As the most well-known bassist with the Rolling Stones, Bill Wyman is an integral part of one of the greatest bands in the history of rock & roll, as well as half of one of its greatest rhythm sections with the groove of his straightforward, thoughtful bass work. Not everyone would know what to do as an encore after that, but even during his time with the Stones, Wyman occasionally stepped out with solo projects, and after leaving the group in 1993, he has continued to write and record, sometime playing the sort of blues-influenced rock he performed with the Stones (1997's Struttin' Our Stuff and 2015's Back to Basics), as well as material that reflected his interest in more contemporary, dance-oriented sounds (1992's Bill Wyman, which included his hit "Si, Si, Je Suis un Rock Star," and 1992's Stuff). With 2024's Drive My Car, Wyman showed he could play rootsy rock & roll with a fresh and breezy feel.
Bill Wyman was born William Perks in Lewisham, London, England on October 24, 1936. He began taking piano lessons when he was 9 years old, and was turned on to rock & roll and rhythm & blues by hearing broadcasts on the American Armed Forces Network while he was stationed in Germany with the Royal Air Force. Wyman bought his first guitar in Germany in 1956, and began playing out with a skiffle group in 1957. Wyman switched from guitar to bass, and in 1961 he landed a gig with a group called the Cliftons. His stretch with the Cliftons ended when he was asked to join the Stones in mid-1962, replacing bassist (and future Pretty Things member) Dick Taylor. Reportedly asked to join the group mainly because he had his own amplifier, he was, at age 25, by several years the oldest member of the group. Despite the age difference, his chemistry with the other band members was immediate, and with the subsequent arrival of Charlie Watts, the classic Rolling Stones lineup was cemented in 1963, and the following year, as the British rock scene exploded in the wake of the Beatles' success, they landed a record deal with the British Decca label. Their subsequent success is a story familiar to anyone with a basic knowledge of rock history.
While Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were the dominant songwriters in the Stones, Wyman occasionally contributed tunes, most notably "In Another Land" from 1967's Their Satanic Majesties Request. In 1974, Wyman became the first of the Rolling Stones to record a solo LP, the all-star Monkey Grip; two years later, he repeated the trick with Stone Alone. In 1981, Wyman scored a solo hit single with the witty dance tune "(Si Si) Je Suis un Rock Star," a song Wyman had originally written for Ian Dury; the song appeared on his self-titled third solo album, released in 1982. Wyman's next major side project was the 1985 cover band Willie and the Poor Boys; specializing in vintage rock & roll and rhythm & blues, the combo also included Watts, Ron Wood, Jimmy Page, and Paul Rodgers. The project only spawned one studio album, but a live LP from the group appeared in 1994. While rarely the recipient of the kind of media attention given his more notorious bandmates, Wyman found himself at the center of scandal in 1989 when he married 19-year-old model Mandy Smith, whom he'd begun dating when she was just 13 years old; they divorced in 1991. In the wake of the scandal, Wyman released a solo album in 1992, Stuff, which was only distributed in Japan and Argentina.
In January 1993, Wyman confirmed long-simmering rumors when he publicly announced his departure from the Stones, and revealed plans to publish an autobiography, Stone Alone, which arrived in book shops in in 1997. Also in 1997, Wyman formed a new band, the Rhythm Kings, a project similar to Willie and the Poor Boys devoted to classic R&B, which featured guitarists Peter Frampton and Albert Lee as well former Procol Harum keyboardist Gary Brooker. The group debuted with the LP Struttin' Our Stuff, followed in 1999 by Anyway the Wind Blows. Wyman greeted the new century with a string of albums including Groovin' (2000), Double Bill (2001), Just for a Thrill (2005), and numerous live recordings and compilations. In 2007, Wyman and the Rhythm Kings were the opening act for Led Zeppelin's wildly anticipated reunion concert at London's O2 Arena. In 2012, Wyman made a surprise appearance with the Rolling Stones during their two-night stand in London on November 25 and 29, playing "It's Only Rock 'n' Roll" and "Honky Tonk Women" with the band each night, though he promptly ruled out any touring plans with the Stones.
In June 2015, Wyman released a new studio album, Back to Basics, his first collection of original songs in over two decades. Two years later, Wyman and the Rhythm Kings released Rocking the Roots, their first studio album in 13 years. The Quiet One, a documentary about Wyman's life and career produced with his cooperation, was first screened in 2019. Wyman re-teamed with the Rolling Stones to record the song "Live By The Sword," which appeared on their 2023 LP Hackney Diamonds; it was one of Charlie Watts' last sessions with the group. In 2024, nine years after he last released a solo album, Wyman was back with a new studio project, Drive My Car, an upbeat exercise in classic-style rock & roll and R&B. ~ Jason Ankeny & Mark Deming
