Ronnie Wood is a necessary member of the Rolling Stones, finishing the enduring roster of Keith Richards on guitar, Charlie Watts on drums, and Mick Jagger on lead vocals. Nonetheless, Wood nearly turned a member of a unique legendary band when his agent requested if he wished to hitch what later turned Led Zeppelin.
Jimmy Web page wished to kind one other band after leaving The Yardbirds
In 1966, guitarist Jimmy Web page joined The Yardbirds alongside the late guitarist Jeff Beck. Nonetheless, his time with the band was transient, as The Yardbirds broke up in 1968. Web page noticed this as a chance to usher in a brand new lineup with Peter Grant because the supervisor.
Younger vocalist and composer Terry Reid was requested to hitch however declined and really helpful the up-and-coming singer Robert Plant. Plant then steered bringing on his childhood buddy John Bonham because the drummer. Bassist John Paul Jones — who labored with Web page just a few occasions earlier than — supplied his providers, and the 4 members fashioned The New Yardbirds. After a tour of Scandinavia, the band modified their title to Led Zeppelin, and the remainder is historical past.
Rolling Stones’ bassist Ronnie Wood nearly joined Led Zeppelin
In a 2012 episode of his Absolute Radio Show, Ronnie Wood shared how he nearly joined Led Zeppelin earlier than he joined The Rolling Stones. On the time, Wood was additionally managed by Peter Grant, who supplied him a job with The New Yardbirds. Nonetheless, Wood had little curiosity in enjoying with unproved musicians, who he known as a “bunch of farmers,” and finally declined.
“Peter Grant used to manage myself and Jeff Beck and Rod Stewart and Mickey Waller and Nicky Hopkins back in the good old days,” Wood recalled. “He was behind a band that was going to be called The New Yardbirds, which I had an offer to join, and I said, ‘I can’t join that bunch of farmers’. Anyway, they eventually changed their name and turned out to be Led Zeppelin, and he managed them as well.”
Issues labored out for one of the best for each side
The 4 members of Led Zeppelin have been electrical collectively. Ronnie Wood is a implausible bassist for The Rolling Stones, however Jones stuffed the slot completely for Zeppelin. Each bands are enshrined in rock historical past as two of the best ever to do it, so it’s exhausting to say both made the flawed resolution for his or her bassist.
The Rolling Stones had already made a reputation for themselves earlier than Wood joined them, however the band was even higher when he joined in 1975. In an interview for Wood’s autobiography Ronnie, Keith Richards delivered the final word praise to the bass participant.
“We can do a lot more with this particular band than any other incarnation of the Rolling Stones. With Ronnie, the possibilities are endless,” he mentioned.
Wood remains to be enjoying with The Rolling Stones as we speak as they proceed to tour the world. Led Zeppelin disbanded in 1980, however Jones has nonetheless been profitable in his many endeavors following the band’s dissolution.