3 Times Legendary Artists Almost Joined the Lineup for Your Favorite Rock Bands

Did you know that these artists nearly joined legendary rock bands? The actual lineups of these bands were powerful enough, but if these “what-ifs” did come to fruition, rock music would likely never be the same. Did you know these bands were almost filled with even more star power than they already have?

Eric Clapton and The Beatles

Eric Clapton famously played on The Beatles‘ “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”. But it was almost much more than that. When George Harrison briefly quit The Beatles during the Let It Be sessions, Clapton was considered as his replacement in the rock band. John Lennon projected that if “George doesn’t come back by Monday or Tuesday, we ask Eric Clapton to play.”

It ultimately proved unnecessary when Harrison returned to finish his tenure with the band. Still, if the guitarist had decided to leave the band for good, Clapton would’ve been an interesting addition. His particular guitar prowess would’ve taken the Beatles in a new direction. Instead of pop-forward, psychedelic melodies, Clapton would’ve kept the band grounded in bluesy riffs.

Jeff Beck and The Rolling Stones

When Mick Taylor left The Rolling Stones, Jeff Beck was considered to take his place. While their star power certainly matches up in modernity, their musical styles ended up being at odds with one another. Beck liked more structure than this rock band offered in their rehearsals. Moreover, Beck’s jazzy style didn’t complement The Stones’ loose, often chaotic musicality.

[RELATED: 4 Rolling Stones Songs Where Mick Jagger’s Falsetto Got a Workout]

“I think things have worked out better this way; I couldn’t be happier really,” Beck once said when talking about his turning down The Stones. Beck was able to explore his unique musicality while The Stones continued their raucous, effervescent style.

Eric Clapton and The Rolling Stones

Circling back to Clapton, he also almost joined The Rolling Stones. He was also on the shortlist of artists to replace Mick Taylor. He also was nearly tapped after Brian Jones, making him a near miss on multiple occasions.

Clapton has been a part of many rock bands in his career. The Stones would’ve been a powerful addition to his list of collaborators. But in hindsight, Clapton would’ve eventually become too big a name to be just a guitarist, not a frontman, making him and The Stones an unlikely success. Things likely worked out for the best that Clapton stayed a peer.

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