Ronnie: The Autobiography of Ronnie Wood

by wood-ronnie-robinson, Photos (Illustrator)

Ronnie Wood is one of rock's true originals. This is his story, in his own words, about his life, loves, family, friends, music, art and survival against the odds. It's a roller-coaster ride of unbelievable highs and unimaginable lows, from a small boy growing up on a working class council estate not far from Heathrow Airport who wanted to play music and paint - the first generation of his 'water gypsy' family to be born on dry land - to becoming one of the most famous musicians in the world, Ronnie Wood toured the world with his Rolling Stone bandmates - Mick, Keith, Charlie and, for a while, Bill. And the five of them have, arguably, been seen in person by more people on this planet than anyone else in the history of mankind. But as mayhem and hysteria invariably followed on Ronnie's adventure through the excesses of rock 'n roll, the drugs got harder and his relationships - especially with Mick, Keith, various women and his family - became increasingly more complex. This is Ronnie the husband, father, grandfather and rock star the way you have never seen any rock star before. "Ronnie" is an up-front and personal look at life as a Rolling Stone, from the inside, and at the Stones as the rest of the world has never seen them. After "Ronnie", drugs, sex and rock 'n' roll will never be the same again.

Genres: Music, Biography, Nonfiction, Autobiography, Memoir, Biography Memoir, History

358 pages, Hardcover

First published June 30, 2007

Reviews

[Lynx · Rating 3 out of 5]

Light, easy read. Ronnie tells of all the fun, wild and crazy adventures he's had from his time in The Faces and The Rolling Stones and breezes by any real issues he's had to face. Notably missing is his struggles with alcoholism and marital issues. Having also read Jo Wood's memoir it's amazing how much Ronnie decided not to put in but that's no surprise seeing as they were still married when his book was published. Ronnie tends to focus more on his career and the happier times, never going into real detail about his personal demons which makes it a breezy but incomplete memoir. There are fantastic stories sprinkled throughout but for anyone who wants a more complete picture I suggest also reading Jo's book!

[Vom · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this up because I enjoy the Faces, Wood's early work with Rod Stewart, and the Stones.

I found this book terribly depressing.

In the beginning, the book is rather interesting and full of tales of mischievous boys who play music, pull pranks, and live a little wild. Some of the stories are quick little portraits of famous musicians, and the insight into how some of the music of the time period was made is cool. There's a whole bunch of blanks, however. There's some stories of the Faces' tour (rearranging furniture, wrecking hotels...) but very little about how the albums were made. It's quite odd and I wonder whether Ronnie just plain doesn't remember those years.

Ronnie's obviously one of those friendly, easy going when you meet him guys. He seems to get along with most of the people in his book and had very little negative to say about anyone (with the occasional exception of an ex-manager).

The amount of drug use and abuse is staggering, and is the main reason I found this book so hard to finish. Ronnie shows all the classic abuser behavior. He is seemingly helpless in the face of his managers, for example, and hands over the running of his fortune to a random stranger more than once (!) and complains about their bad behavior. He gets involved with mafia who supply him cocaine. The most depressing portion to me was how he recounted the story of his children. He briefly mentions that the drug use did affect his kids: they sometimes picked up joint butts around the house and so on. *headdesk times infinity* Uh, Ronnie? I think if you're locking yourself in a room to freebase cocaine for DAYS, your kids might be a teensy bit affected, yes. Towards the end of the book, Ronnie does enter rehab, but (oddly to me) he seems to think that the booze is the big problem and doesn't mention much about going off the rest of the huge pharmaceutical arsenal. There are many grim tales about the actions he performed while doped, like a bloody fight with Keith Richards involving knives and broken bottles.

Anyway. It seemed to me like there were many sad tales that lingered in the margins of the book. Stories of broken marriages and abuse, lost lives, overdoses, and so on.

[Pete daPixie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ronnie Wood's autobiography...well, almost auto, with the help of two assistants named as Jack Macdonald and Jeffrey Robinson. 'Ronnie' was published in 2007, so it's final chapter 'Where is this boy now?' requires some update, but then rolling stones gather no moss.
If Woody has dictated most of this memoir to be typed up by ghost writers, well so what? Born into a family of water gypsies in 1947, this autobiog contains a flow of sixty years, with almost fifty years of rock and roll mayhem. From the early 60's Wood has been on the road with The Birds, The Creation, Jeff Beck Group, The Faces and Rolling Stones as well as fronting his own band. The book is littered with tales of rock n roll excess with full supporting roles from a myriad of the 'poptastic', from Bo Diddley to Bigger Bang.
Often introduced at a Stones gig as the 'Rembrandt of Rock', Ronnie is also a talented artist, and examples of that talent are sprinkled liberally throughout this book. Some of the studies of Charlie Watts, Dylan and Muhammed Ali are very good.
Sadly, but by no means surprisingly, the man struggles with alcoholism mixed with a rather large pharmaceutical intake, and the optimistic note that Wood's story ends on in Chapter 34 has taken a detour into rehab and divorce since publication. Ronnie's final word of the final chapter, "I can't say what the future holds for me, but I can tell you, I'm not finished yet." I wouldn't bet against that.

[Diane Drennan Pavia · Rating 2 out of 5]

So disappointed! Two stars is being generous. I love Ronnie and was really looking forward to reading about his life in music and art. The content was there, somewhere, underneath all the self-indulgent and incoherent writing. There was no organization within chapters; chronology is all over the place; nicknames are used to refer to people without being explained, and in some cases it takes a few pages to figure out who he's talking about. I get that he has hung out with some of the most famous and talented musicians on the planet, and was hoping to read some great stories about them, but they way they are presented is presumptuous and egotistical.

And the editor should be ashamed. I understand wanting to keep this kind of autobiography in the writer's voice, but not at the expense of clarity or quality.

[Jason Evans · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting book due to the strange stories that will be fresh to all Stones fans, no matter how many books you've read or documentaries you've read. However, Ronnie seems to skip over many years without any mention of certain events that a student of music would like to know, such as the stories behind the writing and recording of certain Faces and/or Stones albums. A good, quick read though if you are into rock'n'roll.

[Andrew Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh dear. Ronnie may be great guitar player and very probably a good guy to have a drink with, but he most certainly isn't much of a writer. My suspicion is that he was "helped" quite considerably on this project. Its relentlessly cheery tone and mid-atlantic accent do grate after a while and the whole thing seems cartoonish in the extreme. I'm about halfway through and I couldn't really tell you much about what Ronnie thinks, what the people he knows are like or even what it's like being in the Rolling Stones. Even horrific events like constantly freebasing cocaine for years are sort of glossed over. It seems to be a succession of anecdotes of the "So Keith and I got messed up, then we got messed up with Clapton, then Pete Townsend (who is a close and inspirational friend)" type ad nauseam. Sometimes there's not even a chronological order. Some of them are amusing, to give him his due.

Ronnie Wood seems to have been a very lucky man, as there isn't really any indication of any of the hard work he must have actually put in to get where he is. Maybe Mick and Keef have forbidden him to write anything of any substance. Having said that, there's really nothing of any substance in the parts about Jeff Beck and the Faces either. Maybe he just doesn't want to offend any of his (still-living) rock star mates.

And there's nothing about the fact the Stones have written approximately 2 good songs in the thirty years or so since he joined the band.

The Bockris biography of Keef and the Stanley Booth book are much more insightful than this dog's dinner. I shall persevere to the end though.

Well, a few days later I have finished the book. Unfortunately my initial assessment remains. There a few more enjoyable anecdotes and the drinking and drugging does catch up with our hero and he goes to rehab for a bit. Now everything is great in Ronnie world.

[False · Rating 2 out of 5]

You may find yourself disgusted (or envious) when you finish this book. The sheer levels of self-indulgence to addictions, the sheer waste of earned income. He doesn't just lose "a million." He loses "70 million" and more than once through laziness, ineptitude and "can't be bothered with "money." "I" am an artiste. Pah. He also glosses over (if that's possible the true level of drunkeness, drug addled behaviors, hotel destructions..hey...it's a lifestyle.) I'm sick of this. You reach a certain level of fame (and he admits this) and you live your life in a bubble that's based on no reality other than the one you create, or you allow others to create for you. For some, this would be nirvana. I think, "How stunting." How you can ever mature into a responsible, full evolved adult human living like this. The naysayers would say, "Who wants that?" I would say, "Who wants to retard themselves, numb themselves...to life...in all of it's messes, complexities, sorrows and strengths. You don't evolve sucking on ice cubes.

[Steve Cann · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been so great to read Ronnie's autobiog - he's a real rock'n'roll legend, and I'd say this is the definitive rock'n'roll chronicle!

It was fascinating to read about his gypsy background & humble beginnings in West Drayton - and then how, inspired by his musically-inclined family, took the steps towards fame and fortune.

As you'd expect, there's a fair amount of drinking and drugs involved along the way, and Ronnie doesn't hide from that.
But it's fascinating to see his journey through the Stones' ups and downs, & all those classic albums and tours.
He comes across as a very likeable and approachable person, who's stayed close to his routes and his family.
This is a must-read for all fans of The Rolling Stones, and anyone who enjoys a great music autobiog.

[The_5ft_reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did enjoy this book and loved the stories about the stones but felt a bit like he skimmed the surface on a lot of the bad bits, yes there's stories of his drinking and drugs but I felt there's more he didn't tell!

[FicusFan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Ron Wood of the Rolling Stones writes his auto-biography, looking back over 40 years of rock history.

He talks about his early life, his childhood family and his introduction to art and music. He moves on the the early days of Rock & Roll in the UK. He talks about his connections to other rockers outside of the framework of the Stones. He joined them in 1975-1976 and its interesting for me, because I have read about many of these people from the Stones POV, but this is an outsider's look at them. Wood wasn't a Stone when he met them or jammed with them.

Wood also talks about the family he makes with the two women he married (one after the other) and the children he has with them. He doesn't mention the recent suicide of an ex GF/Wife, nor does he mention his current problems regarding taking up with a teeny, while still married.

He talks about his drug and alcohol problem and the long history of abuse. Strange, because his childhood family seemed so healthy and normal, yet he used drugs and alcohol to escape. He also talks about how his children have grown, and become successful as people, and yet they were apparently exposed to all the drugging and drinking, He appears to be very lucky, to have been good at parenting, or he is putting a positive spin on his children. You can't really tell, which it is, or if its all three.

Having heard that Wood is not one of Jagger's favorite people, its strange to read how Wood paints their relationship as close. He also seems to show Keith as a bit of a nutcase, and not really the better person in the Jagger-Richard relationship. Wood says he is very close to Richard, but after he enters rehab, and stops drinking there seems to be a distance between them. As though Wood can't be in the atmosphere that promotes substance abuse. Wood also doesn't talk about his recent relapse, and the new stint in rehab.

The talk about music is interesting, in that he feels creative, and musical, but doesn't seem to mind that he is playing the music of others. There is very little space for him in the Jagger-Richard relationship to be a creator. He has done, he said 7 solo albums, I have one, Give Me Some Neck which I enjoy very much. Somehow he seems able to do both the Stones gigs and his own material, and stay fresh and happy. Of course he also talks about his bad financial decisions, and his need for money, so perhaps he is just doing the Stones stuff for cash. He only recently became an actual Stone, and not an employee, that too is only obliquely mentioned.

He is one of the old generation of UK rockers who are also artists. Many of the founders ended up in art school in the UK. They weren't academic, and had no interest in a trade, so they were sorted into art school. The book is filled with his drawings and paintings, which are well done. He also sells art, and has exhibitions in galleries. There are also a good number of photos.

While the blurbs talk about all kinds of inside stuff on the early years of rock, very little of it is new, and all of it is general and sanitized. It could be said to be name dropping from end to end, of course he has had such a famous life it would probably be hard not to. Some do seem to be mentioned just get the famous name in, rather than because they have some deep connection to him and his life.

The book is written well, and flows. There are a few odd patches with words, he seems to make them up occasionally. The story is interesting and sucks you in.

An interesting addition for anyone interested in the Stones, and inside world of Rock & Roll.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Man, Ron Wood was at the right place at the right time -- ALL THE TIME. It is mindblowing how perfect his timing has been over the decades; just like how perfect his playing can be. (See, e.g., him and Keith on "HAND OF FATE" off of Black and Blue). Sure there are entire years and possibly almost decades, lost in the haze of freebase and locked bathroom doors, but . . . he's still alive, innit he? Yep. And he's got a revolving door of unscrupulous managers in the mix, several mansions, fortunes won, lost, re-won, and waiting for the next big Stones tour so he can buy a club or spend all his money on whatever strikes his fancy. Sort of like a child who never grew up, sort of like a primitive, but always sure of the quality of his guitar playing and visual artwork. I don't have any idea how someone could get anything done on that big of a party tip, but . . . there you have it, he did get quite a lot done. Great book though it is on the surface a bit. But, HE'S on the surface a bit too, right? He's not an intellectual per se, though he's aware of a lot of good quotes by real writers, and he's cool. Seems eternally optimistic and judging from all the people that he's hung out with, all the big names in music, he must be a lot of fun and easy to be around. I get the sense that the communal life that he has always invited, like, literally inviting everyone over to his place for 40 years, is really just a further development of the way he grew up: around a piano, everyone singing, then everyone crashing on the floor or in the bushes. Anyone even vaguely interested in rock and roll will dig this.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Personally, I would give this book a 5 because I am loving it, but it is not "amazing" so I can't give it a "good reads" definition of a 5.

I am a huge Stones fan, and also a fan of rock from that period and the people that inspired them. So I am in my glory while reading this book. Rod Stewart, John Lennon, Eric Clapton, how Ronnie met his wife, Jo, life on the road, the tours, the tales, to me it's awesome reading. What I love the most, I think, is that it is written very simply. It is as though Ronnie is sitting across from me telling the story. And it finishes up very current, in the summer of 2007.

I think it was great how Ronnie opened up his life in this book, not just the good times, but the bad times too, including poor judgments from both a business and personal standpoints. I'm sure it's not an easy thing to open up your life to the world like that, and I respect him for that.

I'm quite sure not everyone would enjoy this as much as I am, but I would recommend it to Stones fans and fans of the rocknroll greats of the 60s. Also lots of great photos throughout the book, including some of Ronnie's artwork.

[David Kudlinski · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is an easy read and insightful into the Rolling Stones’ lifestyle. The secret to Ronnie’s achievements was being likeable, willing to travel, and hard working. His family fully supported his music, and due to their poverty, Ronnie did not have a lot of other options. You can read all about his boozing and what not, but that oddly did not have a negative affect on his success. Some people may think rock stars are dumb and shallow, but there are hundreds of complicated songs to learn and hours and hours of practice needed to get to the top. Although Eric Clapton was a better guitarist, Ronnie beat him out for the vacancy in the Stones when Mick Taylor left. This is because Ronnie fit in better with the raunchy and hard partying Stones. Sobriety is supposed to play a key role in one's success, we are told, but not in this case. He endured a hazing by the Stones, and he happily put up with Keith Richards' eccentricities. Apparently, Ronnie was considered as the guitarist for Led Zeppelin, and Ronnie lived in the same building with Jimi Hendrix. Ronnie does a lot of celebrity name dropping in the book. You may be surprised to find out that Ronnie is an accomplished painter and a dedicated family man.

[Matti Karjalainen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ronnie Wood sai kunnian olla ensimmäinen the Rolling Stonesin jäsen, joka julkaisee oman elämäkertansa (Johnny Kniga, 2009). Lopputulos olisi voinut olla hyvinkin kiinnostava ja kirjan alkupuolella taideharrastuksestaan tunnettu kitaristi muisteleekin aika kiinnostavasti lapsuuttaan sekä the Birdsissa, Jeff Beck Groupissa ja the Facesissa vietettyjä vuosia, jotka ovat rockhistoriaa kirjoitettaessa jääneet vähemmälle huomiolle kuin Stonesin kanssa vietetty ajanjakso.

Niin, entäs sitten The Rolling Stones? Lukija, joka odottaa mielenkiintoista sisäpiiriläisen näkökulmaa yhtyeen värikkäisiin vaiheisiin, tulee todennäköisesti pettymään. Wood tyytyy sivuuttamaan levytykset puolihuolimattomasti ja keskittyy lähinnä ulkomusiikillisiin seikkoihin: jossakin vaiheessa tuntuu siltä, että Wood keskittyy vain listaamaan niitä julkimoita, joita hänen tuttavapiiriinsä kuuluu. Myöskään Jaggerista, aisapari-Richardsista tai muista bändikavereista ei saada irti mitään ihmeellistä, ellei sellaisiksi lasketa paria hauskaa anekdoottia.

Lukeehan tämän kivuttomasti, mutta mitään uutta ja ennennäkemätöntä elämäkerta ei tarjonne kenellekään vähänkin enemmän the Rolling Stonesiin perehtyneelle.

[Sher · Rating 3 out of 5]

even though he's a stoned stone for the bulk of the book, ron wood takes a not-entirely cursory trip through his interesting life. he's actually quite conversational, and you actually get the sense that he's a guy you could hang with, that is, if you're one of the super-rich celebs he knows. he's self-effacing (throughout the book, people are mistaking him for close mate keith richards)and funny. don't expect to get much of a sense about mick here, though -- while you get glimmers of the other glimmer twin and charlie watts (plus some hilarious insight into what bill wyman really did on stage), you don't get much info on mick (one wonders if the business-like jagger would sue the pants off of his fellow bandmate) other than that he's very selective over the parties he parties with.

great fun about his time with the faces and with jeff beck. who knew beck doesn't like to share lead duties with anyone else? ;-)

fun, speedy read.

[Barry Hammond · Rating 3 out of 5]

Former art student, Small Faces star and then Rolling Stone Ron Wood has had a colorful life awash in music, art, alcohol and drugs and his candid memoir takes the reader through most of it. Although not quite as prolific as band mate Keith Richards, Wood has certainly been at the center of much musical mayhem and social scandal and takes you through it with candor and a sense of humor. If there's any shortcomings in the book it's that it was published in 2007 and we know he's been through at least two more wives since professing his rock-steady love for his wife-at-this-time, Jo, throughout. Still, it's an interesting read and full of anecdotes of the many celebrities he's worked with, partied with, and befriended over a long career. Some of my own favorites concern his rich and varied solo career, which is often mistakenly under-rated and sadly over-looked. A raucous and racy read. - BH.

[Chi Dubinski · Rating 4 out of 5]

What’s it like to spend your life in a drug-induced haze on the road with the Rolling Stones? Ronnie Wood, who was a guitarist with the Jeff Beck Group and the Faces before he joined the Stones, has lived to tell his story. Drugs were passed from one rock star to another, as well as the girlfriends and wives. It’s amazing that despite the vast sums of money earned, Wood was often broke. If you’re looking for insight into the other members of the Stones, it’s not in this book, oddly enough. Mick Jagger, Charlie Watts, and Bill Wyman are hardly mentioned. But it’s an alcohol-tinged picture of life on the road with the legendary rock band—sex and drugs mandatory.

[John Sheehan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a very superficial and breezy account of the life of a man who lived through the growth of rock music from it's origins in the sixties to the worldwide phenomena it is today. He has played with some of the great musicians of the last fifty years, from Jeff Beck to Rod Stewart to the Rolling Stones. However, the descriptions of the rock and roll lifestyle become tedious, and I felt a lot was left unsaid. For example, the impact that his drinking and drug taking must have had on his children, and those closest to him, was only hinted at.

[Ruby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seasoned veteran rocker of The Rolling Stones Ronnie Wood reveals seemingly everything in his 2007 autobiography, entitled 'Ronnie: The Autobiography'... and I say seemingly everything because this book doesn't really touch on Wood's intense difficulties with alcohol, though it is mentioned briefly and sparingly throughout.

'Ronnie: The Autobiography' was fun and easy to read and digest, which is sometimes unusual for autobiographies. I really enjoyed reading about the life of Ronnie Wood, who played first with The Faces and then with The Rolling Stones (he still plays with the Stones to this day!) Wood included just the right amount of drama, music and adventures on tour to keep the reader entertained and want to keep going without thinking that he was rubbing in his good fortune in hitting the big time.

I also really liked how Wood wrote about his friendships with fellow Faces member Rod Stewart, and fellow Rolling Stone Keith Richards. They're both great musicians individually, and I really enjoy their stuff so it was nice to see them appear in Wood's story - Richards more frequently than Sir Rod Stewart as he and 'Woody' are in the same band... though there is definitely an element of Wood painting Keith Richards as a bit insane, at one point writing that he chased son Jamie "round the garden with a knife screaming blue murder". It really does highlight the picture which Richards painted of himself in his 2010 autobiography, 'Life'.

This book was published nearly fifteen years ago, so of course time has gone on... Wood writes about how he loves wife Jo and intends to keep proposing to her for many years to come - well the two split in 2011, and Wood then married Sally Humphreys in 2012. Some of what he has written is contradictory to what has happened since the book's publication, which is perhaps to be expected, but I think it would be prudent for reprints of 'Ronnie: The Autobiography' to be edited. I'd also like to see an update on what has happened in Wood's life in the last fifteen years - especially since fellow Rolling Stone Charlie Watts' death in 2021.

My main takeaway from this book was simple; don't judge a book by its cover - literally! This one looked nondescript and boring on my shelf and it sat there for probably two years or more before I decided to pick it up - and honestly, it's such a great read and I would recommend it to anybody with even a passing interest in The Rolling Stones or Ronnie Wood.

[Joe Schilp · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't understand the negative reviews from people who don't like the writing style. Ron Wood grew up in a river gypsy family, didn't finish school (which didn't matter because he never did well in school anyway), and spent an overwhelming majority of his life drunk or high. All things considered, his writing style is fine and not difficult to follow.

As for content, Woody lays it all out here. No spoilers other than to say he did a LOT of drugs (unsurprising given that he's best pals with Keith Richards) and blew a LOT of money on drugs and bad managers. Again, he's not highly educated but is a brilliant artist who can express himself as well with a guitar as with a paintbrush or pencil. What's really incredible is that he has lived far longer than his older brothers, who surely drank, but surely didn't drug as Ronnie did. He seems an affable bloke who fell into the drug culture and, being an uneducated sort, made some really bad decisions. But his story is incredible because of the people he's met and befriended over the years. Again, no spoilers, but there's episodes of his life that I had no idea about.

I learned a lot about Ronnie, which is why I read the book - I wanted to learn about Faces and about Wood, which I did. I've read a lot of music memoirs, some better than this, many worse, so I give Ronnie 4 stars.

[Jennifer Albert · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book.The more I read it the more it became interesting to me.There were things about Ron Wood that I didn't know.The gypsy upbringing and his love of art that turned into another great career for Ron Wood.I like reading about a celebrity's life from the celebrity's view themselves.This book made me love the Rolling Stones even more.They are all human beings like the rest of us with families,problems,experiences.I love how the Rolling Stones feel about each other and how they get along and not get along.At the end of the day no matter what they seem to have each other's backs.They have truly stood the test of time.Ronnie is a very articulate,funny,warm,smart person.I enjoyed reading what he had to say about his life and career.He is very interesting.His book and Keith Richards'book were very good reads.

[Moz Copestake · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another catalogue of excess, drugs, alcohol, cars, homes, women, money. I have read so many biogs of rock stars now it becomes all too predictable - Ozzy, Keith, Roky, Iggy , Graham Nash, Corky Laing, blah blah.
The irony is I read this book 2023. 15 years after it was written. He writes about his long term love for his wife, Jo. How much they're in love and how important the family is to him. He came from a close family. It's a fundamental for him. Soon after the book was written they divorced and, soon after that, he remarried.
It's a tale of how shallow some people are - okay, complicated maybe but essentially spoilt brats. It just goes to show how "establishment" the Stones have become.
I'm involved with a Blues Bar not far from Ronnie's home (well, one of them anyway). We occasionally hear of sightings of Mick jogging in the area. I used to think Ronnie might drop into our little Blues Bar & check it out but now I know it's a delusional idea. Some people, sadly, get too self absorbed to venture out into the real world.

[LeAnn L Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Both of Ron’s parents were water gypsies and he was the first generation to be born on dry land. They were a loving family, and always gave him encouragement in whatever endeavor he reached for. He always seemed to be at the right place at the right time. He had an interesting life playing with the likes of Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, and Rod Stewart, among others.
He fell into the drug and alcohol scene, as many did in that time era. He cleaned up, (this book was written in 2007), and hopefully has continued to do so.
Throughout the book are pictures of his artwork. He’s a talented artist and his work has been exhibited and sold around the world.

[Chris C · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I was 22 I was standing backstage at a music event and Ron Wood suddenly appeared and it was just him and me and he looked me in the eye and in that moment I really wanted to tell him that I loved his bass playing on those early Jeff Beck Group albums, but I hesitated and other people were suddenly all around and the opportunity to tell him was lost forever...or was it? Hey, he might read these reviews, you never know. So Ronnie, great bass work man and I liked your book too. What a charmed / drunk / drugged entertaining life that boy's had.

[Peter Thomson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not something I'd have sought out but lent to me by a friend, this is a not uninteresting if essentially lightweight tale of Wood's six decade career in the music biz. I may have been far more open to his tales of smashing up hotel rooms/sexual braggadoccio had I read them as an impressionable youth fifty years ago, but add to these Wood's endless namedropping of celebrities who are all, apparently, his 'great friend' to the mix, then it all gets rather tiresome and he just comes across as misogynistic twat.

[S.S. Genesee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved reading about Ronnie and his life!! He's such a funny guy and I was laughing at so many points during this book. He does skip around the timeline a bit on tangents every now and then but for the most part it was pretty linear and easy to follow (also probably helps that I'd read Keith's autobio before this so I was already familiar with certain events and when they happened). Wonderful read and adore Ronnie! 💕✨

[Doug Tabner · Rating 4 out of 5]

With all due respect to Ronnie, I didn't have very high expectations for this book. But it turned out to be a very enjoyable read. Certainly a must read for any Rolling Stones fan.

Ron writes in a casual, conversational style that flows quite well. Topically, there's a good mix of serious music discussion and lighter anecdotal material.

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was ok. He glosses over so much and having read his ex-wife Jo’s book, he’s not being truthful about being fully sober in the 2000s. But there are some interesting anecdotes. And it’s pretty sad, reading about his problems with addiction. He was in debt for a long time because he kept pretty shady company because of his drug addiction.

[Ron · Rating 2 out of 5]

A disappointment. I really wanted to like this, but after a promising beginning about his younger years the emphasis shifts to his partying and drug-taking. The Faces are quickly dispensed with, but lots about his seduction of his future wife Jo (who he broke up with shortly after this book was published). If reading about freebasing is your thing then jump right in.

[Darla Ebert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Through Wood's retelling of his bohemian life story one can learn many "adventures" and substances to avoid. I read the lives of the "great" rock and rollers as a way of affirming what a Christian should already know. It MAY be fun while it lasts, but in the end, it will NOT last and the side effects are multiple as should be the regrets.