Bill Wyman

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Wyman's journey began in the scarred poverty of wartime London, where he survived The Blitz and enemy strafing. He left grammar school early to work for a bookmaker before his national service in the Royal Air Force took him to Oldenburg Air Base in West Germany. There, dancehalls like 'Zum Grünen Wald' and American Forces Network broadcasts introduced him to rock and roll. In August 1956, he bought a guitar for 400 Deutsche Mark. Back in London, unsatisfied with his guitar progress after buying a Burns electric on hire purchase from his wife Diane Cory, he switched to bass. His pivotal moment came when a luthier or friend removed the frets from a new Futurama bass, creating the unique sound that caught the Rolling Stones' attention during his audition at the Red Lion pub in Sutton on 7 December 1962. He legally adopted the surname Wyman in August 1964, taking it from a friend named Lee Whyman.

In Their Own Story

On 7 December 1962, Wyman walked into a London pub to audition for a rhythm and blues band needing a bassist. The group was impressed not just by his playing but by his equipment, including a Vox AC30 amplifier he had modified himself. As the oldest member of the group, he became part of their first stable lineup. His voice contributed backing vocals through 1967, and in 1967, he wrote and sang lead on 'In Another Land' from *Their Satanic Majesties Request*, his first official solo single credited solely to him. He was also central to the band's internal democracy; Wyman recounts a 3–2 vote where he, Charlie Watts, and Brian Jones voted to release '(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction' as a single against the objections of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. His bond with Brian Jones was profound; they shared rooms on tour and visited clubs together until Jones's death in July 1969, an event that left Wyman distraught. He later revealed in his journal that he co-wrote the riff for 'Jumpin' Jack Flash' with Jones and Watts.

Reader's Guide

Wyman's musical identity was built on a specific toolkit: short-scale basses like the Framus Star, Vox Mark III (later a signature model), Fender Mustang, Gibson EB-3, Ampeg Dan Armstrong, and Steinberger models since the late 1980s. His 'walking bass' style drew inspiration from Willie Dixon and Ricky Fenson. In January 1993, following the *Steel Wheels/Urban Jungle* tours, he left the band. He soon formed Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings in 1997, performing covers of blues, soul, and rock until 2018. He rarely sang lead but performed 'You Never Can Tell' and 'Honky Tonk Women'. His creative scope extended to film scores for *Green Ice* (1981) and Italian director Dario Argento's *Phenomena* (1985) and *Opera* (1987). In 2019, he participated in the documentary *The Quiet One*. A significant turning point occurred on 25 November 2012 in London, where he rejoined the Stones on stage for two songs. Most recently, in 2023, he recorded 'Live By the Sword' for the album *Hackney Diamonds*, his first studio appearance with them since 1991.

Did You Know?

• Wyman legally changed his surname to Wyman in August 1964, taking the phonetic name of a friend named Lee Whyman from his RAF service.
• He created his signature sound by having a luthier or friend remove the frets from a new Futurama bass guitar.
• The song '(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction' was released as a single after a band vote, but contrary to popular myth, the decision was not decided by a 3–2 vote with Wyman voting in favor.
• Wyman's 1969 Fender Mustang Bass sold at auction for a record price, but the widely reported $380,000 figure is incorrect.
• He returned to perform onstage with the Rolling Stones in 2011, 2012, and 2018, his first live appearances with them since 1991.

Early Life and Military Service

Born William George Perks at Lewisham Hospital on 24 October 1936, Wyman grew up in Penge, South East London, as one of six children. He attended Oakfield Primary School and Beckenham and Penge County Grammar School from 1947 until Easter 1953, leaving before GCE exams to work for a bookmaker. In January 1955, he joined the Royal Air Force for two years of national service. After signing for an extra year in autumn 1955, he was posted to Oldenburg Air Base in Lower Saxony, West Germany, serving in the Motor Transport Section. It was there, hearing rock and roll on American Forces Network and in dancehalls like 'Zum Grünen Wald', that his musical path solidified. He bought a guitar for 400 Deutsche Mark in August 1956 and formed a skiffle group with Casey Jones in 1957.

Joining the Stones and Musical Contributions

Wyman joined the Rolling Stones on 7 December 1962, hired as bassist after replacing Dick Taylor. The band admired his modified Vox AC30 amplifier and unique fretless tone. He performed on the first 19 studio albums and was a key songwriter, penning 'In Another Land' (his first solo single) and 'Downtown Suzie' (originally titled 'Sweet Lisle Lucy', renamed by manager Allen Klein). His compositional influence extended to '(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction', which he helped release via a band vote. He also contributed to The London Howlin' Wolf Sessions (1971), *Jamming with Edward!* (1972), and John P. Hammond's *I Can Tell* (1967). His solo career peaked in July 1981 when '(Si Si) Je Suis un Rock Star' became a top-20 hit, followed by composing soundtracks for films like *Green Ice*, *Phenomena*, and *Opera*.

Personal Relationships and Band Dynamics

Wyman shared a close bond with Brian Jones, often sharing rooms and clubs until Jones's death in July 1969; Wyman was one of only two Stones to attend the funeral. He remained friends with guitarist Mick Taylor after Taylor's 1974 departure. However, tensions existed within the leadership; in February 1986, Wyman alleged that Mick Jagger tried multiple times to remove him from the band, a claim author Bill German noted but did not publish due to poor relations at the time. Wyman documented these dynamics and his life extensively in journals used for his books *Stone Alone* (1990) and *Rolling with the Stones* (2002). He also maintained a lifelong interest in metal detecting, publishing *Treasure Islands* in 2005.

Post-Stones Career and Diversified Projects

After leaving the Stones in January 1993, Wyman formed Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings in 1997, touring until 2018. He also organized a 1983 fundraiser tour as 'Willie and the Poor Boys' for Multiple Sclerosis research, featuring guests like Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and Jimmy Page. In 2009, he reunited with Faces to fill in for Ronnie Lane. His equipment legacy includes his 1969 Fender Mustang Bass, which sold for $380,000 at auction in 2020. He returned to the stage with the Rolling Stones on 25 and 29 November 2012, playing 'It's Only Rock 'n Roll' and 'Honky Tonk Women'. In 2023, he recorded bass on 'Live By the Sword' for *Hackney Diamonds*, marking his first studio collaboration with the band since 1991. He released his ninth solo album, *Drive My Car*, on 9 August 2024.