Rod Stewart talks all about his new tour ahead of Birmingham Barclaycard Arena appearance

And fans can look forward to a clutch of those when he brings his new tour, From Gasoline Alley to Another Country – Hits 2016, to Birmingham's Barclaycard Arena both tonight and tomorrow.

The international rock star will bring with him his biggest hits from 1970 to 2016.

Demand for his spectacular live shows are as strong as ever following the recent release of musical legend's 29th critically acclaimed platinum selling album, Another Country, which shot straight to No2 a year ago.

Another Country was created because Sir Rod was inspired by his own fans.

"The last album did fairly well - it did really well in Europe - and it gave me the confidence to spread my wings, as it were, and just keep on writing," he said. "Writing about different things.

Sir Rod received his knighthood at Buckingham Palace in October for his services to music and charity. And yet his career has not always been plain sailing.

He suffered when his friends accused him of going camp in the 70s, having previously been more of a rocker.

"Yeah. 'Rod Goes Hollywood'. A bit camp? It was certainly camp! It was meant to be somewhat camp, ha ha. I think I got influenced by the girlfriend at the time, Britt. She made me wear too much eye shadow and things like that. Frilly shirts. Rotten trousers. I mean, glam had been around long before, but I think I may have taken it just a step too far.

"Yeah it did, it hurt. Because inside I was still just the same North London guy, y'know, and young – nothing had changed. I'd just moved locations. Because in those days taxation was ridiculously high. And I didn't know how long my career was gonna last.

"It was the Wilson government, I think, and that chancellor, Dennis Healey, he just died, didn't he? So, we were paying 98 per cent in the pound.

"A lot of musicians left around that time. But I was tricked into it too. My then-manager said: 'look, you just go out there for a couple of months, I've got you an apartment, maybe write some songs'. But when I got there, he said: 'right, here's the deal, you've got to stay here for a solid year and you can't go back to the UK'.

"But then I got used to it, and I met Britt, and the rest is history, and my kids are still growing up there. I loved it, still do. I'm a sunshine boy. I can't deal with rain."