Excellent - and lengthy - piece by Bill Robinson from today's Huffington Post. Great read with
lots of photos.
Backstage Pass: Two Rolling Stones Reunite in NYCBill Robinson
01/29/2014
Paul AbbeneWhen Mick Taylor left the Rolling Stones in 1975, there was what's referred to in Stones' lore as "The Great Guitar Hunt." Reportedly auditioning were Dave Mason, Rory Gallagher, Jeff Beck, Peter Frampton, Steve Marriott, Eric Clapton and Neil Schon, among others. There are countless unverified but scintillating stories such as Beck being offered the job and turning it down because he was afraid of the Stones' hard-partying, womanizing lifestyle; and Rory Gallagher trying to wake Richards up for the better part of a full day and being unsuccessful, leaving without playing a note. (I covered the Mick Taylor show for "Backstage Pass" at Iridium in NYC in 2012.)
As Ron Wood replaced the departed Mick Taylor and remained for the following 38 years plus, it was also speculated that Wood had been the Stones' first choice way back in 1969 to replace Brian Jones. So it was only fitting that the irascible Wood would get the job six years later.
For four NYC shows over three nights in November, Ron Wood and Mick Taylor performed together and played the Blues of Jimmy Reed. The two guitarists with uniquely different styles, have admirably controlled the lead guitar duties for "The World's Greatest Rock 'N Roll Band" for over 45 years. On these nights, they paid tribute to one of their heroes and didn't play one Rolling Stones' song.
Like these Stones' and Stones-related shows, tickets can be very, very hard to come by. If we use the 2006 Beacon Theater shows by the Stones as the gold standard--and I think it should be as it was the 'hardest ticket' in rock 'n roll history--then these Wood/Taylor shows were just a small notch below those. People were calling in markers and favors
from all over just to get standing room admittance. And failing.
Full article > [
www.huffingtonpost.com]