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The Rolling Stones have an interesting history. One of the biggest bands of all time has seen leaders Mick Jagger and Keith Richards have several ugly public battles over the years. Members died (Brian Jones) and left the band (Mick Taylor, Bill Wyman), but the Stones kept plugging along. Before Taylor departed, future Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood helped pen one of the band’s biggest hits before joining the group.

Ronnie Wood (right) and Mick Jagger of The Rolling Stones perform during a 1997 concert. Wood helped write one of The Rolling Stones' biggest hits years before he actually joined the band.
Mick Jagger (left) and Ronnie Wood of The Rolling Stones | Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images

Ronnie Wood was The Rolling Stones’ third rhythm guitarist

Brian Jones was a jack of all trades as a founding member of The Rolling Stones. The talented musician played rhythm guitar behind lead guitarist Richards, keyboards, horns, and sitar (on the ahead of its time “Paint It Black”) before he drowned in 1969.

The Stones replaced Jones with Mick Taylor, and he played guitar on some of the Stones’ most revered albums, including Let It Bleed, Sticky Fingers, Exile on Main St., and Goat’s Head Soup. 

Taylor also played on It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll, but Wood helped write that album’s title track before Taylor walked away.

Ronnie Wood helped write ‘It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll (But I Like It)’ before joining the Rolling Stones

Ronnie Wood performed with several groups before he joined The Rolling Stones, most notably the Jeff Beck Group and The Faces, before recording his first solo album. Wood received help from Taylor on that first solo release, I’ve Got My Own Album to Do, which came out in 1974.

Jagger was part of a group of musicians that joined Wood during one 1973 recording session at his house in London. According to Far Out magazine, Wood and Jagger got to jamming and hashed out the basic framework of “It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll (But I Like It).” Wood didn’t receive a songwriting credit on the album It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll for his efforts, but the Stones gave him a shout-out for inspiration.

Wood’s solo debut included a veritable murderer’s row of English musicians. Jagger, Richard, Taylor, George Harrison, and Rod Stewart all contributed to I’ve Got My Own Album to Do, according to AllMusic. 

Meanwhile, “It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll (But I Like It)” proved to be one of The Rolling Stones’ biggest hits. The song spent several weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at No. 16. The album reached No. 1 soon after its October 1974 release.

Wood got the call when Taylor quit the Stones

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Taylor assisted on Wood’s first album, but it wasn’t long before he replaced Taylor in The Rolling Stones.

After recording the album It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll in 1974, Taylor abruptly left the band. Far Out writes that Taylor told Jagger he was quitting during a party mere weeks before the Stones were supposed to start recording Black and Blue. Jagger asked Wood to join soon after Taylor departed. Wood joined the Black and Blue sessions and toured with the Stones while still a member of the Faces. He joined up with Mick, Keith, Charlie Watts, and Bill Wyman in late 1975.

Ronnie Wood helped write one of The Rolling Stones’ biggest hits, “It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll (But I Like It)” years before he actually joined the band, and he’s remained a loyal member for more than 40 years.

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