Latest news with #Faces
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
NEWS OF THE WEEK: Rod Stewart reunites with Ronnie Wood during star-studded Glastonbury set
The Rolling Stones guitarist and Rod were members of the Faces from 1969 to 1975, when the band split. At the Glastonbury festival the pair reunited on stage to perform the group's classic 1971 hit Stay with Me, as part of a performance that included other guest appearances by veteran stars. "C'mon Ronnie let's remember the old days my son," Rod said before his old bandmate launched into the opening bars of their hit. Also joining Rod for the Pyramid Stage gig were Lulu, who performed Hot Legs with the rocker,...
The Guardian
02-07-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Ministers are fretting about Britain's falling birthrate. Here's why it could be a good thing
Back in the early 1970s when he was lead singer with the Faces, few of his fans would have expected Rod Stewart to be still belting out Maggie May at Glastonbury more than half a century later. Long gone are the days when rock stars hoped to die before they got old. Instead, 80-year-old rock stars symbolise the fact that Britain and other developed economies have ageing populations. Women are having children later in life and having fewer of them. Politicians are starting to fret about the prospect of a decreasing number of people of working age supporting an ever-increasing number of pensioners. Just this week, the education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, said the falling birthrate had 'worrying repercussions' and that she hoped to be able to make it easier for women to have children. This might seem a curious concern given that the UK's population has risen from fewer than 60 million at the turn of the millennium to 67.2 million by 2022 and is expected to rise by another 5 million by 2032. Yet the fertility rate in England and Wales – the number of live births per woman – is currently 1.44, the lowest since records began in 1938 and well below the 2.1 level consistent with a stable population. If that trend continues and net migration is reduced, the number of people in the UK will eventually start to decline. So much is obvious. Less clear is what, if anything, policymakers should do to raise fertility rates. The answer may well be nothing. A falling population is not a disaster. It might even be a good thing. Hungary's prime minister, Viktor Orbán, would certainly disagree with that conclusion. So would France's president, Emmanuel Macron, and Italy's prime minister, Giorgia Meloni. Italy has a tax-free allowance – a 'baby bonus' – for women having children. Macron has a plan for France's demographic rearmament. In 2019, Hungary offered women a €30,000 (£26,000) interest-free loan that would be non-repayable in the event that they had three or more children. The chances of the UK matching that level of generosity given the strains on the public finances are infinitesimally small. Yet the evidence from countries that have already hit the panic button over declining populations is not encouraging. Fertility rates in Italy, France and Hungary remain well below 2.1 despite the fiscal inducements. And that's because the factors that are persuading women to delay having children – or not have children at all – are stronger than government tax breaks or interest-free loans. Make no mistake, these are welcome changes. Women are better educated than they have ever been. More of them go to university, so have the possibility of securing interesting and well-paid jobs. It is not surprising that for many of them career progression takes precedence over childbirth in their 20s. The days when households were financially dependent on one male breadwinner are over – and a good thing too. It is also tough for women who do want to start a family at a younger age. Rising house prices have resulted in home ownership rates among 25- to 34-year-olds declining from 59% to 39% since 2000. Rents have also increased sharply. Given all this, it is hard to see much future for pronatalist policies in the UK. The reality is that the demographic makeup of Britain will change over the coming decades as people live longer and fertility rates remain well below 2.1. If net migration is below the levels of recent years, the Office for Budget Responsibility thinks the population could be 1.2 million lower in 2072 than it was in 2022. Is this really so much of a problem? The economist David Miles – one of those responsible for putting together the OBR's economic and fiscal forecasts – says not. In a recent paper, he argues that the catastrophising about shrinking populations is 'largely bunkum'. In part, that's because the global population is expected to continue growing for some decades to come, putting added pressure on the environment and speeding up climate breakdown. It makes little sense to adopt policies designed to increase fertility rates when the UK is an overcrowded island in an overpopulated world. But it is also the case that the combination of an ageing and gently falling population could result in living standards rising. Older people tend to save more and that means the ratio of capital to worker will increase. There will, in other words, be fewer workers but they could well be more productive. Measured by gross domestic product, the economy would be getting smaller, but GDP per head – a much better measure of wellbeing – would be increasing. There would be less congestion on the roads, less pressure on public services and less competition for housing. Japan already has an ageing and shrinking population and seems to be coping just fine. To be sure, there will still need to be policy changes in Britain. If there are going to be fewer young people, it is bad for the economy as well as a waste of individual potential for them not to be working. To that extent, the motivation behind the government's botched welfare reforms makes sense. Childcare needs to be more affordable and changes to the pension age might also be required to extend the working lives of those able to do so. But it is not inevitable that a falling population would be bad for the economy. It would certainly be good for the planet. Larry Elliott is a Guardian columnist
Edinburgh Live
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
Rod Stewart made 'hilarious blunder' at Glastonbury and fans didn't notice
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Fans of Sir Rod Stewart are in stitches, only recently catching onto a "hilarious" gaffe he made at Glastonbury Festival, after comedian Harry Hill shared the footage on Instagram. The clip, now a talking point among music fans, has been widely circulated - provoking laughter for the cheeky onstage mishap. Finding humour in the incident, Harry wrote: "I think my Glasto highlight has been Sir Rod blowing his nose." During the video, Sir Rod, 80, is seen rummaging for a tissue before unceremoniously using it while on stage. Before this comical moment, the rock legend is observed searching his pocket for the handkerchief and then swiftly heading towards the stage to find one. The post has attracted over 15,000 likes and numerous comments. One follower succinctly commented: "Hilarious." Another wrote: "TV highlight of the week." An amused fan joked: "Do you think I'm snotty?" Meanwhile, someone else praised: "He was brill. Loved him going off stage for a cuppa. "Good on him. True entertainer." (Image:) Taking to the Pyramid Stage's legends slot on the festival's final day, Sir Rod captivated the Worthy Farm crowd with his band and back-up singers, belting out some of his classic tunes. He faced several hurdles ahead of his Glastonbury performance, having to pull out of US concerts in early June due to the flu. He's also expressed a desire to end "large-scale world tours" by the end of 2025 and focus on smaller, intimate gigs. Nevertheless, his weekend performance at Glastonbury saw him commanding the stage with his amazing presence. A fan praised on X: "Massive crowd for Rod fair play." Another noted: "Bigger turnout for Rod than Neil Young last night." Admiration continued with a third fan, commenting: "All those eyes on Rod. He looks fabulous for his age." Additionally, someone else affirmed: "He deserves that crowd after all these years." The Maggie May crooner joined the esteemed ranks of music greats like James Brown, Diana Ross and Shania Twain, who have graced the afternoon slot at the renowned festival. Sir Rod previously shared his eagerness for the gig with Radio Times, saying: "I'm really looking forward to it, and it is a different gig. It's like when you're playing a cup final you're trying to treat it like another game. But, of course, it's not. It's special. It'll be glamorous, it'll be sexy. "And we've got a little orchestra coming on to play with us. And we may have some bagpipes." The crowd was electrified on Sunday when the singer was unexpectedly joined on stage by his former Faces bandmate, Ronnie Wood.
New York Post
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Rod Stewart brings out Ronnie Wood and more music legends during Glastonbury set
Rock star reunion. Rod Stewart was joined by several surprise guests — including his Faces bandmate Ronnie Wood — during his set at the Glastonbury Festival on Sunday. Stewart, 80, kicked off his solo legends slot performance by playing some of his biggest hits, including 'Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)' and 'Do Ya Think I'm Sexy.' 11 Rod Stewart performs during day five of the Glastonbury Festival the music icon shocked the crowd by bringing out Simply Red's Mick Hucknall, 65, for a duet of 'If You Don't Know Me by Now.' 11 Rod Stewart (L) performs with Mick Hucknall onstage during Glastonbury Festival on June 29.11 Rod Stewart and Mick Hucknall perform at Glastonbury Festival next surprise came when Wood, 78, and Lulu, 76, joined Stewart on stage for his set. Stewart sang 'Stay With Me' with Wood and 'Hot Legs' with Lulu. 'Now it brings me real great pleasure to bring on the stage two — what I call — legends, along with me,' Stewart told the crowd before the pair came out on stage, as seen in a video from the festival. 11 Rod Stewart is joined by Lulu for day five of Glastonbury Festival 2025.11 Rod Stewart embraces Lulu onstage at the Glastonbury Festival. WireImage 11 Lulu sings with Rod Stewart onstage at Glastonbury. Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP Stewart also brought Glastonbury Festival founder Michael Eavis, 89, out on stage to huge applause for the audience. They did a singalong together to Stewart's song 'Sailing.' The set marked Stewart and Wood's first performance together since the 2020 BRIT Awards. 11 Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood reunite onstage at Glastonbury Festival 2025 in England.11 Ronnie Wood waves to the crowd during his surprise performance at the Glastonbury Festival a recent interview with The Telegraph, Faces drummer Kenney Jones teased that the group was finally working on a new album with 'about 11 tracks' recorded. Their last album was released in 1973. 'I can't see it coming out this year,' Jones, 76, said in April. 'But I can see it coming out next year. Everyone's doing different things. We do little snippets [of recording] here and there. Then all of a sudden, The Stones are out [on tour] again, Rod's out again…' 11 Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood perform at Glastonbury Festival 2025. 11 Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood give an electric performance for the audience at the Glastonbury Festival on June performed at Glastonbury after he was forced to cancel several concerts due to being diagnosed with the flu. Earlier this month, the rocker told fans he was 'devastated' to cancel four shows and postpone two in Nevada and California on his One Last Time Tour. 'I'm devastated and sincerely apologize for any inconvenience to my fans. I'll be back on stage and will see you soon,' he said in a statement. 11 Rod Stewart during his set at the Glastonbury Festival 'Maggie May' singer previously canceled his June 5 show in Las Vegas due to health concerns. He also bailed on his June 1 scheduled show in Sin City hours before his performance was set to begin. In late 2024, Stewart revealed that he was taking a step back from the stage in the coming year. 'This will be the end of large-scale world tours for me, but I have no desire to retire,' he said in a statement on social media. 'I love what I do, and I do what I love.' 'I'm fit, have a full head of hair, and can run 100 meters in 18 seconds at the jolly old age of 79,' he added.
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Rod Stewart thrills thousands at Glastonbury Music Festival
The Glastonbury Music Festival saw acts of great genres and generations. However, one person seemed to steal the show. Sir Rod Stewart at age 80 drew hundreds of thousands to watch his performance on the Pyramid Stage. Stewart brought the hits with his 12-piece band. He also brought out legendary Rolling Stones guitarist and former Faces comrade Ronnie Wood to play on some songs. Eighty years old and Forever Young. That is Sir Rod Stewart. This article originally appeared on The List Wire: Rod Stewart stars at Glastonbury Music Festival
