50 Years of Black and Blue by The Rolling Stones

The 23rd of April marks 50 years since the release of Black and Blue – the album that introduced Ronnie Wood as a full member of The Rolling Stones and captured a pivotal turning point in the band’s history.

In Fearless: The Anthology, Ronnie looks back on how it all began. A chance encounter between Mick Jagger and Mick Taylor led to an unexpected opening. Soon after, Ronnie received the call he had been waiting for – and flew to Munich to join the band he had always believed he would be part of.

"I'd told them only to call me if they were desperate, and in the end they rang and said, 'We're desperate!' So I flew to Munich and joined them. Luckily, it was when the Faces were taking a break from being on the road, so I was able to go." – Ronnie Wood

Black and Blue became the setting for that transition. During sessions in Montreux, Ronnie arrived with the riff that became 'Hey Negrita', the first track he recorded with the Stones. It set the tone for a creative partnership that would define the next chapter of the band.

He also reflects on earlier collaborations with Jagger, including work on It’s Only Rock ’n’ Roll, describing these moments as an apprenticeship that shaped his role within the group.

"We went from there to being invited to Montreux to record with the Stones. When I walked in, I said, 'I've got this song, and it goes like this,' and I started playing the riff to 'Hey Negrita'. They said, 'He's only been here five minutes, and he's bossing us around already!' So 'Hey Negrita', which ended up on Black and Blue, was the first track I cut with the Stones." – Ronnie Wood

Featuring rare insights and imagery from Ronnie’s personal archive, including material from the Black and Blue era, Fearless: The Anthology offers a closer look at the stories behind the music.

On the 50th anniversary of Black and Blue, revisit the moment it all began. Discover Fearless: The Anthology today.