Widely discussed as one of the greatest singers of any generation, Rod Stewart is a rock legend, and his new covers album sees its release today. Soulbook consists of 13 cover selections of soul classics from the ’60s and ’70s. He appeared on the Today show this morning and sent the show’s four person anchor team including Meredith Viera and Al Roker into a dance frenzy with his version of “Love Train“. A rock and roll hall of fame inductee, Stewart’s cover albums have sold over 10 million copies since 2002′s The Great American Songbook. He toured the USA over the summer as a solo act, and now his former bandmates in The Faces are hoping to tour with him next year. Faces drummer Kenney Jones spoke about the potential tour with BBC: “Rod wants to do it as well, but it’s just down to getting the schedules right for all of us to do it at the same time, because everyone’s doing different things at different times.“
You can watch Stewart on ABC’s The View tomorrow morning, and Thursday on Jimmy Kimmel Live. More information at www.RodStewart.com.
Meanwhile, multi-platinum west coast rockers RATT have finally uncovered the name of their long-awaited album. Infestation will be the band’s first CD of new material in over a decade, and will be released by Roadrunner Records in March 2010. The band’s current lineup of Stephen Pearcy, Warren DeMartini, Bobby Blotzer, Robbie Crane, and Carlos Cavazo (ex-Quiet Riot) recorded the album in Virginia in the studio of Elvis Baskette. Although no word has been spoken by the band on what direction they have taken with the new songs, you can watch this clip of guitarist DeMartini laying down a solo for a track titled “Lost Weekend” and judge for yourself. Since re-uniting with vocalist Pearcy two years ago, the band has put on the miles as they’ve toured the USA and the UK extensively.
