Some Boys: Ronnie Wood Performs With One Direction

Lyndsey Parker
·Editor in Chief, Yahoo Music
Updated

Mick Jagger once said, incredibly, that One Direction reminded him of the Rolling Stones. And apparently Mick’s bandmate, Ronnie Wood, feels a similar kinship with the boy band. X Factor U.K. viewers were in for a massive surprise Sunday, when the Stones axeman, age 67, joined the 1D lads (ages 20-21) on the show’s Season 11 finale.

"It’s a Rolling Stone! RONNIE WOOD!" howled the arguably most Jagger-like One Direction member, Harry Styles, as Ronnie bounded out, rocking a gravity-defying ‘do that put Harry’s lush locks to shame. As Ronnie joined in on the new 1D single "Where Do Broken Hearts Go?," at one point Harry bowed down at Ronnie’s booted feet, dropped to his knees, and played air-guitar. Meanwhile, Harry’s bandmate, Niall Horan, played real guitar and excitedly traded licks with the Stone.

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photo: Dymond/Syco/Thames/Corbis)

This probably shouldn’t have worked, and surely many classic rock fans found the pairing between a guitar legend and some blokes who placed third on The X Factor U.K. Season 7 quite tragic. But the 1D boys’ unabashed adulation (particularly Harry’s) was endearing, and it was clear that Ronnie was having a grand time as well. "They’re a great bunch of guys and really fabulous fun to work with, you know?” said Ronnie.

Added Niall: “As a guitarist and fan of guitarists, it doesn’t get too much better than this. I’m absolutely honored to even be on the stage with this man.”

This collaboration has actually been in the cards for some time. Back in 2012, Ronnie told Britain’s Daily Mirror that he’d taken the boys “under his wing" after meeting them at a GQ party, and that he’d love to play guitar with them one day. That evening, Niall tweeted: “Great night at GQ dinner! met Ronnie Wood, he said we gotta jam on stage sometime.i was like what the !! what an absolute legend /hero!” and Harry tweeted, “Just shared a brief embrace with Ronnie Wood. He smelt like 29 Studio albums, 10 live albums and rich mahogany.”

And what was Mick Jagger’s opinion of his bandmate’s moonlighting X Factor appearance? Ronnie told X Factor host Dermot O’Leary: “He thinks it’s fantastically funny, and hilariously creative.” Yes, that pretty much sums it up.

Ben Haenow won Season 11 of The X Factor U.K. this weekend. The finale will air in the States on AXS TV Monday night.

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