Am 5. Februar blicken wir zurück auf eines der wohl besten Alben von Rod Stewart in seiner Karriere. Genau an diesem Tag im Februar 1993 fand in den Universal Studios in Los Angeles das gleichnamige Konzert im Rahmen der MTV Unplugged -Serie statt. Das dazugehörige Album wurde dann einige Monate später, im Mai 1993 veröffentlicht.
Unplugged… and seated ist bis heute erst das zweite Live-Album des Briten – nach dem Longplayer Absolutely Live aus dem Jahr 1981. Aus Sicht vieler langjährigen Fans deutlich zu wenig, zumal Sir Rod nach wie vor einer der besten Livekünstler aller Zeiten ist.
Unplugged .... and seated includes the Stewart hits Hot Legs, Tonight's The Night, Reason To Believe and Maggie May. However, Stewart's Have I Told You Lately probably attracted the most attention. The unplugged version of the Van Morrison track, which had already appeared on the 1991 album Vagabond Heart, was released as a single and reached number five in the charts in the USA and the UK. The emotional moment in which Rod performed this song live also moved the fans - a few tears actually ran down the rock musician's cheeks as he brought HITYL to an emotional close. Stewart himself later commented: ‘Actually, I don't know how it happened. I mean, I love my wife and my child with all my heart, but, God, I didn't expect that. It was very out of character for me; normally it's football matches that bring tears to my eyes. But it was a pretty magical moment, wasn't it?’ It was indeed.
In addition to Have I Told You Lately, Reason To Believe, Havion' a Party and People Get Ready were also released as singles. Alongside Have I Told You Lately, Havin' A Party (still a firm favourite at Rod Stewart concerts today) had the greatest success.
Unplugged ... and seated was recorded in 1993 in front of a few hundred happy concertgoers. Sir Rod was joined by his best mate Ronnie Wood, and both were accompanied by Stewart's band and several guest musicians. The concert, which lasted just under 70 minutes, was first broadcast by the music channel MTV on 5 May 1993. The album was released shortly afterwards, on 24 May, and reached number two in the charts in the USA and the UK. In Australia (4), Austria (7) and Sweden (8), Rod Stewarts reached the top ten, while in Germany the live recording reached number 15.
A special edition of the album was then released in 2009. In addition to two bonus songs (Gasoline Alley and Forever Young), this also included a DVD with the recording of the concert and a total of 13 songs.
The German radio station SWR1 described Unplugged... and seated on its 30th anniversary in 2023 as ‘one of the best unplugged albums that has ever existed and that will ever exist’. The broadcaster also pointed out at the time that it is a ‘special kind of homage to be allowed to make an MTV Unplugged. Only a few artists have been given this special honour’.
CD release
"Hot Legs" (Rod Stewart, Gary Grainger) – 4:25
(studio version previously released on Foot Loose & Fancy Free)
"Tonight's the Night" (Stewart) – 4:04
(studio version previously released on A Night on the Town)
"Handbags and Gladrags" (Mike d'Abo) – 4:25
(studio version previously released on An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down)
"Cut Across Shorty" (Wayne Walker, Marijohn Wilkin) – 4:58
(studio version previously released on Gasoline Alley)
"Every Picture Tells A Story" (Stewart, Ron Wood) – 4:45
(studio version previously released on Every Picture Tells a Story)
"Maggie May" (Stewart, Martin Quittenton) – 5:45
(studio version previously released on Every Picture Tells a Story)
"Reason to Believe" (Tim Hardin) – 4:07
(studio version previously released on Every Picture Tells a Story)
"People Get Ready" (Curtis Mayfield) – 4:59
(studio version previously released as a single with Jeff Beck)
"Have I Told You Lately" (Van Morrison) – 4:08
(studio version previously released on Vagabond Heart)
"Tom Traubert's Blues (Waltzing Matilda)" (Tom Waits) – 4:40
(studio version previously released on Lead Vocalist)
"The First Cut Is the Deepest" (Cat Stevens) – 4:12
(studio version previously released on A Night on the Town)
"Mandolin Wind" (Stewart) – 5:23
(studio version previously released on Every Picture Tells a Story)
"Highgate Shuffle" (arrangement by Stewart) – 3:54
(previously unreleased)
"Stay with Me" (Stewart, Wood) – 5:27
(studio version previously released on A Nod Is as Good as a Wink...To a Blind Horse by Faces)
"Having a Party" (Sam Cooke) – 4:44
(previously unreleased)
"Gasoline Alley" (Stewart, Wood)
(bonus track on the "Unplugged…and Seated Collector’s Edition")
(studio version previously released on Gasoline Alley)
"Forever Young" (Stewart, Jim Cregan, Kevin Savigar)
(bonus track on the "Unplugged…and Seated Collector’s Edition")
(studio version previously released on Out of Order)
Live performance
"Hot Legs"
"Tonight's the Night"
"Cut Across Shorty" (feat. Ron Wood)
"Reason to Believe" (feat. Ron Wood)
"It's All Over Now" (Bobby Womack, Shirley Womack) (feat. Ron Wood)
(studio version previously released on Gasoline Alley)
"Every Picture Tells a Story" (feat. Ron Wood)
"Maggie May" (feat. Ron Wood)
"People Get Ready" (feat. Ron Wood)
"Handbags And Gladrags"
"The Killing of Georgie" (Stewart)
(studio version previously released on A Night on the Town)
"Have I Told You Lately" (Van Morrison)
"Tom Traubert's Blues (Waltzing Matilda)"
"Forever Young" (Stewart, Jim Cregan, Kevin Savigar)
"First Cut Is the Deepest"
"I Was Only Joking" (Stewart, Grainger)
(studio version previously released on Foot Loose & Fancy Free)
"Gasoline Alley" (Stewart, Wood) (feat. Ron Wood)
"Highgate Shuffle" (feat. Ron Wood)
"Sweet Little Rock 'n' Roller" (Chuck Berry) (feat. Ron Wood)
(studio version previously released on Smiler)
"Mandolin Wind" (feat. Ron Wood)
"Stay with Me" (feat. Ron Wood)
"Having a Party" (feat. Ron Wood)
Personnel
Rod Stewart – lead vocals, banjo
Ronnie Wood – guitar
Jeff Golub – guitar
Jim Cregan – guitar
Don Teschner – guitar, mandolin, violin
Carmine Rojas – bass guitar
David Palmer - drums
Charles Kentiss III – piano, organ
Kevin Savigar – piano, organ, accordion
Phil Parlapiano – accordion, mandolin
Dorian Holley, Darryl Phinnessee, Fred White – backing vocals
Strings arranged and conducted by Jeremy Lubbock
Additional members of the band: Marilyn Baker, Haim Shtrum, Mari Tsumura, Jay Rosen, Kwihee Shamban, Miran Kojian, Brian Leonard, Jean Hugo, Joel Derouin, Bruce Dukov, Joseph Meyer, Ronald Clark, Joan Elardo, David Shostac, Norman Ludwin, Drew Dembowski, David Shamban, Suzie Katayama, James Ross, Larry Corbett.
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