Born on October 24: Bill Wyman, the Rolling Stones' discreet bassist for three decades

He celebrates his 89th birthday today and now partly lives in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, in the south of France.

It's not easy to exist alongside Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. Each in their own way, one like the other, attracts attention and embodies the sulphurous aura of the Rolling Stones, the emblematic English rock band. Alongside them, like drummer Charlie Watts who passed away in 2021, bassist Bill Wyman and his typically British composure represented the rhythmic backbone of the turbulent performers of "It's Only Rock 'n Roll" but also a certain form of stability. Watts/Wyman versus Jagger/Richards is a bit like the marriage of water and fire. After thirty years of good and loyal service, Bill Wyman nevertheless distanced himself from the Stones in 1993, only to return occasionally for the occasional major occasion. "With the Stones, we always tried to play in clubs whenever possible. And personally, I love nothing less than playing in clubs in front of small audiences," he often says. This is precisely what he's doing now...

With only five solo albums (the most recent, "Drive My Car," was released in 2024), Bill Wyman has always favored laid-back rock tinged with blues and swing. With the same keen sense of irony, he has also participated in countless projects and short-lived associations with delicious names: The Rhythm Kings, The All-Star Band, and even The Greatest Band On Earth. All that, but with a wry smile, of course! In 1981, he even went so far as to record the succulent (if not excellent) "(Yes, Yes) I Am a Rock Star." Bill Wyman thus always presents himself as being ready to poke fun at his own (almost) legendary status. This song was his only, albeit modest, solo success...

Georges William Perks (his real name) is also a keen observer of the great rock circus, in which he was a major player, almost in spite of himself. In 1997, Wyman compiled his memories in the book "Stone Alone: ​​The Story Of A Rock 'n' Roll Band." Enjoying the experience, he then repeated the experience with Richard Ayer for a comprehensive biography entitled "Rolling With The Stones." With the help of the same author, he also published a book focusing more specifically on his own career ("Bill Wyman's Blues Odyssey"). By illustrating it with his own hand, he also unexpectedly revealed his passion for the painter Marc Chagall. On another occasion, he also invited us to follow him through the pages of "Treasure Island," a directory of the archaeological sites in the United Kingdom that he considers most important. Because, as surprising as it may seem, Bill Wyman is as passionate about old stones as they roll! He's even very proud to have discovered some remains from the Roman era not far from his home in southern France...

(MH with Stéphane Soupart - Photo : Etienne Tordoir)

Photo: Bill Wyman with the Rolling Stones at the Feyenoord Stadium in Rotterdam, Netherlands, on May 19, 1990