Quote
MisterDDDD
Bill definitely was the quiet one.
But both share the unbelievably poor $$ decision to quit the band right before they got into big (& bigger) money..
Bill claims to not have a regret about retiring from The Stones. I think he stayed quite a bit longer than he had wanted to frankly.
Well at least he has said as much. I believe him;
Taylor wanted out too; he thinks, or has said that he thinks getting out of there might have saved his actual very life.
I think Bill, in most every significant, important and indelible way, will NEVER really 'leave' The Rolling Stones.
A foundational member bringing that kind of original unique presence that defined this very band, as much as the other members, minimally.
He made 20 out of their 24 albums. The four he missed were not definitional Rolling Stones albums, tho there are some tracks I do honestly love since he's gone. Not a whole hell of a lot of them though. And nothing that would not have been better had he been there....imfo.
Somehow I don't see Bill, saying to himself
"God what was I thinking!!!?? I could have done Bridges to Babylon!!!"
I think HE thinks that 25 or 30 or so years was quite enough.
He was on that big SW tour; he knew there would be big bucks spectacle and loads of cash to stay. It didn't come as a regretful shock.
He made history. He IS a fascinating and deeply essential part OF rock and roll.
He brought his OWN style; even his own stance.Certainly his personality and presence, He's imo always been pretty honest and up front when asked most anything about them; so I think a docu with more intensive interviews and such would be fascinating historical document, or could be....
The Glims were just too detached and entitled and arrogant to really understand the big hole that Bill would leave....Keith realized it when it was finally going down and pretty much begged, past cajoling but Bill was on the way out.
Mick was all cavalier b.s. to paraphrase; 'oh it's not like that's a hard instrument; i could play bass anybody could play bass; it's not like playing bass in the Stones is a hard job'
and other such distracting nonsensical posturing, knowing at heart he had somehow cut a huge whole out of the essence of that band.
Keith was miserable when it sunk it what had happened when Bill was actually finally out; he was not coming back...
they were working him; thinking he'd stay; he'd always been there. He wasn't window dressing; he was driving that train....
To understand how great Bill is in one easy step; think of the dynamic classic Keith bass guitar that drives the studio sftd,
one of the greatest most important and perfect studio cuts of all time in rock and roll....
...now listen to Bill do sftd on ya yas.
Case closed.
Bill owns that spot. Bill is the once, future and always bass player for The Rolling Stones, no matta what they tell ya or sell ya...
Love to see Bill's docu; I am so happy I saw him with them several times.
I've never seen them without him and am not likely to actually...
Almost every important essential thing they did, they did when Bill was a full on Rolling Stone...
I do not think he regrets leaving and i do not think he is hurting for cash or comfort.