On a Roll

Tony Chapman, their drummer, had been playing in another band called the Cliftons and said he knew a bassist who had his own equipment. He brought that friend, Bill Perks, to see the Stones play one day. Perks was older than the Stones, having been born in 1936, and was already married with a child. He had previously been a member of the Royal Air Force (RAF) and was working a day job at an engineering firm. As a musician, he had learned to play the clarinet and organ at a young age, and he had picked up bass guitar in the army while stationed in Germany.

When Perks came around to see the Stones, he struck up a conversation with Ian Stewart, and they discussed the band's need for a new bass player. Two days later, Perks went to a rehearsal at the Weatherby Arms pub. There was not much chemistry between Perks and the boys, but there was enough. Also, he got along well with Stu, as they were older (Stu was born in 1938) and quite a bit more conservative than Brian and the others. Perks began using the stage name Lee Whyman (after a friend from the RAF) and later changed it to Bill Wyman. In a short while, he was their new bassist. Now if only they had a better drummer…