...he had the bad break of joining when "the Golden Age" (from JJF through Exile) was OVER!

This is not to say that the Stones haven't produced some great work during since '75. And the work they produced prior to JJF would by itself would be worthy of RnR Hall of Fame membership (think Yardbirds).

But during the Golden Age, THEY COULD DO NO WRONG!! And it wasn't just Mick Taylor. It was Nicky Hopkins. Jimmy Miller!! And Mick and Keef at their most inspired period as songwriters (with maybe a little editorial direction from Marianne) before the drugs got the best of them.

Lester Bangs once wrote that when Ron joined the Stones he took a civil service job! I think that explains it all. With Faces he was the creative engine. With the Stones he was discouraged from that. In that sense, it was more of a corporate hostile takeover. Like a company that buys out the competition, and then runs the asset into the ground.

In early '75 I saw Faces at the Forum. At one point during a solo, Ronnie started playing "Motherless Children" (just like Clapton on 461 Ocean Blvd)

He did the exact same thing years later when he toured for Slide on This. Talk about arrested development!

The thing about Ronnie is, artistically speaking the Stones have been the worst thing in the world for him.

u may be right , i may be crazy

I think Ronnie got the best job in wide world. He can have free moments very often to make what he likes.

Good points LD IMO. However, I would think most civil servants would love to have an opportunity to make "Ron Wood" type of money? Obviously, (and I'm agreeing with your post) Ron's a good soldier and when he came on board (after the "golden age") he knew well who was driving the Stones' Bus (Mick and Keith).

I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE NEW ALBUM!!!

ive aways liked ronnie as a person, his down to earth guy and approachable...saw him on the licks tour, he dont seen to do much nowadays..but i suspect thats down to the two egos his working with...i dont think his allowed to express himself..i aways remember when eric clapton said to ronnie, i could of had your job..ronnie replied but eric you got to live whith them...i think ronnies comment says it all..but i think in recent years jaggers be very supportive to ronnie.

I agree, Ronnie is a great guy and a huge talent.

During the MT era it sometimes got a little confusing having two "Micks" in the band. (Although 99% of the time when you mentioned "Mick" in the Stones to someone it was always Jagger)

So when Ronnie joined we got two Keiths! He was Faces' rhythm monster, on stage when sharing the mic he was Keef to Rod's Mick. They were kind of like the "Rolling Stones, Jr." in a way. Only much more approachable.

Does anyone remember the B&W shot of the Stones from the Black & Blue cover photo sessions that appeared in Rolling Stone when the album came out? The Stones were all putting on their typical tough, mean faces. Including Ronnie, who didn't even look like himself anymore without his trademark grin.

But I think he deserves credit for making the band more open and friendly to each other. Wyman said something to that effect a few years after Wood joined. Without Ron they probably would have shattered a long time ago. But they never made full use of his talents, especially as a writer.

Agree about the writing, as he co-wrote or wrote "Gasoline Alley" "Every Picture Tells a Story" "Ooh La La" "Black Limousine" plus so much else for Birds / Jeff Beck Group / Faces / & solo...also recall the photo shoot you mention!

The point I was trying to make about the photo, when Ronnie changed from grin to grim, is that HE LOST HIS IDENTITY WHEN HE BECAME A STONE!!

There was something so ALIVE about his playing...listen to the intro of I Can Feel the Fire...it has more spirit, more passion, than anything on, no make that the ENTIRE IORR album combined!

So does another song from the same year: Bill Wyman's bluegrass song, "Pussy" from Monkey Grip. Great track.

IORR is pretty bland. It sounds like someone threw a blanket over the microphone.

The Stones really needed Woody's fire...and they extinguished it!