EXCLUSIVE: Ronnie Wood's new book reveals a lot about his time coming up as a musician and his relationship with Rod Stewart17:00, 18 Jul 2026Updated 17:47, 18 Jul 2026Ronnie Wood has revealed how he got his start in the Rolling Stones and why he can’t ­always wear what he wants because of the band’s quirks on clothing.‌New book Fearless: The Anthology opens his archive up and spans legendary guitars, custom-made straps, vintage pedals and amps, stage wear and concert setlists – all specially photographed for the hardback.‌Alongside the images are Ronnie’s words, including how after playing for The Faces with Rod Stewart he wrote songs for a solo album and then joined the Rolling Stones in 1975.‌Looking back to recording sessions in 1974, Ronnie recalls: “It was when I was working on that first solo album that my real involvement with the Stones started.“Keith ­[Richards] came over to see me, and four months later he was still there! During that time, Mick Jagger used to come round and help me, too. The place was always full.‌“Mick would bring David Bowie over. You’d have Gregg Allman and Paul McCartney there, and people were queuing down the stairs. We had so many drummers! Keith Moon, Ringo, Kenney Jones, Andy Newmark, Jim Capaldi. It was nuts.“When I was writing I Can Feel the Fire, Mick gave me a hand, and then he asked for my help on It’s Only Rock ’n’ Roll. So we ran through it, bouncing ideas to and fro.‌“Bowie and I were singing ­background vocals, and Willie Weeks was playing bass. Andy Newmark had fallen asleep or gone away. Either way, we didn’t have a drummer, so we woke up Kenney in the middle of the night.“The session came together with odds and ends, but we got the basic track. Afterwards, I thought, ‘Oh, that was a good album track’. I had no idea that it was going to do so well. Mick said, ‘I’ve got a deal, you can keep I Can Feel the Fire, and I’ll keep, It’s Only Rock ’n’ Roll. I had no bargaining power, but that was OK. It was my apprenticeship.”I Can Feel the Fire ended up on Ronnie’s 1974 solo album, I’ve Got My Own Album to Do. But Jagger probably did best out of the deal as It’s Only Rock ’n’ Roll (But I Like It) became the title track for the Rolling Stones 1974 album. It reached No2 in the US and No2 in the UK.‌It was the last album of the Stones that featured Mick Taylor and after he left Ronnie filled the gap and joined up. The Faces officially split in 1975.From there Ronnie was invited to Montreux to record with the Stones and offered a song for consideration called Hey Negrita, which did get on the album, but he says in general, it is tough to get songs on the Stones LPs.On latest album Foreign Tongues, he doesn’t have any tracks, and he says: “To get on a Stones album, a song has to be passed by the board. Jagger and ­Richards don’t accept suggestions very easily because they’ve already got it sewn up. You’ve got to have a pretty good song to get it approved, which I respect.” Once in the studio, he says, Jagger and ­Richards make things easy.‌He writes: “With the Stones, you’ll have a song that’s laid on a plate because Mick or Keith will have come up with a riff, and they’ll interpret what the song needs for me. I always give my best, and the process feels very natural.”‌The book features outfits Ronnie wears on stage, sourced by a team scouring markets for vintage items as well as creating new ones and printing T-shirts and shirts with elements of Ronnie’s artworks and setlist he paints.Ronnie’s stage clothing is pictured from his first performance with the Rolling Stones in 1975 through to the shirts, jackets, and T-shirts of their 2024 Hackney Diamonds tour.Once they are in the wardrobe they can only be worn on certain nights – in case they clash with another look. In the book, it explains: “Ronnie changes outfit three times during each performance, with the timing ­determined by the set list.‌“The day before the performance, photographs of Ronnie’s outfits are taken alongside those of Mick’s to ensure the colours compliment.”However, there is less quality control and consideration elsewhere in the band, as the text in the book adds: “Keith Richards takes a more spontaneous approach, choosing his outfit shortly before going on stage.”Ending the anthology, Ronnie admits he has lived a charmed life. He has been married three times and has six children, and has beaten drink and drug addictions.‌He concludes: “My guitars are the tools of my trade. They are really precious to me, and it’s amazing to see them documented in this book. I’ve been blessed with an ability to play the instrument, and I’ve definitely been lucky to be in the right place at the right time (with a bit of manipulation on my part).“I was looking for an adventure, and I certainly got that. People say, ‘If you’re going to be successful at ­something, pick something you enjoy doing’, and they’re right.“The smile is all over my face because I love playing guitar and love the challenge of learning something new, and I’m still learning new things.”Article continues belowRonnie Wood’s Fearless: The Anthology, by Genesis Publications, from http://ronniewoodanthology.comLike this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .