They play "easy listening" music over the intercom system where I work and occasionally a song or singer jumps into my consciousness. Today it was Rod Stewart, singing some drivel from the late 70's.

Now Rod has many musical sins to atone for, but he did make two records that I have great respect for - "The Rod Stewart Album" and "Gasoline Alley". They both seem to bridge the gap between English traditional music and rock and roll. The use of mandolins, fiddle and acoustic guitar and the looseness of the ensemble playing is quite unusual. The songwriting is esceptional and the sound of the songs is almost unclassifiable.

Most of Rod the Mod's output over the course of his career has been terribly disappointing to anyone who heard these first albums and realized that this was something different. Am I alone in this admiration for the rooster headed boy?