Ronnie Wood's cheeky one-liner to the Rolling Stones that predicted his future with the band

22 June 2026, 14:52

Ronnie Wood and The Rolling Stones. Picture: Alamy

By Mayer Nissim

As Faces dissolved, Ronnie Wood made a quick move over to The Rolling Stones.

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The Rolling Stones have had several lineup changes over the years, but the last person to join as an official member was Ronnie Wood half a century ago.

Ronnie had previously been a key player in Faces, joining Small Faces stars Ronnie Lane, Kenney Jones and Ian McLagan with fellow Jeff Beck Group member Rod Stewart to form that band.

And Ronnie has told Uncut that he seemingly predicted his future with the Rolling Stones back when Faces had barely got going.

Wood crossed paths with Mick Jagger and Charlie Watts ahead of the Stones' 1969 show at Hyde Park, which was dedicated to the memory of founding member Brian Jones who had died just a couple of days earlier.

"I was very drawn to the Stones, because I felt like I was in their gang," said Wood.

"When Brian died and I was around the periphery of the Hyde Park, this car pulls up amongst all these people."

The Rolling Stones - It's Only Rock 'N' Roll (But I Like It) - OFFICIAL PROMO

He added: "Mick and Charlie get out and they come over to me, and they go, 'Hello, how you doing? Look, all these people, we've got a lot to do. We'll see you soon.'

"I went, 'Yes, sooner than you think'. I never forgot that. Charlie remembers me saying that."

As it went, Faces released their debut First Step in 1970, following it up with three further albums before their demise in 1975.

Faces - Stay With Me (Live on Sounds For Saturday, BBC, 4/1/72)

For their part, the Stones enlisted Mick Taylor from John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers.

Taylor played his debut at that Hyde Park concert in front of a quarter of a million people, before appearing on the band's best-loved albums, including Let It Bleed, Sticky Fingers and Exile on Main Street.

He walked out of the Stones at the end of 1974, and was soon replaced by Wood, fulfilling his prediction from a few years earlier.

Rolling Stones - Sympathy For The Devil (Hyde Park,1969) Mick Taylor's First Gig

Wood had been around the scene for a while, with Mick Taylor contributing to his own solo debut album I've Got My Own Album to Do in 1974.

He had played on 'It's Only Rock 'n Roll (But I Like It)' before Taylor had left the Stones and appeared on Black and Blue while still technically a member of Faces.

Wood toured with the Stones in 1975 before being named an official member of the band the following year.