Rod

The Autobiography

By: Rod Stewart

Narrated by: Simon Vance

Length: 11 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's summary

The extraordinary life and career of music legend Rod Stewart, in his own words for the first time. With his soulful and singular voice, narrative songwriting, and passionate live performances Rod Stewart has paved one of the most iconic and successful music careers of all time. He was the charismatic lead singer for the trailblazing rock and roll bands The Jeff Beck Group and The Faces, and as a solo artist, the author of such beloved songs as "Maggie May," "Tonight’s the Night," "Hot Legs," "Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?," "Young Turks," "Forever Young," and "You Wear It Well." Now after more than five decades in the spotlight, he is finally ready to take a candid and romping look back at his life both on and off the stage. From his humble British roots to his hell-raising years on tour with his bandmates, not forgetting his great loves (including three marriages and eight children) and decades touring the world, Rod delivers a riveting ride through one of rock's most remarkable lives.

©2012 Rod Stewart (P)2012 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Funny, self-deprecating and a whole lot less boastful than he could be, Mr. Stewart offers a string of Grade-A rock ‘n’ roll debauchery stories and…makes them charming.” (The New York Times)

“In an action-packed memoir, Stewart explains how he survived the excesses of Seventies rock stardom…full of bad behavior and enough ex-wives to fill an entire soccer side.” (Rolling Stone)

“The best news about Stewart’s autobiography is that it revives the rollicking humor and self-deprecating personality of his early career. It takes the jolly perspective of a guy who knows he’s one of the world’s luckiest men, and the result proves infectious.” (New York Daily News)

What a LIFE!

I absolutely loved this book!
It was easy to read and full of stories involving names and people you’ve heard about for years yet never had this kind of insight on. Fantastic book would recommend to anyone for a lively bit of reading!

slow start, but quite enjoyable once you get into

I will admit, I had heard that the book was quite enjoyable. I wasn't sure at what point of his career he had started the book.....it starts with him at. a very young age. it takes a slow start and awhile to get into it......but I quite enjoyed his life

Rock & Roll Shenanigans

I struggled with the narration for a while and it would have been great to have Rod reading. But after a few chapters, I got used to Simon Vance and just enjoyed the rock & roll shenanigans.

Great story, fantastic narrator.

What made the experience of listening to Rod the most enjoyable?

I have been a Rod Stewart fan since the early 70's, the stories of how he and his bands got together and their times together were very enlightening and enjoyable. Rod is honest about his foibles and shortcomings, he has had way too much fun for one person.

Which character – as performed by Simon Vance – was your favorite?

Simon Vance is absolutely one of the very best narrators out there, the story of the life and times of Rod Stewart was a perfect match for such a fantastic narrating talent.

Just finished the book

One only has to dive deep back into the time with the 70s and 80s to remember just how good a voice and the great videos that Rod Stewart made. I had not kept up with him for the last 25 years but I’m glad to see he’s lived such a charmed life it was a great book I thoroughly enjoyed it and I’ve been spending time going back to his old videos and his MTV unplugged episode from the early 90s. It was quite a ride Rod…Thank you.

Great Story Great Life

I truly enjoyed hearing the life and times of Sir Rod Stewart! Been a fan since I was a kid hearing my mom play his music. Was great to hear stories of his life and stories behind the great songs. If you are a fan or if not, give this great story a listen!

Pleasantly Surprised

Would you listen to Rod again? Why?

I very much enjoyed this book. I'm not a big follower of all the glitz and glamour of Rod's life - sure I remember stories being told and it always seemed he had another beautiful blonde on his arm, but I never wasted too much time on that tabloid stuff. I'm also not a huge fan of his music. I like it all right and I saw him in concert once (it was a very good show), but he's not in my top 10 artists.
After listening to this, I have two reactions. Rod is a lot more 'human' than people would have thought. And, I think I need to go back and reacquaint myself with his older music - his first solo stuff as well as the work with The Faces.
There's a lot more depth and more soul to him than I would have thought from the headlines. He's got that dry British humor (or is it Scottish?). He's somewhat self-deprecating and a bit humble. He also seems to realize that he's lucky to have had the career and life and doesn't take much for granted now.

What about Simon Vance’s performance did you like?

I actually picked this book in part because Simon Vance was the narrator. I had just finished The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest and I really enjoy listening to him narrate. So, I searched Audible for other books he's read and decided on this one. Mr. Vance does a great job and, again, I find myself enjoying his narration.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Rod's dry humor and self-deprecation made me laugh a number of times.

Any additional comments?

This is the third "celebrity" autobiography I've listened to - Tiny Fey and Rob Lowe being the other two. I've really enjoyed all three. Rod's and Rob's were interesting because both of them have spent a fair amount of time in the tabloid headlines and I always find it interesting to hear their sides - to get the actual story behind those headlines.

Worth listening to

If you could sum up Rod in three words, what would they be?

Funny, entertaining, fast-paced

What did you like best about this story?

Rod is an interesting person with more to him than I'd anticipated.

Which scene was your favorite?

Hearing about his relationship with Britt Eckland

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me laugh

Any additional comments?

Great narration - Simon Vance nailed it!

Good book, bad narration

What did you love best about Rod?

I enjoyed the insights into the origins of Rod Stewart's music and his candor.

What didn’t you like about Simon Vance’s performance?

It was a dry and lifeless performance. Rod Stewart is a colorful person and this Simon Vance's narration was completely beige.

Entertaining life story

Admittedly, I’m not the biggest Rod Stewart fan, but I love musician biographies so I gave it a shot. Overall, it was an enjoyable listen with excellent narration.