Faces donate bio to Rock Hall's new library

[April 14, 2012]  CLEVELAND (AP) -- With his guitar, Ronnie Wood made rock and roll history. On Friday, he helped make sure it's preserved.

On the eve of his second induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Wood and two other members of British bands The Small Faces and The Faces donated a bio of the bands to the hall's new library and archives.

Best known for his time with the Rolling Stones, Wood was joined by Ian McLagan and Kenney Jones, who were in The Small Faces before the band re-formed as The Faces with Rod Stewart as its lead singer.

The three musicians donated the biography titled "Faces" that chronicles the history of both bands to the library's vast collection of recordings, periodicals, photographs and other documents.

The archives, which are located a few miles from the Rock Hall, opened in January. It was officially dedicated this week. Housed inside a new four-story building are materials chronicling rock history donated by some of music's most significant figures.

The archives will be a place for fans, students and scholars to have access to items including lyric sheets, personal papers and rare concert footage.

McLagan said the archives will ensure rock's rich history is passed down to future generations.

"When I came here before, I saw a Muddy Waters room and got to see one of his jackets and his guitar, posters and photographs," he said. "It keeps them alive. Brilliant."

The Small Faces/Faces will perform Saturday without Stewart, who has the flu and cannot attend.

"I'm absolutely devastated," Stewart said in a statement. "Shattered that I'm going to miss my second induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame -- and this time alongside my mates."

Faces, who had hits like "Itchycoo Park and "Stay With Me" will perform with Simply Red's Mick Hucknall, a friend of the band, singing vocals.

The bands will be inducted by Stevie Van Zandt of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band.

Wood left the Jeff Beck Group with Stewart to join The Faces in 1969. He said he is thrilled the band's two versions are being enshrined.

"It's about time," he said. "That's about all I can say."

[Associated Press; By TOM WITHERS]

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