Celtic, People and Music: What keeps Rod Stewart coming back to Glasgow

The singer was born in Highgate, North London, on 10 January 1945 - the youngest of five children of Robert Stewart, a master builder from Leith, Edinburgh and his wife Elsie who had grown up in London. His two brothers and two sisters had been born in Scotland and the Caledonian influence was part of his upbringing. He said: “I am is very proud of my father who was Scottish and the wee bit of Scottish blood I have in me. It’s a spiritual thing for me."

His relationship with Glasgow began in the 1970s when, after recording with the Jeff Beck Group in the 1960s, he was touring with the Faces. The band played Green’s Playhouse in 1972, then the following year when the band returned, he found himself invited to Celtic Park to train with the team.

“I met Jock Stein in 1973, Kenny Dalglish, Jimmy Johnstone and Harry Hood, all knocked on my door,” he recalled.

“We just did a show with the Faces in Glasgow, and they all came to wake me and Ronnie [Wood] up to get us to go training. Ronnie didn’t get out of bed, but I went and I met Jock Stein. “He looked at me and he laughed at my shoes. And since that day, I’ve become a Celtic supporter. I was so enamoured by him, you know, this huge guy was just brilliant.”

Since those days Rod Stewart has become one of the best-selling music artists of all time, having sold more than 120 million records worldwide. He has had 10 number-one albums and 31 top-ten singles in the UK, six of which reached number one. Stewart has had 16 top-ten singles in the US, with four reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100. He was knighted in 2016, has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and a Las Vegas residency. This is a man with the kind of global fame that means he could be anywhere in the world he wanted to be, yet he consistently chooses to return to Glasgow.

Rod Stewart has a great affection for the city - he’s a football fanatic, that’s part of it. Visits to Celtic Park with his sons and friends have increasingly become part of Rod’s life since he now predominantly bases himself in the UK after decades in Los Angeles. He’s winding down his international touring career which gives him more free time. Rod has become a familiar presence in the stands for Celtic European nights, so much so that he was a discussion point at the club’s AGM this week.

There are also the local restaurants, hotels and bars he has visited over the years, gigs at venues like the Hydro, late nights at Rogano and, more recently, whisky cocktails at Glaschu, Kelvingrove Cafe and The Anchor Line as he launched his own brand, Wolfie’s. What does Rod Stewart find in Glasgow that keeps bringing him back?

Glasgow songwriter John McLaughlin has recorded and toured with Rod Stewart and they are close friends. I spoke to John recently about For the Love of Shane MacGowan, his new touring show celebrating The Pogues frontman - another singer with a strong Glasgow connection.

It was a chance to pose the question: Rod Stewart could be in any city, what is it that keeps bringing him back to Glasgow? You can watch the clip above.

John said: “Rod comes here a lot, as you know - the music, the people, the football, he just loves it. It’s well documented that he’s a Celtic fan. The Rangers fans give him a bit of grief and it’s in good humour, it’s good patter. He likes the banter. He comes here and he loves taking pictures with people, he always says if that ever stops then he’s in trouble.

“He never gets harangued here. People are happy to see him, and he’s happy to see them. He comes and spends a lot of time here, he loves to stay here in the Radisson RED hotel as well.

“I think we are less celebrity driven in Glasgow, we want to say hello and give you a nod, we’re not going to try to hang about all day. He likes that, he likes the culture and the vibe. He loves new bands and is always asking about that kind of thing.”

Just as John finished speaking, I noticed that a Faces track from 1973 was playing in the background as we sat in the restaurant of Radisson RED, Rod Stewart’s favourite Glasgow hotel - the celebrated singer is never that far away.

John McLaughlin will be on stage at The Classic Grand on Friday, 12 December, performing For the Love of Shane MacGowan. The show is a tribute to his late friend and features The Pogues songs interspersed with personal stories. Tickets available here.