The Rolling Stones Great Guitarist Auditions of 1975--Who Would You Have Picked?*

Ritchie Blackmore was in the process of quitting Deep Purple and forming Rainbow around this time and he was British but he would have probably faced the same ego problems that Jeff Beck would have faced had he joined. Too many chiefs and no indians.

 

It would he been interesting but would Keith have become jealous and would Clapton have resented Mick and Keith telling him what to do.

 

I don't think so. Clapton knows what the deal is with the Stones and would have known that his job would have been to play lead guitar. There would have been many breaks in the action to do solo albums or tours.

 

Clapton would never agree to be in a band in which he is told what to do and act in a subservient roll.

 

Probably a Jagger's half joke, but it was clear that Mick was referring to a specific tour, something like 'We could get Jimmy Page for 7 weeks and tour Canada if Keith is in Jail or in clinic...'
It wasn't a matter of joining the Stones.
I can't remember the book where I did read that. I've read too many Stones related books recently.

 

* Other than "Brown Sugar"- Did Clapton do any more recording with The Stones ?

 

A better version of Mick Taylor, less blues.. More amphetamines.

 

He played lead for Delaney & Bonnie without any problems. I don't know whats subversive about playing lead guitar. I don't think he would have joined and demanded to have half the album Robert Johnson songs, or would want to take over singing. This would have been somewhat a side gig for him.

 

It also might not of worked because Eric was trying to stay off the smack while Keith was still on it.

 

He guested on the 75 tour on an encore at MSG. They did studio work after the gig. He played with the Stones on a gig in Atlantic City around 1988?. He also played with the Stones in England the past year. Also at the Ian Stuart memorial show.

 

I remember reading in Goldmine that Dave Edmunds was considered as a replacement for Brian Jones.

Dave Edmunds instead of Ron Wood...hmm.

 

I fully agree, Perkins would have been the best choice IMO. I would also like to see what Mick Ronson would have sounded like.

 

Wayne Perkins:

"Far as I know, I was the last one to audition for the Stones job. They had rented a theater in Rotterdam. I basically got off the plane and walked into the audition room," recalls Perkins. "Keith was sitting on a couch with Bill Wyman. And there was a spotlight in the middle of the room. I set my guitars down and was just standing there, and they're all looking up at me. I had never met them before. I was standing there in that spotlight. It was kind of understood that that's where I was supposed to stand because nobody offered a chair. I was talking to Keith when suddenly Jagger and Charlie Watts came up behind me, and they both stood right next to me, really close. Mick and Charlie were looking straight ahead, they wouldn't even look at me. I looked to each side and both of them are staring straight ahead like they're posing for an album cover. Then they walked off without saying a word. They put me in the center of this portrait thing that they were doing, like a lineup. They wanted to see if I looked like a Rolling Stone, and I hadn't even played a note for 'em yet."

 

On Humble Pie and the Rolling Stones


Steven: Absolutely, I never thought of it that way, but it really makes a lot of sense. The Rock On album, which I understand is your favorite, was just an amazing record.

Peter Frampton: Yes. Well, actually my favorite Humble Pie record is Smokin’, but I’m not on it [laughs]. Because I could see that we were going that way. We were going towards the more perfect album, and to me that was Humble Pie’s perfect studio record.

We were almost there with Rock On, but it took a little bit of success to give the boys the confidence to go back in before success goes to the head. You know what I mean?

But, I loved working with Glyn. He could really handle me and Steve very, very well. Brought the best out of him and brought the best out of all of us.

Steven: You’ve had this pretty amazing relationship with the Stones. Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts playing on your new record. You actually auditioned for the Stones?

Peter Frampton: No, no, no, I did not. My bass player John Regan auditioned for the Stones when Bill left, not surprisingly. No, what happened was I had recorded the Frampton record. It was out and it was getting really good airplay around the country.

It was my first small success. It peaked, before Comes Alive came out, it peaked at around 350,000 copies, which was as many as all my solo records together up until that point.

So I’m driving into Manhattan, feeling pretty good about myself. At this point I’m thinking, “I’m on the way. It wasn’t a mistake to leave Humble Pie,” which I’d been thinking all along. You know, “Oh God, I made a big mistake!” especially when Rockin’ The Fillmore shot up the charts, you know?

Steven: For you, that must’ve been an unbelievable feeling.

Peter Frampton: It was horrible! [Laughs] But, I made my own decision and I stuck by it, you know?

Steven: And after the Fillmore record there was never a sense of, you know, Steve, let’s try it some more?

Peter Frampton: No, but Steve was really angry with me because he was so hurt. He thought that I would never leave. Anyway, so I’m in the car, I’m driving into Manhattan. I’m living in Westchester, New York, in an apartment, I’ve got NEW on, the big FM station in New York, of course.

Eleven ‘o clock news or something, “Uh, the five people on the short list for the Rolling Stones are… Ron Wood… Peter Frampton…” Oh, I dropped the phone! [Laughs] I didn’t drop the phone, I almost pulled off and crashed! I had to pull off the road on the throughway, which is illegal, and stop my heart from palpitating, you know?

And I knew who’d suggested me, it was obviously Bill and Charlie. When I was working on “I’m in You,” Mick came in next door in Electric Lady. He was mixing Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out! , one of those live albums, and I said, “Was it true?” and he said, “Absolutely you were.” I said, “So what was the deal? Why am I not in the Stones?” [Laughs]

I put him on the spot, you know? He very nicely said, “We knew you were about to do what you just did.” But, they knew it was gonna be Ronnie, I think because basically it’s a clone of Keith. They were just so tight, you know? But, to find out from the horse’s mouth that it was true was very nice.

Steven: Could you have seen yourself in the Stones? I know it’s almost an impossible question to answer, but I mean musically you could’ve cut all that stuff. Musically, it would’ve been amazing.

Peter Frampton: I would’ve been like, not in style. But, I would’ve been the quiet one like Mick Taylor. He was so tasty. He brought absolute guitar taste to the Stones. Not that Keith…Keith is Keith and it’s wonderful. His style, we all imitate him. Let’s face it, we all took that bottom E string off and made a G chord out of it.

You know, there’s nothing like it. He’s so talented and so innovative, Keith. But Mick Taylor had this, just, beauty of, you know, perfectly in tune and sweet blues sound with that SG. I put him in the category of Peter Green, right up there with Peter Green. I mean, unbelievable.

Steven: Absolutely. What about Kossoff?

Peter Frampton: Oh, yes, I loved it, loved it. Paul, his father was the actor?

Steven: Yeah, that’s right.

Peter Frampton: I used to go into Selmers in Charing Cross Road and Paul would sell me my strings. And I was in the Herd and he was, “Hey man, it’s so cool to meet you, man!” not knowing that he was gonna do what he did, you know? I was a huge fan of that vibrato [laughs]. It’s such a cool vibrato; it’s so unique and no one can do it like he did.

Jack Bruce, Ringo Starr and Bill Wyman

Steven: In the late ’90s you played with Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings and then you did Ringo’s band with Jack Bruce, and you guys did a version of “Sunshine of Your Love.” That must’ve been pretty cool.

Peter Frampton: It was like going to heaven. The heaven part was that Jack Bruce liked me! [Laughs]

Steven: You know, it’s funny. I heard a lot of stories about Jack and I had the good fortune to actually do a phone interview with him a couple of months ago and I found him unbelievably sweet and open.

Peter Frampton: But, I heard those same stories. He can be difficult, but so can we all. You know, I’m not gonna say anything. When Ringo told me who was in the band he went, “Simon Kirk on drums” and I went, “Oh, great, I know Simon.” He goes, “Gary Brooker on keyboards” and I go, “Oh, you’re kidding me?” And then, “Jack Bruce on bass,” and I go [In frightened tone], “Ohhh, I hope he likes me.” [Laughs]

But, we hit it off. I mean, I gushed when I met him. I said, “I have so much respect for you. I cannot believe that I’m playing with you.” After a few rehearsals he came up and said virtually the same thing, which made me feel like a million bucks, I have to say.

Because, I did feel that Frampton Comes Alive removed, the success of it, removed all my musical credibility as a guitar player. And you can’t disagree with me, because of the pop icon I became.

So, to actually be playing with a Jack Bruce and a Gary Brooker and Ringo and Simon, who are all, like, credibility personified, and never had a problem with anything else, to actually be respected openly by these people was a huge, giant leap forward for me since Frampton Comes Alive.

 

This leads me to another question. Which bass players tried out when Bill Wyman quit?

 

That can be your next thread. You seam to consistently come up with some good ones!

 

Oh, DEFINITELY!

When BW left, I was VERY interested who they might choose. It don't think for a minute it it'd get as much attention as this thread, but I'd be fascinated to read people's thoughts on it.

I don't even know who they auditioned. Never thought to look into it.

 

Thanks Reb! I am glad you think they are interesting!

 

Thanks OneStepBeyond I am glad you enjoy my threads and posts.

 

My pleasure!

Music to me has never been a 'hobby' or whatever- it's always been a way of life.

I bet the vast majority on this forum would say the same too. And the music I like, I really LOVE.

If ever I get to speak face to face about any type of music with anyone- that's where the conversation stays... ..... for hours.

 

I followed the suggestions of you and Reb and posted the thread about replacements for Bill Wyman.

I also love music and try to listen to some every day if possible and I can talk about it for hours as well!

 

That's brilliant!

Now, I've started to think who might have been up for consideration for the role.. maybe... Ron Wood?

But I know that's for the other thread!

 

Ronnie moves to bass guitar and they bring back Mick Taylor.

 

Get Keith on bass for some too!

 

How about Pete Haycock?