Skip to main content

Keith Richards and the Rolling Stones have had to make some tough choices over the years. Whether to release an album with songs they didn’t like, for instance, or whether (and how) to continue after drummer Charlie Watts’ death. However, Richards said the Rolling Stones made one of the easiest decisions of their career in 1975, and they haven’t regretted it since.

Rolling Stones' guitarist Keith Richards, who once said the band made one of the easiest decisions of their career in 1975.
Rolling Stones’ guitarist Keith Richards | Paul Natkin/Getty Images

The Rolling Stones have lost several members over the years

The band recently celebrated its 60th birthday, and several living members of the Rolling Stones saw it. Unfortunately, the Stones couldn’t celebrate with Watts, founding member Brian Jones (who drowned in 1969), and original member and longtime tour player Ian Stewart. 

Richards and Mick Jagger have been there from the beginning. Longtime bass player Bill Wyman, who departed the band on his terms in 1993, saw the Stones reach 60. Early members, such as bassists Dick Taylor and Ricky Fenson, though long since replaced, witnessed the milestone. 

Mick Taylor, who replaced Jones on guitar in 1969, was also alive to see the six-decade milestone. Taylor played alongside Richards on some of the best Rolling Stones albums, but he left the band in 1974. Richards said replacing Taylor in 1975 was one of the easiest decisions the Stones ever made.

Keith Richards said ‘there was no doubt’ Ronnie Wood was the best choice to replace Mick Taylor

In the case of Jones’ death and Taylor’s decision to leave, the Rolling Stones had to replace their rhythm guitarist on short notice. The band’s extensive search ended close to home.

As a member of London-based bands such as the Jeff Beck Group and the Faces, Ronnie Wood had crossed paths with the Stones over the years. Jagger, Richards, and Taylor contributed to Wood’s solo debut. Wood helped write one of their hit songs even though he wasn’t in the band.

Richards said adding Wood to replace Taylor in 1975 was an easy choice, as GuitarPlayer reported:

“[T]hat was the beauty of it. He was already so familiar with our stuff. After Mick Taylor left, we rehearsed for about six months with a lot of good guitar players from all over the world. And we could work with them, you know; they could work with us. But when Ronnie became available and suddenly walked in, that was it. There was no doubt. It was easy.”

Keith Richards on Ronnie Wood joining the Rolling Stones

Richards’ assessment of Wood’s chemistry with him and the group was spot on. He has said he and Wood seamlessly mesh together when playing live. Wood plays rhythm guitar for the Stones, but he has experience playing lead, so he can comfortably take over for Keith. 

Is Ronnie Wood a full member of the Rolling Stones?

Related

Keith Richards on Why The Rolling Stones Haven’t Sold Their Catalog

Keith Richards and the Rolling Stones settled on Wood as Taylor’s replacement in 1975. He played on the Stones’ 1975 tour, and the first album he cut with the band was 1976’s Black and Blue. Yet he didn’t become a full-time member until he finally asked for a raise nearly two decades later.

“I did my apprenticeship, 17 years, before I got a raise, before I even thought about money,” Wood told the Guardian. “I was like, ‘Do you think I should get a bit more?’ and they were like, ‘Yeah, well, we thought you’d never ask – those who don’t ask, don’t want, mate.’”

Wood officially joined the Stones in the early 90s (after he and the band entered the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame), but he’s been a crucial part of their sound for nearly 50 years, which isn’t surprising. Keith Richards said one of the Rolling Stones’ easiest decisions was adding Ronnie Wood into the fold.

For more on the entertainment world and exclusive interviews, subscribe to Showbiz Cheat Sheet’s YouTube channel.

Best in Music