Page 74 - Classic Rock (January 2020)

“LIFE’S FULL OF

CURVES

AND SWERVES”

After early days as a signwriter, Ronnie Wood joined the Jeff Beck Group, the Faces and the

Stones. More recently he's beaten cancer, recorded a Chuck Berry tribute and fathered twins.

Interview: Ian Fortnam

onest Ron – Rolling Stone, ace decision to choose between art and music, but I get You immediately recognised the Stones as being
Face, patron saint of smokers, the impression you never did. your people.
artist, broadcaster, Jack the lad, I tried to make my money as an artist when I was When I first saw them I said: “I’m going to be
all-round diamond geezer – young, tried to get into scenic design at the film in that band.” I never doubted it, and that was
H bounces into the Presidential Suite studios, but it was a closed shop, you had to be it. I reckon if you have a big enough belief in
of the hotel like a bright-eyed endless party in skin- a member of a union. There was a lot of red tape something, it’ll happen. It was the same with
tight black strides. Ebony thatch tilted skyward, to get through for commercial art jobs. And the my art. People would say you’ve got to be up
open black shirt over Chuck Berry T-shirt, bright interviews? I don’t know how anybody ended up to such a high standard, you’ll never make it.
red sweater draped over his shoulders, Ronnie getting a job in the graphic field I was trying for. I was like: “Yes I can. I can be an impressionist,
Wood, addiction-free, cancer-free, is as close to the That’s why I took the signwriting route, a looser a draughtsman, I can be whatever I want.”
living, breathing embodiment of rock’n’roll as one way in but still some form of draughtsmanship.
might expect. He did it all so you wouldn’t have to. I’d develop my freestyle of painting, while getting Obviously the Jeff Beck Group were a fearsome
my letter shapes dead right. But the struggle I had unit, but you were on bass. Although it was Jeff
What’s the strongest memory you who ultimately split the band, were
have of your childhood? you getting a bit itchy to move on
Up in my bedroom with my Dansette yourself by then?
player, learning Chuck Berry licks. “The Stones never make an album Yeah, because The Birds, The
overnight, but we’re just fitting studio Creation and the Jeff Beck Group
Where did you get your first guitar? were my stepping stones towards the
During my colourful childhood my visits in and it’s shaping up nicely.” Stones, and then the Small Faces split
brothers, Art and Ted, got me my up right before my eyes, which wasn’t
first guitar. It was lent from a guy called Davey with art was eclipsed by my musical freedom long after the split-up of the Beck Group. [JBG
Hayes. But when he got called up for the army he within my garage band, rehearsing in the garage drummer] Tony Newman put the cat among the
said: “I’ve got to take my guitar with me.” So I only with my mates. We’d get a fiver a gig, and before pigeons, saying: “Unless we get more money we’re
had a guitar for a few months before it was taken you know it I could make five quid a week and going on strike.” Suddenly Jeff’s not there. We
away. I was only about seven, and it was really give my mum two-pound-ten, which was weren’t really surprised. We were used to him not
heart-rending to have to do without a guitar. So unbelievable. I was the main breadwinner in my turning up for the odd show. But when he went
my brothers saved up the deposit and got me one family in my teens. back to England, we thought: “Oh.”
on hire-purchase. That was the first
one I owned, which I swapped-up for The Jeff Beck Group, ’67: (l-r) There’s been a lot of speculation
my Rogers guitar when I was doing Aynsley Dunbar, Jeff Beck, Rod since that had the Beck Group played
my signwriting job. Stewart, Ronnie Wood. Woodstock (which they turned down),
been in the film and reached a wider
You seem to have always put yourself audience, they wouldn’t have left the
in the way of opportunity, and never vacuum later filled by Led Zeppelin,
just stood back and waited for good and would have gone on to attain the
luck to happen. Were you always enormity latterly enjoyed by Zeppelin.
naturally confident? But could you have stood being the bass
Yeah, I suppose I was, in a very player in the Jeff Beck Group for the rest
humble way. I’d always go in through of eternity?
the back door, always make sure I was Would we have been more famous if
in the right place at the right time, I’d we’d played Woodstock? We’d have
feel the situation. certainly carved our notch in history
for being part of Woodstock, but
You’re often asked if it was a difficult I think as fate had it, it was what was GETTY

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