Ronnie Wood reveals new Faces music in the works

Ronnie Wood and Sir Rod Stewart are “working on” new Faces songs.

The Stay with Me group – which formed in 1969 when Steve Marriott left the Small Faces – have a “good body” of music in the pipeline but the Rolling Stones guitarist admitted it is hard to get their diaries to align in order to complete their planned record.

Speaking to Lauren Laverne on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs, Ronnie said: “We would love to do that. We’ve got these songs that we’re working on from back in the day, but it’s hard to make our times tally.

“When we do get a chance to get in the studio again, we will finish off these songs. We’ve got a good body of songs going.”

Ronnie recalled how the Faces used to have to impersonate other bands on tour because their wild ways led them to be “banned” from various hotels.

He admitted: “We weren’t allowed in any hotels. We used to have to check in as Fleetwood Mac,” he said.

“It came to a head in Detroit. Ramona her name was, behind the desk, reported us to the police and everything just because we made the hotel room out in the corridor, we just quietly arranged all the furniture out in the corridor.

“And then the manager came up and the elevator door opened, and there was this room there with all the pictures on the walls, settees and slippers.

“And he said, ‘It’s very nice but it better not be here when I come back’, and he got back in the elevator.”

The 78-year-old musician also teased Rolling Stones fans won’t have to wait too long for the follow-up to 2023’s Hackney Diamonds.

He said: “We’re always raising the bar, and miraculously, the bar keeps going up and up. We just finished a new album, which is very exciting and we’re at the mixing stage … so I’d say by the end of the year, early next year.”

Ronnie praised bandmate Sir Mick Jagger for being encouraging and supportive after he gave up alcohol and drugs in 2010.

He said: “There’s a period of white knuckling where I needed encouragement and I didn’t know which way to turn and it takes a while to be able to see yourself in the light of getting better, for want of a better phrase, of staying on the path, it’s quite difficult.

“And encouragement and a hand on the shoulder just before going on stage, like from Mick or something, saying you’ll be OK, and to let it go. And OK, let’s go for it.”