Rod Stewart reveals being tipsy is the key to his songwriting success

He’s spent over 50 years delighting fans with a string of rocking number ones.

And rock legend Rod Stewart, 75, revealed on Sunday that the secret to his musical success lies at the bottom of a wine bottle.

Speaking to the Mirror Online, the Maggie May singer said getting tipsy in hotel rooms always got his creative juices flowing when penning his albums.

Rod said: ‘They used to have to lock me up with a bottle of wine and take the key and say, “Get it finished in the next four or five hours.” That would work.

The Scottish crooner’s rather rock n’ roll approach has seen him top the charts with six number one singles including Do Ya Think I’m Sexy and  The First Cut is the Deepest.

The spiky haired hitmaker said his boozy method was often chuckled about by his peers as he’d be holed up in his en-suite tipsily scribbling away at his latest hit during his time in The Faces in the late 60s and early 70s.

Rod said: ‘I’d hear them all in the corridor, laughing, at the Holiday Inn: “Oh yeah look at Stewart. He is there trying to finish the lyrics.”‘

The former Faces frontman has a total of nine number one albums under his belt and says getting squiffy enhances rather than produces musical talent. 

Rod said: ‘You’ve really got it or you haven’t. It’s either in your blood or it’s a natural feel for music. I’ve always loved listening to music.’

Having achieved global success with by selling over 250 million records and having a collection of Grammy awards on his mantlepiece, Rod was knighted in 2016.

Sir Rod married his model wife Penny Lancaster, 49, in 2007 at the stunning medieval monastery La Cervara in Portofino. 

Penny recently flexed her humanitarian muscles by donating a number of designer items to the British Heart Foundation while Rod made his own contribution.

Blonde beauty Penny showed off a sexy Dolce and Gabbana corset-style dress as she addressed her fans in an Instagram video, while rocker Rod generously donated signed CDs and Tour books. 

Penny looked radiant as she went make-up free for the clip while dressed in a grey and white floral top and pale blue jeans.

Holding up a slinky black dress with a lace-up back and satin trim, she urged her followers to donate their own pre-loved goods The British Heart Foundation. 

Penny said in the clip: ‘So why don’t you find some of your pre-loved items, maybe like me that don’t fit anymore that will be better placed with the British Heart Foundation, who can raise lots of funds to have no more heartbreak. Thank you.’

The Loose Women panellist then shared images of her clothes from her extensive wardrobe, which included stylish designer shoes, chic tailored trousers and some goodies from her husband. 

She then took to her stories as she repeated her message before sharing a video of Rod, who himself was keen to help the cause. 

Dressed in a lemon yellow shirt, the Vagabond Heart hitmaker opened a box as he said: ‘I wanted to donate a little something.’

To which his wife replied: ‘what have you got there darling?’

He said: ‘I’ve got four albums all signed, including the two recent ones and a tour programme signed as well.’

He then proudly held them aloft as Penny thanked him before hopping into the video herself.

The couple’s generosity comes after they recently enjoyed a luxurious holiday to Croatia which they spent on a yacht.

Earlier this year, Rod gushed that his wife Penny is ‘everything’ to him, as he reflected on their relationship.

Rod explained that being with Penny made him learn ‘good manners’ which he also tries to instill on his children, while he feels he helped her gain ‘a lot of confidence’ during the course of their relationship.