In a recent interview with Guitar World, Keith Richards clarified the speculations surrounding Jeff Beck’s audition for The Rolling Stones following the release of his new album, “Hackney Diamonds.” He explained why Jeff Beck didn’t join the band, saying:
“We felt Jeff had his own furrow to plow and was not a team player.” He was a soloist to the extreme. He was such an individualist. It would not have worked for the Stones at all. We are all about collaboration.”
Following the audition, Beck decided not to join the band, which caused conflict between him and the other band members over those years. Despite this, Keith Richards’ words regarding the late musician were:
“Don’t get me wrong; he was an excellent player. When we got together, I was constantly astounded by what he could do with his tremolo bar. “He was one of the best, man, and he will be missed.”
Jeff Beck’s Decision To Not Join The Stones
Jeff Beck sought to fill in for Mick Taylor’s guitar parts in The Rolling Stones a year after his departure in 1974, assuming he’d simply help them with a few songs. The guitarist waited in the studio for two days without meeting the members to audition, as he recounted in a conversation with Classic Rock.
“Eventually, we got into the same room, and I started playing Bill Wyman’s bass so aggressively that dust flew everywhere. I wandered off, and the engineer, Glyn Johns, said, ‘That’s incredible! I answered, “One for the archives, mate.” “I’m leaving tomorrow.”
Beck cited artistic disagreements with The Rolling Stones as the basis for his rejection. Later that year, he published his studio album ‘Blow by Blow,’ and the band began to collaborate with Ronnie Wood.
Watch one of the Jeff Beck’s most electrifying performance below:
