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Rolling Stones Quotes: The Road to Lasting Recovery According to Ronnie Wood (2005)

RONNIE: LIFE, LAUGHS, AND RECOVERY
Ronnie Wood opens up about starting drugs and drinking at sixteen, chasing highs while barely growing up. Even decades later, shaking forty years of habits—smoking, drinking, and drugs—is a constant challenge. He replaces old routines with small distractions, like watching CSI after gigs, but memories of wild times with Keith and Bobby still hit hard. Recovery is messy, nostalgic, and tough, yet Ronnie keeps going, doing his best every day while laughing at the past.

“When I started taking drugs and drinking, I was sixteen. I hadn’t grown up. I’ve had my aims and ambitions. I always knew what I wanted to do. But I was stoned throughout. I have a lot of growing up to do. It’s a great challenge, but I think, fucking hell, is it too late? I try to do my best every day. You have a gig or a rehearsal, and afterwards you want to reward yourself. I have to go home and put CSI on the TV. Instead of having a drink, it’s Let’s get involved in some forensics. It’s very difficult to shake the habits of forty-odd years – the smoking, drinking and drugging. I was talking to Keith and Bobby Keys last night. The two naughty boys were in my room here, in recovery (laughs), and they’re going, Yeah, baby, remember that hotel…? And right away, that feeling rubs off. That high, the reminiscing – that’s the hardest thing to deal with. I still miss the actual doing.”

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Ronnie Wood: From Chaos to Recovery

Ronnie Wood’s journey with addiction began at sixteen, long before he had truly grown into adulthood. Even with clear ambitions and dreams, he admits he was “stoned throughout,” chasing highs that often overshadowed his goals. The challenge of unlearning decades of smoking, drinking, and drugging is enormous, and he openly wonders if it’s ever too late to change. Daily life requires constant vigilance: after gigs or rehearsals, when the instinct to reward himself hits, he now turns to distraction—like immersing himself in CSI episodes—rather than slipping back into old habits. Even after years in recovery, the pull of nostalgia and the thrill of past indulgences can hit hard.

Life, Laughter, and Lingering Memories

Wood recalls moments with bandmates Keith Richards and Bobby Keys, joking about “the naughty boys” and the old hotel escapades. Laughter and memories bring a rush similar to the high he’s left behind, making it one of the hardest aspects of permanent recovery. Yet he persists, focusing on doing his best every day and celebrating small victories. His story isn’t just about abstinence—it’s about facing the remnants of decades-long habits, embracing healthier alternatives, and confronting the bittersweet tug of the past, all while staying creatively active and committed to the music he loves.

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