love (1982), Busy Body (1983), The Night I Fell in Love (1985), and Give Me the Reason (1986) dominated the R&B landscape and earned him legions of devoted fans.

Across his career, Luther Vandross released thirteen studio albums, beginning with Never Too Much and culminating with Dance with My Father in 2003. His albums consistently charted, and several achieved multi-platinum sales. Among his best-known singles are “Here and Now,” “So Amazing,” “Power of Love/Love Power,” “A House Is Not a Home,” and his iconic rendition of “If Only for One Night.” His ability to interpret a song with emotional depth and technical precision made him a favorite among both listeners and fellow artists. He also earned widespread acclaim for his duet work, collaborating with Mariah Carey on “Endless Love,” with Beyoncé on “The Closer I Get to You,” and with Dionne Warwick on “How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye.”

Vandross’s accolades are as extensive as his catalog. He won eight Grammy Awards, including four in 2004 alone—highlighted by Song of the Year for “Dance with My Father,” a deeply personal track inspired by the loss of his own father. He also won Best Male R&B Vocal Performance four times and was awarded American Music Awards, Soul Train Awards, and NAACP Image Awards. Despite not always being recognized by pop radio, Vandross was a constant force on the R&B charts, with seven No. 1 albums on the Top R&B Albums chart and multiple top-ten Billboard 200 placements.

One of the defining features of Vandross’s appeal was his unwavering focus on love songs. While his contemporaries explored political and social themes, Vandross doubled down on emotional intimacy and romantic longing. His approach made him a beloved figure at weddings, anniversaries, and other milestones in people’s lives. His artistry elevated the quiet storm format and gave voice to romantic yearning in a way that felt both timeless and deeply personal. His rich tenor, flawless phrasing, and silky vibrato became a standard by which vocalists were measured.

Outside of the recording studio, Vandross maintained a low public profile but contributed generously to numerous causes. He was a supporter of diabetes and stroke awareness, especially after he experienced significant health issues in the early 2000s. Following a severe stroke in 2003, Vandross never fully returned to performing, but his final album Dance with My Father became a triumphant farewell, resonating with fans and critics alike. The emotional weight of the title track, combined with the vulnerability of its delivery, earned him a Grammy posthumously and became one of the most celebrated songs of his career.

Luther Vandross passed away on July 1, 2005, at the age of 54. His death marked the loss of one of R&B’s most technically gifted and emotionally honest singers. Yet his music continues to be a staple on radio, streaming platforms, and playlists across generations. He left behind a legacy of love songs that defined decades and provided the soundtrack to countless lives. His influence can be heard in the vocal stylings of artists like Usher, John Legend, and Ne-Yo, all of whom have cited him as a major inspiration.

Beyond the accolades and commercial success, Vandross is remembered most for his ability to make listeners feel seen, heard, and cherished. Whether he was singing about unrequited love, everlasting devotion, or quiet longing, he did so with unmatched sincerity and elegance. His music never chased trends—it set a standard. That timeless quality is why new audiences continue to discover him, and why longtime fans hold his work as sacred.

Complete List Of Luther Vandross Songs From A to Z

1. A House Is Not a Home – Never Too Much – 1981
2. A Kiss for Christmas – This Is Christmas – 1995
3. Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now – Songs – 1994
4. All the Woman I Need – Songs – 1994
5. Always and Forever – Songs – 1994
6. Any Day Now – Luther Vandross – 2001
7. Any Love – Any Love – 1988
8. Anyone Who Had a Heart – Give Me the Reason – 1986
9. Apologize – Dance with My Father – 2003
10. Are You Gonna Love Me – Any Love – 1988
11. Are You Mad at Me? – I Know – 1998
12. Are You There (With Another Guy) – Luther Vandross – 2001
13. Are You Using Me? – I Know – 1998
14. At Christmas Time – This Is Christmas – 1995
15. Bad Boy/Having a Party – Forever, for Always, for Love – 1982
16. Because It’s Really Love – Give Me the Reason – 1986
17. Better Love – Forever, for Always, for Love – 1982
18. Bring Your Heart to Mine – Luther Vandross – 2001
19. Busy Body – Busy Body – 1983
20. Buy Me a Rose – Dance with My Father – 2003
21. Can Heaven Wait – Luther Vandross – 2001
22. Can’t Be Doin’ That Now – Never Let Me Go – 1993
23. Come Back – Any Love – 1988
24. Crazy Love – Your Secret Love – 1996
25. Creepin’ – The Night I Fell in Love – 1985
26. Dance with My Father – Dance with My Father – 2003
27. Don’t Want to Be a Fool – Power of Love – 1991
28. Don’t You Know That? – Never Too Much – 1981
29. Dream Lover – I Know – 1998
30. Emotion Eyes – Never Let Me Go – 1993
31. Emotional Love – Power of Love – 1991
32. Endless Love – Songs – 1994
33. Evergreen – Songs – 1994
34. Every Year, Every Christmas – This Is Christmas – 1995
35. For the Sweetness of Your Love – Busy Body – 1983
36. For You to Love – Any Love – 1988
37. Forever, for Always, for Love – Forever, for Always, for Love – 1982
38. Get It Right – I Know – 1998
39. Give Me the Reason – Give Me the Reason – 1986
40. Goin’ Out of My Head – Your Secret Love – 1996
41. Going in Circles – Songs – 1994
42. Grown Thangs – Luther Vandross – 2001
43. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas – This Is Christmas – 1995
44. Hearts Get Broken All the Time (But the Problem Is, This Time It’s Mine) – Luther Vandross – 2001
45. Heaven Knows – Never Let Me Go – 1993
46. Hello – Songs – 1994
47. Hit It Again – Dance with My Father – 2003
48. How Deep Is Your Love/Love Don’t Love Nobody – Never Let Me Go – 1993
49. How Do I Tell Her – Luther Vandross – 2001
50. How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye? – Busy Body – 1983
51. Hustle – Never Let Me Go – 1993
52. I (Who Have Nothing) – Power of Love – 1991
53. I Can Make It Better – Your Secret Love – 1996
54. I Can Tell You That – Power of Love – 1991
55. I Can’t Wait No Longer (Let’s Do This) – Your Secret Love – 1996
56. I Gave It Up (When I Fell in Love) – Give Me the Reason – 1986
57. I Know – I Know – 1998
58. I Know You Want to – Any Love – 1988
59. I Listen to the Bells – This Is Christmas – 1995
60. I Really Didn’t Mean It – Give Me the Reason – 1986
61. I Want the Night to Stay – Power of Love – 1991
62. I Wanted Your Love – Busy Body – 1983
63. I Wonder – Any Love – 1988
64. I’d Rather – Luther Vandross – 2001
65. I’ll Let You Slide – Busy Body – 1983
66. I’m Gonna Start Today – Power of Love – 1991
67. I’m Only Human – I Know – 1998
68. I’ve Been Working – Never Too Much – 1981
69. If I Didn’t Know Better – Dance with My Father – 2003
70. If I Was the One – Luther Vandross – 2001
71. If It Ain’t One Thing – Dance with My Father – 2003
72. If Only for One Night – The Night I Fell in Love – 1985
73. Isn’t There Someone – I Know – 1998
74. It’s Hard for Me to Say – Your Secret Love – 1996
75. It’s Over Now – The Night I Fell in Love – 1985
76. Keeping My Faith in You – I Know – 1998
77. Killing Me Softly – Songs – 1994
78. Knocks Me Off My Feet – Your Secret Love – 1996
79. Lady, Lady – Never Let Me Go – 1993
80. Let’s Make Tonight the Night – Luther Vandross – 2001
81. Like I’m Invisible – Luther Vandross – 2001
82. Little Miracles (Happen Every Day) – Never Let Me Go – 1993
83. Love Don’t Love You Anymore – Your Secret Love – 1996
84. Love Forgot – Luther Vandross – 2001
85. Love Is On the Way (Real Love) – Never Let Me Go – 1993
86. Love Me Again – Never Let Me Go – 1993
87. Love the One You’re With – Songs – 1994
88. Love Won’t Let Me Wait – Any Love – 1988
89. Lovely Day – Dance with My Father – 2003
90. Lovely Day (Part II) – Dance with My Father – 2003
91. Make Me a Believer – Busy Body – 1983
92. May Christmas Bring You Happiness – This Is Christmas – 1995
93. My Favorite Things – This Is Christmas – 1995
94. My Sensitivity (Gets in the Way) – The Night I Fell in Love – 1985
95. Never Let Me Go – Never Let Me Go – 1993
96. Never Too Much – Never Too Much – 1981
97. Nights in Harlem – I Know – 1998
98. Nights in Harlem (Darkchild Extended Remix) – I Know – 1998
99. Nobody to Love – Your Secret Love – 1996
100. Now That I Have You – I Know – 1998
101. O Come, All Ye Faithful – This Is Christmas – 1995
102. Once Were Lovers – Dance with My Father – 2003
103. Once You Know How – Forever, for Always, for Love – 1982
104. Other Side of the World – The Night I Fell in Love – 1985
105. Please Come Home for Christmas – This Is Christmas – 1995
106. Power of Love/Love Power – Power of Love – 1991
107. Promise Me – Forever, for Always, for Love – 1982
108. Reflections – Songs – 1994
109. Religion – I Know – 1998
110. Right in the Middle – Dance with My Father – 2003
111. Say It Now – Luther Vandross – 2001
112. See Me – Give Me the Reason – 1986
113. She Doesn’t Mind – Power of Love – 1991
114. She Loves Me Back – Forever, for Always, for Love – 1982
115. She Saw You – Dance with My Father – 2003
116. She Won’t Talk to Me – Any Love – 1988
117. She’s a Super Lady – Never Too Much – 1981
118. Since I Lost My Baby – Forever, for Always, for Love – 1982
119. Since You’ve Been Gone – Songs – 1994
120. So Amazing – Give Me the Reason – 1986
121. Sometimes It’s Only Love – Power of Love – 1991
122. Stop to Love – Give Me the Reason – 1986
123. Sugar and Spice (I Found Me a Girl) – Never Too Much – 1981
124. Superstar/Until You Come Back to Me (That’s What I’m Gonna Do) – Busy Body – 1983
125. Take You Out – Luther Vandross – 2001
126. The Closer I Get to You – Dance with My Father – 2003
127. The Christmas Song – This Is Christmas – 1995
128. The Impossible Dream (The Quest) – Songs – 1994
129. The Mistletoe Jam (Everybody Kiss Somebody) – This Is Christmas – 1995
130. The Night I Fell in Love – The Night I Fell in Love – 1985
131. The Rush – Power of Love – 1991
132. The Second Time Around – Any Love – 1988
133. There’s Nothing Better Than Love – Give Me the Reason – 1986
134. They Said You Needed Me – Dance with My Father – 2003
135. Think About You – Dance with My Father – 2003
136. This Is Christmas – This Is Christmas – 1995
137. This Time I’m Right – Your Secret Love – 1996
138. ‘Til My Baby Comes Home – The Night I Fell in Love – 1985
139. Too Far Down – Never Let Me Go – 1993
140. Too Proud to Beg – Your Secret Love – 1996
141. Wait for Love – The Night I Fell in Love – 1985
142. What the World Needs Now – Songs – 1994
143. When I Need You – I Know – 1998
144. Whether or Not the World Gets Better – Your Secret Love – 1996
145. With a Christmas Heart – This Is Christmas – 1995
146. You Really Started Something – Luther Vandross – 2001
147. You Stopped Loving Me – Never Too Much – 1981
148. You’re the Sweetest One – Forever, for Always, for Love – 1982
149. Your Secret Love – Your Secret Love – 1996

Albums

Never Too Much (1981): 7 songs

Forever, for Always, for Love (1982): 8 songs

Busy Body (1983): 7 songs

The Night I Fell in Love (1985): 8 songs

Give Me the Reason (1986): 9 songs

Any Love (1988): 9 songs

Power of Love (1991): 10 songs

Never Let Me Go (1993): 11 songs

Songs (1994): 13 songs

This Is Christmas (1995): 12 songs

Your Secret Love (1996): 12 songs

I Know (1998): 13 songs

Luther Vandross (2001): 15 songs

Dance with My Father (2003): 14 songs

Check out our fantastic and entertaining Luther Vandross articles, detailing in-depth the band’s albums, songs, band members, and more…all on ClassicRockHistory.com

Complete List Of Luther Vandross Albums And Discography

Top 10 Luther Vandross Love Songs

Top 10 Luther Vandross Songs List

Read More: Artists’ Interviews Directory At ClassicRockHistory.com

Read More: Classic Rock Bands List And Directory

Complete List Of Luther Vandross Songs From A to Z article published on ClassicRockHistory.com© 2025

Swedish prog metallers Opeth have shared a brand new video for §1, the opening track from their most recent concept album, The Last Will And Testament. It’s the band’s first video release for the album.

The band, who won a Swedish equivalent of a Grammy Award, a Grammi, for Best Hard Rock & Metal for their latest album, began a summer of European festival appearances yesterday at Sweden Rock, and will appear at this year’s Download Festival on June 13.

They then continue their Last Will And Testament European tour before heading down for dates in New Zealand, Australia and Japan in November.

“So here’s a video (of sorts) for your ‘enjoyment’, quips mainman Mikael Åkerfeldt. “We had requests left, right and centre to do one of them measly ‘lyric videos’ or ‘visualizers’ for ‘content.’ Now, right there are three words I despise! I’ve made it clear in our circle of trust that we shouldn’t use the word ‘content’ even if that’s exactly what we’re working on. We’re not some goddamn influencers, now are we? So can we please settle on the old-fashioned word ‘video’ without meddling with modern online lingo?

“And a video is what it really is. A performance video, no less. We figured it’s a bit more happening to look at (should you decide to do so) than a lyric video. §1 is the opener on The Last Will And Testament. A good song. I like it!

“The video looks good. As good as it can look when involving five middle-aged, slightly hungover geezers miming along to something. We shot it in some industrial area in Birmingham (UK) on the latest Euro tour. Everyone (well, the band and crew) were quite eager to get out of there as we had dinner planned at a fancy curry house locally. Much thanks to Ash Pears and ASH TV, who were really professional (ie: quick!) and made the whole experience rather easy on us. Hope you dig it, people!”

You can see a full list of the band’s 2026 touring dates and ticket information below.

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Get The Last Will And Testament.

Opeth “Paragraph One” (Official Promo Video) – YouTube

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Opeth 2026 tour dates

Jun 6: POL Gdansk Mystic Festival
Jun 13: UK Derby Download Festival
JuUn 25: GRE Athens Rockwave Festival
Jun 26: GRE Thessaloniki Rockwave Festival
Jun 28: POR Lisbon Evil Live Open Air
Jul 7: MAL St. Julian’s Malta Metal Weekend *NEW*
Jul 6: TUR Istanbul Headbangers Weekend
Jul 17: FIN Laukaa John Smith Rock Festival
Jul 19: SPA Fuengirola Sun & Thunder Fest
Aug 1: NOR Bergen Beyond The Gates
Aug 9: CZE Jaroměř Brutal Assault
Aug 15: NED Eindhoven Dynamo Metalfest

Sep 29: GER Hamburg Laeiszhalle
Sep 30:LUX Esch-sur-Alzette Rockhal
Oct 1: GER Mannheim Congress Center Rosengarten
Oct 2: SWI Zurich Komplex 457
Oct 4: AUT Vienna Metal Meeting
Oct 6: ITA Milan Alcatraz
Oct 7: CRO Zagreb Tvornica Kulture
Oct 8: HUN Budapest Barba Negra
Oct 10: BUL Sofia Asics Arena
Oct 11: ROM Bucharest Laminor Arena
Oct 14: GER Dresden Alter Schlachthof

Nov 14: NZ Auckland The Trusts Arena *UPGRADED*
Nov 17: AUS Sydney Opera House *SOLD OUT*
Nov 18: AUS Sydney Opera House *SOLD OUT*
Nov 20: AUS Brisbane The Fortitude Music Hall
Nov 21: AUS Melbourne Palais Theatre *LOW TICKETS*
Nov 22: AUS Adelaide Hindley Street Music Hall
Nov 24: AUS Perth Astor Theatre *SOLD OUT*

Nov 27: JAP Tokyo EX Theater Roppongi *NEW
Nov 29: JAP Tokyo EX Theater Roppongi *NEW*

Get tickets.

Writer and broadcaster Jerry Ewing is the Editor of Prog Magazine which he founded for Future Publishing in 2009. He grew up in Sydney and began his writing career in London for Metal Forces magazine in 1989. He has since written for Metal Hammer, Maxim, Vox, Stuff and Bizarre magazines, among others. He created and edited Classic Rock Magazine for Dennis Publishing in 1998 and is the author of a variety of books on both music and sport, including Wonderous Stories; A Journey Through The Landscape Of Progressive Rock.

For the past couple of years or so, Luke Spiller has been envisaging certain things for himself. A Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud. Chart success. Heaps of money. Real love. None of them are vague, empty wishes – a few minutes in Spiller’s company will tell you that he is dead serious about all these, even as he’s able to laugh at himself. More recently, he’s added a Grammy to that list. “I literally look in the mirror and I say: ‘And the Grammy goes to… Luke Spiller’s Love Will Probably Kill Me Before Cigarettes And Wine,’” he says of his current morning ritual. “It’s a great thing to wake up and say to yourself. It gives you that motivation. I’ll keep doing it and working towards those things.”

It would be easy to dismiss this as the unchecked hubris of yet another puffed up frontman. But Spiller’s tone points to other things: sincere ambition, a healthy degree of self-awareness, an unwavering work ethic.

Today we’re talking at 9am West Coast time. Spiller sits in a baggy Harry Potter/‘Slytherin’ jumper, cigarette in hand, ready to work on a future solo EP and some Struts tunes after our Zoom call finishes. If anyone’s going to ‘manifest’ a Grammy (i.e. in the very 2025 sense of the word – making something a reality through imagination), then it’s probably him.

For now, though, his focus is on his first solo album, Love Will Probably Kill Me Before Cigarettes And Wine, five years in the making and as grand, emotive, overblown, painstakingly detailed and full of tenderness as that long-winded but incisive title suggests. It speaks of his influences: old Hollywood glamour; Paris in the 1950s; Scott Walker and Jacques Brel. Heartbreak in your early 30s as a newcomer to Los Angeles, in love with someone you can’t not write about.

“Not only is it for me a lovely stretch of words, but it sort of describes the album perfectly,” he enthuses. “It’s tragic, it’s self-aware, and it’s also a little bit… well, it’s clearly theatrical, but it’s slightly pretentious as well. And there’s definitely moments of me being very self-indulgent on this record, which I love.”

Luke Spiller – Love Will Probably Kill Me Before Cigarettes And Wine – YouTube

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Spiller keeps that indulgence in check, though. He has ‘hype people’ but also tough critics in his corner (bandmates, co-writers, family members). Presences that instil high standards in the Struts frontman, whether he’s writing at his parents’ home in Devon or his own place in the San Fernando Valley. One of the biggest was Taylor Hawkins. A longtime friend and champion of Spiller, the late Foo Fighters drummer was a huge supporter of this debut solo venture. That’s him playing on the closing track, Angel Like You. But more on that later.

Chiefly, though, Love Will Probably Kill Me… is the sound of hitherto hidden places in Spiller’s creative and personal life. A Tinseltown love story with a smoky European flair, on a James Bond theme scale. The deeper reaches of a bombastic personality, and a tireless pop fan who had an ABBA-themed thirtieth birthday (he’s now 36).

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“I was given this window of time to really explore my natural way of writing, and, dare I say, maybe a more from-the-soul, authentic voice,” he says. “And I just started running with it. I think it’s some of my greatest lyrics, and that’s a result of just being able to sit and really chip away for weeks, sometimes months, on certain sections and songs.”

Early seeds for Love Will Probably Kill Me… were planted in 2019, but the project took off over the pandemic. Holed up in Dawlish, Devon, Spiller spent days at the piano, coffee and a spliff to hand, with only the local bowls club and Happy Hour as distractions. As the world began to open up and The Struts went out on tour, he continued to chip away at it in his own time.

Unlike the glam-booted rock’n’roll of his band, these new songs have more in common with the vignettes of Leonard Cohen and Bruce Springsteen, the velvety pop of Lana Del Rey, the theatricality of Jim Steinman.

“I had been so heavily influenced after discovering Scott Walker, and then going back to the original versions of a lot of the songs that he sang by Jacques Brel,” Spiller says, “and then moving into a lot of the old French chanson – that sort of Serge Gainsborough, Edith Piaf, fifties/ early-sixties French European pop music.”

Back in Los Angeles the work continued. He wrote songs with former Jellyfish guitarist Jason Falkner (he now plays with Beck and St Vincent), a short drive away in Silverlake. On one particularly libertine day, he summoned a chauffeur-driven Rolls-Royce to his home in Burbank and onward to pick up singer/local buddy Kendall Rucks. They drove through LA blasting the swooping, Bond-esque instrumental track for Angel Like You, and went out to dinner on Sunset Boulevard. Over roasts and Kate Mosses – “a glass of champagne with a mezcal chaser” – they wrote the song’s lyrics, which Rucks co-sings on the final version.

This is very much Luke Spiller’s style: that maximalist, champagne-inhand approach to life that calls for cocktails, beautiful cars and beautiful company. It’s fuelled the decadent party-starting swagger of The Struts. On their last album, Pretty Vicious, Spiller tapped into the darker sides of excess, as well as the bright, giddy ones. He began to move away from the characters of Kiss This and Primadonna Like Me. Now, on Love Will Probably Kill Me…, he takes that several steps further.

“I wanted to do something that was, front to back, from the heart and nothing else,” he says. “I didn’t want anything to be character-driven. Every single line has been a personal experience, and that was a conscious decision.”

Luke Spiller – Angel Like You ft. Kendall Rucks – YouTube

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Sonically those experiences come out through rousing piano swells, string sections and bursts of saxophone. Songs unabashedly about love, sex and heartbreak. Self-destructive hedonism (‘Am I addicted to pleasure or pain?’, he sings on The Ending Is Always The Same) tempered by the Biblical undertones of Spiller’s roots in his father’s church (‘Who knows where we’re going, heaven or hell’, he croons on the sultry, violin-charged pallor of Devil In Me).

With that in mind we were kind of expecting Love Will Probably Kill Me… to be bursting with old girlfriends, subject matter-wise. But it’s not. Most of the album, Spiller says, is about one person. He’s keeping their identity under wraps – for that person’s privacy, but really to allow space for listeners to insert themselves into these stories. Suffice to say, though, it was an eventful relationship that left a mark on him, and on what he wanted to write.

“There was a lot of amazing, beautiful stuff,” he explains. “And there were some really sad things that happened. It’s like that old saying that no matter what happens, whether it’s good or it’s bad, you really can’t choose your muse. “I think when you’re a songwriter and you sit down to write something, it’s very easy to not give them the energetic satisfaction of pursuing ideas that are about one specific person. But I learned very quickly that it was a source of inspiration that just kept on coming. And it was so multifaceted as well, in terms of the different emotions.”

Even so, when it came to writing there were other influences in the mix. When he retrieved the gauzy, sun-kissed ballad She’s Just Like California from an old demo, it was his mother and sister who convinced him to keep it pretty much as it was (rather than dramatically rework, as planned). Producer Jon Levine was a key confidante throughout, as was the aforementioned Falkner. Aside from them, the other writers he worked with were all women – his songwriter ex-girlfriend Kate Morgan among them.

“I feel like so many male artists really fall short on their lyrical content,” he reasons. “And when I listen to these women, the lyrical content for the most part, compared to their male peers, is just levels above them in terms of sincerity, storytelling, imagery.”

Luke Spiller – She’s Just Like California – YouTube

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Perhaps he has a point, certainly where his present-day counterparts are concerned. He mentions Harry Styles and Måneskin frontman Damiano David, but outside the country sphere (where the likes of Jason Isbell, Sturgill Simpson and Chris Stapleton routinely turn out devastating lyrics) it’s harder to think of singular, narrative-driven men with feet in classic rock and zeitgeist-y pop sensibilities.

“When I’m completely myself, I feel like there’s this gap in the public where I can tell those stories,” he muses. “I can sing those songs, but I can bring more edge to a project like this, and I can allow myself to be a bit sexier and say what’s on my mind, or musically [be] even more bombastic than everyone I’ve mentioned.”

Ultimately it’s all about a moment in time – someone coming from England, seeing LA for the first time, falling in love. Accordingly, there are intimate, personal highs and lows wrapped in Springsteen-style vignettes of America. You can picture the couple depicted in the Elton John-esque theatre of Mel’s Diner, inspired by a longstanding all-night joint on Sunset Boulevard. Ditto the Hollywood restaurant and taxi in I’m With Her, Spiller mournfully singing ‘I’m with her, but I’m in love with you’ to a nameless girl, wherever she is.

“And for what it’s worth,” he adds, “she doesn’t know. She doesn’t know [that] most of the album’s about her. And that’s fine. She doesn’t have to know.”

Do you think she’ll guess if she hears it?

“I don’t think so,” he says, laughing. “Well… [thinks about this] there are a couple of points where I’m sure she would pick up things that were said in conversation, and places that we went, etcetera. But to the extent of, like, the full record? No, I don’t think she would know. And even if she did, it’s… it’s fine by me. But it’s not a record which is an ode to someone, you know? They were simply this brilliant source of inspiration.”

While Spiller’s mystery woman was his muse, Taylor Hawkins might have been his cheerleader – the motivational kick when he needed it most. Since they first toured together in 2017, the Foo Fighters and The Struts have enjoyed a relationship that rarely lasts between headliners and support acts. Hawkins and Spiller became friends, bonding over a mutual love of Queen, among others. When it came to recording the Bond-esque Angel Like You, originally pitched to be the next actual 007 theme, alongside Devil In Me (they were beaten by Billie Eilish’s No Time To Die), it was Hawkins who Spiller called to play drums.

A while later, Spiller and a few others were at Hawkins’s house planning a few Queen tribute gigs in clubs (“It was going to be us doing the first couple of Queen records”). Everyone had left except Spiller. Hawkins asked how his solo record was coming along. Spiller played a recording of If This Isn’t Love on his phone. After the first chorus, Taylor took the phone from him.

“I was like: ‘Oh god, he fucking hates it’, but he was looking at me in the eyes, and he said: ‘Man, you know, I love you guys, band and everything… This is the best fucking thing I’ve ever heard you do.’”

It would be the last time Spiller saw him. In March 2022 Hawkins headed out for Foo Fighters shows in South America. He died in his hotel room in Santiago that month.

“Honestly, it kind of chokes me up, because he was on amazing form,” Spiller says simply, remembering that last meeting. “He was like: ‘Man, come on, stay for dinner!’ And I had something planned that evening. I was like: “I’d love to, [but] let’s catch up when you get back’, and…” He trails off for a second. “And I kind of really regret that, having that moment that, I guess, we could have shared together. But yeah, it is sad, because he was really on form, and just so filled with passion and life.”

Luke Spiller – The Ending Is Always The Same (Lyric Video) – YouTube

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In a poignant touch, the song’s music video (in the works when we speak to Spiller) features Hawkins’s son, Shane, on drums. By the time you read this, Spiller will also have released a lyric video for the ABBA-charged The Ending Is Always The Same starring British comedy maverick-turned-Bake Off host Noel Fielding (the pair met at a Soho party, where Fielding led Spiller around introducing him to revellers as “his new character”). A new Struts record is on the cards, though what style it’ll lean into remains to be seen. He also has more solo music on the go.

“Now that a lot of that’s off my chest musically, I can address different areas of my life now.”

He stops and thinks about this.

“Or maybe not, I’m not sure. I’m already getting stuck into more music! And with more music comes more responsibility and less, quote, ‘free time’. So relationships are difficult. They’re difficult at the best of times, let alone when you’re juggling a solo career and a rock band. It’s, it’s…”

He searches for the words, a tiredness coming over his face. For a second it’s as if all the loves in his life had flashed past him.

“Yeah, it’s hard to find meaningful relationships in that.” Even so, with Love Will Probably Kill Me… now out in the world, there’s a sense of a page being turned. Something letting go, even as visions of Rolls-Royces and Grammys dance at the back of his mind.

“I walked away [from the album], and I was like, ‘You know what? I’m fucking proud of myself,’” he concludes. “And I can’t wait for the world to hear this. It’s been such a labour of love, and whatever happens to it, I’m left with a real air of confidence moving forward into more of my own music in the future.”

Love Will Probably Kill Me Before Cigarettes And Wine is out now via Big Machine.

Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazine since 2014. 39 years in music industry, online for 26. Also bylines for: Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, The Word Magazine, The Guardian, The New Statesman, Saga, Music365. Former Head of Music at Xfm Radio, A&R at Fiction Records, early blogger, ex-roadie, published author. Once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.

From bombastic and extravagant compositions through to deep-thinking concepts and conspiracies which inform much of their lyrics, Muse have often married mainstream sensibilities with the scope and grandeur of prog rock. With their ever-evolving sound the Devonshire trio have always ignored the rule book in favour of new, often over-the-top ideas. From 10-minute apocalypse operas to three-part symphonies to getting their Floyd on, here are 10 moments – first presented in 2022 – in which Muse have let their progressive influences lead the way.

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Butterflies & Hurricanes 

Arguably the band’s most far-out single from their stratospherically successful Absolution record, Butterflies & Hurricanes contains pain and beauty in equal measure, launching off a repetitive two-note phrase. It builds and builds, orchestrations sweeping cinematically into the picture with a choir of Matt Bellamy’s wringing out courage finding lyrics. Yet its constant rise is ebbed by a leftfield, winding piano interlude, before Bellamy’s Rachmaninoff influences prompt a stunning detour as an explosive finale.

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Space Dementia 

“Space Dementia is the term NASA Used for what happens if you’re left out in space for a long time,” Bellamy has explained. “Because if you truly conceptualise the situation of being there and looking back at Earth, it can drive you mad.”

Between spiralling piano, a punch-drunk, fuzz-lavished bassline and the singer’s near-psychotic operatics, floating in zero gravity is that sense of madness. The 20th anniversary remix heightening its tension with weeping strings. Enormous, crushing guitars come in for an outro designed to be a stark contrast from its earlier section, as they drag you towards an ominous conclusion.

Muse – Space Dementia (XX Anniversary RemiXX) [Official Audio] – YouTube

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Animals 

The 2nd Law is arguably Muse’s most experimental album. A melting pot of so many influences, Queen and Floyd-isms are bedfellows with dubstep, classical, jazz and more across what are very ambitious reinterpretations of the band’s blueprint. Animals packs a lot into its short run. The band flit between time signatures for its dizzying conclusion, which segues from ethereal Floyd to a gorgeous guitar solo and a crunching prog rock riff that, just for a moment, drops into a head bobbing 4/4.

Muse – Animals (Competition Winner) – YouTube

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City Of Delusion 

2006’s chart topping Black Holes & Revelations is best known for Supermassive Black Hole, Starlight and frequent set-closer Knights of Cydonia – which leaves City Of Delusion something of a hidden gem. Ricocheting off an Eastern-styled chord progression and slowly building strings, its theatrics are amassed a winding structure iced with a dance-worthy yet sullen trumpet solo.

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The Globalist 

A sequel to fan-favourite Citizen Erased from Origin Of Symmetry, and clocking in at just over 10 minutes, this apocalypse opera is full of complexities and Easter eggs. During the song, which is takes in whistled melodies, slide guitars and a monolithic, seven-string guitar riff fest, the protagonist discovers a code which starts World War Three. That code consists of lines from the record’s previous seven tracks played backwards, with ideas inspired by Edward Elgar’s Enigma Variations dotted throughout the song.

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MUSE | The Globalist | Español | HD Ver. Glastonbury 2016 – YouTube

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Exogenesis Symphony 

Resistance may be one of Muse’s more underwhelming albums, but that doesn’t mean it’s bereft of magical prog moments. Closed out by this awe-inspiring three-part symphony, it’s inspired by the concept of pansmeria, in which humanity’s last hopes of survival are pinned on astronauts finding a new planet to become home. As early as 2008, Bellamy had hinted at a “15 minute space rock solo” – and he delivered with a stirring suite inspired as much by Radiohead as Chopin and Strauss.

Muse – Exogenesis Symphony Full – YouTube

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Take A Bow 

The dark, unsettled opening track from Black Holes… represents a lot of Muse’s strengths in one snapshot: we have atypical structure, a defiant anti-corruption messaging and a piece of sheer scale. Described by Bellamy as a “gothic fairytale,” it lacks a definitive verse or chorus; instead it’s driven by arpeggiated keyboard phrases that perpetually change keys downwards, getting even darker and even more settled with each loop.

“Its structure is mathematical,” bassist Chris Wolstenhome explained. “Dom’s never played like that, with very jazzy rhythms, slow ones, followed by more chaotic bits integrated into the whole.”

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Survival 

The official anthem of the London 2012 Olympic Games and penned especially for the world’s biggest sporting event, it’s befittingly gigantean. It started as a planned collaboration with Elton John (which was ultimately fruitless) before Bellamy turned it into a gladiatorial powerhouse. Whilst the song polarised fans – and its lyrics are guilty of being a little cheesy – musically, it’s an adventurous, perpetually progressing piece that feels like climbing a mountain, sword in hand and fuelled by a lust for glory, with all the pomp and majesty prog can muster.

Muse – Survival – London 2012 Olympic Games | Music Monday – YouTube

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The Gallery

On The Gallery, Muse step away from the security of their well used tropes for something completely different. A stripped back instrumental which interweaves jazzy drum work and eerie theremin textures makes this Origin… era B-side compellingly hypnotic.

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Knights Of Cydonia 

This intergalactic spaghetti western extravaganza unites sci-fi imaginings with a blend of Ennio Morricone and Dick Dale; but the track also pays homage to Bellamy’s father. The laser-like tremolo riffing and galloping rhythms are a tip of the hat to The Tornados’ hit Telestar, on which George Bellamy played guitar.

Its title is inspired by a region of Mars that’s piqued many astronomers’ interest due to its face-like mountain which is believed to have once stood next to a giant Martian lake. The song’s huge success comes in the spite of being through-composed, meaning it lacks any clear repeating sections. Instead, it keeps thundering through the kind of grandiose astral plains that only Muse could create.

You can usually find this Prog scribe writing about the heavier side of the genre, chatting to bands for features and news pieces or introducing you to exciting new bands that deserve your attention. Elsewhere, Phil can be found on stage with progressive metallers Prognosis or behind a camera teaching filmmaking skills to young people. 

Fleetwood Mac icon Stevie Nicks has praised Haim, the Los Angeles band made up of sisters Danielle, Alana and Este Haim, claiming that the trio would have been right at home in her old band.

“It starts with Danielle’s voice,” Nicks tells GQ. “It is just stunning. She’s the first part of the puzzle, but then the percussion that Este and Alana wrap around her turn all of their songs into percussive masterpieces.

“[They are] something that I have never heard before. But coming from Mick Fleetwood’s great love of their kind of percussion, for me in a way, it’s like coming home. They could certainly all have been in Fleetwood Mac.”

Nicks also tells GQ that she’s been working on a new song with the sisters, although she doesn’t reveal when it will officially see the light of day.

“Some day, when you tumble into this song,” she says, “you will understand everything I have just told you.”

Elsewhere in the feature, in which Haim talk about their upcoming fourth album I Quit, the band address those in the rock community who fail to take them seriously.

“It’s always a guy,” Este says, chastising the men who notice that Haim’s guitars aren’t plugged in and go on to claim they’re miming onstage.

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“It’s like, my dog, we’re playing with wireless,” says Danielle. “Are you a fucking idiot?”

Late last month, it was announced that Nicks’ classic 1981 solo album Bella Donna is to receive a high-end vinyl reissue via Rhino Hi-Fi. The album, which is limited to 5000 copies worldwide, is available to order now.

“What I wanted my whole life was to do this album,” says Nicks. “Making Bella Donna really saved my life.”

Haim’s new single Take Me Back is out now. I Quit is released on June 20.

HAIM – Take me back (Official Lyric Video) – YouTube

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Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazine since 2014. 39 years in music industry, online for 26. Also bylines for: Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, The Word Magazine, The Guardian, The New Statesman, Saga, Music365. Former Head of Music at Xfm Radio, A&R at Fiction Records, early blogger, ex-roadie, published author. Once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.

The chronicle of Sir Rod Stewart is a sprawling, six-decade epic, a testament to a restless artistic spirit that journeyed from the gritty R&B clubs of 1960s London to the pinnacle of global superstardom, his unmistakable gravelly voice becoming one of the most iconic and beloved sounds in popular music. Born in Highgate, North London, Roderick David Stewart’s initial forays into the music world were decidedly unglamorous, a period of youthful exploration that saw him busking with a harmonica in 1962, a raw, itinerant apprenticeship that hinted at the tenacity to come.

His first formal engagement arrived in October 1963 when he joined The Dimensions as a harmonica player and occasional vocalist, a commitment he juggled with his day job in his brother’s painting and picture-frame shop. This early dedication, balancing nascent musical ambitions with everyday work, underscores a foundational work ethic. A more decisive step towards a full-time music career occurred in January 1964 when, at the age of 19, Stewart accepted an invitation from Long John Baldry to join his group, the All Stars, a move that prompted him to leave his conventional employment behind.

It was during this formative period that the “Rod the Mod” persona began to crystallize, his dandyish attire and carefully cultivated style reflecting not merely a fashion statement but an authentic immersion in the vibrant Mod subculture of the era. This early understanding of image and stage presence, an innate grasp of showmanship, would prove to be a vital component of his enduring appeal. His musical education was further enriched by his involvement with Steampacket, a white soul revue that toured with luminaries such as The Rolling Stones, steeping him in the R&B and soul idioms that would forever inform his vocal delivery—the characteristic rasp, the emotive phrasing, and the soulful depth that became his sonic signature. This unwavering blues and R&B foundation provided him with a versatile musical vocabulary, a core authenticity that allowed him to later navigate and master an astonishing array of genres.

The late 1960s marked a crucial period of artistic sharpening, as Stewart’s talents were forged in the crucible of two influential bands, the Jeff Beck Group and Faces, even as he simultaneously laid the groundwork for a monumental solo career. Joining the Jeff Beck Group in February 1967 was a “significant break,” a pivotal moment that not only paired him with the virtuosic guitarist Jeff Beck but also initiated his enduring friendship and musical partnership with Ronnie Wood. This collaboration was instrumental in honing his rock credentials and significantly boosting his visibility, particularly in the United States.

The group’s albums, Truth (1968) and Beck-Ola (1969), served as powerful showcases for Stewart’s increasingly dramatic and potent vocals; he also contributed to songwriting, later crediting this period with a significant development in his vocal abilities. The dynamic within such a talent-laden group, while creatively stimulating, was not without its challenges, including conflicts with management, an environment that likely accelerated his maturation as a performer.

Concurrent with this band activity, Stewart’s solo ambitions were taking shape. He signed a solo recording contract with Mercury Records in October 1968, and in 1969, released his debut solo album, An Old Raincoat Won’t Ever Let You Down (titled The Rod Stewart Album in the US). This record immediately established his distinctive solo sound: a compelling fusion of folk, rock, and country blues, imbued with a uniquely British working-class sensibility and narrative depth. This early solo work demonstrated not only his ambition but also a clear artistic vision distinct from his band projects.

In October 1969, following Steve Marriott’s departure from the Small Faces, Stewart, along with Ronnie Wood, joined the reconfigured lineup, which was soon rebranded as Faces. Renowned for their boisterous, freewheeling rock and roll and infectious camaraderie, Faces offered a more raucous and communal outlet for Stewart’s talents. The parallel pursuit of a flourishing solo career—with albums like Gasoline Alley (1970) gaining acclaim—alongside his role in the increasingly popular Faces, created a unique, if sometimes tense, dynamic. This duality, however, proved strategically brilliant, allowing him to explore diverse musical facets and ensuring his voice and name remained consistently in the public eye, effectively amplifying his ascent.

The dawn of the 1970s witnessed Rod Stewart’s explosive ascent to global superstardom, a trajectory ignited by a single song that would become an anthem for a generation and solidify his place in rock and roll history. The 1971 solo album Every Picture Tells a Story proved to be the watershed moment. Its second track, “Maggie May,” a poignant, mandolin-laced narrative co-written by Stewart and Martin Quittenton and initially relegated to the B-side of the single “Reason to Believe,” unexpectedly captured the public’s imagination.

Through sheer force of radio airplay and popular demand, “Maggie May” and its parent album achieved an unprecedented feat in September 1971, simultaneously topping the singles and albums charts in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, and Australia—a historic first that instantly transformed Stewart from a respected vocalist into a bona fide international phenomenon. The song’s organic success, driven by its narrative charm and Stewart’s evocative delivery rather than overt marketing, underscored an appeal rooted in genuine artistic merit. “Maggie May” enjoyed a five-week reign at number one in both the US and UK and has since been enshrined by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as one of the 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.

This triumph was swiftly followed by continued success with the album Never a Dull Moment in 1972, which featured the hit single “You Wear It Well,” further cementing his chart dominance. A move to Warner Bros. Records in 1975 and a collaboration with legendary producer Tom Dowd on the album Atlantic Crossing marked a subtle shift towards a more polished sound, yielding the monumental UK number-one single “Sailing,” which became his biggest-selling single in his homeland.

The latter half of the decade saw Stewart maintain his Midas touch, with the ballad “Tonight’s the Night (Gonna Be Alright)” holding the top spot on the US Billboard Hot 100 for an impressive eight weeks in 1976, and the disco-infused “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?” from the 1978 album Blondes Have More Fun conquering charts worldwide, including number one positions in both the US and UK. While “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?” courted criticism from some quarters for its departure from his rock roots, its massive success demonstrated a remarkable commercial adaptability and an astute understanding of the evolving musical landscape. Characteristically, Stewart turned potential controversy into a positive gesture, donating his royalties from the song to UNICEF and performing it at the Music for UNICEF Concert in 1979. This ability to navigate and often conquer prevailing musical trends, while sometimes divisive, was a crucial element in maintaining his extraordinary level of fame and relevance throughout a rapidly changing decade.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Rod Stewart showcased an extraordinary capacity for reinvention and resilience, navigating shifting musical tides with a chameleon-like adaptability that ensured his continued presence at the forefront of popular music, culminating in one of his most unexpected and successful career pivots. As the 1970s gave way to the 80s, Stewart astutely embraced the emerging sounds of new wave and synth-pop, evident in albums like Tonight I’m Yours (1981), which spawned the hit single “Young Turks,” a track that resonated with the MTV generation.

While this period saw him explore more contemporary production styles, sometimes to the chagrin of longtime rock purists, it kept him firmly in the charts. The late 1980s and early 1990s heralded a significant resurgence in his popularity, with albums like Out of Order (1988), co-produced by Duran Duran’s Andy Taylor and Chic’s Bernard Edwards, and Vagabond Heart (1991) delivering a string of memorable hits including “Lost In You,” “Forever Young,” “My Heart Can’t Tell You No,” a poignant cover of Tom Waits’ “Downtown Train,” and the anthemic “Rhythm of My Heart”.

A particularly pivotal moment arrived in 1993 with the release of Unplugged…and Seated. This live acoustic album, part of MTV’s popular series, was a critical and commercial triumph, stripping back the layers of production to highlight the raw power and emotive depth of Stewart’s voice. His rendition of Van Morrison’s “Have I Told You Lately” from this album became a major international hit and served as a powerful reaffirmation of his core talents as an interpreter and vocalist, reminding audiences of the folk and rock roots that underpinned his artistry.

Then, in the early 2000s, Stewart embarked on perhaps his most audacious and ultimately rewarding venture: The Great American Songbook series. Under the guidance of legendary music executive Clive Davis, he released a succession of albums interpreting classic pop standards from the 1930s and 1940s. This move was met with immense popular success, with Stardust: The Great American Songbook, Volume III (2004) earning him his first US number-one album in 25 years and his first Grammy Award. This strategic masterstroke not only introduced his voice to a new demographic but also cleverly repositioned him as an elder statesman of popular song, transcending genre limitations.

Demonstrating that his creative wellspring was far from dry, Stewart returned to songwriting after what he described as a “dark period of twenty years,” releasing the album Time in 2013, which featured original material and impressively debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart.

The sheer scale of Rod Stewart’s recorded output and the consistent, decades-spanning success of his music underscore a relentless creative drive and an almost unparalleled ability to connect with audiences across generations. As of the 2024 release of Swing Fever, a collaboration with Jools Holland, Stewart has amassed an extraordinary catalogue of 32 studio albums. This prolific discography, stretching from his 1969 debut An Old Raincoat Won’t Ever Let You Down to his most recent offerings, is a testament to remarkable longevity and an unwavering commitment to his craft over six decades.

His chart achievements are staggering: in his native United Kingdom, he has celebrated 10 number-one albums and an impressive 31 top-ten singles, six of which reached the coveted number-one position. This enduring bond with his home audience is a cornerstone of his career. Across the Atlantic, in the competitive US market, Stewart has garnered 16 top-ten singles, with four scaling the summit of the Billboard Hot 100. This consistent ability to craft songs that resonated deeply on both sides of the ocean speaks to a universal quality in his music and persona, a hallmark of truly iconic international artists.

His list of hit singles reads like a soundtrack to multiple eras, showcasing his remarkable versatility: the folk-rock intimacy of “Maggie May,” the swagger of “You Wear It Well,” the heartfelt sweep of “Sailing,” the sultry allure of “Tonight’s the Night (Gonna Be Alright),” the raw emotion of Cat Stevens’ “The First Cut Is the Deepest,” the controversial yet undeniably catchy disco of “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?,” the new wave energy of “Passion” and “Young Turks,” the poignant balladry of “Baby Jane” and “My Heart Can’t Tell You No,” the timeless sentiment of “Forever Young,” the urban romance of “Downtown Train,” the Celtic-infused rock of “Rhythm of My Heart,” the tender reinterpretation of “Have I Told You Lately,” and the blockbuster collaboration “All For Love” with Sting and Bryan Adams. This continuous stream of diverse hits, coupled with his strategic evolution in sound, prevented him from being prematurely relegated to a nostalgia act, allowing him to generate new successes and remain a vital, current artist for far longer than many of his contemporaries.

The immense critical acclaim and industry respect Rod Stewart has garnered throughout his career are vividly reflected in the constellation of prestigious awards and honors bestowed upon him, cementing his status as a true legend of popular music. Perhaps most significantly, he holds the rare distinction of being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame not once, but twice: first as a solo artist in 1994, an honor presented by his former bandmate Jeff Beck, and again in 2012 as a pivotal member of the influential group Faces. This dual induction is a powerful testament to his profound impact in multiple creative capacities, acknowledging his contributions both as a singular frontman and as an integral part of a band that significantly shaped the rock genre.

In 2005, his successful foray into classic pop standards was recognized with a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album for Stardust… The Great American Songbook Volume III. His profound impact on British music was celebrated in 1993 when he received the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music. One of the highest civilian honors, a knighthood, was conferred upon him in the 2016 Birthday Honours, recognizing his extensive “services to music and charity,” officially making him Sir Rod Stewart. This elevation to knighthood signifies his integration into the fabric of British cultural life, acknowledging not just his musical legacy but also his significant philanthropic endeavors.

Further underscoring his global icon status, Stewart received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2005 and was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2006. His enduring chart power and vocal prowess have also been acknowledged by industry arbiters: Billboard magazine ranked him the 17th most successful artist on their “Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists” list in 2008, while both Q Magazine and Rolling Stone have featured him prominently in their respective lists of the “Greatest Singers of All Time”. His trophy cabinet also includes a Legend Award (1993) and a Diamond Award (2001, for sales exceeding 100 million records worldwide) from the World Music Awards, the prestigious ASCAP Founders Award in 2011, and an Ivor Novello Lifetime Achievement Award in 1999.

Beyond the dazzling spotlight of his musical achievements, Rod Stewart has cultivated a life rich with personal passions and a notable commitment to philanthropy, elements that contribute significantly to his beloved status and the perception of an “everyman” appeal coexisting with his rock royalty. His charitable work is extensive, notably his active fundraising for The City of Hope Foundation, an organization dedicated to cancer research, a cause that became deeply personal following his own diagnosis and successful treatment for thyroid cancer in 2000. This commitment to giving back was further evidenced in February 2023 when he personally funded a day’s worth of MRI scans for patients at a National Health Service hospital in Harlow, Essex, to help alleviate waiting lists, an act of direct intervention driven by empathy.

This philanthropy, often stemming from personal experience, adds a layer of profound humanism to his public image. A lifelong and fervent passion for football has always been a defining characteristic; a talented player in his youth who captained his school team, he remains an ardent supporter of Celtic FC and the Scotland national team. This relatable enthusiasm for the “beautiful game” endears him to legions of fans.

Perhaps more unexpectedly, Stewart is a dedicated and highly accomplished model railway enthusiast. His elaborate 23 ft × 124 ft HO scale layout, meticulously modeled on the New York Central and Pennsylvania Railroads of the 1940s, has graced the cover of Model Railroader magazine multiple times—an accolade he once famously stated meant more to him than appearing in a music magazine. This intricate hobby reveals a meticulous, patient, and perhaps surprisingly introspective side to the flamboyant performer.

While also a known car collector, with a Ferrari Enzo among his prized possessions, it is these more down-to-earth pursuits, alongside his well-documented working-class origins, that cultivate a persona of relatability. This perceived authenticity, even amidst decades of fame and fortune, helps bridge the gap between the iconic star and his audience, fostering a deeper connection that transcends mere admiration for his musical talent. His enduring popularity, which has seen him sell over 120 million records worldwide, is undeniably rooted in his distinctive raspy voice and his unique ability to fuse rock, folk, soul, and R&B into a sound that appeals to an exceptionally broad audience.

The narrative of Rod Stewart is far from concluded; his unfading voice continues to resonate, adding new chapters to a six-decade legacy that is firmly embedded in the pantheon of popular music. He remains a vital recording artist, with recent studio albums such as Blood Red Roses (2018), The Tears of Hercules (2021), and the vibrant Jools Holland collaboration Swing Fever (2024) demonstrating an ongoing creative spark and a desire to explore fresh musical avenues.

His enduring stage presence has been showcased at highly significant events, including a performance at the Platinum Party at the Palace in June 2022, celebrating Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee, and his participation in the poignant Jeff Beck tribute concerts in May 2023. Further affirming his iconic status and cross-generational appeal, Stewart has been confirmed to play the prestigious “Legends” slot at the Glastonbury Festival in 2025, a booking that serves as a cultural anointment in the UK, signifying an artist’s elevation to a select group of performers who have achieved timeless, iconic status.

The immense commercial and cultural value of his life’s work was unequivocally underscored in February 2024 when Irving Azoff’s Iconic Artists Group acquired Stewart’s extensive music catalogue for a sum reported to be close to $100 million. This landmark valuation is a definitive statement on the enduring artistic and financial power of his body of work, reflecting not just past glories but the ongoing significance and earning potential of his songs. Sir Rod Stewart’s remarkable journey, characterized by his unmistakable voice, his fearless genre-blending, his captivating showmanship, and an uncanny ability to connect with audiences on a deeply personal level, ensures that his music will continue to entertain and inspire for generations to come.

Complete List Of Rod Stewart Songs From A to Z

Check out our fantastic and entertaining Rod Stewart articles, detailing in-depth the band’s albums, songs, band members, and more…all on ClassicRockHistory.com

Top 10 Rocking Rod Stewart Songs From The 1970s

Top 10 Rod Stewart’s Most Rocking Songs

Top 10 Rod Stewart Albums

Top 10 Rod Stewart Songs

Complete List Of Rod Stewart Albums And Discography

Top 10 Rod Stewart Love Songs

Top 10 Rod Stewart 80s Songs

Rod Stewart : Album Review Every Picture Tells A Story

Stewart, Wood & Jones Working On New “Faces” Album

Read More: Artists’ Interviews Directory At ClassicRockHistory.com

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Complete List Of Rod Stewart Songs From A to Z article published on ClassicRockHistory.com© 2025

Heart have appealed for the return of a pair of “irreplaceable” instruments which were stolen from the band at the Etess Arena in Atlantic City, NJ, the venue for the opening night of their An Evening With Heart tour.

The stolen instruments included guitarist Nancy Wilson’s unique, custom-built, purple sparkle baritone Telecaster with a hand-painted headstock, and a 1966 Gibson EM-50 mandolin owned by multi-instrumentalist Paul Moak, who joined the band in 2023.

“These instruments are more than just tools of our trade – they’re extensions of our musical souls,” says Nancy Wilson. “The baritone Tele was made uniquely for me, and Paul’s mandolin has been with him for decades. We’re heartbroken, and we’re asking for their safe return – no questions asked. Their value to us is immeasurable.”

“A reward is being offered for any information leading to their return,” say the band. “Anyone with knowledge of the theft or whereabouts of the instruments is urged to come forward.”

Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of the instruments is encouraged to contact the band’s tour manager, Tony Moon.

The next show on Heart’s schedule is at the Ravinia Festival in Highland Park, IL, on June 6. The band begin a run of dates in August with Todd Rundgren. Full dates below.

Heart: Tour dates 2025

Jun 06: Highland Park Ravinia Festival, IL #
Jun 07: Hinckley Grand Casino Hinckley Amphitheater, MN #
Jun 10: Evansville Ford Center, IN #
Jun 12: St Louis The Fabulous Fox, MO #
Jun 14: Grand Prairie Texas Trust CU Theatre, TX #
Jun 15: Cedar Park H-E-B Center at Cedar Park, TX #
Jun 17: Sugar Land Smart Financial Centre, TX #
Jun 18: Baton Rouge Raising Cane’s River Center, LA #
Jun 20: Birmingham Legacy Arena at the BJCC, AL #
Jun 22: North Charleston Coliseum, SC #
Jun 24: Jacksonville VuStar Veterans Memorial Arena, FL #
Jun 25: Estero Hertz Arena, FL #
Jun 27: Orlando Kia Center, FL #
Jun 28: Hollywood Hard Rock Live, FL #

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Aug 08: Quincy Gorge Amphitheatre, WA *
Aug 10: San Francisco Chase Center, CA ^
Aug 12: Bakersfield Dignity Health Arena, CA ^
Aug 13: San Diego Pechanga Arena, CA ^
Aug 15: Rancho Mirage The Show at Agua Caliente, CA #
Aug 16: Prescott Valley Findlay Toyota Center, AZ ^
Aug 18: Loveland Blue Arena, CO ^
Aug 19: Morrison Red Rocks Amphitheatre, CO ^
Aug 21: Kansas City T-Mobile Center, MO ^
Aug 23: Des Moines Des Moines Civic Center, IA #
Aug 24: Moline Vibrant Arena at the Mark, IL ^
Aug 26: Akron E.J. Thomas Hall: The University of Akron, OH #
Aug 27: Allentown The Great Allentown Fair, PA, #
Aug 29: Canandaigua Constellation Brands-Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center, NY *
Aug 30: Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, NY *

# ‘An Evening With Heart’ show
^ with Todd Rundgren
* support not yet announced

Tickets are on sale now.

Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazine since 2014. 39 years in music industry, online for 26. Also bylines for: Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, The Word Magazine, The Guardian, The New Statesman, Saga, Music365. Former Head of Music at Xfm Radio, A&R at Fiction Records, early blogger, ex-roadie, published author. Once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.