Hearing Wayne Perkins' playing on some of the Black and Blue tracks, especially "Hand of Fate" where he plays the solo, makes me think he might've been a better replacement for Taylor than Woody. I know a lot of people like Woody but I think as a replacement to Mick he was a step down, and Wayne seemed to have a similar style to Taylor's but a little more bluesy.

Does anyone else agree Wayne might've been a better pick than Woody?

WAYNE WAS A GREAT PLAYER,MUCH LIKE MICK TAYLOR..
WOODY WAS THE RIGHT CHOICE..HIS PLAYING IN 75-76 WAS OUTSTANDING AND DYNAMIC..NO ONE ENVISIONED HIS PLAYING DETERIORATING SO MUCH OVER THE YEARS..HE TOOK HIS TALENT FOR GRANTED AND LOST IT AFTER HIS FREEBASE PERIOD.

StickyStones wrote on Sep 23^rd, 2010 at 2:27am:

Hearing Wayne Perkins' playing on some of the Black and Blue tracks, especially "Hand of Fate" where he plays the solo, makes me think he might've been a better replacement for Taylor than Woody. I know a lot of people like Woody but I think as a replacement to Mick he was a step down, and Wayne seemed to have a similar style to Taylor's but a little more bluesy. Does anyone else agree Wayne might've been a better pick than Woody?

No

No chenistry with Keef?.....replace one virtouso with another??....Woody was best choice at the time but hind site is 20/20......Loved Wayne's small contribution though

Mick, Keith, Bill, Charlie and . . . Wayne.  Nah.


Besides, he's American.  Back then, it wouldn't have suited.

Wayne Perkins was great and I often wonder if they had gone with him instead of Ronnie. His licks were more fluid, like MT. But, Mick and Keith knew Ronnie, so the fit was easier. Plus, he was American, so that was out.

texile wrote on Sep 23^rd, 2010 at 2:21pm:

Wayne Perkins was great and I often wonder if they had gone with him instead of Ronnie. His licks were more fluid, like MT. But, Mick and Keith knew Ronnie, so the fit was easier. Plus, he was American, so that was out.

I think that rule is kinda dumb, since I mean they always played themselves off as a quasi-American band with American sensibilities.
Him being American doesn't mean he's automatically not going to click with them.
Ronnie in hindsight was a poor choice for a replacement. He's basically got the same playing style as Keith, but not as good, nor are his riffs as catchy or cutting as Keith's. He was just an easy pick because he had lesser talent, there wouldn't be any ego there, and he'd just go along and not steal Keith's thunder or threaten his position as THE leading guitarist in the band, which it seemed at points MT was (working with MJ on tracks alone, leaving Keith completely out of the process on some of the songs, stealing the show live, etc)

gimmekeef wrote on Sep 23^rd, 2010 at 10:28am:

No chenistry with Keef?.....replace one virtouso with another??....Woody was best choice at the time but hind site is 20/20......Loved Wayne's small contribution though

Wayne turned what could've easily been a mediocre song (Hand of Fate) into something that could've easily fit in in the glory days.
His soloing on that song is some of the best of the post Mick Taylor era.