Well, this IS Contact Music, so take that grain of salt and enjoy:




JEFF BECK FEARED STONES DEATH

Guitar legend Jeff Beck is glad he turned down an offer to join the Rolling Stones because he "couldn't handle" their hard-partying lifestyle.

Jeff Beck would have died if he joined the Rolling Stones.
The 64-year-old guitar legend was approached to join the 'Satisfaction' rockers when Mick Taylor quit in 1974 but turned down the job offer from singer Mick Jagger and guitarist Keith Richards because he didn't think he would be able to fit in with the hard-partying group.
Jeff explained to Word magazine: "I had this flash that said, 'Don't do it, you'll never get on with Mick and Keith musically because you're heading in a different direction'. There's the thing. There's the crossroads. If I'd turned left I'd have been a multi-millionaire Rolling Stone - and dead.
"On the right I'm here, thank you. Not that I wouldn't want to experience some of the things that went on with them but I was into speed and detail and gung-ho playing - and the way they were drinking I just don't think it would have worked.
"I thought, 'This is a life of booze and women. Who needs that?' So I caught the next plane out."
Former Faces musician Ronnie Wood was eventually hired to replace Mick and is still a member of the band.

[www.contactmusic.com]

11 June 2009 10:17:21 AM

So if he didn't want to join, why did he audition then?

Beff Jack



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009-06-11 14:17 by slasausjes.

In addition to Beck, Rory Gallagher and Peter Frampton also auditioned...any of them woulda been better, musically, than Wood...

Frampton better than Wood? That is ridiculous.

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whitem8
Frampton better than Wood? That is ridiculous.

Listen to his work with Humble Pie and early solo stuff and then get back to me...

First I ever heard of him being offered the gig.

Sounds as usual that Beck is up his own arse. I read he didn't even audition because he was put out at having to wait so long and decided to leave.

Think he just wants to embelish his own hardly nothing career - just like Marianne Faithful does by crapping on about their associations with people that really became super (in the Stones case mega) stars - instead of the insignificant and never spoken of careers like her's and Beck's.

Um yeah, I am a big pie fan and early solo stuff, but he would not have fit with the stones. No way. Especially when you see where his career went.... Ron was a way better fit than Frampton.

'When Mick Taylor left the Stones I was one of many potential guitarists over in Holland and I didn't really like the thought that I was amongst that - I thought either they want me or they don't, and they only got all the others there in case I turned it down, which I did do. On the phone it sounded like the most incredible offer but being there and getting a taste of the lifestyle was something else. One of them would turn up and disappear, someone else would turn up and go off, then Mick would appear and so on. It would be midnight before they were all in the same place at the same time - by that time I could have recorded an album!'



[www.djnoble.demon.co.uk]



I am a Frenchie ,as Mick affectionately called them in the Old Grey Whistle Test in 1977 .

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squando
First I ever heard of him being offered the gig.

Sounds as usual that Beck is up his own arse. I read he didn't even audition because he was put out at having to wait so long and decided to leave.

Think he just wants to embelish his own hardly nothing career - just like Marianne Faithful does by crapping on about their associations with people that really became super (in the Stones case mega) stars - instead of the insignificant and never spoken of careers like her's and Beck's.

Well, don't know if it was really an audition, but he did play with them during the guitarist hunt in Rotterdam / Munich in 1975. Recordings of "I like ladies" e.g. are on some boots, with Beck playing guitar. The infamous remark: "Wyman & Watts can't funk it up" was made by Jeff Beck after this session.

Listen to the voodoo outtakes. You hear Wood & Richards make fun of Beck. Something about a cardboard cut-out he gave Ron W. for his birthday. It cracks me up everytime!

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SwayStones
'When Mick Taylor left the Stones I was one of many potential guitarists over in Holland and I didn't really like the thought that I was amongst that - I thought either they want me or they don't, and they only got all the others there in case I turned it down, which I did do. On the phone it sounded like the most incredible offer but being there and getting a taste of the lifestyle was something else. One of them would turn up and disappear, someone else would turn up and go off, then Mick would appear and so on. It would be midnight before they were all in the same place at the same time - by that time I could have recorded an album!'



[www.djnoble.demon.co.uk]

and they only got all the others there in case I turned it down, which I did do.

He's dreaming....

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whitem8
Um yeah, I am a big pie fan and early solo stuff, but he would not have fit with the stones. No way. Especially when you see where his career went.... Ron was a way better fit than Frampton.

Wasn't necessarily talking about fitting in, just musical talent. Ronnie seems to be Keith's tagalong buddy...which is fine, obviously it's worked for 30 years!

ron is the best fit possible!

and I think he is a better suited guitarist as well. More raunchy and a much better slide player than Frampton...

According to Wikipedia:
Jeff Beck had several opportunities to join famous bands. Following Mick Taylor's resignation, Beck was invited to an audition for the The Rolling Stones. After staying for a couple of days at a hotel in Amsterdam, where the Stones had rented a studio, Jeff and his manager decided to leave because they got tired of waiting around for a phone call from the Stones.

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slasausjes
So if he didn't want to join, why did he audition then?

Beff Jack

He fell asleep at the repetition -no audition- as he stated in an interview.

The Stones could not afford him,musically spoken.

Beck is a fantastic guitarist - currently performing to a higher standard than his '60s counterparts - but he doesn't seem to gel particularly well in groups. His spell in the Yardbirds was relatively short and he reportedly completely flipped-out during their US tour with Jimmy Page - imagine this scenario with Keith!!

YEah Jeff from all accounts is a very temperamental musician. I don't think Keith would have got on with him and vis versa.

Yes,Beck prefers outstanding musicians like Mc Laughlin and Jan Hammer.
They don't gel well in groups either as they prefer their own skill and tempo of working.

<Ronnie seems to be Keith's tagalong buddy...which is fine, obviously it's worked for 30 years!>

Don't mention the music.

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Amsterdamned
<Ronnie seems to be Keith's tagalong buddy...which is fine, obviously it's worked for 30 years!>

Don't mention the music.

Since I don't like any of it, don't worry, I won't!

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StonesFanatic
In addition to Beck, Rory Gallagher and Peter Frampton also auditioned...any of them woulda been better, musically, than Wood...

RUBBISH! they would not have fit in at all

^I never said FIT IN...I was speaking MUSICALLY (did you not see the word *musically* in my post?)

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Ket

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StonesFanatic
In addition to Beck, Rory Gallagher and Peter Frampton also auditioned...any of them woulda been better, musically, than Wood...

RUBBISH! they would not have fit in at all

Strong musicians all the lot, but strong individuals all the same. Woody, although an inferior guitar player, fitted in better because he came from a band that tried to copy the Stones music and lifestyle.

Stones uchronia :
- Beck joins late 1974 after a sring of "impressive auditions" (according to MJ)
- TOTA starts June 1, 1975 with Beck as a lead guitarist
- Beck calls it quits after the Boston shows and flies home
- Ron Wood is hired in a hurry to fill the gap. After a few days of rehearsals he plays his 1st show with the Stones in NYC on June 22, 1975 ><



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009-06-11 17:39 by dcba.

According to sources within the Stones camp who actually attended the auditions, Steve Marriott was Keiths stated preference but despite being warned about upstaging Jagger, the Mighty Midget could not contain himself. Frampton on the other hand was Bills suggestion but was never actually auditioned.

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StonesFanatic
^I never said FIT IN...I was speaking MUSICALLY (did you not see the word *musically* in my post?)

I read it and don't think they would be better MUSICALLY either, so they play more notes , so what! it does not make them better

^Not that they play more notes...they play *better*...

There's an expression in hockey - skate with your head up.

Beck would have been skating with his head down. He would have gotten CLOBBERED.

Personally I think Beck sucks ie I don't like his playing.

"by that time I could have recorded an album!"

Yeah, me too and almost as shitty as most of his albums.

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StonesFanatic
^Not that they play more notes...they play *better*...

ok clue us all in ,define *better*, it is purely subjective



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009-06-11 18:13 by Ket.