ROD THE MOD
Captured on film in 1965
“IwAlked into the marquee Club one night in 1964 and i saw this amazing young singer,” recalls francis megahy of his introduction to Rod stewart. then working for AtV as a documentary director, megahy eventually captured the 19-year-old stewart in Rod The Mod – a 30-minute film screened on november 2, 1965. believed lost for years, the film is a snapshot not just of stewart in the early days of his career but a significant visual document of the emerging R&b scene. shot partly on location in the marquee and ken Colyer’s club at 51 Great newport street – as well as the stewart family residence above a newsagents – the film captures stewart travelling by bus to gigs with long John baldry’s hoochie Coochie men, showing off his wardrobe and pontificating on the lifespan of the Uk blues scene.
“we spent five days shooting,” says megahy. “we paid for it ourselves, we didn’t take any money. eventually, we sold it to Associated-Rediffusion for £300 for one night only. the real problem with the film was it had no promotion. the only way you saw that film is if you happened to be watching television at 11 o’clock that night.”
megahy went on to direct for film and television – including episodes of Hammer House Of Horror, The Professionals and Minder. meanwhile, the film passed into television myth – believed wiped, along with many other tV programmes from the era. megahy claims there were four prints – three of which, he believes, have been irretrievably lost. “but the other print never came back from Rediffusion,” he says. “somehow, it got to the bfi and they contacted me.” the film was shown at the bfi in April, with megahy and stewart in attendance. while fans and archivists will be delighted the film is now back in safe hands, megahy tantalisingly reveals there is another cut: “there was a longer version – a commercial tV hour, so 52 minutes – that had more locations and songs. that vanished,” he says sadly. now the film has been restored, megahy is keen to sell it on – “i’d like to find someone who’d buy it outright!”
Coincidentally, these days megahy lives close to stewart in California and the two often meet for coffee. “the extraordinary thing about him is, i would say that he is exactly the same person today that i made the film about in 1964,” laughs the filmmaker.