I owe that man an apology. For years, I was part of the elite "Ronnie Wood if only he could/unworthy pretender to the throne of Mick Taylor" crowd.
But now, the more I listen Ronnie's playing on the 1975 and 1978 tours, his lead work on Steel Wheels and Urban Jungle tour, his work with the Faces and the Jeff Beck Group, and most of all, his solo albums, the more I realize what a great player he is.

Don't leave Keith (and Brian) out. When it comes to a guitar only concert, I would go to listen to Mick Taylor though, some 35 years ago. Most versatile to me at that time.

I think the problem with Ron is that he doesn't have a truly noticeable style. I certainly couldn't hear him playing on a track I've never heard and go, 'Oh, that's Ron Wood for sure'. The truth now is that he absolutely essential to what's left of the Stones, or the 2012 onward group. Keith is a shadow of his former self. Ron does most of the heavy lifting, or the group simply couldn't continue. He and Mick ARE the Blue and Lonesome album. He really shined on the 2012 New Jersey PPV concert, where he was up against other players. He'll never have the soaring, melodic leads that pushed the Stones to their live Zenith in the early 70s. But they couldn't go on without him.

Wood is a good but not great guitarist. But he fitted very well in with the band from the start. Image wise better than Taylor. I have never questioned Wood. A good choice at the time.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2019-03-03 17:52 by Stoneage.

I think his personality was just as much a reason they took him on as his considerable artistic talent. Things were tense at the time and he helped lighten things up. He seems to have beaten his demons and is enjoying his professional and personal life.

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stevecardi
I owe that man an apology. For years, I was part of the elite "Ronnie Wood if only he could/unworthy pretender to the throne of Mick Taylor" crowd.
But now, the more I listen Ronnie's playing on the 1975 and 1978 tours, his lead work on Steel Wheels and Urban Jungle tour, his work with the Faces and the Jeff Beck Group, and most of all, his solo albums, the more I realize what a great player he is.

This made me laugh.

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keithsman
This made me laugh.

This made me laugh.

Enjoying my gift guitar called ‘Rock-A-Bye Rock’ from The Buddy Holly Educational Foundation
[twitter.com]

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MisterDDDD
Enjoying my gift guitar called ‘Rock-A-Bye Rock’ from The Buddy Holly Educational Foundation
[twitter.com]

Very nice!

I’m so @#$%& tired of people who are pissed off Ron Wood isn’t Mick Taylor....who the @#$%& cares.... RW is great....I love his contributions wish he was used more in the song writing.

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Cristiano Radtke
Very nice!

Very cool guitar.
Ronnie looks really good in this pic
Great to see.

I agree, just earlier I was listening to 'Brussells Affair' LPs and cannot believe how Mick Taylor just plays over so much, or can I say overplays so much.
The songs need to breath a bit, he's overdoing it I feel.
It got monotonous to me. I feel Ron is a better fit.

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24FPS
I think the problem with Ron is that he doesn't have a truly noticeable style. I certainly couldn't hear him playing on a track I've never heard and go, 'Oh, that's Ron Wood for sure'. The truth now is that he absolutely essential to what's left of the Stones, or the 2012 onward group. Keith is a shadow of his former self. Ron does most of the heavy lifting, or the group simply couldn't continue. He and Mick ARE the Blue and Lonesome album. He really shined on the 2012 New Jersey PPV concert, where he was up against other players. He'll never have the soaring, melodic leads that pushed the Stones to their live Zenith in the early 70s. But they couldn't go on without him.

True about his style, and the rest of your post.
The interesting thing is he played better before he joined the Stones, and had sort of a unique/sloppy signature sound that had a certain quality to it back then.
After all this time, he's finally coming around to that again. His solos on Midnight Rambler in recent years have been rambunctious and edgy for example.
Hats off to Ronnie - can't imagine the Stones without him in these latter years.

_____________________________________________________________
Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......

Rod Stewart - Stay With Me (Official Live Video)
[www.youtube.com]
Ron on guitar



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2019-03-03 03:50 by hopkins.

[www.youtube.com]
Faces - Too Bad

Ron's playing summed up in one word...versatility

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Rip This
I’m so @#$%& tired of people who are pissed off Ron Wood isn’t Mick Taylor....who the @#$%& cares.... RW is great....I love his contributions wish he was used more in the song writing.

He needs another lick on the lips by Mick to show how accepted he is.

Woody got the Stones to go back to that double rhythm thing that they had with Brian.

Jumpin Jack Flash live in Texas 1978 - [youtu.be]

Some stupid good playing from Ronnie like, jesus!!! He's literally on fire in this!

Ronnie should release a new solo album and stop this books with his paintings and stuff. i know he can do some sketches by now.
jeroen

His solo works are much better than the other solo Stones projects
He was so good in 1975-1978

Mick taylor is another league. Marvellous and sensitive guitar player.
In last tours he overplayed so much, and he didn't use silence between licks. Just hear Eric Clapton and compare

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Rip This
I’m so @#$%& tired of people who are pissed off Ron Wood isn’t Mick Taylor....who the @#$%& cares.... RW is great....I love his contributions wish he was used more in the song writing.

This sort of aggressive posting, swearing and being pissed off with others views is so tiring.
Ronnie himself knows that he had problems through the 90's and beyond that decade, the amount of times i saw the Stones live and felt let down by Ronnie's playing, you pay all that money to see them and Ronnie wasn't really present, Taylor with all his drug problems still managed to deliver, that never gets a mention.
I don't think you can compare Ronnie to Taylor, it's like comparing Hendrix to Ronnie, he was just in another dimension.
As for Ronnie's personality saving the band ?? Ronnie joining the band coincides with the decline in Mick and Keith's creative force and a decline in the
supportive relationship Mick and Keith once had.

He WAS great.

Yes on '75 ( and '78 IMO) but no on 'SW tour. I was just listening to a SW/UJ show, and thinking to myself that that was the beginning of a dark time for Ron. Not until late in their career did he fully return.
I do not know why he changed his sound so radically. in 89 e.g. they are doing "Street Fighting Man" and Ronnie decides to play the Stratocaste! The cleanest driest little doinky don k sound. he was barely there, song suffered.
I think Ronnie very much was a recognizable player while in Faces. Developed a own sound and style. And it carried over in '75/76. In 78 they were just so redhot . But after that..

Ron Wood: The man who single-handedly saved The Rolling Stones.

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stevecardi
I owe that man an apology. For years, I was part of the elite "Ronnie Wood if only he could/unworthy pretender to the throne of Mick Taylor" crowd.
But now, the more I listen Ronnie's playing on the 1975 and 1978 tours, his lead work on Steel Wheels and Urban Jungle tour, his work with the Faces and the Jeff Beck Group, and most of all, his solo albums, the more I realize what a great player he is.

My favourite line-ups are the Brian Jones and Ron Wood line-ups (with Wyman still in the band). What made the Rolling Stones great is not technical acrobatics, but feeling, groove and style and that's where Ron Wood fits in. In my opinion Mick Taylor was at his best when he played with Dylan in 1984, because his guitar playing had matured and he used it to show off the songs instead of using the songs to show off his playing.

Mrecho - I cannot agree but we all like what we like. To me the Stones were at their best especially live with Taylor BUT Ronnie is very versatile and fit in with Keith at a time when things were very tense. I think Ronnie gets slagged on way too much. He is never going to be as technically gifted as Taylor, very few are.

Maybe not pertaining to this thread, but jumping on what Mr Echo said: the biggest loss in the Stones was Bill Wyman.
They recovered just fine after Brian, after Taylor, after Stu. But the departure of Wyman hit in a crucial spot. And I think they made a huge mistake in letting Charlie pick the bassist. One of the reason Charlie is Charlie is because he doesn't quite "see" the Stones. Keith should have chosen the bass player.

Mick Taylor is a fantastic guitarist and he brought a certain musicality to the Stones that they've never quite recaptured. But I'm always struck by how spiritless he looks whenever I'm watching one of his performances. He looks like he's having no fun at all and that he'd much rather be in a studio or anywhere else in the world but on stage with the Stones. So, I love listening to Taylor and probably prefer him on a musical level, but Ron Wood brings a lot to the table as well.

I think Ron Wood melds better with Keith's style, and I like it when they sound like one big guitar and the leads just kind of flow out of the rhythm riffs and back into them again. I completely agree that Mick & Keith should take advantage of Ron's songwriting talents more often. As a showman, I think Wood blows Taylor out of the water. I believe the contribution of Ron's energy and enthusiasm shouldn't be underestimated. I truly think he helps everyone else in the band get into it more.

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jahisnotdead
Mick Taylor is a fantastic guitarist and he brought a certain musicality to the Stones that they've never quite recaptured. But I'm always struck by how spiritless he looks whenever I'm watching one of his performances. He looks like he's having no fun at all and that he'd much rather be in a studio or anywhere else in the world but on stage with the Stones. So, I love listening to Taylor and probably prefer him on a musical level, but Ron Wood brings a lot to the table as well.

I think Ron Wood melds better with Keith's style, and I like it when they sound like one big guitar and the leads just kind of flow out of the rhythm riffs and back into them again. I completely agree that Mick & Keith should take advantage of Ron's songwriting talents more often. As a showman, I think Wood blows Taylor out of the water. I believe the contribution of Ron's energy and enthusiasm shouldn't be underestimated. I truly think he helps everyone else in the band get into it more.

So true! I think you are right.on the 2017 and especially 2018 gigs ronnie brought lots of energy . Sometimes i had to blink with my eyes. A 71 year old man..but what a joy and energy he brings.
I love Taylor for his beauriful playing but he stands there like..yeah like wtf am i doing here.
And..ronnie does have the opposite feel.

Anyway..i love the stones for still being here.
Jeroen



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2019-03-03 16:39 by runrudolph.