SAN BERNADINO
by ROD STEWART & THE FACES
Compact Disc
XRYCD018
Label: X-RAY
DYNAMIC CAREER END BROADCAST FROM THE FACES
In the wake of calamitous label mismanagement that left one of the most important bands of the mod/psychedelic movement creatively
hog-tied and practically bankrupt, Small Faces singer/guitarist Steve Marriott jumped ship to form Humble Pie with Peter Frampton. So
prodigious were Marriott's talents that it took two musicians to fill his shoes. Luckily, a couple of guys that would soon be among the
most recognizable and popularly adored rock stars in the world found their social calendars surprisingly wide open at the dawn of the
'70s.
• And so it was, with Ron Wood contributing thick and fuzzy slide guitar and Rod Stewart out front wheezing like the Stax horn section,
that the Small was dropped from their moniker and the tight R&B focus was dropped from their sound in favour of a hard and sloppy
brand of country-soul. The result was crude perfection - like the Stones with a glassy-eyed grin instead of a sneer. Sadly, nothing
beautiful lasts forever, and the Faces, such as they were, couldn't compete with the rocketing stardom of their jet-setting singer's solo
career.
• This concert, recorded shortly before their demise, is a good example of what was right with the Faces, with Woody and the team
providing the ramshackle performance and rollicking good time that the punters paid to see. Particularly great are a slow and loose
version of Sam Cooke's ‘Bring It on Home to Me’ and the classic ‘Stay with Me,’ featuring a breakdown that threatens to literally
breakdown.
• Their reputations as musicians and generally wild and crazy guys guaranteed ample opportunities following their break-up, and the
members of the Faces would go on to support the best in the industry, most notably The Rolling Stones (Wood, McLagan) and The
Who (Jones). But even when playing with giants, these lads were hard-pressed to match the well-crafted chaos they first made
together.
1 Take A Look At The Guy 4:58
2 (I Know) I’m Losing You 7:34
3 Bring It On Home To Me 4:41
4 Sweet Little Rock ‘N’ Roller 5:39
5 I’d Rather Go Blind 6:54
6 Too Bad/Every Picture Tells A Story 7:47
7 Angel 4:17
8 Stay With Me/Gasoline Alley 12:53
9 I Can Feel The Fire 5:38
10 You Wear It Well/Maggie May 9:22
11 Twisting The Night Away 8:59
