Rolling Stones hellraiser Ronnie Wood today revealed he has found an unlikely new hobby - gardening.
The guitarist, a former alcoholic, says he loves pottering around the "controlled jungle" of his new home and pulling up weeds. In an exclusive interview, the 64-year-old rocker also told of his battle to stay on the wagon and his hopes of staging a Stones anniversary concert in Hyde Park. He said he now lives "independently" in his new west London home - despite his relationship with Brazilian model Ana Araujo, 29 - and added that its tranquil atmosphere is helping him stay sober. "It has a beautiful landscaped garden which is like a controlled jungle and it just goes with my new house," he said. "I'm getting stuck in and doing a bit more than just weeding. "It's just great with my new-found base. The inside and outside are both right up my street. I get on very well with mastering my own space." After spending a rumoured £20 million on drink and drugs, Wood has been clean for 16 months. But he admits it has been a struggle to stay on the wagon. "I'm on my second year," he said. "I'm seeing things much clearer now and just trying to take it one day at a time. "So far so good. I don't have any cravings. The war is over. I just surrender every day and take one day at a time. That's all you can do." He left wife Jo in 2008 for an 18-month relationship with Russian waitress Ekaterina Ivanova. His son Jesse said the family was delighted he had stayed sober and found a place to settle down. "The difference is huge," Jesse told the Standard. "It's a fantastic improvement and I'm proud of him - he has been very strong. It has been up and down for him and the family, but he's settling well." Wood revealed he and the Stones plan a series of gigs to mark their 50th anniversary next year and hope to recreate their 1969 show at Hyde Park. He is meeting bandmate Keith Richards this week to begin discussions. "We'll try to recapture the old camaraderie," he said. "I know Keith is fully supportive, as are the rest of the boys in the Stones. We'll see what we can do as a unit. Playing Hyde Park would be fabulous." Wood is currently performing with The Faces, who are due to play a charity show at drummer Kenney Jones's Hurtwood Park Polo Club in Surrey. The pair have offered Standard readers a 20 per cent discount for Polo Rocks tickets on July 23, available at www.ticketmaster.co.uk/polorocks ------------------------------------ BritInvasion archived at <http://www.escribe.com/music/britinvasion>, <http://www.mail-archive.com/britinvasion%40onelist.com>, and <http://www.listquest.com/lq/search.html?ln=britinvasion>. Home page: <http://home.hiwaay.net/~emilyj/britinvasion/>. Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BritInvasion/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BritInvasion/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
