Legendary Rolling Stones band member Ronnie Wood made a surprise visit to Malcolm Arnold Academy in Northampton and declared he would “rather be there than at the Brits.”
The 65-year-old rock star carried out a guitar masterclass and took part in a question and answer session with students at the school in Trinity Avenue yesterday.
Mr Wood said he had visited the school after he was asked by the academy sponsor, David Ross, who had won a prize of a guitar lesson with him in a charity auction.
The Rolling Stones guitarist said: “The questions the students asked me were very inventive and thoughtful and I spoke to them about my career. My first marriage was actually in a registry office in Northampton and Rod Stewart was my best man. I also have in-laws here as my wife’s sister lives in the town and we are going to have a cup of tea with her. The school looks pretty good and is really well equipped. I wouldn’t mind turning the clock back and coming here myself.
“I chose to come here today (Wednesday) instead of going to the Brits as there is too much pressure getting over to the O2. The traffic is just too much.”
Mr Wood revealed that in the same charity auction that David Ross had won a guitar lesson with him, he had successfully bid for a date with Scarlett Johansson, but this had yet to be claimed.
Philip Cantwell, headteacher of Malcolm Arnold Academy, said: “It has been a great day and one that no one will forget in a hurry. We are a music specialist school and we regularly bring in high quality characters from the music world and had Nick Mason from Pink Floyd in the past.”
Ethan Harvey, aged 17, one of the students who interviewed Mr Wood, said: “It was really inspiring to talk to him. He was really genuine and down to earth.”
Comments