I've read the Stones wanted to him to join to replace Brian or at least he was one of the candidates...Any truth to this?
If so, do you think he'd have made a good Stone? Memo from the Turner, the original song, is the best Stones song that the Stones themselves didn't create.

no.

:smilemick

Think you raised this issue before.

He was never a candidate to replace Brian. He did play with the band before Brian left though and by that time his relationship with Keith was already non-existent (the 'Jamming with Edward' session came about due to Keith not turning up for a Stones session in early '69). He's always been quite bitter about Keith and the Stones ripping off a few ideas from him.

Never a Stone - unquestionably my favourite guitarist, though.

I don't think he was ever a serious contender. Some anyomosity too as I believe Keith's Open G may have been lifted from Ry?......anyway think Rory Gallagher was perhaps wanted by the band more at least to audition but he blew them off?
Would Cooder been a good fit....not sure have my personal doubts on style

No, I don't think he was a candidate to replace Brian, I don't think there was that many people, Mick Taylor was picked right away, Keith learned a lot from him in open tuning, in fact didn't Ry go on to accuse him of stealing from him?
http://www.iorr.org/talk/read.php?1,1145498

Ry would have made every Stones song sound like it had an overzealous slide player on it...Think of Time Waits For No One with Ry's trademark sound on it. His sound is so mono tone he really could only be on 1 or 2 songs before you've had enough.

Love him with John Hiatt, but he doesn't experiment much from track to track...John moved on to Sonny Landreth who has a touch more diversity...

I think Ry just doesn't know how to be part of the Stew, he needs to be the main ingredient

good on some stuff only… not live at all… unless a sideman.

gimmekeef wrote on Mar 14^th, 2013 at 11:38am:

I don't think he was ever a serious contender. Some anyomosity too as I believe Keith's Open G may have been lifted from Ry?......anyway think Rory Gallagher was perhaps wanted by the band more at least to audition but he blew them off? Would Cooder been a good fit....not sure have my personal doubts on style

Gallagher auditioned in '75 for the job that Woody got. He was one of many but was never a front runner, despite his brother's claim that he 'turned down the Stones'  - he was never offered the job.

I think Eric Clapton was the only notable rival to Mick Taylor for the job of replacing Brian, but he was launching Blind Faith at the time so it was a non-starter.  Wasnt it Clapton who then recommended Taylor to the Stones?

Gazza wrote on Mar 14^th, 2013 at 5:26pm:

gimmekeef wrote on Mar 14th, 2013 at 11:38am: I don't think he was ever a serious contender. Some anyomosity too as I believe Keith's Open G may have been lifted from Ry?......anyway think Rory Gallagher was perhaps wanted by the band more at least to audition but he blew them off? Would Cooder been a good fit....not sure have my personal doubts on style Gallagher auditioned in '75 for the job that Woody got. He was one of many but was never a front runner, despite his brother's claim that he 'turned down the Stones'  - he was never offered the job. I think Eric Clapton was the only notable rival to Mick Taylor for the job of replacing Brian, but he was launching Blind Faith at the time so it was a non-starter.  Wasnt it Clapton who then recommended Taylor to the Stones?

I remember Mick J. saying it was John Mayall who's advice he respected, wasn't sure so I did a search for fun & it was.
After Brian Jones was removed from the The Rolling Stones in June 1969, John Mayall recommended Taylor to Mick Jagger.

I thought Keith got his tuning ideas on the 64 U.S. tour. The very same tour he met Bobby Keys.

Yeah he's a good musician but he lacks excitement. He just doesnt have the charactoristics and style of a Rolling Stone.

Exactly.  I love Cooder's work and jamming With Edward, but Mick Taylor was the right man at that time. Plu,s as mentioned above, he was recommended by John Mayall.

Bitch wrote on Mar 16^th, 2013 at 12:36am:

Yeah he's a good musician but he lacks excitement. He just doesnt have the charactoristics and style of a Rolling Stone.

I'm not even sure how anyone can even define what this is. There's no way of proving it until it happens. The 'mix' is what makes the Stones what they are.

Mick, Keith, Brian and Woody are light years away in terms of characteristics or style to the likes of Mick Taylor, Bill or Charlie.

There's a school of thought that Taylor - for all his technical brilliance and great musical contribution - wasn't 'right' for the Stones, yet Woody (who isn't anywhere near as good a player) was 'made to be a Stone'.  Wyman and Taylor were hardly 'exciting' performers.

And for 'the characteristics of a Rolling Stone', how do you explain a drummer who next year will celebrate his 50th wedding anniversary and who it's universally accepted hasn't been unfaithful to his wife even once?

OK what I meant was charisma. Certain people have it, and marital status makes no difference about it. Its like a magnitism, a certain way of captivating you cant stop watching/listening.  You cant take your eyes/ears off of them, they fascinate, and capture your imagination. As boring as Bill was, I still stared at his hands, or listened for his bass lines, and the steadiness of his composure. It isnt all the same for everybody, but some people have the IT factor. All different ways. Ronnie has the amusing, upbeat way. KEEF has the cool, mysterious way. MICK has the awesome surprise way. Charlie, the commanding yet undemanding way. Mick T, humble purely talented way.  Bran Jones had the unexpected, unusual way. All added up each adds something special that they bring in as individuals.  

So, basically, because they're a Stone, its natural that you'll find something to like, no matter how deep you have to search. (Bill's 'hands' or 'steadiness' ? Really?)

In other words, anyone would have fitted if we had no alternative...  ;D

Gazza wrote on Mar 18^th, 2013 at 9:56am:

So, basically, because they're a Stone, its natural that you'll find something to like, no matter how deep you have to search. (Bill's 'hands' or 'steadiness' ? Really?) In other words, anyone would have fitted if we had no alternative...  ;D

So not funny ~ not anybody, Bill is somebody special, I defend him and his steady hands are his best feature, along with a clear and level head on his shoulders. Possibly the most intelligent of the original Stones.  

Lighten up..I'm teasing you.

Most people never appreciated Bill until he wasnt there anymore. If you were into him that much when he was a band member, more power to you.

My point is, we'd have found a way of accepting anyone who joined the band.

Its what fans do.

(Bill more 'intelligent' than Brian Jones, who in his teens had an IQ that was almost genius-level? Dunno about that)

Me on a tambourine......hanging out next to Charlie......not sure you guys woulda said..man how cool is that new guy.

gimmekeef wrote on Mar 18^th, 2013 at 11:39am:

Me on a tambourine......hanging out next to Charlie......not sure you guys woulda said..man how cool is that new guy.

green tambourine?

mojoman wrote on Mar 18^th, 2013 at 12:45pm:

gimmekeef wrote on Mar 18th, 2013 at 11:39am: Me on a tambourine......hanging out next to Charlie......not sure you guys woulda said..man how cool is that new guy. green tambourine?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIAzQ6M2Bow

Heart Of Stone wrote on Mar 18^th, 2013 at 12:49pm:

mojoman wrote on Mar 18th, 2013 at 12:45pm: gimmekeef wrote on Mar 18th, 2013 at 11:39am: Me on a tambourine......hanging out next to Charlie......not sure you guys woulda said..man how cool is that new guy. green tambourine? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIAzQ6M2Bow

knew you OG's would know that!!!

gimmekeef wrote on Mar 18^th, 2013 at 11:39am:

Me on a tambourine......hanging out next to Charlie......not sure you guys woulda said..man how cool is that new guy.

Only if you were a sideman.

Had you been an officially recognised band member, then its a different matter.

We'd have been collectively expressing our disgust at one of our 'boys' not coming at the top of those numerous and incredibly important 'best musician' polls in Rolling Stone, Ultimate Classic Rock etc.