SMILER
Smiler is Rod Stewart’s sixth album, fifth solo album and final album for Mercury Records, released in 1974. It became the first album by Rod Stewart as a solo artist to become critically panned. Although it reached number 1 in the UK album chart, it stalled at number 13 in the US. The album was largely considered to be an unadventurous retread of what he had done before, including covers of Chuck Berry, Sam Cooke and Bob Dylan songs, as well as a duet with Elton John of John’s song “Let Me Be Your Car”. Stewart’s one attempt at adventurousness was a cover of Carole King’s “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” where ‘Woman’ is switched to ‘Man’. This album sold 1 million copies worldwide. Musicians appearing on the album included members of Stewart’s band Faces, as well as frequent collaborators Martin Quittenton (guitars), Pete Sears (bass & keyboards), and Mickey Waller (drums), who had become something of a second band for Stewart. (More from Wikipedia)
Additionally, Pete Sears of the Sons of Fred has been a prominent session bass guitarist and keyboard player for more than four decades. He played on four early Rod Stewart solo albums, including the classic Every Picture Tells a Story (the album that includes Rod’s mega-hit “Maggie May”), plus Gasoline Alley, Never a Dull Moment, and Smiler. Pete Sears has also worked with Steamhammer, Stoneground, Long John Baldry, Los Lobos, and three of the founding members of the Grateful Dead: Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir, and Phil Lesh.
(March 2014/2)
