After Mick Taylor Quit, the Stones Almost Called It Quits Before Auditioning a Whole Pack of Guitarists

Mick Taylor’s departure in December 1974 after five years and four albums really shook the Stones. With Keith Richards already carrying much of the lead guitar load, the band seriously debated whether they could go on at all — Jagger and Richards even talked about breaking up if they couldn’t find the right chemistry.

Instead of packing it in, they threw open the doors for auditions. Dozens of guitarists tried out — including future Faces sideman Ronnie Wood, who had already jammed with them — plus names like Jeff Beck, Peter Frampton, and even an unimpressive tryout with American session man Wayne Perkins. The sessions for Black and Blue doubled as a cattle call, with different players tracking parts to see who fit.

Everyone eventually clicked on Ronnie Wood. He wasn’t a formal member at first — he played the 1975 Tour of the Americas as a hired gun — but the chemistry stuck. Wood’s loose, telepathic lock with Keith turned what could have been the end into a new, scrappier era.