Introduction Summary

Rod: The Autobiography opens with Rod Stewart's explanation of "a runner." He leaves stage after a performance, while the audience is still seated expecting an encore. This way, he can beat the traffic and catch a plane without a disturbance. Once, he did "a runner" out of Gothenburg, Sweden to travel back to London. Stewart professes that flying back home in a plane is one of the few places he can relax. After a rigorous performance, he anticipates a soft bed, a warm meal, and glass of wine. On that particular night, however, his ritual of relaxation was interrupted. After the plane ascended, passengers could hear an alarming thump. Stewart glanced anxiously at people seated around him, including his friends and colleagues. When the plane began to rattle and drop, Stewart feared the worst. He prepared for the possible end of his life...