Review of Ron Wood's Autobiography Ronnie
Veteran Rolling Stones Guitarist Tells His Story
Feb 18, 2009
Although he’s been the Rolling Stones’ “other” guitarist (behind the infamous Keith Richards) for more than 3 decades now, Ronnie Wood still considers himself something of the new guy in rock’s biggest corporation of a band. That’s one of many gleanings in store for the reader of Wood’s new autobiography Ronnie.
Ronnie Not Just A Rock Tell-All
As one might expect, Ronnie is packed with stories of rock 'n roll antics, and when they are behind-the-scenes Stones stories they’re likely to be as “entertaining” as one of their shows. Wood doesn't disappoint to this end, but that's not to say that his book is just a rock tell-all, either.
"Woodie" impresses with his candid honesty, neither attempting to impress nor making an apologies. He does admit that a lifetime of drugs and alcohol were taking their toll on his marriage and his guitar playing, with a bit of regret. After cleaning up his act in 2000, and his admissions of nervousness for much of his first sober tour are truly humble.
Comparisons to Clapton's Autobiography
In this sense, Ronnie is not unlike Eric Clapton’s recent well-received 2007 autobiography. Unfortunately, another similarity between the two books is both authors’ reluctance to write about the music, the very subject many readers crave.
Before joining the Rolling Stones, Wood was the driving force behind one of rock’s most under-appreciated bands: Faces. Along with Rod Stewart’s rasp, Ron Wood created his own wonderfully dirty sound on the guitar, one that has never been successfully imitated, and one that Wood himself has never been able to even approach as a Stone.
Not Enough Written About the Music, Faces
Ronnie devotes a mere 9-page chapter (in a 350+ page book) to his time with Faces, and even less to earlier stints with The Jeff Beck Group and others. Perhaps his memory eludes him when it comes to nearly 40 years prior, but it will be frustrating for the reader who knows Ronnie Wood as more than just a Rolling Stone.
Even regarding his 33 years to date with the “world’s greatest rock and roll band,” the music seems to be a side issue here. While Wood delves a wee bit into the musical hierarchy of the band (Jagger may be the “heart” and face of the band, but Richards is without question the soul, “without him there would be no band”), little is written about how the band works, how songs take shape, how the boys interact musically.
Wood Had To Learn How To Live Like A Rolling Stone
This lack is reflected in a quote of the author’s, “…for me, the music was the easiest part of becoming a Rolling Stone. The steep learning curve was living like a Rolling Stone." Ronnie is primarily about living like a Rolling Stone.
One aspect of Wood’s life that is fairly well covered in Ronnie, much of it in the form of pictures, is his artistic career. Ron Wood is an accomplished artist, every bit as good with a paintbrush as with an axe, and more than 2 dozen illustrations throughout the book give the reader a good feel for not only the quality of his paintings and drawings, but the scope of his work. There are also dozens of career photographs included.
Overall, Ronnie is an entertaining and informative rock autobiography, told in an easy-going, almost anecdotal style. Stories about, for instance, Ronnie and Keith motoring through Arkansas, pushing their luck, snorting in a local bar bathroom, and barely “super-starring” their way out of redneck jail are numerous.
For the reader who won’t be overly disappointed about what Wood neglects to cover, there is plenty here to entertain. For the others, the gap may be at least partially filled by cranking up Face’s 1971 album A Nod is as Good as a Wink…to a Blind Horse.
Wood, Ronnie. Ronnie, St. Martins Press, 2007, New York. 358 pgs. (isbn: 13-978-0-312-53102-7)
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