Ronnie Wood of the Rolling Stones Reflects on ‘Music and Art as One’

The Rolling Stones are incredible live, and they have the kind of band chemistry that's one in a million. They're a full-body, time-bending, soul-shaking experience that somehow gets more magical the longer they've been doing it.

Mick Jagger's onstage moves just can't be taught. He turns stadiums into intimate, electric playgrounds where every person feels personally invited into the fun. Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood weave guitar lines together like no other in a loose, joyful, totally rocking feel. Then, the late, great Charlie Watts was a genius behind the kit, keeping that heartbeat steady, reminding everyone that the Stones' rhythm is older, wiser and cooler than anyone else.

Now, in honor of his 50th anniversary as a part of the Rolling Stones, Wood has recently released a new art collection, called Paint It Black. The release, he says, was an effort to capture the feeling that he and his bandmates have during concerts. The Paint it Black collection is available now.

"I wanted to capture the energy of Mick, Keith, me, our late friend Charlie, and the thousands of live shows we've been so lucky to play together," Wood told Rolling Stone about his art. "I wanted the fans to see what I see when we're onstage — music and art as one."

He added, "My hope is the Stones fans can feel the music when they look at these paintings."

As for the fact the Rolling Stones has been around for 50 years, Wood said that timestamp is "hard to believe."

"What a joy. I was already chuffed with the bands I'd played in before '75. But joining the Stones, that felt like coming home," he added. "I still get a kick out of being a Stone, and it keeps me out of trouble, sometimes."

The Rolling Stones ensure that rock never dies, from the hits to the musical deep cuts, and for that, we're grateful.