Bill Wyman Reveals How It Took Two Years for The Rolling Stones To Realize He Quit

While one of six children growing up, Bill Wyman watched as his love for music landed him on the stage with the Rolling Stones. Playing bass for the iconic rock band, the musician helped shape numerous albums. Working on 19 albums with the band, Wyman gained entry into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Rolling Stones in 1989. Although enjoying his time on stage and touring with the band, Wyman eventually left the group. But according to the musician, it took nearly two years for the Rolling Stones to learn he quit.

Speaking with the Daily Mirror, Wyman opened up about his time with the Rolling Stones and how he still dreamed of touring with them. But at one point in his life, he wanted to depart from the group to explore other professions. And that time came in 1991. He said, “I left in 1991 but they would not believe me. They refused to accept I had left. It was not until 1993, when they were starting to get together to tour in 1994, when they said, ‘You have actually now left, haven’t you?’ And I said, ‘I left two years ago’. They finally accepted it, so they say I left in 1993.”

[RELATED: Ex-Rolling Stones Bassist Bill Wyman Releases New Illustrated Book ‘Billy in the Wars’]

As for his reasoning for quitting one of the most iconic bands, “I just had enough. It was half my life and I thought, ‘I have got other things I want to do’. I wanted to do archaeology, write books, have photo exhibitions and play charity cricket. I used to read about ancient cultures while I was on the road and take photos as well. I just had this whole other life I wanted to live.”

Bill Wyman Still Dreams Of Touring

An avid collector, Wyman made sure to document his time with the Rolling Stones with a mesmerizing archive. “I’ve an archive of the Stones too. I’ve got a library that I created of everything that has happened to me. I wanted to keep an archive of the Stones to show my son I was once in a band.”

As mentioned above, Wyman explained how he still dreams of being on the road with the band. “The weird thing is ever since I’ve left, up until the present day, I still dream I’m on tour, like we are in a dressing room or we are in a hotel.” He continued, “I still dream those dreams and I dream of other friends like David Bowie. They are all very nice but very confusing.” 

(Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)