Bill Wyman reveals how the Rolling Stones reacted when he left the group

Ex-Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman, retired from the band back in 1993 and talked in an interview with Classic Rock magazine about how Mick Jagger and Keith Richards reacted when he decided to leave the group.

Bill Wyman reveals how the Rolling Stones reacted when he left the group:

“Keith still sends me scented candles at Christmas. We all send each other birthday and Christmas presents. It’s still a family thing, social not business, and it works really well. It’s like distant relatives – you’ve got an Auntie Elsie and an Uncle Fred who are really charming but you don’t want to see them all the time.”

“When I first left the Stones it took a few months to rebuild that relationship with them. It was quite stressful and they didn’t want me to leave. So they became bitchy. Instead of being nice and saying: “Great 30 years. Cheers mate,” Mick would say the most absurd, stupid things, with that spoilt attitude he had. He’d say things like: “Oh well, if anybody has to play bass I’ll do it. It can’t be that hard.””

“And Keith said: “No one leaves this band unless they’re in a wooden box.” Anyway, they left the door open for me for two years. Charlie and Mick would phone and say: “You’re not really leaving are you? Have you re-thought it?”

“Then when it came time for them to do the ’94/’95 tour they had to make a final decision. Mick and Charlie came over and spent the evening with me, trying to talk me into staying. Have I had any regrets about not going back? None whatsoever.”