In any great band, the real magic happens when everyone plays like a musical family—supporting one another, pushing boundaries, and turning even backstage clashes into studio gold. That’s been the heart of The Rolling Stones for decades. While Keith Richards could roll with any version of the band, he knew something special faded whenever a key player left.
To fans, the central force has always been Richards and Mick Jagger—a bond that’s outlasted every lineup change. Their musical brotherhood is practically telepathic: Richards crafts riffs, Jagger twists them into lyrics, and together they’ve written rock history. Even when their personal dynamic has been rocky, the music stayed undeniable.
Their 2023 album Hackney Diamonds might not top their classics, but it shows the spark is still alive. The absence of longtime drummer Charlie Watts was deeply felt, but Steve Jordan—who understands Richards’ rhythm like few others—proved the perfect fit. Still, for all the moving parts, the band’s soul has always been in the guitars.
Originally, that meant Brian Jones—the man who named the band and led them through their blues beginnings. But when the creative center shifted to the “Glimmer Twins,” Jones grew disillusioned and drifted out. His departure was a heavy blow, but what came next was electric.
Enter Mick Taylor.
Taylor wasn’t a showman like Jones. He was fluid, melodic, and gave The Stones a new depth. On Beggars Banquet, Richards handled most of the leads, but Taylor’s arrival transformed the next run of records—Sticky Fingers, Exile on Main St.—into loose, groove-laden masterpieces. His playing on “Moonlight Mile” and the jammed-out tail end of “Can’t You Hear Me Knockin’” felt like lightning in a bottle.
Though Ronnie Wood later stepped in and proved a reliable partner, Richards never stopped admiring Taylor’s brilliance—or wondering what might have been. “His touch and his tone and his melodic ideas wow me,” Richards once reflected. “I never understood why he left. He’s always been a little restless… If he had to leave, I’d hoped it would be for bigger and better things.”
Taylor’s exit wasn’t about conflict—it was about inner restlessness. But that didn’t make it any easier for Richards. Taylor wasn’t just a great guitarist; he unlocked something in the band that couldn’t be replicated. The groove, the improvisation, the magic—it was all there in those few short years.
You can carry on. You can hire someone new. But you never forget the way a musician made you feel when everything clicked—and that’s something Keith Richards will always hold onto.
