Rod Stewart has revealed the strict health regimen that is keeping him on track ahead of his farewell tour next year.
The veteran rocker, 81, ran into health problems earlier this year, undergoing a heart procedure in August after which he was forced to cancel the remainder of his tour dates.
Stewart underwent the “routine coronary stent procedure” months after he had to pause a concert in Utah in order to use an oxygen mask. He had almost fainted on stage.
In the months since, the “Maggie May” singer has declared that he feels “f***ing brilliant”, with his wife, Penny Lancaster, also telling Loose Women viewers that her husband was full of “voracious energy”.
In a new interview with The Sun, Stewart explained what had happened on stage in Utah and also lifted the lid on the strict diet and exercise regimen keeping him fit for his farewell tour in 2027.
The near-fainting incident occurred, he told the publication, because he had bronchitis at the same time as he was playing above altitude. The amphitheatre was 4,300ft above sea level. “If I’m performing above altitude, you go out and do a mid-tempo one and a slow one, then do a fast one. Not three off the bounce, jumping about,” he said.
Now, to keep himself healthy, Stewart said that he wears white gloves “like Michael Jackson” when he goes out in order to help stop him contracting colds and flus.
The rockstar said that he also limits alcohol intake, stating that “in the old days”, he would get drunk with the band Faces before going on stage. “Now, when I go on, I’m absolutely sober, then I’ll have a Rum and Coke after the third song or so.”
That said, Stewart said his wife wants him to cut back on the alcohol some more. “I wish I could curb my drinking, but I love wine with an evening meal,” said the singer. “Penny says, ‘You must cut back, darling.’ I only have a couple of glasses. But then, sometimes, I’ll get on the apple martinis and I can really knock those back.”
Stewart will also partake in an hour’s workout before he goes on stage, which consists of stretching, cycling, stationary bike, massaging, and warming up his voice.
He maintains his exercise schedule at home, too. “Three times a week, I cycle for a mile, lots of uphill stuff, and I do a load of swimming,” he said. “Frank Sinatra told me about that. He said, ‘If you just do underwater swimming as much as you can, holding your breath till you want to burst, because then your lungs will get bigger. And they’ll get used to you holding your breath and singing.’”
Stewart said that he still keeps an eye on his PSA (prostate-specific antigen) levels a decade after being diagnosed with prostate cancer, and subsequently being given the all clear.
In September, Stewart announced that his farewell tour, titled The Final Encore, would take place in 2027, while confirming that he has no plans to retire from music altogether.
“My dear friends, the time has come to say farewell to life on the road,” he said in a statement. “After more than six decades, The Final Encore will most definitely be my last.
“I’ve been singing the music I love since I was 19 years old, and I’ve had the privilege of taking it around the world to all of you. It has given me a life beyond anything I could ever have imagined, and I hope I’ve given you some fond memories in return.
“So, may I take this opportunity to thank you for making this extraordinary life possible. I hope you’ll join me so I can thank you the best way I know how, with the music and one hell of a show. See you there.”
Stewart will be touring the US including Florida, Georgia, and Colorado, as well as Canada, Ireland, England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and mainland Europe.
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