Oscar-Nominated Director Mike Figgis On New Ronnie Wood Documentary ‘Somebody Up There Likes Me,’ Rolling Stones And More

Throughout the 1960s, British Invasion artists hugely influenced culture in the United States, absorbing America’s rich, but then oft-forgotten, blues tradition and sending it back via pop and rock music with massive crossover appeal. 

White British groups like the Beatles and Rolling Stones were covering black American artists like Chuck Berry and Willie Dixon and tallying massive hits, creating marketable stars that would impact everything from music and art to fashion and politics on both shores.

Guitarist Ronnie Wood began carving out his niche in 1967, first in the Jeff Beck Group before moving to the Faces, ultimately landing in the Rolling Stones, overshadowed at times throughout by the virtuosity of Beck, searing vocals of Rod Stewart and even in the Stones by the iconic presence of Glimmer Twins Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. 

In the new documentary Ronnie Wood: Somebody Up There Likes Me, Oscar-nominated director Mike Figgis (Internal Affairs, Leaving Las Vegas) traces Wood’s story from his humble beginnings in Hillingdon, west London through the ups, downs and addiction that marked much of the guitarist’s journey, focusing on the impact that the creation of both music and art have had on the sobriety and family life that have come to define Wood, 73, in recent years.

“I was always an admirer of the Rolling Stones. But they were in parallel narrative with the Beatles at some point. In my opinion, the Beatles were infinitely advanced songwriters and complex musicians on a level of no other band, at that time or maybe even since. But they had a very brief lifespan as an ensemble” said Figgis via Skype earlier this month. “Whereas the Stones was something I was very familiar with: south side Chicago blues. But, at that time, there were a bunch of really powerful blues bands. So the Stones were part of a very healthy British blues movement,” said the director. “I really didn’t get how great they were until I made this documentary. The respect for what they do and how they maintain that energy. And the fact is, they’re still here! To go out and do that stuff and stay in tune and stay in time with each other? Unbelievable.”

Figgis is a perfect fit as director of the new Wood documentary, now available to stream through October as part of an Eagle Rock Entertainment virtual cinema release (DVD, Blu-ray and deluxe hardback book are scheduled for release October 9).

Moving as a child from East Africa, the director grew up in the north of England and music became a steadying force. His father, a fanatical jazz fan and pianist, encouraged him and Figgis picked up trumpet at 11, guitar at 14 and more.

“I have to say, that gave me a center – socially and in many other ways. I loved it. So I absorbed it. I loved learning, and learning to improvise, and finally going to music school, formally writing music and the rest of it. And it became the center of my creative concept of how things work,” explained Figgis. “The structure of music, for me, always has been the template. I guess I’m conscious of that. I put it on everything. There’s the counter-melody, there’s the bass – it’s how things work. There’s this unity. So, even when I started making films, I think I started looking at film structure in that way as well. I think it informs everything that I do.”

Early on, Figgis worked alongside future Roxy Music singer and songwriter Bryan Ferry. In 1968, Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts produced an album by The People Band, which featured Figgis on trumpet and guitar, recorded at famed Olympic Studios. Later, the director became acquainted with Jagger on a number of levels, working with him on potential film projects as a producer. 

In 2003, Figgis directed Red, White and Blues, part six of Martin Scorsese’s seven part PBS documentary film series The Blues, examining the relationship between UK blues/pop exports and culture in America.

“Sometimes one has forgotten the roots. I used to go and see all of these bands when I was in my teens. There was a famous blues club in Newcastle called Club A’Gogo. And everybody came. But you constantly had to remind yourself where these people came from. They became big stars and made much more sophisticated, kind of mainstream albums. But, most musicians, you trace them back and, at a certain point, there’s a  kind of raw edge there. It’s such a privilege to be able to find the footage to remind people of that,” said Figgis, noting performances that appear in the new documentary like film of the Faces taking on “Stay With Me” live in 1971.

“I think his impact is huge. Because he’s a catalyst. He’s an ensemble man. So his love of ensemble and his ability, for example in Beck’s group, to say, ‘OK. I’ll play bass.’ Well, it turns out he’s a really good bass player. That really impressed me. And made me really respect his musicianship that much more,” said Figgis, looking back at an early Jeff Beck Group moment which saw Wood willingly move from guitar to bass. “The fact that he doesn’t get bent out of shape in terms of his ego by having to play that role – he’s comfortable with that role. And then you see him fronting his own band in one of the clips. He’s so good as a frontman. And he’s a really good singer,” he continued, noting Wood’s versatility, on display in the film as he handles lead vocal on a solo acoustic rendition of Faces’ “Ooh La La” and again during his own “Mystifies Me.”

In addition to musicians like Stewart, each of Wood’s Rolling Stones bandmates appears in conversation with Figgis during the film.

“This band works on two guitars and it’s very important who they are. It was almost as if it was predestined,” says Richards during the film of Wood finally joining the Stones. “It’s very finely crafted. It ain’t sloppy. The sound that we’ve created depends on those two guitars and how they weave together – the ancient form of weaving.”

“Predestined” certainly seems to be the perfect word to describe Wood’s eventual role in the Rolling Stones. “I want to be in that band. And one day I will be. I don’t know how it’s gonna happen but I will be,” he says in the film. Taking over for Mick Taylor 13 years into the group’s career, Wood has acted as a stabilizing force now for the Stones in the 45 years since. 

“The solos became very important. He added beautiful melodic lines,” adds Jagger in the documentary, noting Wood’s playing. “The arena shows became slightly more humorous because of him. They became more fun.”

While Rolling Stones fans tend to focus on the weaving, and the on stage relationship between Richards and Wood, Figgis drills down on the bond between Jagger and Wood. During his interview, Watts singles it out too, stressing Jagger’s unflinching role across decades as Wood fought for sobriety. 

“He really wanted to be a sober person. But it’s very difficult to do,” said Jagger. “He’s better and more creative sober. Sharper. Being sober has pushed him somewhere else,” concurred Wood’s wife Sally.

“He’s an amazing piece of film. And he’s a great raconteur. He’s never short of something to say. But he thinks about what he’s saying. He’s really quick. And he can turn on a dime. You have to really be awake to interview him or talk to him as well,” said Figgis of conversing with Wood during making of the new film. “What’s interesting is he clearly inspires enough love. He says himself, when he creates a bad situation, his first desire is to fix it – so it will go away. Self-protection meets humanity in some way. But, clearly, he inspires people enough to go that extra mile for him. He’s a seriously liked person. For the most part, he’s very loved.”

Growing up, Wood was exposed to jazz and R&B by his brothers, seizing upon artists like Louis Armstrong, Fats Domino, Howlin’ Wolf and Jimmy Reed. Throughout the film, the guitarist quotes everyone from John Lennon to Bobby Womack in normal conversation and it’s clear that, unlike so many artists of his stature, Wood has never lost that fan connection with the music. 

“Without naming names, that’s something you won’t see in a lot of famous musicians. His ability to comfortably be a catalyst and a team player is tied in with this idea of respect for all kinds of of odd things,” said Figgis. “I think Ronnie is not in any way a snob about music. He will happily sit down with, say, a flamenco guitarist and jam – without any self-consciousness. He’ll find some way of relating,” he continued. “This ability to be so eclectic – because it connects to his brother and connects to his dad and the music that he was exposed to – he was identifying it all as being a source that comes together and creates a new form. I think that defines him. And makes him a healthier human being psychologically in that way.”

Ultimately, Wood is clear throughout the film of his desire to learn from his mistakes and live life on his own terms without regret, a concept that comes to define the guitarist as much as any other in the documentary. “Somebody up there likes me,” he jokes after quitting smoking and beating lung cancer.

“So many people – and I mean so many people – regret. And then spend time regretting. They ponder over their regret. I think the idea that defined him for me pretty early on was the idea that, ‘I’m still going forward.’ Because the minute you become a regretter, you become old I think. He also says, ‘In my mind, I’m 29.’ And I think that’s true. He’s still behaving that way!” said Figgis. “I hate to use the word ‘feel good’ but there is a certain positive energy about him and the story. I think it’s realistic. It doesn’t pull any punches. But it’s positive. And there is this hope.”