Rolling Stones’ New Bass Player, remote dream by Bill
I dreamt that I was chosen to play bass for the Rolling Stones, sort of a live audition thing.
The key elements were being mysteriously picked up in a limo, being poorly dressed, and puttering about on a private jet.
I was wearing a pair of grey levi’s and a button-up plaid shirt tucked in. I looked like I was a regular guy whose wife dressed him with whatever was on sale at Mervyn’s, and of course this contrasted with the Stones’ own faboo sense of style, but no-one was picking on me or anything.
I remember being in the limo (remember that I have a history of Stones/Jagger dreams, and this is the third or so that involves an anonymous limo ride to destiny) and being with 2 guys who had picked me up, they were friendly/winkey but elusive like, “we’ll let you know what is going on shortly, my friend” and eventually we get to the airport. In fact the limo-at-airport was a hoot, because we were following the standard over-road signs ie: “Main Terminal – United” “All Departures” or a dedicated lane Iʼd never noticed before for “Rolling Stones Jet” and as we are driving the limo directly out to the tarmack they tell me “OK, it’s like this: Mick and Keith saw you play bass on youtube and they wanted to try you out for some shows over in Asia, and that is all we know. you should be able to handle it just fine, kid”
We drove right up to the Stones’ private jet and I boarded like one does at the burbank airport, no tunnel just up the stairs. Once on board it was what you’d imagine of a private rock ‘n’ roll jet, smoking clearly permitted and little party enclaves all around, wide seats, scantily-clad stewardess with great champagne, beds, drapes, etc. Lots of rock n’ roll-looking businessmen talking to each other. Really great! It seemed to be about 1976 or 77, style-wise.
The two guys who had been driving me sorta said ‘well kid, you’re on your own now, have a good time, we’ve packed your black fender bass over there for you and we’ll deal with getting you some new clothes once we land” and then during the flight, I was sorta nervous, sitting there wondering who to talk to, and I decided to listen to some music from my bag. I was fumbling about, when all of the sudden Keith Richards comes over and is like “well, you must be Bill the bass player! how do you do, mate! I’m Keith, what sort of tunes you got there for us?” and – this I remember VERY CLEARLY – I had a floppy disc of the Replacements “Let It Be” LP, professionally marketed as a retail format, as there were LPs, CDs, cassettes, 8-tracks, there were also floppy discs.
Turns out that Keith was a HUGE Replacements fan, so we sorta sat there for a bit listening to the disc, smoking cigarettes and discussing rock music.
Mick joined us and I got an introduction, but he was a bit aloof; very much like “oh Bill, right. well, welcome lad’
He asked if I had rehearsed any of the new music for the show I was to be playing tomorrow with them in Japan, and then it hit me: I had no fucking clue what songs we were going to be playing and beyond partying with them on the plane, I had no opportunity to learn anything. no rehearsal time, no sleep time, nothing.
I remember being not worried about it though, since I had heard so many of Bill Wyman’s mistakes over the years. I knew that the bass could be a bit loose, but them’s big shoes to fill, y’dig?
Well written article.