Happy birthday Rod The Mod!

Sympathy For The Devil was a German TV series that ran for one 13 episode season from 1971 to ‘72. Here’s a clip from the show featuring birthday boy Rod Stewart doing acapella versions of “Gasoline Alley” and “Lady Day.”

Filmed amongst the rubble in the streets of Berlin, Stewart’s soulful voice echoes off the walls of weathered buildings and co-mingles with the sounds of birds and laughter of children. At the end of the clip you can hear a little kid mocking Stewart who mocks back.
 

 
Real men do cry, as the legendary Rod Stewart proved last night, when he burst into tears after his beloved Celtic F.C. beat ‘the world’s best soccer team’ Barcelona, 2-1, at their stadium in Glasgow.

While some wags thought Mr. Stewart must have lost his wallet to elicit such a response, I can attest, as a fellow Celtic supporter, tears of joy were more than understandable after such a tense and exciting, Champions League game. Now, here’s to the next one.
 

 
Sixties pop diva Julie Driscoll began her career as the president of the Yarbirds fanclub and their manager/producer, Giorgio Gomelsky encouraged her to try performing. She began singing professionally with The Steampacket, a group led by Long John Baldry and managed by Gomelsky. Driscoll sang alongside of the band’s male vocalist, Rod Stewart, and it was here that she met future musical partner Brian Auger. She and Auger left the group forming Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger & the Trinity, co-billing the Driscoll’s full-throated vocals with the sound of Auger’s Hammond B3 organ. The act had a top five UK hit in 1968 with a version of Bob Dylan’s “This Wheel’s on Fire,” a song made famous on The Band’s Music from the Big Pink, also released that year. Their other big hit was a suburb cover of Donovan’s “Season of the Witch.” Driscoll’s career took a more avant garde direction when she spilt from Auger, as she collaborated with members of Soft Machine on solo material.

Julie Driscoll’s powerful voice, striking good looks and distinctive fashion sense made her forever an icon of the late 60s Swinging London music scene, but her career never took off in America. Her way ahead-of-her-time manner of presenting herself as a female pop artist can be seen echoed today by the likes of Alison Goldfrapp (and in the Austin Powers movies!). She still performs, under her married name, Jullie Tippetts.

“Season of the Witch”
 

 
After the jump, two more amazing videos of Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger & The Trinity!