Well the venue itself has declined to take part - apparently the current owners of the famed villa at Nellcote refused filming permission for the new doco. It's on TV this coming Sunday BTW, worth a look I think. I should imagine it's mainly Mick, Keef and Charlie doing the talking.

Poor Bill! Let's take a moment to remember just one of the man's many career highlights...

Which is built on quotes by the current members and seen as a official biography. It is possible that both Bill (who of course wrote his own book) and Taylor declined to be apart of this biography. It is also possible that they were, as you say, airbrushed.

Ronnie Wood appears from the start though, even if he didn´t really joined the line up until half way in.

Would have been nice to hear what Taylor felt about his years in the band. He probably is the greatest guitarist they´ve had. Even Richards hints at this in the book.

These games continue with the new packaging. The expanded edition of EoMS has no facial shots of Bill or Mick in the booklet.

Also a shame that they've dropped the iconic shot of Mick'n'Keef sharing a mic stand and a bottle of whiskey from the packaging.

Still, the music's pretty damn good.

Watch Gimme Shelter and see if you can spot either of those two in that.

Speaking of Stones packaging - Guy Peelaert's cover for It's Only Rock'n'Roll: what are the Stones figures based on? I seem to remember seeing a picture of BIlly the Kid once which seems to have inspired the painting of Keef on the cover (and presumably to have an 'outlaw' subtext) - and I think Jagger's head has basically been stuck on top of some movie gangster - similarly with Charlie. But I can't place Wyman's outfit - unless it's Chico Marx. But whose is Mick Taylor's duffle coat? PLease help - this has bothered me for years.

I thought that leaving one of their 8 No. 1s off 'Forty Licks' reeked of airbrushing Brian out of the picture.
All the other seven were on there and 'Little Red Rooster' was their ultimate blues recording before the Jagger/Richard songs kicked in.

If I remember correctly, Wyman does not appear on several tracks on the record. someone called Bill Plummer is on double bass instead.

Frankly couldn't care less about Bill Wyman. But the difficulty in obtaining the first solo album by Mick Taylor on CD is a disgrace. It is available for a "limb". CBS label on my vinyl copy.

the Stones were never the same after Mick Taylor left. And Bill Wyman was a great bass player. No, really. He never played more than he needed to. And that bass line on 'Jumping Jack Flash' is just terrific. It must be brutal being Ron Wood, knowing you're a member of the world's biggest band but all their best work is behind them.

And as for Bill not being on several 'Exile' tracks. Throughout their career the band used whoever happened to be around. There's several tracks that Keith isn't on for that matter.

Taylor is flying.