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jbwelda
Its like the ultimate super deluxe package, car and all!

jb

I also have pretty much all the other I Feel Like Playing bits too, including Ronnie's hand painted shoes, I have the silver ones (there is a silver and a red pair - the red pair are still in Ronnie's house in Holland Park and can be seen in the photos of the real estate listing). I also have the only 60" x 40" concert display made for the Ambassadors gig (yes there is only one). I did have the hand painted guitar too but I traded that... still hurts.

Dude, stop.

Not really, keep on keepin on. Thats some amazing stuff to put in the front seat. You are not really going to drive that car, are you? I don't think I would, too much of a liability out there on the city streets.

Shit I count myself lucky I just got an artists proof of Ronnie's portrait of Keef signed by him and including a little self portrait and a tongue, both hand scrawled underneath. Obviously, not in the same league, but if you see Ronnie, tell him it was well appreciated even second hand.

But like I said, ultimate super duper deluxe package you got there. Astounding.

jb

Matt, thats quite a collection of exotic machinery. I like your taste in cars.

Do you happen to hire or otherwise have people to drive your cars around a bit for you? You know, of course, they deteriorate even with good care if they are not allowed to stretch their legs. Brakes and electric/electronics particularly.

I used to drive a guy in Berkeley's car collection around for him, he had a XK120, a Lotus Elan, and early Elite and a few others including a BMW Isetta and a Ferrari 250 GTO(!!!). He never had time for exercising them so he had me come over when I could and take them out for him. He even put me on his insurance policy in case there was an accident (never happened). I met this guy in a clothes shop when I was out with my girlfriend and I saw his Elan and remarked that I had a Lotus Seven. We struck up a conversation and next thing I knew he was wanting to hire me to run his cars for him a bit. He encouraged me to take long drives in them and to really run them if you know what I mean, not just putt around in traffic.

I myself have owned a few interesting cars: several Porsche 356 As and Bs, back when they were cheap over here, the Seven I mentioned, a part ownership of an XK120 race car and a 1954 MGTF that I bought when I was fifteen and had until I was nearly 60. That was in addition to a few various VWs including a type 181 ("The Thing" in America, probably known as a Trekker over there) and an early four wheel drive type 2 bus that was a factory prototype. In addition to actual driving cars of course, these were mostly hobby cars.

That Roller looks sweeter every time I look at it, the wheels have grown on me as well. Congrats and take care of that beauty. I would love to see it in person if I ever make it over to London again, given this Covid thing.

jb

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jbwelda
You are not really going to drive that car, are you?

Shit I count myself lucky I just got an artists proof of Ronnie's portrait of Keef signed by him and including a little self portrait and a tongue, both hand scrawled underneath. Obviously, not in the same league, but if you see Ronnie, tell him it was well appreciated even second hand.

jb

Absolutely, I have only had it 5 days (my 6th today) and I have already done as many miles as the last guy who owned it for nearly 18 months. Including taking my 100 year old Gran (who lives alone) for a spin.

I love the extra doodles Ronnie does, back in 2000/2001 when I was a serious autograph hunter I used to always ask him "please can you do the face" so much so that he started to say "I'll do the face" before I had chance to ask. He loved seeing my stuff so much that after a few months he started telling me where he would be the next night. One incredible week I saw him everyday. After around 200 nights patiently waiting outside random London venues for hours and hours often in the rain, having super interesting stuff, giving him loads of random things he had never even seen and being super polite he invited me for dinner... the rest as they say is history. It's been an amazing journey.

I used to love getting stuff beautifully done for the people around the world I was trading with, it made them so happy. Ronnie was always super careful to do a really nice job of signing stuff and would add lovely comments for people I told him about.

Generally people on IORR are pretty down on Ronnie's art, perhaps I will start a thread and post a few things that I think would change at least a few peoples minds. I should probably do an in person autograph thread too so people can see what real ones look like. I get asked to authenticate at least a set every week and the proportion of totally fake to authentic is frightening especially when it comes to guitars.

Ronnie signed literally 100's of things for me and never questioned any of them. However when I asked him to sign the third signature ESP in four years he turned me down! He had NEVER turned me down... he just said "I've done one of those for you before", Luckily I had the chance to reply "actually Ronnie you have done two before, first a blue one for Live & Eclectic in 2000 outside the Harrington Club, second a red one at the stage door of Shepherds Bush Empire in 2003 celebrating Not For Beginners, this is the black one to complete the set!" He simply replied "Ok give it to me" and then signed it "Matt this one is yours!!!".

I tell this story not to 'show off' as it were but to help people understand how hard it is to get the Stones to sign guitars. They just don't like doing them. Don't even get me started on Charity Auctions! In 99% of cases the band haven't donated it, it's a memorabilia company that have provided it for a split of the revenue, and they don't care how much it goes for because it's a $100 guitar with markings of a 99 cent sharpie on it.

So many new thread ideas...









Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2020-11-12 10:02 by mattleeuk.

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mattleeuk

I tell this story not to 'show off' as it were but to help people understand how hard it is to get the Stones to sign guitars

Just to make you laugh. Years ago Darryl Jones guested for a group of friends on mine here in Milano. I took my bass to the gig and Darryl signed it after the show.
Some time later I had to play the bass, was excited to show off Darryl’s signature, but didn’t know how I could play the thing without ruining the signature. So I decided to protect it with a plastic sheet for food.
Back home after the gig I removed the sheet of plastic and – I don’t know how the fu@k this could happen – the plastic had completely removed the signature from the guitar!
End of my Darryl Jones signature bass …

C

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mattleeuk

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Torres
That's amazing Matt. I saw this car for the 1st time this summer in the Algarve, it's a stunning machine. Congratulations.

Can you share what other models do you have in your car collection? I am curious to know :-)

With oldest first:

1) Lady Jane a 1950 Jaguar XK120 in silver with red leather, this was the fastest car in the world in 1950

2) Ruby a 1957 MGA in Red with beige leather

3) Betty a 1972 Fiat 500 in powder blue with blue and white interior

4) M477 LEE (registration plate) a 2007 Aston Martin V8 Vantage in elusive blue with bitter chocolate interior

5) the unnamed Rolls Royce Wraith

I have a few others on my shopping list but storage and insurance is neither practical nor cheap living in Zone 1 London.

Thank you for sharing, and congratulations for the fine cars. A man of wealth and taste.

Maybe you could have added Bill's Mercedes to the garage, but it would stand out from the others, in a negative way

Congrats Matt!
Enjoy your brand new addition!
Amazing journey btw!

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jbwelda
Do you happen to hire or otherwise have people to drive your cars around a bit for you?
I used to drive a guy in Berkeley's car collection around for him, he had a XK120, a Lotus Elan, and early Elite and a few others including a BMW Isetta and a Ferrari 250 GTO(!!!).
jb

I drive them all :-)

I love BMW Isetta's and wow a 250 GTO, I have no desire to be in that league but I would love a Dino at some point. I was on the owner of the Golden Nugget's boat (more of a ship really) in Atlantic City with Ronnie when I first met a guy with a 250 GTO. It was an eye opening evening the story of which is best told in person.

My insurance for the Rolls actually comes with the ability to drive any car with the permission of the owner fully comprehensive with no value limit! I am very happy to offer driving services :-)

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liddas


Just to make you laugh. Years ago Darryl Jones guested for a group of friends on mine here in Milano. I took my bass to the gig and Darryl signed it after the show.
Some time later I had to play the bass, was excited to show off Darryl’s signature, but didn’t know how I could play the thing without ruining the signature. So I decided to protect it with a plastic sheet for food.
Back home after the gig I removed the sheet of plastic and – I don’t know how the fu@k this could happen – the plastic had completely removed the signature from the guitar!
End of my Darryl Jones signature bass …

Oh that's so sad... totally gutted for you.

Once a guitar is signed it's got to be used sparingly if you want to preserve the signatures.

Paint pens are a pain, you need to wait a while for the paint to dry before sticking the guitar in a case... sharpie's are fine in seconds but just don't rub them or put any cleaning chemical anywhere near them! Light dusting with a super soft microfibre cloth only.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2020-11-12 11:26 by mattleeuk.

Fantastic, Matt, congratulations on getting the RWR ! Got a few IFLP bits and pieces, went back to Ambassadors the day after ! Great days, hope to do them again asap !

Satisfied since 1976

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mattleeuk

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liddas


Just to make you laugh. Years ago Darryl Jones guested for a group of friends on mine here in Milano. I took my bass to the gig and Darryl signed it after the show.
Some time later I had to play the bass, was excited to show off Darryl’s signature, but didn’t know how I could play the thing without ruining the signature. So I decided to protect it with a plastic sheet for food.
Back home after the gig I removed the sheet of plastic and – I don’t know how the fu@k this could happen – the plastic had completely removed the signature from the guitar!
End of my Darryl Jones signature bass …

Oh that's so sad... totally gutted for you.

Once a guitar is signed it's got to be used sparingly if you want to preserve the signatures.

Paint pens are a pain, you need to wait a while for the paint to dry before sticking the guitar in a case... sharpie's are fine in seconds but just don't rub them or put any cleaning chemical anywhere near them! Light dusting with a super soft microfibre cloth only.

No worries, I know the story and that is enough for me!

Back to Ronnie, I must be one of the few here who actually likes his art works quite a lot.

Years ago I had in mind of buying something from him

At the time I could afford it and I had a house where I could put it, but the purchase was vetoed by my then wife, a painter herself, who considered it a waste of money.

Now the wife is an ex-wife, but she took the money and the house ...

I guess in another life!

Still treasure the self portrait that was in your Want You To hear this box of some years ago

C

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mattleeuk

5) the unnamed Rolls Royce Wraith
...

How about Josephine!

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Rockman
What a beautiful piece of craftmanship ....
Kinda strange how they went for suicide doors .....

Thanks for sharing Matt ....

I like the car Thanks for vid and photos

But yes, the suicide doors are kinda strange. This makes the car illigal in the netherlands i think...

Life's just a cocktail party on the street

Thanks Matt, and respect to the bone for driving your cars. So many people just tend to hoard them, or don't really appreciate them for what they really are so its refreshing to hear about your adventures. Personally, London was one city I was kind of scared to even try driving in, I relied on my friends there, where usually I am behind the wheel, even abroad in places most are advised not to try it. But for some reason London was very intimidating and I don't just mean the city center, I was out in Kingston and Richmond as well as Brixton and Hackney so kind of all over the place.

I only got to drive the 250 twice. It was just too treasured and rare a car for me to be comfortable driving around in. And it was primitive and pretty hard to drive honestly. And you literally stopped traffic in that car, everyone stared at it and you could hear it coming all the way down the street. So it was pretty much one and done but then Alex had me drive it to a show in Reno, 200 miles and a big mountain range away. It was back roads all the way there followed by a freeway flight coming back. That was enuff for that one.

Amazing stories about Ronnie, did you ever see him with the Faces or earlier? I saw him back in 67 or whenever it was with the Jeff Beck Group and a number of times later with the Faces and of course the Stones.

About the art: I like pieces if not styles. So I think he does some really appealing pieces, along with some not so appealing (to me) things. So I was pleased to come up with this particular one, and need to get it framed next week.

cheers
jb

jb

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jbwelda


Amazing stories about Ronnie, did you ever see him with the Faces or earlier?

jb

According to Wikipedia [en.wikipedia.org]) there's little chance of that.

(You'll have to click on through the embedded link above. For some reason the iorr software does not take kindly to a link ending in a RH bracket. Just can't get the staff these days!)

--
Captain Corella
60 Years a Fan

Not sure I follow you. Didn't follow the link because had no clue what to look for. Did I make an error of some sort?

jb

Only twice! That's still awesome. I've never driven one but my new super duper insurance allows me to drive any car fully comprehensive with no value limit so happy to be lent one :-)

I think CaptainCorella is referring to the fact the Faces stopped in 1975 (the year I was born). I have however seen Ronnie with Mac and Kenny, Ronnie with Rod as well as Ronnie with Rod and Kenny! I have a pretty substantial Faces collection too.

If one can get rid of them Ronnie-ramblings, then it's really a nice RR. - congratulations

I'm still saving money (for 15 years) to get a Mercedes Benz 770 1941 Model. But it's so expensive, that I gotta save for 30-40 more years.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2020-11-13 12:54 by Erik_Snow.

I gotta admit, when seeing this Ronnie-car about a week ago, I started puking.....in a bucket. One would expect a person like this; who earned billions by being a "joker" to do as much as he could, when it comes to starvation, hunger, and the most killer of all: clima change and deserts.
But Ron Wood....he's satisfied bying roses to his castle. An idiot if there ever was one. If he only was a decent guitarist, but he's not.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2020-11-13 13:02 by Erik_Snow.

Well that's pretty harsh and one does not necessarily know what one who has "earned billions" does with that money, seems to me Ronnie is involved in nuff charity gigs that you cannot hang that on him. As for his guitar playing he has always been a stellar guitarist when he wants to be, I will admit he has his nights or maybe whole periods when that is not evident, but to me he always pulls it out when the real need is there. His studio playing is pretty darn good if you ask me. And he seems to be a pretty good natured bloke for the position he holds in the world. I know others (besides Matt) who speak very highly of him and of how he treats people in general and fans in particular. My friend Mike Cacia who was Toots and the Maytals manager had nothing but good to say about him.

You know, its easy to stand back and throw stones (npi) at famous people and there are certainly some who deserve it, but I do not think Ronnie is in that group.

jb

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Erik_Snow
I gotta admit, when seeing this Ronnie-car about a week ago, I started puking.....in a bucket. One would expect a person like this; who earned billions by being a "joker" to do as much as he could, when it comes to starvation, hunger, and the most killer of all: clima change and deserts.
But Ron Wood....he's satisfied bying roses to his castle. An idiot if there ever was one. If he only was a decent guitarist, but he's not.

LOL, you are too funny!

Just a few comments... It's easy to see why Ronnie seems to be short on dinero, in his book he admits how poorly he is with saving money. He gets it, he spends it. I know several people like that, and read about many others (off the top of my head, i am thinking about stars like Lenny Dykstra, Allen Iverson...).

As for being a decent guitarist, I can't say too much about that (I never played), I only go by what I hear. I love him, his riffs, many of his solo tunes. It's been a long hiatus since his last album, I sure wish he would release another soon!

Hey Erik you're lucky ta have a bucket .....
I always gotta use my coat pocket ....



ROCKMAN

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schillid
If I owned a Rolls Royce... I wouldn't want anyone's name carved into the upholstery or wood panels

But these are special wood panels. They are Ronnie Wood panels.

>They are Ronnie Wood panels.

Five guys walk into a pub...


jb

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Erik_Snow
If he only was a decent guitarist, but he's not.

Two comments on that...

a) Do you honestly think that Keef (or Mick, or Charlie) would tolerate him in the band if he wasn't a (more than) decent guitarist?

2) When The Faces were at their height of popularity in the UK (eg with John Peel on TOTP, etc) I absolutely HATED them. And, by ignorant association, all of the members. And then....

I was lucky enough to go to the Eric Clapton gig at the Rainbow - the one Pete Townshend set up to help Eric get over his then drug dependency. Ronnie was one of the band. He came on stage and sat with his slide guitar and played SOLIDLY for the entire gig. He was a rock of stability that the band needed. Remember, a band with Eric and Pete in as well. From that day forth I have respected Ronnie a huge amount.

--
Captain Corella
60 Years a Fan

That Rainbow-concert is excellent. Ronnie's playing on Little Wing is fantastic.

Just a personal observation: I think Ronnie's style of playing came to his best before he joined The Rolling Stones. In the Stones he sort of became second banana to Keith.
That is alright to me. And it was alright for the band also. But I don't think he benefited from it. Except maybe money- and fame-wise. Not as a guitarist.

Matt, have you ever bid against Charlie at an auction?

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Erik_Snow
I gotta admit, when seeing this Ronnie-car about a week ago, I started puking.....in a bucket. One would expect a person like this; who earned billions by being a "joker" to do as much as he could, when it comes to starvation, hunger, and the most killer of all: clima change and deserts.
But Ron Wood....he's satisfied bying roses to his castle. An idiot if there ever was one. If he only was a decent guitarist, but he's not.

I must say, everyone here has been gracious to you, in spite of the fact that you are completely ignorant. To leave a post calling him a joker and an idiot is beyond contempt. Ronnie is a unifying force within the band, and is in fact a great guitarist. You may not think so, but the scores of other musicians who have requested his presence on recordings and live gigs shows how clueless you are.

Erik_Snow, Ronnie never owned this car, he commissioned it to raise money for charity so I think you completely missed the point. He supports very many charities not only with gifts but his time including climate change ones... only the other day I got some Project Zero merch he designed, he has raised hundreds of thousands for animal charity Tusk, supports countless charity concerts, did lots to support the NHS during lockdown, etc... etc... with respect you don't know him.