From the former wife of the legendary Rolling Stones guitarist, “an interesting alternate view of the Stones legacy” (Publishers Weekly).
In this behind-the-scenes portrait of one of the biggest rock bands in history, Jo Wood comes clean about her three decades as the girlfriend and eventually the wife of Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood. This startlingly honest, laugh-out-loud memoir vividly describes life on tour, in the studio, at the legendary parties—and every raucous moment in between.
At the age of sixteen, Jo burst onto the British modeling scene and became a fixture at London’s most glamorous parties. A few years later, just twenty-two years old and a single mom, she met Ronnie Wood and her life changed forever.
Jo paints an astonishing picture of the sex, drugs, booze, groupies, and—above all—the fun that filled her thirty years within the Stones’ inner circle. She offers intimate portraits of Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Jerry Hall, and Patti Hansen and recalls the excitement of getting to know A-list celebrities like Kate Moss, Andy Warhol, Johnny Depp, and Slash.
Jo also opens up about her life with Ronnie: their love affair, the demands of being a mother by day and a wild child by night, and coping with Ronnie’s difficult behavior as his addictions consumed him. She reveals her heartbreaking account of what happened when Ronnie left her for an eighteen-year-old waitress, explaining how she was able to forgive and find new happiness.
Including photographs from Jo’s personal collection, It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll is a compelling piece of rock ‘n’ roll history from a woman with a backstage pass and front-row seat.