Ron Wood
Ronald "Ron" David Wood (born June 1, 1947 in Hillingdon, London) is an English rock guitarist and bassistist best known as a member of The Rolling Stones, The Faces, and The Jeff Beck Group.Career
1960s
Wood began his career in 1964 with the Birds, based in Yiewsley, Middlesex. By the late 1960s, he was part of The Creation, then joined the Jeff Beck Group together with singer Rod Stewart. They split up, however, after recording Beck-Ola in 1969.1970s
With Rod Stewart, Ron joined The Small Faces shortly after leader Steve Marriott had left the group. The band's name soon was shortened to simply The Faces. Though mostly known in the United States as Rod Stewart's former backup band, the Faces were very successful in the UK, for a brief time even rivaling The Rolling Stones in popularity. They were a popular live act, and their music is recognized today as sharing an ethos with the future punk rock movement. The New York Dolls, The Replacements, The Black Crowes, Pearl Jam, and Stereophonics all bear the group's influence. The Faces split up in 1975.During the 1970s, Wood released several solo albums (Now Look - US #118, 1975); (Gimme Some Neck - US #45, 1979) and a collaboration with ex-Faces bandmate Ronnie Lane, Mahoney's Last Stand (1976).
Following Mick Taylor's departure from the Rolling Stones in 1974, Wood performed with the group on its 1975 Tour of the Americas, then contributed to its 1976 album Black and Blue, before being ultimately announced as Taylor's replacement. Wood would become a major contributor to the band during the next 3 decades.
In the Rolling Stones, Wood specializes in playing slide guitar and pedal steel guitar, and contributes to one-half of the "ancient form of weaving". He also occasionally plays bass guitar, such as during 1975 concert performances of "Fingerprint File," when Mick Jagger played rhythm guitar and bassist Bill Wyman moved to synthesizer. Rolling Stones singles such "Emotional Rescue" also feature Wood on bass. He has been given credit as a cowriter for a handful of songs, such as "Black Limousine" and "Pretty Beat Up."
1980s
Throughout the 1980s, Wood played as a member of the Rolling Stones, continued his solo career ('1234' charted at #164 on Billboard in 1981), painted, and collaborated with a number of other artists, including Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Eric Clapton, Bo Diddley and Aretha Franklin.In 1988 Ron opened "Woody's on the Beach," a one of a kind venue featuring a house band headed up by Bobby Keys, hosting a continuous stream of artist friends of Woody's, and providing a venue for local acts to perform original music with no pressure to play "cover" tunes. The stage was up close and personal with the entertainers literally feet away from the crowd. Ron played whenever he was in town, with friends, or the local band of the week. The defunct Hotel which housed the Club allowed for Woody to set up a world class backstage VIP area upstairs, displaying Woody's artworks, and providing a private party area for the Musicians and their guests, local nightclub VIPs, politicians, etc.
Although Woody's pioneered the club scene transitioning the neighborhood of South Beach (the Mariel boatlift had flooded the streets with all of Castro's misfits), and was highly successful, it was closed by Woody amidst a flury of complaints from the then predominantly geriatric neighbors who found it too loud, despite the wave of security (11 "locomotive shaped bouncers") and prosperity (expanded development of the areas tourism) it fostered.
At the Live Aid Concert in Philadelphia, Wood along with Keith Richards performed in the penultimate set with Bob Dylan. During the performance of "Blowing in the Wind", Dylan broke a guitar string. Wood gave Dylan his guitar in order to keep the performance seamless, and even played air guitar until a stagehand brought him a replacement.
Other Projects
Ronnie has contributed his work and support to other groups, most notably, Irish rock group The Corrs, on their live VH1 album.Personal
Recently
While also continuing as a member of the Rolling Stones, in 1993, Wood appeared with Rod Stewart on MTV's Unplugged, which resulted in a hit album. After the tour that Rod Stewart undertook across the U.S. in 2004 they expressed intentions to finish the studio work on their forthcoming album entitled I'll Strut, You'll Sing.He continues to struggle with alcoholism, although reports between 2003 and 2006 had indicated that he had been clean since the Licks Tour of 2002 and 2003. In June 2006 it was reported that Wood was entering rehab for a couple of weeks following increased recent alcohol abuse. [1]
Ron Wood currently lives in the town of Clane, Ireland.
Solo Chart History
I've Got My Own Album To Do (December 1974: UK #27, 1 week on N.M.E chart)
1. I Can Feel The Fire 2. Far East Man 3. Mystifies Me 4. Take A Look At The Guy 5. Act Together 6. Am I Groovin' You 7. Shirley 8. Cancel Everything 9. Sure The One You Need 10. If You Gotta Make A Fool Of Somebody 11. Crotch Music
Now Look (July 1975: US #118, 6 weeks on Billboard Pop Albums Chart)
1. I Got Lost When I Found You 2. Big Bayou 3. Breathe On Me 4. If You Don't Want My Love 5. I Can Say She's Alright 6. Caribbean Boogie 7. Now Look 8. Sweet Baby Mine 9. I Can't Stand The Rain 10. It's Unholy 11. I Got A Feeling
Gimme Some Neck (May 1979: US #45, 13 weeks on Billboard Pop Albums Chart)
1. Worry No More 2. Breakin' My Heart 3. Delia 4. Buried Alive 5. Come To Realise 6. Infekshun 7. Seven Days 8. We All Get Old 9. F.U.C. Her 10. Lost And Lonely 11. Don't Worry
1234 (September 1981: US #164, 5 weeks on Billboard Pop Albums Chart)
1. 1234 2. Fountains of Love 3. Outlaws 4. Red Eyes 5. Wind Howlin' Through 6. Priceless 7. She Was Out There 8. Down to the Ground 9. She Never Told Me
Live At The Ritz (April 1988: Japan #40, 4 weeks on chart, 11.000 copies sold during chart stay)
1. Roadrunner 2. I'm a Man 3. Crackin' Up 4. Hey! Bo Diddley 5. Plynth (Water Down the Drain) 6. Ooh la La 7. Outlaws 8. Honky Tonk Women 9. Money to Ronnie 10. Who Do You Love?
Slide On This (December 1992: Japan #54, 4 weeks on chart, 20.400 copies sold during chart stay)
1. Somebody Else Might 2. Testify 3. Ain't Rock and Roll 4. Josephine 5. Knock Yer Teeth Out 6. Ragtime Annie (Lillie's Bordello) 7. Must Be Love 8. Fear for Your Future 9. Show Me 10. Always Wanted More 11. Thinkin' 12. Like It 13. Breathe On Me
- Show Me (US Mainstream Rock #30, 7 wks]
1. Testify 2. Josephine 3. Pretty Beat Up 4. Am I Groovin' You 5. Flying 6. Breathe on Me 7. Silicon Grown 8. Seven Days 9. Show Me 10. Show Me 11. I Can Feel The Fire 12. Slide Instrumental 13. Stay With Me 14. I Don't Know What You've Got (But It's Got Me) 15. You Really Got a Hold On Me
External links
- Ron Wood
- Ronnie Wood Artist biography
- Ronnie Wood Artist biography