[www.guitarplayer.com]

I saw that. Almost spit my Coke out!

Slightly sour grapes from Harvey. He is an excellent guitarist. Ronnie Wood was always the only man for the job. I suspect the Rotterdam "auditions" were just a way for the Stones to satisfy themselves of that beyond any doubt. Odd that Woody's autobiography says Steve Marriott was Keith's initial preference since Wood was such a natural fit.

Like Harvey's work on Hot Stuff, but the only "what if" I've given thought is regarding Wayne Perkins who just sounded brilliant (and of course: what if Mick T. had stuck around).

Definitely a sour grapes interview. Listening to the 10-minute version of Everything Is Turning To Gold now - Ronnie is the man.

Harvey's assessment is spot on, but the Stones needed/wanted a showman as well as a guitar player and in that sense Woody was the right pick. Mandel can plays circles around him though, it's not even a competition.

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Woz
Harvey's assessment is spot on, but the Stones needed/wanted a showman as well as a guitar player and in that sense Woody was the right pick. Mandel can plays circles around him though, it's not even a competition.

I don’t think what Mandel says is accurate.I read quotes made at the time that Keith leaned towards Perkins,but Mick wanted Wood.Keith said he thought Wood played too much like him.Also he later said they wanted to stay an English band.

I wonder what Howie Mandel thinks about Ronnie?

It is interesting that this interview and subject (auditions for Mick Taylors replacement) have become a topic at this time. It was 50 years ago - in early 1975 - that these events took place!

I have always enjoyed Harvey Mandel's work, but I think Wayne Perkins fit in better (of the two). But obviously, Ron Wood was the man for the job! I believe the Stones would not have lasted as a band if it were not for Woody! That's just my opinion.

Wouldn't be surprised if The Stones wanted to steer away from a maestro type after Mick Taylor. Anyhow, and for what it's worth I think Ronnie is a good fit.

Regarding Mandel, Ronnie is a category C guitar player which does not sound like a compliment. Ronnie has written some great songs, he has come up with lots of great musical ideas, he is fun to watch on stage and he takes Keith's punches like a champ. With Harvey, a Category A guitar player, the Stones would have gotten an approximation of Mick Taylor.

These older rockers are starting to spill the beans in interviews and podcasts -- and why not? The historical record will be clearer as a result. They are grumpy and have nothing left to lose. And yes, they also have agendas (but the main players in these stories had their agendas promoted and polished for decades by PR professionals.)

I think it's clear in retrospect that Mandel misread the audition situation -- but one can easily excuse many guitar players of that era thinking the goal was to be as virtuosic as possible to win the job. As musicians appreciating great music, they would definitely have thought that was what the Stones were desperate to replace.

Arguably, 1975 ushered in the corporate rock era -- maybe, with the Wood selection, the Stones saw it coming (or lucked into the new thing) before anyone. Rock became going through the motions, and raking in the bucks, in middle age.

I would upgrade Ron to a B -- he held back his talents to make the situation work. But I'd give him an A+ for reading the "unspoken rule" accurately and never violating it -- even by accident -- for over 50 years!

Wait, I thought Jeff Beck HAD joined the Yardbirds…wait Mick Taylor is not on Sticky Fingers?

I would have like to have heard them with Mick Ronson . I heard he was on the list of possibilities

sc uk

Ronnie made also great solo albums,,,,and with the Faces..!!

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The Joker
[www.guitarplayer.com]

He's right but he's also completely wrong.

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straycatuk
I would have like to have heard them with Mick Ronson . I heard he was on the list of possibilities

sc uk

really?

that sure would have been an interesting choice

he definitely visually fit the part at least

All these years since 1975 have shown that Ron Wood was the best possible choice.

He was born to be a Rolling Stones.

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maidenlane
These older rockers are starting to spill the beans in interviews and podcasts -- and why not? The historical record will be clearer as a result. They are grumpy and have nothing left to lose. And yes, they also have agendas (but the main players in these stories had their agendas promoted and polished for decades by PR professionals.)

I'll say an AMEN to this. As someone studying to be a historian I'm very glad for every piece spoken by anyone who was in the industry. The more matterial there is the more likely you are to get close to the truth.

Ronnie Wood played so much great guitar in Faces that this is all a bit of a moot point by now. Still, it's interesting to find out more about the so-called auditions for the role.

I think it's more likely Ronnie got picked because he was Keith's best friend at the time.
All this it had to be Ronnie is BS.
It could have been any one of a hundred guitarists.
I suspect the auditions were pointless, it was always going to be Ronnie.

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Munichhilton
Wait, I thought Jeff Beck HAD joined the Yardbirds…wait Mick Taylor is not on Sticky Fingers?

Wait, I'm now confused over under sideways down.

Can someone define what's a "C-plus guitar player"?

To me there's only the ones that play with their soul and the rest. Ronnie's definitely in the first category.

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kowalski
Can someone define what's a "C-plus guitar player"?

To me there's only the ones that play with their soul and the rest. Ronnie's definitely in the first category.

There's also the ones that play with their Crotch, as Rockman puts it. Maybe that's what the C (in "C-plus guitar player") stands for.

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kowalski
Can someone define what's a "C-plus guitar player"?

To me there's only the ones that play with their soul and the rest. Ronnie's definitely in the first category.

Neil Young

Come on...I always thought those auditions were just a ploy by Mick to get some guitar variety on their album, that way it was free.
Ronnie had been with them since the 75 tour....it was the most natural choice.
Mick is really a genius for getting free contributions.

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GasLightStreet
I saw that. Almost spit my Coke out!

Stay away from drugs.

According to Mick Taylor Ron Wood is an underrated guitarist. I think that's a compliment.

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kowalski
Can someone define what's a "C-plus guitar player"?

To me there's only the ones that play with their soul and the rest. Ronnie's definitely in the first category.

So you mean there are guitarists who don't play with their soul? Is that possible? Basically, the guitar is a mechanical instrument. You practice it and you get better.
Then you can add your style (or it was there from the beginning). The thing with Ron's style is that it blends in more than it stands out. So maybe that's his soul then?

All the great guitarists play with a personality; a distinctiveness that stands them apart from the others. To put it simply: you can tell it’s them, even if you’ve never heard the recording before; or read it’s them, etc. Keith is in that category; as is Clapton, Slash, Hendrix and others. For me, Ronnie is not quite in that category. He’s a very ‘good guitarist’; just not a great one, in my opinion. He’s done some truly tremendous stuff, though, and I like him a lot. In my opinion, he’s perfect for the Stones.

Woody is versatile. He's done some excellent things over the years aside from some really nice playing. Imagine the songs with pedal steel on them without them? B-bender? Hell, his slide playing! Even his bass playing!

Live, yeah, a compass in the Bermuda Triangle but he's had his moments, just not a ton of them.

Of course, there's the 'you gotta live with them' aspect. Somehow Ronnie has survived in The Rolling Stones.

Wow. He is quite full of himself.