Flashback: Axl Rose Joins the Rolling Stones for ‘Salt of the Earth’
The Rolling Stones wrapped up their 1989 American tour with a three-night stand at Atlantic City’s Convention Center. The second show was broadcast on pay-per-view, so they brought in John Lee Hooker, Eric Clapton and Axl Rose to help boost sales. Hooker joined them on his signature song “Boogie Chillen’,” Clapton opted for “Little Red Rooster” and Rose requested “Salt of the Earth.” The group hadn’t played the Beggars Banquet deep cut since the Rock and Roll Circus in 1968, but they were up for the challenge.
The shows marked the final time that bassist Bill Wyman played with the Rolling Stones in America. He carried on with the band through the 1990 overseas dates, but quit before their next tour. He returned to the band last year for their 50th anniversary shows in London, but was missing when the tour came to America. No reason was given for his absence, though he recently told the Times of London that he was disappointed by his minimal involvement in the show. “I thought I would get quite heavily involved,” he said. “So when they said they only wanted me to do two songs I was a bit disappointed. I only had one rehearsal and no sound-check, so I just winged it. It was great, but I didn’t want to go to America for two songs. I think they understood. Well, Charlie did.”