Book Review: Rock on Wood by Terry Rawlings

August 1999

Terry Rawlings has already completed work on the Small Faces. With this book he stays within the Faces' family tree by focusing on guitarist Ronnie Wood. For Making Time purposes, we are more interested in Wood's days prior to the Faces although the latter period is, quite naturally, of further interest. Wood's time in the Rolling Stones is covered only fleetingly. This should not be viewed as a handicap for the book as, firstly, the Rolling Stones already receive ample coverage and, secondly, Ronnie Wood's personal contribution is higher profile in his other bands. So if you like the Birds, the Creation, the Jeff Beck Group or the Faces then this book will probably tell you a lot that you did not previously know.

The Birds were a great British group that never made it really big. This was despite the strength of singles such as Leavin' Here. Ronnie Wood was lead guitarist, following his older brothers into the music business. Ted Wood was oriented towards jazz and has recently been playing in Bob Kerr's Whoopee Band. Art Wood was the leader of the Artwoods and Quiet Melon.

After the demise of the Birds, Ronnie Wood teamed up alongside Birds bass player Kim Gardner in a version of the Creation where he had to follow the great Eddie Phillips. Again he was without a UK hit although the Creation were massive in Germany where he toured. He also contributed to some of the group's recordings including their answer to Being for the Benefit of Mr Kite, Midway Down.

Jeff Beck had left the Yardbirds after some friction about who was the lead guitarist (with Jimmy Page) and his claimed fear of traveling. He started the Jeff Beck Group and recruited Wood to play bass guitar, thus ensuring he had the lead guitar. Rod (the Mod) Stewart was the singer. The group had a massive hit with Hi Ho Silver Lining, a song that was strongly unrepresentative of their stage act that was blues based. Beck took lead vocals on this leaving Rod Stewart as back-up singer only. Wood found himself in and out of this band over the next few years as a result of Beck's man management skills (or lack or them) but he was often brought back in when it was really necessary. Quite simply, he knew the set inside-out.

The Small Faces were looking for a new lead singer and lead guitar player following the departure of Steve Marriott. They recruited Wood to the role and he brought along fellow Jeff Beck group member Stewart. Thus the Faces were born, via the previously mentioned Quiet Melon. The hardest drinking band of the time proceeded to wreck hotel rooms across America, making some great records in the process such as Stay With Me and Cindy Incidentally. Again there was a level of conflict between the career of the Faces and the solo career of Rod Stewart where the Faces became relegated to Stewart's backing band. Ronnie Lane was the first to quit and the band split soon after. Wood then teamed up with his apparent "twin" Keith Richards and joined the Stones.

This book scores in its coverage of Ronnie Wood prior to the Faces and Stones. It touches little on him as a person or his influences but it provides the missing insight into some great sounds of the 1960s.

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Details

ISBN: 0-7522-2328-3

Published 1998 by Boxtree

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