The Guitarist Who Auditioned for the Rolling Stones by Playing on 'Hey Negrita'

When Mick Taylor quit the Stones in late 1974, the band held open auditions for a new guitarist during the Black and Blue sessions in early 1975. Among the half-dozen players who tried out, Harvey Mandel got the most face time on the actual album—he played lead on “Hot Stuff” and “Hey Negrita,” the track where his audition literally became part of the record.

Mandel was a blues-rock journeyman who’d already been in Canned Heat and John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers. His jagged, wah-heavy solo on “Hey Negrita” gave the song a Latin-rock bite that’s unlike anything else on the album. But the Stones ultimately passed on him—partly because they wanted someone who could also sing harmonies and partly because Keith Richards didn’t want a flashy lead player overshadowing his groove.

Ron Wood, who was already a friend and had jammed with the band during the same sessions, got the gig instead. Mandel later said he was offered a retainer but turned it down. His playing on *