Rolling Stone Guitarist Ronnie Wood Gets 60 Days Sober Chip

One thing that I always remember reading was about how Ron Wood built an entire pub at his house with every nuance  included - bar, stools, taps, glasses, brass railing, etc.  As a good alcoholic I probably felt a combination of admiration and trepidation as I pondered how great it would be to have to a pub at home, but also how destructive that could be. 

Ronnie Wood is part of the Rolling Stones and next to Keith Richard has been the band member most known to struggle with drugs and alcohol for years as he checked in and out of rehab centers in the UK. Well, Ronnie Wood has gotten 60 days according to the UK Paper Daily Mail.  At 62 years old, it is a good time for him to get sober.  In December, he had an arrest for an argument with his  (soon to be ex) girlfriend Ekaterina Ivanova.  Ekaterina, who was a teenager when Ronnie left his wife for her, said that at his worst Ron Wood "drunk up to a liter of spirits a day, took cocaine and chained smoked up to 50 cigarettes."   

We are happy for Ron Wood that he has cleaned up his act for a great milestone for any recovering alcoholic - 60 days. 

Practicing the Program

If you're like me, the first thing you ask is  - I wonder if he's practicing a 12-step program? According to the Daily Mail, Ronnie had this to say: "I'm doing 90 meetings in 90 days. I do a meeting every day. It's a helluva bloody thing. I go from Surrey all over London.  I just go to NA or AA and just keep it going."

A Support System in The Reunited Faces Band

Also revealed in the interview, Ronnie Wood talked about his bandmates in the new Faces reunion tour that begins soon.  On bass will be Glen Matlock who played with the Sex Pistols.   Glen is also in the AA program and will be part of Ronnie's support system to keep him accountable and hopefully assist him in getting a three, six, and nine month chips. 

Celebrating the Recovery

Ron Wood had this to say about getting 60 days:  'I have to pat myself on the back for it - because it's a long journey, you know. I've got a big strength in the fellowship. It's good.'

This is what recovery should be like in my opinion, a celebration of small struggles, a long journey of "one day at a time."

I hope that  in early 2011 I will be writing on this blog about Ron Wood getting a 1 year sober birthday cake.