I love the man, and I think he would agree that he's the luckiest man on the face of the earth. He's proved his musical pedigree many times, is an accomplished artist in his own right, has been a member of several influential bands (Jeff Beck Group, the Faces), single-handedly kept the Stones together, and has successfully battled the worst sort of addictions.

There's much to admire about him. He's by far my favorite Rolling Stone, and he deserves a place in the rock n roll hall of fame all by his lonesome. I honestly believe this. The ultimate artist/sideman/catalyst/diplomat/jokester/mate all wrapped up in a humble & lovable package. How could you not come to love him for what he is?

bassplayer617 Wrote:
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> successfully battled the worst
> sort of addictions.
>
>

Sounds like he has an ongoing and constant battle with the bottle so I am not sure that would be considered successful.

I love the spirit and friskiness that Ron brought to the band when he joined the Tour of the Americas in 1975.

One way that the Stones could improve on their current performances would be for Keith to end his two-song set by bringing Ron to the mike for one of his numbers (something from the Faces' catalog or Ron's solo albums). When that song is over, Mick could strut on back on stage to sing Everything Is Turning to Gold, Black Limousine or another song with a strong Wood presence,

After that would come the string of warhorses, climaxing in the fireworks or arena-friendly spectacle.

On a very good night, Mick, Keith, Ron and Charlie would come back on stage, dragging stools and a small drum kit and end the evening with an acoustic Salt of the Earth.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2007-05-07 00:43 by Monkeylad.

Listoning to Rod's Mercury box set and love the guitar playing! I truely believe Woody was the perfect go-between for Mick&Keith and is largely responsible for the Stones still being together.

He's probably my favorite Stone too. At least right now.
He also cares to release some gems from his vaults and have come to appreciate his solo projects very much. He's an excellent guitar player, love his style.


Belgrade-Bucharest-Budapest-Brno

i like ronnie, he always seems so enthusiastic to be in the stones, as if he knows he is really lucky.

but for me the stones come as a package, they work as a team and all do a great job.

no one is better than the other.

but obviously mick and keith are the main stones.

when one of them dies, the stones will finish.

I like Ronnie, too. Especially when he plays slide guitar...

he is THE MAN.
luv him. One of the greatest musicians of the century, one of the coolest cat and nicest person who ever walked the earth. He deserves all the luck he had playing with such great artists as The Stones, The Faces and Rod, Jeff Beck.

Sign me up for this fan club!

God Bless Ron Wood.

He's like a great friend that I haven't met yet. Rock on, Ronnie.

"No Anchovies, Please"

My brother and I met him once in NYC fall of 2002.
The man could not have been any nicer.
A class act all the way and a great Rolling Stone.

I always thought that he's the right man for the Rolling Stones.

Ronnie is incredible! You are right on the mark about him being so influential...the Birds, The Jeff Beck Group, The Faces, his solo stuff...and KEEPING THE STONES TOGETHER! Without him during the Diry Work phase the Stones would have imploded on themselves (or Keith would have killed Mick!), and he kept it going being the go between...and he did all this understanding and appreciating the fact that he was shafted on a log of song writing credits, and understood he had to pay his dues with the boys... And think about it, Both Mick and Keith went to him in the 70's because they heard themselves the way they hoped to be through his raunchy music with the Faces.
Yeah, he brought a spark to the boys and turned up the fun knob with their live stuff...the boys acutally started being funny and appreciating how to make fun of themselves.
Then there is is guitar work. Sublim slide, and great raunch n' roll.
Ronnie is GREAT!

Lorenz Wrote:
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> He's an excellent guitar player

Was

bassplayer617 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I love the man, and I think he would agree that
> he's the luckiest man on the face of the earth.
> He's proved his musical pedigree many times, is an
> accomplished artist in his own right, has been a
> member of several influential bands (Jeff Beck
> Group, the Faces), single-handedly kept the Stones
> together, and has successfully battled the worst
> sort of addictions.
>
> There's much to admire about him. He's by far my
> favorite Rolling Stone, and he deserves a place in
> the rock n roll hall of fame all by his lonesome.
> I honestly believe this. The ultimate
> artist/sideman/catalyst/diplomat/jokester/mate all
> wrapped up in a humble & lovable package. How
> could you not come to love him for what he is?


I have to admit that he's my favourite Stone too, I absolutely fell in love with him after seeing him act and play in Vredenburg, Utrecht, 2003. Sometimes he hurts my ears during solo's where I really cannot follow what he does, when his solo is reduced to one long note, bended in all directions for ten or more seconds. Not that I care much about solo's, but in my eyes it's a confirmation of his difficulty to focus 100% on his job on stage. But those comments are sidelines. Overall: thanks Bassplayer for your wonderful post! I hope he really beats his addiction, then I cannot agree with you more.

Jelle

I've said it before, but we have a lot to thank Ronnie for. He kept the band together while the Glimmers were busy insulting eachother and taking hard drugs. With his "little white lie diplomacy", his wit, warm sense of humour and charm - he succeeded in fullfilling the most difficult task: Making two HUGE egos come together again - for the best of... well, the Universe, actually. If the Nobel Peace Prize Comittee had any knowledge about the importance of rock'n'roll, he'd have been among the laureates by now.

But somehow he fell off the train really soon, and since the beginning of the 80ies Mick and Keith regularly have to keep him together...

The last gigs I attended all around the world in 2005/2006, he just raised his arms to the sky after some single notes (most of them false). That's really embarrassing, and also very sad. He should get his thing together, at least for his own.

He managed to do that for the first gigs of the last European leg, and it was the first time since many many years that I saw him PLAY and not just posing for most of the time, and leaving Keith all the work. That was such a great experience. Let's hope, he'll get on like that.

yeah, all kinds of love & joy & blessings on the good Ron Wood -
he gives us so much - and it ain't all easy. thanks & praises

Yes, withsssoul! Love and joy and blessings to all of them! And may they succeed in staying off whatever they're fighting. Good mental health, good physical health and great support from a true and loyal fan base! All the best for the tour. (one month till tour start yesterday... So everyone - please stay on the ground. Indoors, preferably. Snooker and reading never killed anyone!)

All my appretiation to Mr Ron Wood, one of the biggest stars in Rock 'n Roll and yet right on the ground with both his feet!

Zack Wrote:
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> Lorenz Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > He's an excellent guitar player
>
> Was


Is. If you saw him last year.

JumpingKentFlash

The Stones are lucky to have Ron with them. The guy is a trooper and a rock and roller. Long live the Woodpicker!!
Rock and Roll,
Mops

there were a lot of posts about Ronnie recently. I'm was thinking of starting a Ronnie Appreciation thread myself. Glad to see it.

Ronnie really is special. I love his vocals. To me they always seemed so HONEST. Listen to his singing with Bobby Womack on "If you dont want my love". Or compare "If you gotta make a fool of somebody" to Micks singing on "If you really want to be my friend" from the same period on IORR. Those two first albums are so good. he really shines on 75 tour- listen to LA show 7/13. WTWCD from 78 and BL from 81 and slide guitar on the more recent tours are great.Plus Ronnie is the perfect clown/go between to mediate between Mick and Keith's egos. Sure I wish he as a little more consistent but I can live with that. I wish him well in his effort to stay clean.

....yeah I like Ron Wood....good guy.....

hoping to get a wave this summer

Nijmegen-Paris-Belgrade-Bucharest

Oh yes, someone mentioned "If you don't want my love". Back when I still had "most bestest song of an album lists" this one was alwasy No1 off "Now Look". Great harmonies with Bobby and very good arrangment overall. Ron needs alittle more credit for his superb solo albums. We al now they are good but more people should. Ron definetly needs a partner or a catalyst. Keith for "Own Album", "Bobby for "Now Look", Bernard for "Slide". "Beginners" and 1234 are the two he did a bit on his own and I think are the ones that are not as easy to get. But they are the best.

"...no longer shall you trudge 'cross my peaceful mind."

Some people will not like that, but I actually don't think Bernard is a good partner for Ronnie.
I cannot really grasp what it is, sorry for the meager statement.

As for his solo work in general, I think it is heavily underrated. I just love a lot of it. Beginners took me a while to get into, but it is such a cool album. I'm really looking forward to the upcoming releases


Belgrade-Bucharest-Budapest-Brno

The guy pulled through when Keith was totally slacking last year. He went up to the plate, hit a homerun and carried Keith the whole way home.

Every year that passes I appreciate Woody a bit more. Of late I have seen a few ABB shows where he seemed more aware and in charge then Keith. Yes he has had his troubles, as have many of us.

Last Year in Shanghai I was at a bar with my sister where Woody was with his whole family. Members of the press were around, but not many fans. I placed myself in between Woody and the serving bar. He could have by-passed me as he wondered around the room. He could have ignored me. He did not , he shook my hand and HE STARTED a conversation with me, asking where I was from etc. I knew long before Keith's head injury exactly where Ron and Keith were headed for vacation. Later when he wondered over to the bar again, he signed a napkin for me ( now framed in my living room). He was very freindly and down to earth.

I think the reality is that he is a nice guy stuck between two super-egos, and a very talented man that has had to play second fiddle through out his career to bigger ass holes. His biggest curse amongst Stones fans is constantly being held up for comparsion to MT who held Ron's job for 5 years not 30, who has not (despite so many claims to the otherwise) proven to be nearly so muti-talented as Ron, but was in the right place at the right time.