The English rock band Faces, active from 1969 to 1975, experienced significant lineup changes and individual career trajectories that shaped its legacy. Formed from the remnants of Small Faces with the addition of Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood, the band's initial run was marked by both musical success and internal shifts. After their initial breakup, the members pursued diverse paths, with some achieving even greater fame, while the band itself saw
various partial and full reunions over the decades, cementing its place in rock history and leading to a renewed active status in recent years.
Key Personnel Changes and Departures
The core lineup of Faces included Ronnie Lane on bass, Kenney Jones on drums, Ian McLagan on keyboards, Rod Stewart on lead vocals, and Ronnie Wood on guitar. However, the band's dynamics began to shift as Rod Stewart's solo career gained significant traction, eventually overshadowing the group. This growing disparity in focus and opportunity led to the departure of bassist Ronnie Lane in 1973. Lane's disillusionment was partly attributed to his desire for more lead vocal opportunities, which were increasingly dominated by Stewart.
Following Lane's exit, Tetsu Yamauchi, who had previously replaced Andy Fraser in Free, took over the role of bassist. The band's final studio album, *Ooh La La*, was released just months before Lane's departure, marking the end of an era for the original lineup. Although they recorded a few tracks for another potential studio album, the band's enthusiasm waned. Their last release as a group was the late 1974 UK Top 20 hit "You Can Make Me Dance, Sing or Anything." By 1975, Ronnie Wood began working with the Rolling Stones, which brought the internal differences between Stewart and the other members to a head. After a challenging fall US tour that year, with Jesse Ed Davis on rhythm guitar, the band officially announced their split in December.
Post-Breakup Careers and Enduring Legacy
After the initial breakup of Faces, the individual members embarked on notable careers. Rod Stewart continued his highly successful solo career, becoming a global superstar. Ronnie Wood officially joined the Rolling Stones, a position he has held for decades. Kenney Jones, after a short-lived Small Faces reunion, went on to join The Who in 1978, filling the drumming role after Keith Moon's death. Ian McLagan became a prolific session and touring musician, working with numerous acts and his own bands throughout the 1970s until his passing in 2014.
Ronnie Lane's musical activities were severely curtailed by the 1980s due to the onset of multiple sclerosis, which eventually forced his retirement in the early 1990s. He passed away in 1997. Despite the individual paths, the legacy of Faces endured, leading to various partial reunions. These included one-off performances and a brief reunion tour in 2010–2011 with Mick Hucknall on vocals and Glen Matlock on bass. In 2012, Faces and Small Faces were jointly inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Although Rod Stewart was scheduled to perform, illness prevented his attendance, and Hucknall stepped in. Since 2021, Jones, Stewart, and Wood have periodically reunited to record new tracks under the Faces name, indicating a renewed active status for the band.
