In a new interview with Uncut, Rod Stewart has revealed why it’s taken so many years to get the Faces back together. Having not played in public since 1993, the band reunited on September 6 for a Prostate Cancer UK benefit gig. Stewart explained the role of late Faces keyboardist Ian McLagan in the delay:

Mac was a bit of a fly in the ointment when it came to getting the band back together, so once he passed, it became a lot easier, because every time I’d say, “Right, we’re going to do it next year”, Mac would go, “No, you’re not doing it next year because we’re not ready. We’ve got a Small Faces album coming out.” Or something like that. So it was always a bit of negativity with Mac. Funny guy, but…

He also said of their relationship, “In Mac’s case I don’t think he ever really accepted me, but we did become friends.”

The November issue of Uncut is in stores today (September 22), in which Stewart also discusses style, the Faces’ drinking habits, his relationship with Ron Wood, whether he’s a “rock’n’roll traitor” for embarking on his Great American Songbook project, his throat cancer scare, procrastination, family and not taking anything for granted.

The issue also features Joanna Newsom, John Grant, Julian Cope, The Doors, Linda Ronstadt, Peter Gabriel, The Dead Weather, Deerhunter, Otis Redding, Captain Beefheart and more.