I remember hearing that Beck was considered for the job Ronnie took, but never heard he was actually offered the job, until now:

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/proms/article4364218.ece

Gotta wonder how Beck would have affected the sound & chemistry of the band.

Edith Grove wrote on Jul 19^th, 2008 at 5:25pm:

I remember hearing that Beck was considered for the job Ronnie took, but never heard he was actually offered the job, until now: http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/proms/article4364218.ece Gotta wonder how Beck would have affected the sound & chemistry of the band.

In terms of chemistry, they'd probably have had him shot within about six months!

The article doesnt actually state that he was offered the job (which he wasn't) - it says that he was offered the chance to audition for it.

Odd that he states that he didnt audition, because he's on some of the rehearsal tapes from Rotterdam (not Amsterdam) that circulate from January-February 1975.

Gazza wrote on Jul 19^th, 2008 at 5:38pm:

Edith Grove wrote on Jul 19th, 2008 at 5:25pm: I remember hearing that Beck was considered for the job Ronnie took, but never heard he was actually offered the job, until now: http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/proms/article4364218.ece Gotta wonder how Beck would have affected the sound & chemistry of the band. In terms of chemistry, they'd probably have had him shot within about six months!

He's Mick Taylor lite. He thinks he's all that b/c he can play great, and he can, but his ego is huge and IMO his creativity is poor.

For all his guitar virtuoso(he IS unique at what he does!) as a person he's a big prick. A friend of mine waited outside HOB in Orlando hoping to get an autograph from him...Beck walked right by him and wouldn't even look st him or say a word to him.

Nils Lofgren would've been cool. But Ronnie was/is the best man for the job imo.

I was under the impression that he and Keith never got on all that well.

I don't see a prospect for the Stones back then but Steve Marriott, see this recent clip of Keith Richards mentioning the best bands in his humble opinion; please pay attention when he refers to England... Steve Marriott, Small Faces and Humble Pie and see what he says about some others bands then.

Check the video starting at 0:56 if you want to get to the point right now

http://mx.youtube.com/watch?v=zNKckhYqNBk

I agree, Ronnie was the better choice.   :aimama

Ronnie and Steve! Can you hear the magic?

Holden wrote on Jul 19^th, 2008 at 6:03pm:

Nils Lofgren would've been cool. But Ronnie was/is the best man for the job imo.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2050/2171621012_b451d1b0fb.jpg?v=0

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/34/Holden_Blimp.jpg/800px-Holden_Blimp.jpg

Voodoo Chile in Wonderland wrote on Jul 19^th, 2008 at 10:19pm:

Do you rock?  :wtf1

I gettin' rocked!

Beck would never have jived with Keith..no way no how..He's a very talented egotistical virtuouso.Style is more jazzy than rock as well.

Holden wrote on Jul 19^th, 2008 at 6:03pm:

Nils Lofgren would've been cool. But Ronnie was/is the best man for the job imo.

For all his faults, if the Stones had gone with anyone but Honest Ron, they would have broken up at least two decades ago.

How do you feel about Ronnie's not being made an official member of the band until he'd been in it for 25 years?? I can't imagine anyone else putting up with that...

keith wanted him to be his chauffer

Sioux wrote on Jul 20^th, 2008 at 5:54pm:

How do you feel about Ronnie's not being made an official member of the band until he'd been in it for 25 years?? I can't imagine anyone else putting up with that...

Two words - Ian Stewart.

left shoe shuffle wrote on Jul 20^th, 2008 at 6:57pm:

Sioux wrote on Jul 20th, 2008 at 5:54pm: How do you feel about Ronnie's not being made an official member of the band until he'd been in it for 25 years?? I can't imagine anyone else putting up with that... Two words - Ian Stewart.

Well, true. But Ian WAS an official member at first--until Oldham decided that he didn't have "the look", and that 6 members in a band was too many for the fans to remember... ::) >:( The other difference is that Ronnie played on stage with them for 25 years! Poor Ian had to be off in the corner somewhere, if he played with them. He wasn't up front like Ronnie was/is.

Oh yeah, Stu should have been up front and officially recognized the entire time he was with the band too! I just think it's a crime that Ronnie was considered a "junior member" for so long....good grief.

Sioux wrote on Jul 20^th, 2008 at 9:51pm:

Oh yeah, Stu should have been up front and officially recognized the entire time he was with the band too!

It's my understanding that the Stones requested Stu be named as a member of the band for their recognition in the RnR Hall of Fame.
I'm not sure how "official" this makes him, though.

Sioux wrote on Jul 20^th, 2008 at 5:54pm:

How do you feel about Ronnie's not being made an official member of the band until he'd been in it for 25 years?? I can't imagine anyone else putting up with that...

Depends on your definition of 'official'. He was officially a Stone from February 1976 (he was on the Black & Blue album cover 2 months later), but chose to take a salary rather than a percentage (he thought it would be a better long term option financially as like most people he couldnt envisage the band lasting for more than a few more years). He just didnt become a board member until after they signed the contract with Virgin and Wyman left in 1993.

17 years, not 25 - and the problem was more down to a bad business decision on his part to begin with, although in fairness maybe its something the band should have addressed when theyd signed their previous record contract, with CBS, in 1983.

Financially Ronnies done pretty good..lol...But I still think of Stu as more a Stone.

Gazza wrote on Jul 21^st, 2008 at 6:21am:

Sioux wrote on Jul 20th, 2008 at 5:54pm: How do you feel about Ronnie's not being made an official member of the band until he'd been in it for 25 years?? I can't imagine anyone else putting up with that... Depends on your definition of 'official'. He was officially a Stone from February 1976 (he was on the Black & Blue album cover 2 months later), but chose to take a salary rather than a percentage (he thought it would be a better long term option financially as like most people he couldnt envisage the band lasting for more than a few more years). He just didnt become a board member until after they signed the contract with Virgin and Wyman left in 1993. 17 years, not 25 - and the problem was more down to a bad business decision on his part to begin with, although in fairness maybe its something the band should have addressed when theyd signed their previous record contract, with CBS, in 1983.

Ok Gazza, thanks for the clarification. :) I thought I just read that Ronnie gave an interview not long ago, and he was talking about that very fact--that it took so long to "make" him a Stone. And he didn't seem too happy about it. Yeah, even if he took the salary instead of the percentage at first, that should have been rectified a long time ago. And yeah, it probably should have been the band making the move to make it official.

gimmekeef wrote on Jul 21^st, 2008 at 7:40am:

Financially Ronnies done pretty good..lol...But I still think of Stu as more a Stone.

You know...I agree. I think of the 6 who were the first to record together and who defined the 60's with their powerful music. Brian, Stu, Mick, Keith, Bill, Charlie. And that's the order that they joined the band.

Precisely.  Which is why I always insist that Stu was the Second Stone, not the Sixth.

Brainbell Jangler wrote on Jul 21^st, 2008 at 8:17pm:

Precisely.  Which is why I always insist that Stu was the Second Stone, not the Sixth.

good to have you here BBJ

Brainbell Jangler wrote on Jul 21^st, 2008 at 8:17pm:

Precisely.  Which is why I always insist that Stu was the Second Stone, not the Sixth.

Exactly. Precisely. History speaks for itself. And Brian was first.

mojoman wrote on Jul 20^th, 2008 at 6:40pm:

keith wanted him to be his chauffer

Who?
Beck or Stew?

Stew was a GREAT chauffer for the band.