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micha063
Yes, his guitar playing on Hackney Diamonds is fantastic. His playing has grown. Since 2012 he has become a very important part of the sound of the Stones. Like he used to be from 1975 to 1982.
And I think it's also truth, that he is one reason for the fact, the Stones are still rolling.
I'm glad to se him growing because I always liked his music a lot and I have sympathies for his character.
And he has experienced more than one crisis. He didn't give up. This is something very positive and important to me.

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Kurt
He single handedly saved The Rolling Stones when he was asked to join.
Long Live Ronnie Wood!

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BlueLands
Ronnie has always been a perennial favourite of mine since first catching the Stones in 1989 up here in Toronto.

I consider his "Ive Got My Own Album To Do" a top album desert island contender.

Plus he was in the Jeff Beck Group & Faces, makes him the ideal, all-round perfect addition to the Rolling Stones. He's a natural fit and isn't into the Ego like the two other guys. LOL

Wood's recent guitar work on Hackney Diamonds, and his live contributions are extraordinary and equally as delicious as when he first joined in 1975.

.....And the audience just adores him - especially when he solos on the catwalk.

Thanks!

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Taylor1

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Kurt
He single handedly saved The Rolling Stones when he was asked to join.
Long Live Ronnie Wood!

Nonsense.They were never at a crisis point where Wood somehow saved them from breaking up in 1975.Taylor leaving the band never created some crisis in the band.Do you really think Mick and Keith would have broken up the Stones in 1975 if say Wayne Perkins or some other guitarist had replaced Taylor? Mick and Keith are the only indispensable band members.They continued on despite losing Bill Charlie and Brian.If Wood had left the band at any time after joining I doubt it would have had any effect on them continuing.If at anytime in their history Mick and Keith decided to end the band, it would have ended.Wood or anyother band member would no have prevented that.

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Mathijs
The way they countered the punk movement by embrasing it with the 1978 tour could never have happened with Taylor on board.


Mathijs

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frankotero
Ronnie is a God send I would say. Happy he's doing so well these days. But to imply The Stones were in some type of crisis before he joined (as to say they were near finished) is not possible. If this were true I don't believe Mick Jagger would has been concerned by Mick T. leaving. I'm pretty sure he was upset by this. Or maybe what I've read in the past is wrong on the subject?

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keefriffhards
I'm pleased he is still with them though, he's been great since he got sober, before that he was a liability and Keith covered him and showed a lot of loyalty in keeping him there.

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SoulSurvivor1990
Both guitar players have had to cover for each other over the years. Keith in 1999-03 and Ronnie various times from 2007 to the present day.

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Mathijs

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Taylor1

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Kurt
He single handedly saved The Rolling Stones when he was asked to join.
Long Live Ronnie Wood!

Nonsense.They were never at a crisis point where Wood somehow saved them from breaking up in 1975.Taylor leaving the band never created some crisis in the band.Do you really think Mick and Keith would have broken up the Stones in 1975 if say Wayne Perkins or some other guitarist had replaced Taylor? Mick and Keith are the only indispensable band members.They continued on despite losing Bill Charlie and Brian.If Wood had left the band at any time after joining I doubt it would have had any effect on them continuing.If at anytime in their history Mick and Keith decided to end the band, it would have ended.Wood or anyother band member would no have prevented that.

Wood did give them the energy and playing style to turn the juggernaut around and make them an artistically interesting and viable group again. They did hit an artistically dead point with Taylor in 1974, and by 1976 they really were an old fashioned dinosaur rock group. The way they countered the punk movement by embrasing it with the 1978 tour could never have happened with Taylor on board.

When they lost Bill and Charlie they were artistically not relevant anymore, they had become a touring Vegas-style circus.

Mathijs

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Taylor1
This idea that Taylor could not have played on Some Girls is not supported by facts.SomeGirls is not really a “punk” album.Taylor easily could have played on a country song like Far Away Eyes, since he had already on songs like DeadFlowers..Some Girls is a blues rock song he could have played on.On songs like Fingerprint File , Heartbreaker, and the Billy Preston live shows , he showed he could have played on Miss You.And he could have played on songs like Lies and Respectable since he played on lots of rock songs.Listen to his playing on Rip this Joint and Star Star live.And Beast of Burden is an r&bsong.He already pla on songs like I Got the Blues.He just got to full of himself and quit .He thought he could be a big starasfrontman for a band and write great songs, but it was not the case.Had he stayed in the band they could have made Some Girls with him. He was not fired so they could do a punk album without him, he stupidly quit

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keefriffhards
Getting back to Ronnie, do many of you think Ronnie is much better than what we hear from his playing, I'm constantly frustrated he holds back to much, flashes of brilliance that make you feel yeah more Ronnie, much more.
I guess this is why Keith said that Ronnie is the most sympathetic guitarist he has ever played with.

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GasLightStreet

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Mathijs

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Taylor1

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Kurt
He single handedly saved The Rolling Stones when he was asked to join.
Long Live Ronnie Wood!

Nonsense.They were never at a crisis point where Wood somehow saved them from breaking up in 1975.Taylor leaving the band never created some crisis in the band.Do you really think Mick and Keith would have broken up the Stones in 1975 if say Wayne Perkins or some other guitarist had replaced Taylor? Mick and Keith are the only indispensable band members.They continued on despite losing Bill Charlie and Brian.If Wood had left the band at any time after joining I doubt it would have had any effect on them continuing.If at anytime in their history Mick and Keith decided to end the band, it would have ended.Wood or anyother band member would no have prevented that.

Wood did give them the energy and playing style to turn the juggernaut around and make them an artistically interesting and viable group again. They did hit an artistically dead point with Taylor in 1974, and by 1976 they really were an old fashioned dinosaur rock group. The way they countered the punk movement by embrasing it with the 1978 tour could never have happened with Taylor on board.

When they lost Bill and Charlie they were artistically not relevant anymore, they had become a touring Vegas-style circus.

Mathijs

They've done some fine songwriting/recording minus Bill and, recently, Charlie.

BRIDGES TO BABYLON has some songs that prove that, if that's a thing, "proving".

HACKNEY DIAMONDS also proves it, if "proving" something is what it is.

If you look back pre-JJF/BEGGARS... not exactly Earth moving songwriting.

That included Bill and Charlie.

Mick has certainly had his moments - SFTD, Brown Sugar, IORR, Miss You, UOTN, Don't Stop, Rain Fall Down, Angry.

Keith has as well - JJF, SFM, Gimme Shelter, Monkey Man, CYHMK, Tumbling Dice, Doo Doo Doo Doo, Angie, If You Can't Rock Me, Hot Stuff, Beast Of Burden, Shattered, She's So Cold, Start Me Up, She Was Hot... plenty of others.

So Bill and Charlie make those songs? Sure they do (mostly). But that's not a reason to negate HACKNEY DIAMONDS for being as brilliant as it is.

Ronnie... his best work is 1978-1983. And some here and there since then.

The Rolling Stones became Vegas, for real, in 1994. That's nothing to do with Ronnie.

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Mathijs

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Taylor1
This idea that Taylor could not have played on Some Girls is not supported by facts.SomeGirls is not really a “punk” album.Taylor easily could have played on a country song like Far Away Eyes, since he had already on songs like DeadFlowers..Some Girls is a blues rock song he could have played on.On songs like Fingerprint File , Heartbreaker, and the Billy Preston live shows , he showed he could have played on Miss You.And he could have played on songs like Lies and Respectable since he played on lots of rock songs.Listen to his playing on Rip this Joint and Star Star live.And Beast of Burden is an r&bsong.He already pla on songs like I Got the Blues.He just got to full of himself and quit .He thought he could be a big starasfrontman for a band and write great songs, but it was not the case.Had he stayed in the band they could have made Some Girls with him. He was not fired so they could do a punk album without him, he stupidly quit

Sure Taylor could play on any of these songs. But, Taylor is a lead guitarist from the blues school of guitar playing. Wood is much more a rock guitarist, with a harder edge than Taylor, but Wood is also a very soulful guitar player, much more than Taylor. With Wood, Some Girls became much more rock oriented with a much harder edge than Taylor ever could.

Also, the punk rock character Jagger played on the 1978 tour was a lot of bouncing of from Wood, both physical and image. With Wood they became much more alive on stage, really bouncing off of each other, something they never had with Taylor. Even Keith came alive with Wood.

Mathijs

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GasLightStreet

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Mathijs

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Taylor1

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Kurt
He single handedly saved The Rolling Stones when he was asked to join.
Long Live Ronnie Wood!

Nonsense.They were never at a crisis point where Wood somehow saved them from breaking up in 1975.Taylor leaving the band never created some crisis in the band.Do you really think Mick and Keith would have broken up the Stones in 1975 if say Wayne Perkins or some other guitarist had replaced Taylor? Mick and Keith are the only indispensable band members.They continued on despite losing Bill Charlie and Brian.If Wood had left the band at any time after joining I doubt it would have had any effect on them continuing.If at anytime in their history Mick and Keith decided to end the band, it would have ended.Wood or anyother band member would no have prevented that.

Wood did give them the energy and playing style to turn the juggernaut around and make them an artistically interesting and viable group again. They did hit an artistically dead point with Taylor in 1974, and by 1976 they really were an old fashioned dinosaur rock group. The way they countered the punk movement by embrasing it with the 1978 tour could never have happened with Taylor on board.

When they lost Bill and Charlie they were artistically not relevant anymore, they had become a touring Vegas-style circus.

Mathijs

They've done some fine songwriting/recording minus Bill and, recently, Charlie.

BRIDGES TO BABYLON has some songs that prove that, if that's a thing, "proving".

HACKNEY DIAMONDS also proves it, if "proving" something is what it is.

If you look back pre-JJF/BEGGARS... not exactly Earth moving songwriting.

That included Bill and Charlie.

Mick has certainly had his moments - SFTD, Brown Sugar, IORR, Miss You, UOTN, Don't Stop, Rain Fall Down, Angry.

Keith has as well - JJF, SFM, Gimme Shelter, Monkey Man, CYHMK, Tumbling Dice, Doo Doo Doo Doo, Angie, If You Can't Rock Me, Hot Stuff, Beast Of Burden, Shattered, She's So Cold, Start Me Up, She Was Hot... plenty of others.

So Bill and Charlie make those songs? Sure they do (mostly). But that's not a reason to negate HACKNEY DIAMONDS for being as brilliant as it is.

Ronnie... his best work is 1978-1983. And some here and there since then.

The Rolling Stones became Vegas, for real, in 1994. That's nothing to do with Ronnie.

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powerage78
I really appreciated Ronnie's talent as a guitarist with the Stones from 1975 to 1982.
Never again after that, too irregular, too scattered, not to mention the excesses that sometimes put him totally off his game.
He is, and has remained for 30 years, a very average lead guitarist, who in my opinion has never been able to transcend a song.
I'm already happy when he doesn't spoil it.

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Mathijs

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Taylor1

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Kurt
He single handedly saved The Rolling Stones when he was asked to join.
Long Live Ronnie Wood!

Nonsense.They were never at a crisis point where Wood somehow saved them from breaking up in 1975.Taylor leaving the band never created some crisis in the band.Do you really think Mick and Keith would have broken up the Stones in 1975 if say Wayne Perkins or some other guitarist had replaced Taylor? Mick and Keith are the only indispensable band members.They continued on despite losing Bill Charlie and Brian.If Wood had left the band at any time after joining I doubt it would have had any effect on them continuing.If at anytime in their history Mick and Keith decided to end the band, it would have ended.Wood or anyother band member would no have prevented that.

Wood did give them the energy and playing style to turn the juggernaut around and make them an artistically interesting and viable group again. They did hit an artistically dead point with Taylor in 1974, and by 1976 they really were an old fashioned dinosaur rock group. The way they countered the punk movement by embrasing it with the 1978 tour could never have happened with Taylor on board.

When they lost Bill and Charlie they were artistically not relevant anymore, they had become a touring Vegas-style circus.

Mathijs

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Kurt

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Mathijs

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Taylor1

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Kurt
He single handedly saved The Rolling Stones when he was asked to join.
Long Live Ronnie Wood!

Nonsense.They were never at a crisis point where Wood somehow saved them from breaking up in 1975.Taylor leaving the band never created some crisis in the band.Do you really think Mick and Keith would have broken up the Stones in 1975 if say Wayne Perkins or some other guitarist had replaced Taylor? Mick and Keith are the only indispensable band members.They continued on despite losing Bill Charlie and Brian.If Wood had left the band at any time after joining I doubt it would have had any effect on them continuing.If at anytime in their history Mick and Keith decided to end the band, it would have ended.Wood or anyother band member would no have prevented that.

Wood did give them the energy and playing style to turn the juggernaut around and make them an artistically interesting and viable group again. They did hit an artistically dead point with Taylor in 1974, and by 1976 they really were an old fashioned dinosaur rock group. The way they countered the punk movement by embrasing it with the 1978 tour could never have happened with Taylor on board.

When they lost Bill and Charlie they were artistically not relevant anymore, they had become a touring Vegas-style circus.

Mathijs

Yes, I stand by my comment.
Ronnie was the perfect addition to round out The Stones. His attitude, looks, playing ability, writing ability and overall personality made the band complete again. Sure, Mick and Keith could have hired "some other guitarist" but any another guitarist at the time wouldn't have been a ROLLING STONE. He brought the full package and they all survived as a team because of him.

Charlie loved him, Bill loved him, Mick loved him, Keith loved him and the fans loved him. No other guitarist could have possibly fit in for the long-haul like him. He has navigated the waters of turmoil, success, failure, admiration and exultation like a PRO.

I have no doubt that this machine wouldn't be here today without him. When Taylor walked out, The Greatest Rock N' Roll Band in THE WORLD needed someone who could fit in immediately, both artistically and stylistically. A revolving door of hot shot guitar sidemen would have never made the Stones whole. BAM. Ronnie Wood to the rescue. I can't imagine a world without him.

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Taylor1

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Kurt

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Mathijs

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Taylor1

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Kurt
He single handedly saved The Rolling Stones when he was asked to join.
Long Live Ronnie Wood!

Nonsense.They were never at a crisis point where Wood somehow saved them from breaking up in 1975.Taylor leaving the band never created some crisis in the band.Do you really think Mick and Keith would have broken up the Stones in 1975 if say Wayne Perkins or some other guitarist had replaced Taylor? Mick and Keith are the only indispensable band members.They continued on despite losing Bill Charlie and Brian.If Wood had left the band at any time after joining I doubt it would have had any effect on them continuing.If at anytime in their history Mick and Keith decided to end the band, it would have ended.Wood or anyother band member would no have prevented that.

Wood did give them the energy and playing style to turn the juggernaut around and make them an artistically interesting and viable group again. They did hit an artistically dead point with Taylor in 1974, and by 1976 they really were an old fashioned dinosaur rock group. The way they countered the punk movement by embrasing it with the 1978 tour could never have happened with Taylor on board.

When they lost Bill and Charlie they were artistically not relevant anymore, they had become a touring Vegas-style circus.

Mathijs

Yes, I stand by my comment.
Ronnie was the perfect addition to round out The Stones. His attitude, looks, playing ability, writing ability and overall personality made the band complete again. Sure, Mick and Keith could have hired "some other guitarist" but any another guitarist at the time wouldn't have been a ROLLING STONE. He brought the full package and they all survived as a team because of him.

Charlie loved him, Bill loved him, Mick loved him, Keith loved him and the fans loved him. No other guitarist could have possibly fit in for the long-haul like him. He has navigated the waters of turmoil, success, failure, admiration and exultation like a PRO.

I have no doubt that this machine wouldn't be here today without him. When Taylor walked out, The Greatest Rock N' Roll Band in THE WORLD needed someone who could fit in immediately, both artistically and stylistically. A revolving door of hot shot guitar sidemen would have never made the Stones whole. BAM. Ronnie Wood to the rescue. I can't imagine a world without him.

Chuck has lasted 40 years.I’m a big fan of Wood. but the dynamics of the band are what Mick and Keith want.They are the only indispensable members.Not Taylor and not Wood.If Wood had not been chosen in 1975 or left the band a few years later, the band would have continued with even revolving guitarists.Wood had nothing to do with the longevity of the band.In the late 1980s the band would have broken up if Mick wanted to go solo.Mick didn’t continue because Wood was in the band.And I’m confident that had Taylor not quit there would have many more great live shows and songs with him.

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Kurt

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Taylor1

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Kurt

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Mathijs

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Taylor1

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Kurt
He single handedly saved The Rolling Stones when he was asked to join.
Long Live Ronnie Wood!

Nonsense.They were never at a crisis point where Wood somehow saved them from breaking up in 1975.Taylor leaving the band never created some crisis in the band.Do you really think Mick and Keith would have broken up the Stones in 1975 if say Wayne Perkins or some other guitarist had replaced Taylor? Mick and Keith are the only indispensable band members.They continued on despite losing Bill Charlie and Brian.If Wood had left the band at any time after joining I doubt it would have had any effect on them continuing.If at anytime in their history Mick and Keith decided to end the band, it would have ended.Wood or anyother band member would no have prevented that.

Wood did give them the energy and playing style to turn the juggernaut around and make them an artistically interesting and viable group again. They did hit an artistically dead point with Taylor in 1974, and by 1976 they really were an old fashioned dinosaur rock group. The way they countered the punk movement by embrasing it with the 1978 tour could never have happened with Taylor on board.

When they lost Bill and Charlie they were artistically not relevant anymore, they had become a touring Vegas-style circus.

Mathijs

Yes, I stand by my comment.
Ronnie was the perfect addition to round out The Stones. His attitude, looks, playing ability, writing ability and overall personality made the band complete again. Sure, Mick and Keith could have hired "some other guitarist" but any another guitarist at the time wouldn't have been a ROLLING STONE. He brought the full package and they all survived as a team because of him.

Charlie loved him, Bill loved him, Mick loved him, Keith loved him and the fans loved him. No other guitarist could have possibly fit in for the long-haul like him. He has navigated the waters of turmoil, success, failure, admiration and exultation like a PRO.

I have no doubt that this machine wouldn't be here today without him. When Taylor walked out, The Greatest Rock N' Roll Band in THE WORLD needed someone who could fit in immediately, both artistically and stylistically. A revolving door of hot shot guitar sidemen would have never made the Stones whole. BAM. Ronnie Wood to the rescue. I can't imagine a world without him.

Chuck has lasted 40 years.I’m a big fan of Wood. but the dynamics of the band are what Mick and Keith want.They are the only indispensable members.Not Taylor and not Wood.If Wood had not been chosen in 1975 or left the band a few years later, the band would have continued with even revolving guitarists.Wood had nothing to do with the longevity of the band.In the late 1980s the band would have broken up if Mick wanted to go solo.Mick didn’t continue because Wood was in the band.And I’m confident that had Taylor not quit there would have many more great live shows and songs with him.

We can agree to disagree a bit here, certainly.
If Taylor hadn't quit, sure, there would have been more shows and songs but I still don't think he could have, or would have, navigated through the tough times.
Chuck is great but he isn't a Rolling Stone and the majority of the public don't know who he is, sorry. Everyone knows Ronnie and his unwavering longevity.

Mick DID go solo in the 80's, Keith too. Ronnie was the driving force in keeping the peace when both the Glimmer's realized the supreme power of their partnership and moved forward together, forever.

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Taylor1
They have done great music with Wood.

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Kurt

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Taylor1
They have done great music with Wood.