FACES in the Crowd

 Near the top of the “under-appreciated” list resides the band FACES. These guys could rock your face off! And don’t they look like fun? Perhaps that was part of the problem; Rod, Ronnie and the boys could party with the best of ‘em and apparently did so before the shows as often as after. Hell, who didn’t? One thing is clear upon a listen to Faces: they had them a real good time. 

 The band came about in late 1969, the result of the breakups of two other great groups. Steve Marriot left The Small Faces (going on to form Humble Pie with Peter Frampton), while Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood departed The Jeff Beck Group and joined the remaining members of the former: bassist Ronnie Lane, keyboardist Ian McLagen, and drummer Kenney Jones. While Rod’s renowned gravelly vocals and stage antics gave Faces a certain presence, I’ve always felt that Ronnie Wood’s dirty and distinct guitar truly defined the Faces sound. And his slide work? My god…crank the song “Around The Plynth” and see if you’re the same person five minutes later! Stewart and Wood are one of the great rock duos at this point in time, 1970-75, right alongside Jagger/Richards, Plant/Page, and Daltrey/Townshend. 

Faces released four albums during the first half of the seventies, and toured worldwide much of that time. “A Nod Is As Good As A Wink (To A Blind Horse)” is probably the best of the studio efforts, but all of the disks contain several gems (not hits, gems!). Their official live album, Coast To Coast, Overture and Beginners was widely criticized for shabby sound production, but I feel really catches the Faces romping-good-time live sound. Better yet, the recent boxed set Five Guys Walk Into A Bar contains all sorts of never released numbers, both live and “outtakes”. It’s one of the better boxed sets I’ve come across(and one of the few worth the money.)

Faces final chapter? Seems it was Rod Stewart’s growing solo fame (along with the attendant ego problems within the band) that finished them. As you know, Stewart went on to long solo career that today includes fans like my 85 year-old mother as he reinvents the songs of the 1940’s. Woody joined a band called The Rolling Stones, where he’s never equalled the sound he gave Faces. Jones took over as The Who’s drummer in ‘78 after the death of Keith Moon. And we recently lost Ronnie Lane after a long battle with Multiple Sclerosis. <To hear Ronnie at his best, check out his collaboration with Pete Townshend called Rough Mix>.

But wait! Faces final chapter?? Rod Stewart announced in June 2008 the intention for Faces to reunite for a possible album and tour. It’s a popular way to go these days, but I can’t think of a reunion I’d rather see/hear.

dve mpls mn