Even after six years of wedded bliss, Rod Stewart, 68, and wife Penny Lancaster, 42, are no strangers to the ups and downs of marriage.
In fact, the "Hot Legs" singer reveals to Australian magazine, Life, that he and Lancaster broke up for two weeks after an argument. He did not say when the split happened — or the nature of their argument — but reveals that the time apart inspired a song being added to his new record.
"I cover Tom Waits' 'Picture In a Frame' on my new album, Time," Stewart told the magazine. "Penny and I broke up for two weeks and the song is about that time. I asked her for a photo of herself in a frame so that I could see her when I went to bed and when I woke up."
Although the two were able to ultimately patch things up and focus on keeping their marriage intact, the dad of eight (he's previously been married to model Rachel Hunter and Alana Hamilton, ex-wife of actor George Hamilton), says the two-week break up made him reflect on his past relationships and love in general.
"My relationship rule is, 'Don't argue after a glass of wine—leave debating until the morning,'" he said. "I have always loved women, won some, lost some, but it's not about the magic touch, it's about being a better person and a good listener."
He continued, "I met Penny in my 50s and if I had not learned by that point in my life, I was never going to.”
Of his failed marriages in the past, he told the magazine that rushing into a wedding was his biggest mistake.
“Marriage is supposed to be a unison by two people," he explained. "I thought I was ready but I wasn’t. I am against any of my kids marrying before 30.”
Stewart and Lancaster have been dating since 1999 and got married in 2007. They have two children together — Alastair, 8, and Aiden, 2. On Tuesday, May 7, he released his album Time.
