Today is Ronnie Wood‘s 73rd birthday, and also the 45th anniversary of his first full show as a member of The Rolling Stones — June 1st, 1975 at the LSU Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, his 28th birthday.

Woody, who was also a member of The Faces at the time, replaced Mick Taylor, who had joined the band in 1969.

Listen to hear – Ronnie Wood on what he thought one of his roles would be when he joined The Rolling Stones.

“When I did come in it myself I felt, ‘Well, hopefully I’m putting some humor in here and lightening things up,’ you know. ‘Let’s try and keep this thing from going down into another crevice here. You know, into another chasm of darkness, you know.’ Happily the music rescues all.

Wood was a salaried employee until the early ’90s when he was finally made a partner.

Among the other guitarists who had auditioned or were considered as a replacement for Taylor were Peter Frampton, Jeff Beck and the late Rory Gallagher. 

The Faces finally folded up shop in December 1975.