2008-09-30 don't give up the day job!

I've been a huge fan of the Stones since I first started getting interested in music round about the early 70's. I'm told that my Uncle used to bunk off school in the middle of cross country running, to pop in at his sister's (my Mum's) house to play the latest Stones release when I was much smaller. Seeing the Stones live for the first time in 1982 suggested to me that they were past their best; but they managed to bang out a handful more great albums, up to the awful Dirty Work; and not a decent record since. There's no denying though that they have a back catalogue to die for!
I've loved Woody's input from Black & Blue onwards. There's no taking away from the man, he is a terrific musician. I even have his solo recordings (well - the first 4 of them anyway) and they stand up as great period pieces from a man who has without doubt seen the world and more.
As a writer, however, forget it. The book is appallingly written, filled with lists of dropped names of the rich, famous and influential (ALL close personal friends, of course); tales of his philandering are told with a grin in the hope that the women he's hurt (and their partners) along the way will see it all as a bit of fun; relentless talk of his devotion to Jo (somewhat ironic given the current gutter press coverage of his alleged latest flame): all in all, he has written himself as a quite loathsome specimen of a man. I suppose at least he's painting himself honestly - if we are to believe his drug and booze addled reminiscences.
I was deeply disappointed. I was looking forward to enjoying the book and liking the man. I did read it all the way through very easily - the style is childish at best and makes for easy reading at any rate.
I can only hope that Ronnie does not commit pen to paper again; least of all for the crime suspense novel that he moots in the last chapter (no doubt making full use of his close personal friendships with the cast and crew of CSI).
If you want to know about Ronnie Wood's life, read the book by all means. Don't expect to believe it all though; and don't expect to come out of it thinking that he isn't better off concentrating on his fabulous musicianship.
Dreadful.
Cheers,
SPARKY ;-)