Ronnie Wood has been talking exclusively to hotpress.com about the Rolling Stones' tour plans, his recent dalliance with The Corrs and his Slash-tastic new DVD.

"I'm going to Arizona for a few weeks to clean out before the Stones regroup," he says, referring to the 2000-pound-a-week rehab clinic he very publicly entered at the weekend. "The details are still being finalised, but as things stand we're going to rehearse

in Toronto and then start our 40th Anniversary tour in September. I'm officially in tax exile now, so we won't be hitting the UK and Ireland until the summer of 2003, at the earliest. It's a shame 'cause I wouldn't have minded doing the Party At The Palace for old Liz."

Never mind the Queen, the important thing is that he didn't stand Andrea, Sharon, Caroline and Jim up.

"They did a live recording in Ardmore Studios in January, which they very kindly invited me to guest on," Ronnie continues. "I just got a finished copy of it and, I tell you what, it's going to do amazing business for them in the States."

The previous month had seen the Rolling Stone acting as a human buffer between Andrea and Guns 'N' Roses guitar legend Slash.

"God knows what would've happened if I hadn't kept 'em apart," he laughs. "No, they both joined me on stage at the gig in Shepherd's Bush which has now been immortalised on DVD. The soundcheck, onstage, backstage…it's all over there, overdub-free 'cept for one tiny little glitch that was down to me. It's not like old Mick (Jagger) who'd polish a turd if you let him!

"Nah, it was fabulous. Everybody – Andrea and Slash – hit it off and we partied long and hard into the night."