It’s rare enough to be involved in one important band, but Ian McLagan was involved in three. The name may not ring any bells, but McLagan played keys as a member of The Small Faces (1965-’69 with Steve Marriott), the Faces (’69-’75 in which Rod Stewart and Ron Wood replaced Marriott who left to form Humble Pie) and the Rolling Stones (touring with the band, as well as playing keys on ’78’s Some Girls). While The Small Faces and the Faces are perhaps best known historically as the jumping-off points for their frontmen, they were the bands responsible for "Itchycoo Park" and the monster singles "Stay With Me" and "Ohh La La." Mac, as he’s affectionately known, tells how it all went down in his retrospective book All The Rage (Watson-Guptill, available now in paperback) and is working with Rhino Records on a 3-CD Faces box set.

As far as modern bands go, do you think there are any bands that are doing anything worthwhile?

I must say, I’m more interested in girl singers recently: Sheryl Crow, Shelby Lynne, there’s some brilliant singers out there. Bands, I don’t know… I tour a lot in England, and I hear people going "Oh, yeah, that band’s doing good." I saw one band, I won’t name it, but I saw them on BBC America, and I’ve never seen such pop rubbish! People rage about this band, and I’m thinking this was rehashing really bad stuff in the first place…. I mean, I really wanna be knocked out. But to see Beck perform, I’ve never seen him live, but he’s like a throwback to the ’60s to me. He’s amazing, a real performer, a singer.

Some critics will say that if you have any influences as a band, you’re retro. Since The Small Faces and the Faces had black roots — like Booker T. and James Brown — what’s your opinion on this?

I think the whole point is that I wouldn’t have been a musician if I hadn’t heard Jimmy Reed and Muddy Waters and Chuck Berry, I wouldn’t have thought it. I loved Buddy Holly, and I kind of liked Elvis back then… Little Richard… the music was so great and the more I found out and the more I listened. I mean, it wasn’t some day I thought "Now this would be a good idea…"

Between Steve Marriott, Rod Stewart and Mick Jagger, who was the easiest to tour with and who was the most difficult to tour with?

With Steve, at a good performance, we were all in each other’s pockets. We got on very well, but Steve would eventually drive you nuts because he’s such a hyper guy.… But when it came to stage, they guy was just on. Never had a bad night, that kid.… He was all over the show: screaming, and flailing, and spinning around, playing great guitar.… But at the same time, all three of those guys, to be onstage with them was kind of amazing. The thing they have in common, too, was that they were like babies on stage, with no inhibitions. You know, how babies roll around the floor and dribble. You’d see, Mick would do some — as cool as he liked to be — he would do the most stupid things because he was totally relaxed…. Rod would do that too. Rod would pose a lot, but they’re all posers, you know, they’re mod bands, that’s what they’re for.

Now, what’s the origin of the Rooster haircut that everybody in the Faces ended up having?

Well, you know, in some ways the hair was… the mod thing. It didn’t start with Rod Stewart. When I first saw him, his hair was bouffant, it was pulled back up over the top, all back-combed. It was just a mod thing, a longer mod thing. But then he cut his hair — he always had his own way of doing his hair — and we were like brothers, so we all went in with it.

What would your advice be to a young band who’s into rock ’n’ roll as opposed to electronica?

Get out there and play! You know, the live music scene I think pretty much around the world is dying. It’s in trouble. In England, DJs make much more money. People throng to hear some guy put records on, I don’t get it! I don’t like that music. I think it goes with the bad drugs. E, I think, must be the worst drug, I would never take that drug, even if it would get me to like that music! I’d say "No way, thank you."

For more information on Ian McLagan, visit www.macspages.com. Gregg Foreman is a member of Delta 72 and also hosts a regular funk and soul DJ night called The Turnaround where he plays, among other things, rare Small Faces records. The next Turnaround will take place on Thu., Feb. 15 at Silk City, Fifth and Spring Garden Sts., 215-592-8838.

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