They were as celebrated for rock'n'roll excess as for their influential music, and counted among their members two of the most notorious bad boys of their era. But while fans of the Faces will welcome news that the band is to reform, they may be left scratching their heads at its new lead singer, former Simply Red frontman and silky-voiced ladies' man Mick Hucknall.

Speaking to the Guardian, Ronnie Wood, who went on to join the Rolling Stones, insisted that Hucknall was rock'n'roll enough to step into Rod Stewart's tartan stack heels. "His band aren't but he is. Mick's a big Faces fan and it comes out when he sings, it's a kind of relief for him because he can let loose. Mick's range is like Rod's vocal range was in the seventies."

The three original members – Wood, Kenney Jones on drums and Ian McLagan on keyboard – will be joined by Hucknall and former Sex Pistol bassist Glen Matlock for a gig at this summer's inaugural Vintage at Goodwood festival. They then hope to tour next January.

The Faces are an important and some think undervalued piece in the complicated alcohol-sodden rock jigsaw of the 1960s and 1970s, formed by three evacuees from the Small Faces and Wood and Stewart from The Jeff Beck Group. With hits like Stay With Me, I'd Rather Go Blind and Had Me a Real Good Time they were one of the most successful bands of the early 1970s and particularly successful live where, with their brand of boozy, good-time camaraderie, they bonded with the predominantly male audiences.

The band have been rehearsing with Hucknall, and, said Wood, "it sounded so good we thought we've got to take it on the road. It was sounding fresher, if anything, and more focused."

That might have something to do with the bandmembers not being up to their eyes in drugs and drink. Wood, who these days declares himself "clean and serene", admitted: "It makes a big difference, yes, to actually know what you're playing."

Jones said one secret of the Faces was that they all acted as themselves. "We played it like it was and people either liked it or they didn't. The audience was on stage and we were with the audience, it was like a big party and it will be again."

The band members still hope that Stewart might one day be persuaded to join them. However, "he's touring and promoting and it's impossible to get any sense from his management," said Wood.