Anyone else a Al Stewart fan?

[Dickie Fredericks]

Man I have always loved "Year of The Cat" one of the most brilliantly written songs ever.

I really like alot of Al's chord changes and stuff. Really good writer. Still "YOTC" is my fav...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QM7LR46zrQU

Killer lyrics.

Alan Parsons produced.

[bdegrande]

I like a lot of his songs. I play "The Dark and the Rolling Sea" and "Apple Cider Reconstitution"

[daddyo]

I love Al and his primary guitarist through the YOTC period, Tim Renwick.

[JohnSS]

Saw Al Stewart a number of times from both the Year of the Cat/Time Passages era as well as his later lean years when it was just Al and Peter White. Great, unique lyrical songwriter.

[westchesterdave]

Used to be a fan. Past Present and Future. Great album with some interesting songs based on history and historical personalities. The Roads To Moscow, Nostradamus, Warren Harding. Good stuff. Tim Renwyk on lead if I remember correctly.

[HammyD]

I recall reading that he composed the music first then wrote the lyrics to match. Always liked his stuff. Very few lyrics I have heard in recent years seem to tell entire story with such depth. Unless of course you included Lady Gaga's "Disco Stick." ;-)

[tim gueguen]

An interesting bit of trivia is that Stewart briefly took guitar lessons from Robert Fripp when they were teens, although Stewart said he really didn't take anything from those lessons.

[sixty2strat]

Funny I was just listening Roads to Mosocw tonight ....the rest of the album never lcicked with me but it a great story/ song

[Flyin' Brian]

Year of The Cat is a classic! I love when it comes around on my iPod.

[Rob Sharer]

Love the man, love his work.


Rob

[jazzbasta]

I'm not well versed in anything but YEAR OF THE CAT and TIME PASSAGES, but those are two brilliantly constructed songs.

[Baxtercat]

Around '78 our gtr. player Adam Yurman got the call to join Al Stewart's band. [easy decision: stay with cover band or go on tour w/ recording artist].
He got us tickets when they came through town [where I got this shot].

http://i914.photobucket.com/albums/ac345/Baxtercat65/band%20shots/AdamwAlStewartSD1980.jpg

[Tricks]

Definitely - also loved "Time Passages" and "24 P/Carrots". Was thinking the other day that I need to revisit.

[Brian D]

"Time Passages" and "Year of the Cat" bring back a lot of teenage memories for me.

[todd richman]

"Year of the Cat" is one of the great singer/songwriter tunes of all time and in my Top 100 songs of all time. He is a very talented songwriter and has a terrific and distinctive voice.

[Shreve]

Saw him last year at the Ram's Head in Annapolis. Thought he sounded great. Just him and a backup guitarist (can't remember name) He did a meet and greet following, and when he was signing my CD, I remarked how much I enjoyed the show. He sorta' shook his head and said he wasn't sure if they were 100% "on".

I just smiled and said, "Well, then you sure just fooled a bunch of people."

He chuckled.

[oakfloor]

"YOTC" and "on the border" had a sense of adventure, and IIRC peter white on guitar?

[ZenFly06]

Most of his albums were produced by Alan Parsons so that made me dig into his early stuff. Kudos to all of his "history" based folk and of course "Sirens of Titan". Used to play Year of the Cat, Time Passages and Palace of Versailles and don't forget his first "hit" Terminal Eyes!

[leofenderbender]

I had a girlfriend that liked his music; so I saw him in concert a few times in the 70's. Tim Renwick was the best part of his sound. Though I really enjoyed the talent shown in his song writing & arrangements, I didn't care for the lisp in his vocals much.

Time Passages was my favorite followed by YOTC.

[jazzrat]

I'm a fan but what sealed it was Renwicks tone and tasty playing.
Peter White's acoustic work was great too.

[korby]

Year of The Cat was the only album my dad would tell me to turn up louder .

[Joe Kerr]

Add me to the list.. his webpage has his tunes and lyrics posted
for anyone wanting to jam along and learn them.

on the border and broadway hotel are great tunes with fantastic lead tones
Renwick indeed. met Al and Peter white in austin great guys.

They said were you not the one taking notes in the audience ?
I said yes I was trying to cop the cords and keep up with you
hope I was not distracting to you all....


They were very kind and put on a great show.
Al mentions he writes music about things over 50 years old or more.

He is a profific story teller and historian and we spoke for hours
after the show about history I kept my mouth shut for the most part
as they guy is a walking dictionary on history....

We were all quite lit from drinking and he never missed a beat
or a story or had to think where he was in mid story he is
very well versed in history and quite the song writer.

Renwick really had some great lead tones on his recordings.
Peter white as well.......

[Dickie Fredericks]

"Time Passages" and "Year of the Cat" bring back a lot of teenage memories for me.

For me as well.

"Year of the Cat" is one of the great singer/songwriter tunes of all time and in my Top 100 songs of all time. He is a very talented songwriter and has a terrific and distinctive voice.

Agreed!

[Ravindave_3600]

Unlike many, YOTC deserved to be a big hit. The tune and arrangement are great, and the lyrics? Brilliant:

On a morning from a Bogart movie / In a country where they turn back time
You go strolling through the crowd like Peter Lorre / Contemplating a crime

She comes out of the sun in a silk dress running / Like a watercolour in the rain

By the blue tiled walls near the market stalls / There's a hidden door she leads you to

Well, she looks at you so cooly / And her eyes shine like the moon in the sea
She comes in incense and patchouli

Well, morning comes and you're still with her / And the bus and the tourists are gone
And you've thrown away the choice and lost your ticket / So you have to stay on

[Kiwi]

Thanks for starting this thread. Al Stewart is one of my long-ago favorites: "YOTC" and "Time Passages" are terrific albums.

Hmmm .... I gotta go dig out my old vinyl. Lots of memories there.

Thanks -

=K