I don't think this was posted here before. Source: Mass Live

Ronnie Wood interview: Solo album, art, and of course, the Rolling Stones
By Kevin O'Hare, The Republican


Ronnie Wood, guitarist with the Rolling Stones for the past 35 years, former member of The Faces and the Jeff Beck Group – and also an internationally acclaimed painter – is pursuing one of his other favorite endeavors at the moment – that of the solo musical artist.

The 63-year-old British guitarist has just released his seventh solo studio album. “I Feel Like Playing,” ranks with the finest works of his career, a masterful collection of songs featuring guest appearance by the likes of Slash, Flea, Ian McLagan, Ivan Neville and several notable co-writing credits including Eddie Vedder, Kris Kristofferson and others.

Wood recently spoke in depth about the new disc, his work with the Rolling Stones and the band’s future, his road to sobriety, his infamous Live Aid performance with Bob Dylan and fellow-Stone Keith Richards and much, much more.

His comments were punctuated by occasional laughter, but throughout the conversation he was thoughtful, direct, and exceedingly humble. Like the title of one of the best songs on the new album, he considers himself a very “Lucky Man.”

This is your first solo album in nine years. What took you so long?

With the Stones, we’ve been working so much. And everybody enjoys some down time. Knowing me, I’m never happy unless I’m really busy all the time, so I’ve been painting up a storm. And as time evolved – ‘cause I did this album nearly two years ago now – I happened to be in L.A. when Steve Bing rang and said “Ronnie I really want to hear you play. Come up to the studio, House of Blues. I’ve got Jim Keltner up there and Ivan Neville.”

And I said “Oh wow, I could bring Flea ‘cause he wants to play, and Slash.” And I was with Bernard Fowler. Before we knew it, we cut “Spoonful” just as a warm-up and I had a couple of catch phrases knocking around at the time like “Why You Wanna Go and Do a Thing Like That For” and “I Don’t Think So.” And Bernard had phrases like “Hey sweetness my weakness,” that was how he’d greet you. I said “That’s not a greeting, that’s a song.”

Over the weeks I used about five different studios around the L.A. area. When I worked with Jerry Lee (Lewis) I would get Steve Ferrone, Darryl Jones would come to town, Billy Gibbons would be passing through and say, “I’ve got a song for you, ‘Thing About You.’ It evolved like that, very spontaneously, very comfortably.

Like a lot of the best solo work you’ve produced, you fall into some pretty hypnotic grooves here that sound like they could go all night. Tell me about the song “Catch You.”

That was from my friend Bob Rock and his partner down in Hawaii. I was down there and I bumped into Eddie Vedder and he helped write some words to “Lucky Man.” ‘Cause we didn’t have much time, we only had a day and a half together. He (Vedder) said “Let’s do some writing.” I said “When your schedule and mine allow for that we will, we’ll do lots more...” That’s the way it kind of shaped up, it was a very easy vibe. “Catch You” was one that Bob and his friend thought would suit me. I said, “That’s not really me,” and he said “You put your stamp on it and make it you.” And before I knew it, I thought yeah, that’s a really nice song.

The same could be said for the reggae groove of “Sweetness My Weakness” What is Ronnie Wood’s weakness?

(laughs) Sweetness in people. I suppose that is my weakness.

You’ve got a lot of guest stars on the album but none of your Rolling Stones’ bandmates. Was that deliberate?

No, it was just the situation as it was. Keith was doing his pirate filming or he was taking off to Turks and Caicos (tropical islands in the West Indies). Or Mick (Jagger) was doing film stuff, or he was in France or the Caribbean. And Charlie (Watts) was doing his jazz stuff. And I was just wandering the world. One minute I was in Miami, the next minute in Nashville with Jerry Lee (Lewis), then L.A., then Costa Rica, then I went to Hawaii and back to L.A., then back to London. My life was in a whole kind of upheaval but I had a new kind of freedom as well. Having left home, the album came at just the right time actually.

You played a handful of dates with the Faces this year with Mick Hucknall on vocals instead of Rod Stewart. What was that like and why did Rod not join in?

Rod was scheduled with his “Songbook” (recordings) and his management made it very difficult to deal with. Mick Hucknall was just a natural. When the Faces got presented at the Albert Hall, Mick Hucknall was on the bill and he said “Can I please sing ‘Stay With Me” with you? I said “Sure you can, give it a go.” And he sang the (expletive) out of it. We were really impressed. He said, “I can sing “Too Bad,” I’ll sing whatever you want, “Miss Judy’s Farm” And we said “Let’s go for it.” All we wanted to do was play. We didn’t want to get involved with red tape and contracts. Mac (Ian McLagan) Kenney (Jones) and Mick and me just wanted to get out there and play. I got my son Jesse on the other guitar and we were ready. We did the O2 (London theatre), the small room there, then the Goodwood Festival, a little gig in Denmark, then Mick had to get on the road with (his band) Simply Red. We may follow through with that in January, the next time I get off. I’m really enjoying promoting “I Feel Like Playing” at the moment. I’m gonna do a small theater show in London in October. The cast of STOMP, they’re gonna join me in songs like “Spoonful,” it’s going to be a really fine show.

It’s not a secret that you’ve battled addictions for a lot of years. Do you think you’ve finally kicked them this time?

Yeah, I’m really feeling comfortable in my seven months of sobriety now and I’ve never felt so happy.

What’s the key?

I think the key was to get rid of the thought that I could always have another one. I’d get some clean time behind me in the past and I’d get over confident. I’d think, hey I’m doing so well I can have a drink. That’s where I’ve always fallen off in the past. Since I got rid of that way of thinking I’m a much more focused, much better person. When I don’t have one, you know, what’s the point? Been there and done it…A couple of drinks ain’t gonna change me, they’re just gonna change me for the worse.

With the Stones, you’ve played to some of the biggest crowds in the world. Did you ever get stage fright?

Yeah. I think there’d be something missing if I didn’t because you want to give your best when you go on. I think I get more nervous in front of fewer people. If we go on in a small club or something, I get more nervous then, I think we all do. But a sea of people, say nearly 2 million people on the beach in Rio, it was just so impossible to comprehend all those people. There was like – wow this is really surreal. But I did get nervous, we all did get nervous.

What about Live Aid and the thing with Dylan? (Wood and Keith Richards accompanied Dylan during an infamously ragged performance for a word wide audience in 1985)

(laughs) That was another kind of surreal scenario that was. We had rehearsed so many of Bob’s songs at my house on West 78th Street, me and Bob had done those, and then I called Keith in kind of late. Then we whisked him off to Philadelphia and we were all going “Where the hell are we going? What are we doing?” We’re still kind of rehearsing. On the way up the steps to Live Aid, Bob comes up with another song. He says, “How about doing this one?” I said, “Bob that’s about the only song of yours we haven’t rehearsed. Can you kind of stick to what we said?” (laughs) It was really funny.

Years ago you did a wonderful version of George Harrison’s “Far East Man.” Did you ever feel like your place in the Rolling Stones was somewhat like George’s in the Beatles and you wanted to get more of your own songs on Stones’ albums?

I suppose it’s everyone’s dream. It’s my dream to get more songs on Stones’ albums, but I haven’t had it bad. I’ve got about 12 or 13 songs past the test through the years. But it’s a pretty closed shop with Mick and Keith it’s such a strong songwriting unit you really don’t want to get in the way. But I’m always there if they need help for extra songs. I’ve got a feeling that they’ll be calling on me to collaborate more, and that will be fine.

”Lucky Man” is arguably the album’s most irresistible song. Do you feel like a lucky man?

Yeah, I really am, I’m so blessed. Being able to paint and play I really am a lucky man. Once again Bob Rock said “Ronnie I’ve got the grain of a song for you, take it your way.” He said “Here’s the thing, ‘Oh I’m a lucky man.’” I said “Oh I like that.” That’s why I put that line in “That’s why I still got my hair.” (laughs). I’ve been lucky with things like my health, I’ve still got black hair at 63, things are onward and upward.

Do you expect there’ll be another Rolling Stones’ studio album and tour, and when?

I wish I could say. I don’t think any of us can say at the moment. We’re gonna have our Stones’ summit meeting towards the end of the year and see what everyone feels like doing. I’m sure everyone’s got itchy feet though.

Your artwork has been widely acclaimed. It has been featured in a number of exhibits and on your new album cover. Is there any way to compare the satisfaction you get from completing a painting or drawing and completing a song?

Yeah, well yesterday I opened up my first museum exhibit at the Butler in Youngstown, Ohio, so now I’m accepted in the proper echelons as a museum artist, along with Warhol and everybody in this museum with me. It’s a real honor. When I complete a painting it’s very much like completing a song. You think, yeah I’ve covered all the verses, I’ve played a good guitar solo in it, the rhythm is good, the drums and the bass, good engine room going there. I sang it well. Y’know it’s a bit like when you’re painting or making an etching and you have different layers building.

Which takes you longer?

The song. I’m a very fast painter comparatively.

Tell me about your emotions on that day in when you realized you had gotten the job as the guitarist for the Stones. In your wildest imagination did you think it would turn into a 35 year gig?

Yeah, in a strange way I did think that it would be a lifetime gig. Because it was a roller coaster that I put my foot on and I lifted up the other foot and I knew there wouldn’t be any getting off unless God forbid, I would’ve gotten killed or something. Other than death, I don’t think anything would get me off of that roller coaster, ‘cause it’s been such a good ride so far, such an adventure. It changes every time we go out as well. Each tour has a different theme, a different approach, it’s like a great adventure. The stuff we do between tours is another great offshoot because I’m lucky enough to have my painting world and my solo music world. And I’m really pleased with “I Feel Like Playing,” I think I’ve done the most concentrated, focused effort I’ve ever done.

You are going to be playing some live solo dates as well?

Yeah. If this comes across in the theatre in London, I’m going to bring it to Broadway baby, and who knows?

<<<<With the Stones, we’ve been working so much.>>>>>>>>>>
Its surprisingly funny what bullshit they sometimes say.

Quote
jamesjagger
<<<<With the Stones, we’ve been working so much.>>>>>>>>>>
Its surprisingly funny what bullshit they sometimes say.

And this one too: ...also an internationally acclaimed painter...

Even Keith says 50% of Ronnie's book is bullshit.

The only thing I believe him about is the songs he helped the Stones write. Other than that it seems everything is a Muddy Waters painting the ceiling myth in 3-D.