Gasoline Alley (1970)

Gasoline Alley is the second solo studio album by the British singer-songwriter Rod Stewart. It was released on 12 June 1970 by Vertigo Records. It is a collection of covers combined with Stewart's own compositions. Like many of Stewart's solo albums from the period, it featured significant musical contributions from the other members of his band Faces.

Reception

The album was well received, with Langdon Winner of Rolling Stone feeling that Stewart had "a rare sensitivity for the delicate moments in a person's existence", and that this, Stewart's second solo album, was the work "of a supremely fine artist".

Personnel

Rod Stewart – lead vocals, acoustic guitar on "Jo's Lament"

• Ronnie Wood – guitar, acoustic guitar, bass guitar
• Martin Quittenton – acoustic guitar
• Stanley Matthews – mandolin

Ronnie Lane – bass on "My Way Of Giving" and "You're My Girl", backing vocals on "My Way Of Giving"

Pete Sears – piano on "Country Comfort", bass on "Cut Across Shorty".

Ian McLagan – piano, Hammond organ (the UK credit list notes: "Mac not available due to bus strike", while the US release credits him)

Mick Waller – drums

Kenney Jones – drums on "My Way Of Giving" and "You're My Girl"

• William Gaff – whistle
• Dennis O'Flynn, Dick Powell – violin

Jack Reynolds – backing vocals on "Country Comfort"

Production

Producers – Rod Stewart and Lou Reizner

Mastering – Gilbert Kong at Masterdisk (New York, NY)

Album Design and Photography – Marcus Keef at Colbeck Mews, Kensington

Notable covers by other artists

Elkie Brooks later achieved a hit with a version of the title track in 1983.

Long John Baldry (with whom Stewart had previously worked in the bands Hoochie Coochie Men and Steampacket) covered the title song for his 1973 album Good To Be Alive.