“Keith was comatose”: The night that made Rory Gallagher reject The Rolling Stones
Almost every guitarist would walk over hot coals to earn an audition with The Rolling Stones in 1975. On paper, it’s the dream ticket, but after spending time with the band in the Netherlands, Rory Gallagher had little interest in the role.
It was an interesting time for The Stones. Mick Taylor had walked out on the band after growing dissatisfied, leaving the band without a permanent second guitarist during the recording process for Black and Blue.
They used the album as a way to throw guitarists into the deep end by working with them in the studio. Harvey Mendel and Wayne Perkins both contributed to tracks, as did Ronnie Wood, who, despite being a member of Faces during the recording process, was eventually chosen to join the band.
However, it wasn’t a four-horse race for the role, and Gallagher was also invited out to Europe to record on the album. Other names that were considered include Steve Marriott and Robert A Johnson. While Gallagher did make the trip out to meet the band, it didn’t go to plan, and the Irish rock legend didn’t play a note on Black and Blue.
Gallagher was already one of the most esteemed guitarists in the world at this point. His magnificence was best summed up by Jimi Hendrix when he was asked on The Mike Douglas Show, “What’s it like to be the best rock guitarist in the world?” to which he replied, “I don’t know, you’ll have to ask Rory Gallagher.”
With a reputation that was already impeccable, Gallagher was in a small camp of guitarists who didn’t need The Rolling Stones. Nevertheless, the chance to join the biggest band in the world was an opportunity he wasn’t above exploring, and he accepted the call to audition.
His brother Dónal later recalled to The Telegraph that a phone call came through at their family home in the early hours of the morning from The Stones’ camp, which came as a total surprise to them both. He explained: “Rory had gone to bed on one of his rare early nights. When I woke him, he thought I was winding him up. But he agreed to go to Rotterdam to jam with them.”
The Rolling Stones were working out of their mobile recording studio in the Netherlands, and Gallagher’s schedule meant that he was only able to make a flying visit to see them as he had a tour of Japan lined up.
In addition to The Stones being in a state of disarray following Taylor’s exit, Keith Richards was struggling with a heroin addiction that further disrupted the harmony, as well as his relationship with Mick Jagger.
However, despite the chaos, he did have a successful three-day spell as a Rolling Stone while they rehearsed for their European tour, according to Dónal. He told Eon Music “there was a lot of Rory riffs on that album that was used later on”, and said his brother spoke highly of the chemistry between him and Richards.
Nevertheless, everyone was aware that Gallagher had days rather than weeks with the band and couldn’t miss his Japanese tour. Seemingly, he’d done enough to secure the role, if he wanted it, but then the fateful final night of the trip rolled around.
Dónal explained, “On the final night, Keith had come down, and they had done sessions over the days, but Mick and Keith weren’t talking to each other. So Rory said, ‘Please let me know what’s going on because I’ve got to be on a plane to Tokyo tomorrow‘. And Mick said, ‘Keith wants to have a good long chat with you. Please go up. He’s waiting in his suite upstairs.'”
Upon being told to visit Richards, Gallagher did as requested, before discovering that “Keith was comatose in the bed”. Determined to get an answer, he checked up on the guitarist every half hour, but Richards reportedly didn’t wake, and soon enough, it was time to head to the airport.
“So Rory made up his own mind, for whatever reason, and just packed up his guitar and amp, and I met him at Heathrow with a fresh suitcase,” Dónal said.
Gallagher ultimately fulfilled his touring obligations in Japan and continued with his successful solo career. While he never publicly acknowledged his Stones audition before he died in 1995, the outcome was seemingly the best for everyone involved.
If he were desperate for the gig, he’d have missed that flight to Japan, but the fact that it remained his priority was proof that perhaps it wasn’t meant to be. Meanwhile, Ronnie Wood fit like a glove and is still rocking with them more than 50 years later.
