But more than a few listeners stayed connected to the real Al Stewart, listening to his UK and US catalog releases, keeping up with new minor-label releases (which appeared every few years or so), and catching up with his performances in small American and European clubs. And as time rolled on, an interesting development occurred.
Most radio stations are programmed by a few massive, impersonal, money-focused corporations. People are hipping themselves to the fact that quality music is rarely found on big-time commercial airwaves - much of the best stuff is found off the beaten path. The few independents — college radio, noncommercial stations, unaffiliated small outlets, satellite — tend to deal with so-called "niche" markets, specific genre - or demographic-focused groups of listeners, and it is on these out-of-the-mainstream stations where musical excellence beyond Britney and blink 182 is most commonly found.
Thanks to these smaller radio outlets and the word they spread about his concerts, his new-album releases and his music, listeners again discovered Al Stewart and took flight with him on musical journeys picturesque and unforgettable. And many, previously mired in the uninformed notion that he was some milquetoast, unhip '70s relic, found themselves enlightened (perhaps, goddess forbid, even educated), certainly entertained, and enormously well-traveled:
A single byplane in the clear blue sky
Nineteen-seventeen
No enemy was seen
High above the fields of France.
Oh she looks,
But there's nothing to see.
Still she looks,
Saying come back to me.
"Fields of France," Last Days of the Century, 1988
This is the day you disappeared
Your hand was steady and I know that your mind was clear
You left a note up on the shelf
Saying "I would rather be anyone but myself."
You took a simple ride across the Great Divide
You left the television on in your room.
"Anniversary," A Beach Full of Shells, 2005
Now the thunder rails in the great mainsails
And the stars desert the skies
And the rigging strains as the hands of rain
Reach down to wash your eyes.
And your oarsman stands with his knife in hand
And his eyes spell mutiny...
"The Dark and the Rolling Sea," Modern Times, 1975
Inside the lonely building
Sits the candidate.
His speech is typed and ready.
The hundred-dollar plates
Sit on deserted tables
Beneath fluorescent light.
But no one comes to hear him;
No cheers disturb the night.
"The Candidate," Russians and Americans, 1984
The subway station's closed again
Sleeps beneath its veil of rain.
My footprints broken trail behind,
Steals the nightlights from my mind.
The dark deserted streets stand clear.
Today has lived and died in here.
So I leave the chapel gloom
To find the shelter of my tiny room.
But it's all right while the lights of the city shine so bright.
It's all right till the last winding train fades from sight.
"Bedsitter Images," Bedsitter Images, 1967
Ah, softly we move through the shadows,
Slip away through the trees,
Crossing their lines in the mists in the fields
On our hands and our knees.
And all that I ever was able to see -
The fire in the air, glowing red,
Silhouetting the smoke on the breeze.
"Roads to Moscow," Past, Present and Future, 1974
Woodrow Wilson has his 14 points,
But Clemenceau turns to Lloyd George
And says, "You know that
God himself had only 10."
"League of Notions," Between the Wars, 1995
I must be losing my shine, like an old dusty burgundy wine
In a cellar cool and damp, dull beneath a yellow lamp
No one turning the key to come and get me today
The more I think about you now, the more I'm feeling that way.
"Optical Illusion" 24PCarrots, 1980
The sun goes down on a neon eon
Though you'd have a job explaining it to Richard Coeur-de-Lion
Animation, bar conversation, anticipation, disinclination.
Poor old wino turns with dust in his eyes,
Begs from the dregs from the bottom of the kegs.
Man, you've never seen a lady lay down and spread her legs like...
"Soho," Past, Present and Future, 1974
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Connie Phillips
This is a wonderful lead in article to your coverage of Al Stewart. I learned a lot about a man whose music I have really enjoyed over the years.
I can't wait to read the rest of your coverage.
2 - NR Davis
Thanks.
3 - Glen Boyd
Al Stewart. Now there's a name I haven't heard in a while.
I loved Al Stewart's music in the seventies...in particular the album's "Past Present & Future", "Modern Times", and the overlooked "Love Chronicles" which features Jimmy Page and Rick Wakeman among others making contributions.
One thing your article missed though...a lot of that beautiful guitar playing was actually done by Stewart's longtime cohort Tim Renwick, a great guitarist in his own right.
What I used to love about Stewart was the way his lyrics intertwined the romantic, the historical, and the literate. I do have a true story about Stewart though that soured me on his music for many years.
I took a date to a concert of his in 1976 back when I worked at a record store and had backstage passes...a sure fire way to impress your date right?
Think again.
My date actually decided to go back to Al Stewart's hotel with him rather than home with me. Stewart even had the gall to ask me if he could have the "Jimmy Carter for President" button I wore that night.
I was like "geez buddy, you've already got my date...isn't that enough"?
His music just never sounded quite the same to me after that night.
I do still own "Modern Times" though...
Nothing, not even the fact that Stewart was pretty much your basic prick the night I met him, can dilute the beauty (and literacy) of tracks like "The Dark and Rolling Sea" and "Modern Times".
I guess I'll have to give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he has grown up since the days when he was a rock star of sorts and acted every bit the loutish role of same.
I'll definitely look into what he's up to these days based on Natalie's recommendation.
4 - NR Davis
Oh, Mr. Boyd, I have heard things like that before, with Al and tons of other artists. Witnessed some of it myself, though not with Al. Yes, he has admitted to bad behavior in the past, and this probably comes from those wicked days of about 30 years ago. (What's the use of being a rock star if you can't be an asshole on occasion?) But as far as I have experienced, he's grown up quite a lot. Quite a lot. Sure, he has his moments (don't we all?), but most times I've seen him in action offstage (sometimes professionally, sometimes not), he has been a total peach. Polite, thoughtful, empathetic (he shows lots of concern for the feelings of others), very warm and engrossing conversationalist, and a wee bit mischievous, that's Al. I happen to like the person a great deal, but again, I met him only eight years ago.
As far as women, he has a longstanding spouse to whom he is devoted and two young daughters. I bet that if you sat down with him over a decent bottle of wine, you would get along splendidly.
As for Tim Renwick, no, I didn't miss him. I chose not to mention him. Renwick (whose work I adore), Peter White and Laurence Juber, among others, will get their mentions later this month. I mentioned Al's guitar because his playing is impressive too and it was Mr. Stewart who was mentioned to me as being an influence, not the certainly inspirational Tim Renwick. Have you seen Al work up close? He's flippin' amazing. He won't accept that praise, but too bad.
5 - Jet in Columbus
Natalie, that was truly a work of art. I have one complaint though, you didn't mention who guided him, produced him and nurtured him through the early and most successful years of his career.
Alan Parsons! A true legend and great musician in his own right! He was also the one who guided the Beatles, and did The Dark Side of The Moon with Pink Floyd.
Please don't neglect that in your follow up!
I'm ashamed of you.
6 - NR Davis
Mr. Jet, I will try to do better in future.
Seriously, we get to projectmeister Alan Parsons later in the month.
7 - Jet in Columbus
Great, with luck, by then I'll be one of you, as I've just started my URL/ blog/ or whatever you call it going, and I'd love to help. I'm a big fan of both Alan Parsons and Al Stewart. In fact I only had my blog going for 3 hours and Chantal responded because I made a vague mention in passing in my side profile that I liked Alan Parson!!!
8 - Glen Boyd
Natalie,
I'm sure if Al and I ever do meet again, we will get on like old chums over that bottle of wine...right after I give him the punch in the nose he's been owed for the past thirty years that is. LOL...
Just kidding of course.
For one thing I am grateful for sure. That experience did give me a great story that I never tire of telling. To this day, I get the "hey Glen, tell the story about the time Al Stewart stole your girlfriend" over beers with my pals.
It's a guaranteed crack up every single time.
Glen
9 - Jewels
Great article, Ms. Davis! Thank you for rekindling an interest in a musician of profound interest in years past. Here is a site with
lyrics that some readers of your story may want to review.
Looking forward to more of your coverage on Stewart.
10 - NR Davis
Thanks, Ms. Richardson.
Mr. Boyd, seems to me that, over the long haul, Al did you a favor. :)
11 - Michael J. West
Ms. Davis, would you believe that I grew up on Al Stewart? My mother was/is a diehard fan of the highest order, and in fact before I could talk I could sing the melody of "The Running Man" from 24 Carrots.
I know, intellectually, that Al is a criminally arcane and overlooked musician, but I've been hearing Past, Present and Future and Modern Times and Russians and Americans over and over again for my entire life, so in my gut it's hard to imagine him as anything but a ubiquitous force.
But that doesn't really matter. I genuinely look forward to reading your explorations of him, Ms. Davis. I hope it inspires people to look into his music!
12 - NR Davis
Sure, I would believe that, Mr. West. I discovered his music while perusing record shops in London in the early '70s and loved his stuff at once. Since then, though my musical knowledge and tastes have expanded and deepened, his music has been ubiquitous - fortuitously for me - for decades.
13 - NR Davis
Mr. Boyd, I just heard that folks on the Al Stewart mailing list enjoyed reading about your, um, adventure with Al.
14 - Jet in Columbus
"Life in Dark Water" is one of the songs that I love secretly, but don't tell my friends.
Now every time I see this post it gets stuck in my head!
15 - Mark Saleski
you know, i grew up right in the middle of the Year Of The Cat era...but can't recall a single tune beyond that and "Time Passages".
hmmm, maybe i should check out something else. anything, actually...since i own nothing by him.
16 - Jet in Columbus
Now how on earth did you miss "You're on my mind like a song on the radio??????
17 - NR Davis
Let me help: "They'll never know, never, no, never, how strange life in dark water can be..."
Love that song! It's uncanny how it actually makes one feel trapped underwater.
18 - Jet in Columbus
Oh thanks a lot!
19 - NR Davis
Again, just because something isn't here doesn't mean I missed it. In the case of "Song on the Radio," I specifically and purposely avoided employing it.
20 - Jet in Columbus
NR, I was answering the first paragraph of comment 15, Not critisizeing you.
I'm a big fan!
21 - NR Davis
My bad! Thanks.
22 - Jet in Columbus
You're welcome, just don't forget the contributions that Alan Parson made to his success in your article.
I did love our article, it brought back some good memories
23 - NR Davis
THIS JUST IN:
Al Stewart's music will be featured TONIGHT - 17 April - on Brunswick, NJ's WRSU-FM, which will be livestreamed over the 'Net.
Details:
Scott Einhorn Radio Show
Monday, 4/17, 8-10 p.m. (ET)
WRSU, 88.7FM
New Brunswick, NJ
24 - Somvipis
what is the real meaning of
"Year of the Cat" in this song
-Year of the Cat of Al Stewart?
Who can explain?
25 - Evan
cool i would like to get it