If this has already been posted here, my apologies.

Playing for pleasure with the Rhythm Kings must be personally rewarding. How important is enthusiastic feedback from an audience?

BW: Naturally, the more response, the better we play.

Do you get out to listen to new bands playing live? Who are some new groups or artists that interest you musically?

BW: There's nothing out there that really interests me at the moment - I wish there were.

Since 1997, you have been touring both Europe and the UK year after year with the Rhythm Kings. Are these live performances fulfilling artistically?

BW: Very much so.

The 1983 ARMS Benefit Tour assembled many of the biggest names in rock. Is the energy level greater when performing with superstar peers?

BW: Not really - but the audiences are bigger and inspire you more.

You gave up the guitar to play the bass. Which bass players do you admire and have any influenced your style of playing?

BW: Duck Dunn of Booker T and The MGs mainly.

Can you comment on fellow bass players? Paul McCartney? John Entwistle? Roger Waters? Chris Squire? Darryl Jones?

BW: All very good in their style, but I am not influenced by them.

During the 1960s, you had a career composing and producing recordings for other acts. Any chance these recordings may be re-issued on compact disc?

BW: Some already have been - on vinyl collections (Tenth Planet).

Comparing the Rolling Stones European tours of 1967 with 1990, how has technology enhanced the pleasure of performing live for you?

BW: Unfortunately, it all became a bit mechanical and less rewarding.

Will the Rolling Stones and ABKCO release the remaining unissued recordings of the band from the 1960s, a la an Anthology set?

BW: I would think not - the Stones wouldn't like that.

Does ABKCO have any unreleased Stones songs collecting dust that were written by you?

BW: Yes - one or two.

Your Sticky Fingers restaurant is very successful in London. Any possibility of opening one here in the US?

BW: I have no ambition to do so - I don't want to spend my time traveling the world checking on restaurants.

When is volume two of your autobiography, "Stone Alone", covering the 1970s coming out?

BW: It's with a ghost writer right now - maybe next year.

How would you assess the impact of Andrew Oldham as co-manager of the Rolling Stones?

BW: Very important for publicity in the early and mid-1960s.

For the group recording credit of Nanker-Phelge, were any of these songs band efforts or an avenue for the Jagger-Richard songbook to compose unannounced?

BW: They were ALL band compositions - hence to pseudonyms.

BBC Radio recently unearthed live recordings of broadcasts with you, Brian Jones, and Charlie Watts backing up Bo Diddley from 1963. Are there any plans to release these along with the Rolling Stones' performances like the Who's new "BBC Sessions" disc?

BW: I haven't got the faintest idea.

Jamming with Brian and Charlie, you actually came up with the riff to "Jumpin' Jack Flash". Brian is uncredited with the melody for "Ruby Tuesday". Were composing contributions by the three of you simply overlooked in the studio?

BW: No! They were overlooked in the credits.

You composed the soundtrack to "Green Ice" in 1981. Would you like to do more work along these lines?

BW: No! You have no control over what they do with the music once it's recorded.

Your 1982 album, self-titled "Bill Wyman", was a huge success in Europe. How satisfying artistically on a personal level was it to be recognized outside the environment of the Rolling Stones?

BW: Very much so.

"Come Back Suzanne" is an outstanding single. What songs of those you composed would you say are your favorites?

BW: Too many to mention here. If I hadn't liked them, they wouldn't have been released.

Even though you composed a song parodying the stereotype, do you consider yourself a "Rock Star"?

BW: I never think about it, until somebody reminds me - then I forget it as soon as possible.

Do you miss Charlie Watts behind the drum kit?

BW: No! I sometimes miss his company though.

Any fond memories of Ian Stewart come to mind?

BW: Too many to mention.



Brian Jones has been gone for 32 years now. Do you recall his lead guitar playing or bottleneck guitar work as being exceptional?

BW: It was rather unique at the time, as nobody else in England was doing it then.

Which Rolling Stones album would you say you enjoyed recording the most?

BW: Steel Wheels.

Has your opinion on the album "Their Satanic Majesties Request" changed at all over the years? Are you pleased with the recording of "In Another Land"?

BW: I only like a few songs on that album - most of the rest is crap.

Were the sessions for "Dirty Work" difficult because of Mick and Keith's feud?

BW: Very much so.

Was it hard for the band to continue with Ian's passing in 1985?

BW: No, but we all missed him greatly.

"Aftermath", "Beggars Banquet", "Exile on Main Street", and "Some Girls" are all considered Stones classics. Are there any Stones albums you feel are underrated?

BW: Yes! Goats Head Soup, Sticky Fingers, and Let It Bleed.



Do you have any plans to record new solo material with the Rhythm Kings?

BW: We intend to continue as long as there's a growing interest in our CDs and live gigs.

Will "Digital Dreams" ever be released commercially on video and compact disc?

BW: It has been released on video for years now, but not on CD yet.

If an offer came to play bass on one of Ringo Starr's All Starr Band tours, would you sing a song or two?

BW: I would never tour with Ringo - although he's a friend.

You performed with Willie and the Poor Boys live in Sweden in 1992. How did these shows come about?

BW: We were asked.

Would you consider guesting on bass with the Rolling Stones in the studio or on stage again?

BW: Not ever.

You're now remarried with three young children. Will you continue to record and perform at your leisure?

BW: Yes I will - I still enjoy it very much.




[www.rockontour.net]



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

Great read. Thanks!

He says that both Sticky Fingers and Let It Bleed are underrated. Strange remark, those albums are considered classics by most Stones fans.

Quote
Svartmer
He says that both Sticky Fingers and Let It Bleed are underrated. Strange remark, those albums are considered classics by most Stones fans.

I guess he barely mentions them because the interviewer didn't mention them.

So, this is probaly done in 2001 (32 yaers after the passing of Brian); the second volume of STONE ALONE covering the 70's turned out to be ROLLING WITH THE STONES I guess?

Anyway, Bill does not seem to be too big mouth there, giving just one liners as answers.

- Doxa



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009-06-04 12:26 by Doxa.

Quote
Svartmer
He says that both Sticky Fingers and Let It Bleed are underrated. Strange remark, those albums are considered classics by most Stones fans.

You're right !


In " The Top 100 Rock 'n' Roll Albums of All Time", Harmony Books, 1987 ,Paul Gambaccini wrote :
When informed that Exile on Main Street was the highest-placed Rolling Stones album in a 1987 critics' poll of the Top 100 Rock Albums, former bassist Bill Wyman remarked with irony that it had received the roughest reception of any Stones album at the time of release. It set itself up for the obvious criticism of all double albums that it would have been better had the best tracks been distilled on to one disc. There were remarks that the sleeve was particularly obnoxious, featuring a gallery of freaks in passport-quality photos and the Stones' name only in handwritten scrawl. .





Was the only Bill Wyman composition/lead vocal that Jagger and Richards ever allowed on an official Stones record - "In Another Land," ?



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

Quote
Svartmer
He says that both Sticky Fingers and Let It Bleed are underrated. Strange remark, those albums are considered classics by most Stones fans.


... obviously true; but I think he meant 'for the general (rock'n'roll & mainstream) public'.
And IMHO, I feel that "Sticky Fingers" is more and more overlooked, these days, as the masterpiece it definitely is.

Quote
Filip020169
Quote
Svartmer
He says that both Sticky Fingers and Let It Bleed are underrated. Strange remark, those albums are considered classics by most Stones fans.


... obviously true; but I think he meant 'for the general (rock'n'roll & mainstream) public'.
And IMHO, I feel that "Sticky Fingers" is more and more overlooked, these days, as the masterpiece it definitely is.

Well, there is a thread if it is any better than DIRTY WORK...

- Doxa

Not ever .......



ROCKMAN

Critics always like to give the Stones bad reviews. One day they're going to be right. They just haven't been right so far, because we always manage - I don't mean to be conceited, but we always manage - to come up with the goods, and the public seem to like it and buy it. Then three years later the reviewers turn around and say, Yeah, that was a great album, after saying at the time, It was a load of old shit. Most of them did that with Exile, and came back and said it was probably one of the greatest albums or packages that the Stones had ever put out. So what? (laughs). I don't care what they say anymore.

- Bill Wyman, 1982

Nobody knows if the only Bill composition that Jagger and Richards ever allowed on an official Stones record was "In Another Land," ?

Could it be that the sequence of four stunning albums - five in fact: GYYO! is part of the deal - is a bit too much for 'people' to deal with, so few needs to be dropped? BEGGARS is usully mentioned because it set the Stones back to right track and started the 'golden period'. EXILE has seemed to achieved such a cult status - not less by the greatest albums lists of Rolling Stones magazine - that nowadays it is 'officially' as one of the best albums ever done, like SGT.PEPPER by The Beatles. So LET IT BLEED and especially STICKY FINGERS are somehow lost in the process. The result, to say the least, is that tehre is not that kind of 'hype' born in regard to these two albums as it is - to an extent - the case with BB and EOMS. When I started to dig the Stones in the early 80's I got the impression from many sources that BB and EOMS are their 'objectively' best albums. By the end of the 80's it turned out to be that the Big Album is solely Exile, and somehow the reputation of BEGGARS has gone downhill.

Anyway, even though AFTERMATH and SOME GIRLS are very important for the band and milestones for their career (for different reasons), I think neither of them can be said to be musically any equal to LET IT BLEED or STICKY FINGERS. I would even claim that as far as the quality of the individual songs is concerned these two are two most strongest albums they have ever done. And by looking their set lists even in their Vegas days it looks like that The Stones agree with that. Creativewise I think the band topped while making these two albums. It was their peak period in studio.

Because of the re-issue hassle (ciao Skipstone!) I have started to listen STICKY FINGERS album carefully (Mickboy's version, actually), and oh my god how goddamn strong album it is. It could be the best rock album ever done. I think I will soon open a thread to review the album.

- Doxa



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009-06-04 13:26 by Doxa.

<Nobody knows if the only Bill composition that Jagger and Richards ever allowed on an official Stones record was "In Another Land," ?>

That Jagger and Richards allowed - yes. We also got Downtown Suzy, but that was Allen Klein's release.

Judging from the very brief responses by Bill, it seems as though the "interview" was probably not done in person, either that or Bill was in a very grumpy mood that day.
Comment about Charlie interesting -Bill doesn't miss his presence behind the drums at all.

Some interesting comments in the interview.
He enjoyed recording Steel Wheels the most, he would never tour with Ringo even though he is a friend and he would never play with the stones again (so we can outthat argument to rest).

Cheers,
Wuudy

Having a journalistic background I analyze that as an e-mail and not face-to-face interview.
Bill is not impolite, he is asked precise questions. Therefore, gives short yes or no answers.
Another hint at that method is that the interviewer "jumps" from subject to subject. There is Brian Jones and Steel Whheels, then Rhythm Kings touring and so on.
Plus: He asks no second question to a subject resulting out of an answer by Bill. This is what you automatically would do when speaking to the interviewed directly.

I hope you're right JJHM, otherwise he must be one of the trickiest/grumpiest interviewees ever

Quote
JJHMick
Having a journalistic background I analyze that as an e-mail and not face-to-face interview.
Bill is not impolite, he is asked precise questions. Therefore, gives short yes or no answers.
Another hint at that method is that the interviewer "jumps" from subject to subject. There is Brian Jones and Steel Whheels, then Rhythm Kings touring and so on.
Plus: He asks no second question to a subject resulting out of an answer by Bill. This is what you automatically would do when speaking to the interviewed directly.