IMO Mick Taylor was key in making the Stones "the worlds greatest rock & roll band." Not just his leads but his all around talent shaped the stones sound and songs during their peak. When he left, as I said, the stones just fell back into being just another rock and roll band.
While Mick Taylor was a major player in the blues scene of that time Ron Wood was stumbling around with the Small Faces a band that is well worth forgetting. Wood's peak was playing Bass for the Jeff Beck group, he proved himself as a fine bass player complementing Becks magnificent guitar work.
View attachment 73258