Music Diary – 28th February

Welcome to my Music Diary – today for the 28th February!

Brian Jones (28th February 1942 – 3rd July 1969)

 

Happy birthday to Mr. Lewis Brian Hopkin Jones, who was born on the 28th February 1942 in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire (UK)!

At the age of 17, Brian received his first acoustic guitar from his parents as a birthday present. After quitting school, Jones moved to London, where he he crossed paths with people like Alexis Korner, Paul Jones and Jack Bruce. In 1962, Brian Jones was searching for musicians to found his own band. First, pianist Ian „Stu“ Stewart came along and shortly after that, singer Mick Jagger and guitarist Keith Richards joined. And the group was called after the Muddy Waters song „Rollin‘ Stone“. On the 12th July 1962, the first live performance took place at the Marquee Club in London. Beside Jones, Jagger, Richards and Stewart, the line-up was completed by bassist Dick Taylor and drummer Tony Chapman. On the 7th December 1962, Bill Wyman replaced Taylor and in January 1963 Charlie Watts took over the place from Chapman behind the drums.

Bill Wyman about Brian Jones and The Rolling Stones: „He formed the band. He chose the members. He named the band. He chose the music we played. He got us gigs. Very influential, very important, and then slowly lost it – highly intelligent – and just kind of wasted it and blew it all away.“

Brian Jones lost more and more the control of the band, because Jagger and Richards became the songwriting team of the Stones. Brian slipped into heavy drug problems over the years and in June 1969 he left the band and Mick Taylor became his substitute. Only one month later, Brian Jones was found dead in his swimming pool. On the 3rd July 1969 he passed away at the age of 27.

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Music Diary – 14th February

Welcome to my Music Diary – today for the 14th February!

On the 14th February 1970, The Who recorded their legendary show in Leeds. The band performed at the local University. „Live At Leeds“ was released three months later on the 16th May 1970 and it’s still considered as one of the best live albums ever.

The original tracklist (six songs) on the first LP pressing features the classics „My Generation„, „Magic Bus„, „Substitute“ and also the cover versions of „Young Man Blues„, „Summertime Blues“ and „Shakin‘ All Over„.

Beside the outstanding recording, the packaging was also a real eyecatcher. Issued as a bootleg LP, the gatefold sleeve housed a package with12 facsimiles of various memorabilia. Also two photos, a poster and handwritten notes was enclosed.

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Music Diary – 7th February

Welcomte to my Music Diary – today for the 7th February!

On the 7th February 1969, The Who recorded one of their signature songs at Morgan Studio’s in London, UK: „Pinball Wizard„, which was produced by Kit Lambert. Written by guitarist Pete Townshend, this track was also featured on the legendary Rock opera double album „Tommy„. Released on the 7th March, the single reached No. 4 in the UK and No. 19 in the USA.

For the flip side, The Who recorded an instrumental called „Dogs (Part Two)“, which was written by drummer Keith Moon.

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Music Diary – 28th January

Welcome to my Music Diary – today for the 28th January!

Dick Taylor (The Rolling Stones, The Pretty Things)

Happy birthday to Mr. Richard Clifford „Dick“ Taylor, who was born on the 28th January 1943 in Dartford, Kent (UK). Dick was the first bass player for The Rolling Stones back in 1962 and founded one year later the legendary The Pretty Things!

In the sixties, guitarist Dick Taylor attended the Sidcup Art College in London and during that time, he played with singer Mick Jagger and guitarist Keith Richards together in a group called „Little Boy Blue And The Blue Boys“. In July 1962 the trio joined Brian Jones and Ian Stewart, who founded the band „Rollin‘ Stones“. Since two guitarists were in the line-up, Dick took over the bass part. In November 1962, Dick Taylor left the band and returned to art college. Mr. Bill Wyman took over the place in December of the same year and became the new member of the now called The Rolling Stones.

In September 1963, Dick Taylor founded his own band The Pretty Things. Beside him as the guitarist, vocalist Phil May, Brian Pendleton on rhythm guitar, bassist John Stax and Pete Kitley on drums completed the line-up. They recorded over 10 studio albums and are still active and performing. Dick Taylor worked also with other bands, like The Mekons, and he produced Hawkwind’s self-titled debut album in 1970.

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Music Diary – 17th January

Welcome to my Music Diary – today for the 17th January!

Happy birthday to Mr. Michael Kevin „Mick“ Taylor, who was born on the 17th January 1949 in Welwyn Garden City (later raised in Hatfield, Hertfordshire – UK). Mick became very famous as the second guitarist for The Rolling Stones from 1969 until 1974. During this time the legendary milestons „Let It Bleed“ (1969), „Sticky Fingers“ (1971) and „Exile on Main St.“ (1972) were released.

Mick Taylor started playing guitar at the age of nine and as a teenager he formed various bands – one of these groups was called The Juniors and the Strangers. With this formation he had a television appearance and also a single was released. After the break-up, The Gods were founded, which featured also Ken Hensley (later memeber of Uriah Heep) and the Glascock brothers Brian (drums) and John (bass – he later joined Jethro Tull). In 1966 this very young and encouraging band did the support for the supergroup Cream at the Starlite Ballroom in Wembley. In May 1967 Mick Taylor left the band and joined John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, replacing guitarist Peter Green, who was going to found Fleetwood Mac.

One year later, when The Rolling Stones fired Brian Jones in June 1969, John Mayall recommended Taylor to frontman Mick Jagger. During the rehearsing sessions, Keith Richards was very impressed and Taylor became a new member of the Stones. On the 5th July 1969, at the legendary free concert in Hyde Park (London), Mick Taylor had his onstage debut – just three days after Brian Jones had died.

Mick Taylor recorded – beside the mentioned master pieces – also the other two Rolling Stones studio albums „Goats Head Soup“ (1973) and „It’s Only Rock ’n Roll“ (1974). And his outstanding playing is also featured on the live LP „Get Yer Ya-Yas Out!“ (1970).

In December 1974, Mick Taylor announced his leaving. One month before, Taylor told Nick Kent from the „NME“ magazine about the upcoming LP „It’s only Rock’n’Roll“, that he had also co-written the tracks „Till the Next Goodbye“ and „Time Waits for No One„, but there were no songwriting credits for Taylor on the sleeve noted:

„I was a bit peeved about not getting credit for a couple of songs, but that wasn’t the whole reason [I left the band]. I guess I just felt like I had enough. I decided to leave and start a group with Jack Bruce. I never really felt, and I don’t know why, but I never felt I was gonna stay with the Stones forever, even right from the beginning“, Taylor in an inteview with Gary James. Before that, there were also some discussions about song credits: „We used to fight and argue all the time. And one of the things I got angry about was that Mick had promised to give me some credit for some of the songs – and he didn’t. I believed I’d contributed enough. Let’s put it this way – without my contribution those songs would not have existed. There’s not many but enough, things like „Sway“ and „Moonlight Mile“ on Sticky Fingers and a couple of others.“ (from an interview with „Mojo“ magazine in 1997).

After he quit the Stones, Mick Taylor started his solo career and in 1979 his self titled debut was released. He also worked with other musicians and bands like Jack Bruce, Bob Dylan, Mike Oldifield, Little Feat, Grateful Dead or Eric Clapton.
Taylor also performed and recorded again with Keith Richards on his solo album „Talk is Cheap“ (1988) and The Rolling Stones. In 2013, during the „50 & Counting“ North American tour of the Stones, Mick Taylor joined the band every single night for a couple of songs.

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Music Diary – 15th January

Welcome to my Music Diary – today for the 15th January!

On the 15th January 1965, the very first single by The Who was released in the UK. „I can’t explain“ (with „Bald Headed Woman“ on the flip side). The song, written by guitarist Pete Townshend, went on No. 8 on the UK chart. The recording session was produced by Shel Talmy and beside The Who, some guest appearences are featured on the single: The British vocal trio The Ivy League and Perry Ford on piano can be also heard on „I can’t explain“. It was also the rumour, that Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page added some rhythm guitar parts, but this is still not really proved.

 

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Music Diary – 18th December

Welcome to my Music Diary – today for the 18th December!

Keith Richards & Bobby Keys (THE ROLLING STONES)

This day is a very special one, because two great musicians have their birthdays on the same day. Well, I mean EXACTLY on the same day! And – both are Rolling Stones: Mr. Keith Richards and Robert Henry „Bobby“ Keys were born on the 18th December 1943! Or as it Keith pointed it out in his book „Life„: „We were born approximately at the same time, certainly in different cities: He in Lubbock (Texas, USA), me in Dartford (Kent, UK). My best friend Bobby Keys.“

More about this fact (from the offical tourbook „Voodoo Lounge – World Tour1994/1995″):

„Born on the same day, month and year as Keith Richards, Texas Saxman Bobby Keys was made to play with the Stones. He made his debut – and introduced horns on the Stones sound – on the song ‚Live with me‚ off 1969’s ‚Let it Bleed‚ album. But it’s his distinctive blend with Keith’s guitar on ‚Brown Sugar‚ riff two years later that really made him indispensable, although Keys calls it a one-take special. He says, he first met the band long before he began recording and touring with them. ‚I met the Stones when I played with Bobby Vee back in 1963′, he says. ‚It was their first trip to the USA. I met them in San Antonio, Texas, at the ‚Dick Clarke Teenage World Fair‘.“

Bobby Keys passed away on the 2nd December 2014. Keith has twittered this note on that very sad day:

(c) Twitter (Keith Richards)

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Music Diary – 11th December

Welcomt to my Music Diary – today for the 11th December!

Happy birthday to bass player Darryl Jones, who was born on the 11th December 1961 in Chicago! Also called „The Munch“, Darryl started his career as a session man. One of the first recordings he did with Vince Wilburn Jr, who was the nephew of Jazz musician Miles Davis. At that time Miles was looking for a new bass player and so Vince vouched for him. The consequence: Trumpet player Miles Davis mentored Darry Jones and gave him his first touring gig in 1983. Jones‘ bass playing can be heard on the two albums „Decoy“ (1984) and „You’re Under Arrest“ (1985). Over the years Darryl Jones recorded with a lot of great musicians of all genres, like Herbie Hancock, Mike Stern, John Scofield, Bob Dylan, Cher, Sting, Peter Gabriel, Madonna, Eric Clapton and Joan Armatrading.

In 1993 he joined The Rolling Stones and replaced Billy Wyman. Since he has started working for Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, he played on the Stones albums „Voodoo Lounge“ (1994), „Bridges to Babylon“ (1997) and „A Bigger Bang“ (2005). His playing is also featured on the live LPs „Stripped“ (1995), „No Security“ (ed. 1998), „Live Licks“ (ed. 2004), „Shine a Light“ (2006) and „Hyde Park Live“ (2013) and  for the Stones.  Darryl Jones is also a member of the Musical band Stone Raiders.

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Music Diary – 20th November

Welcome to my Music Diary – today for the 20th November!

Keith Moon (The Who)

On the 20th November 1973 the Who drummer Keith Moon collapsed during a concert at the Cow Palace in Dale City, near to San Francisco. After approximately one hour, Moon began to falter during „Won’t Get Fooled Again„, slumped over his drum kit and passed finally out. He was carried offstage by the roadies.

Backstage the drummer received a special treatment and meanwhile guitarist Pete Townshend asked the crowd: „Can anybody play the drums? I mean somebody good!“ Scot Halpin, also a drummer, and his friend Mike Danese watched the scene, while Danese told the security staff, that the 19 years old Scot can play. Bill Graham, the concert promoter, asked: „Can you do it?“. After Halpin’s „Yes“, he filled in for Keith and played. After a Brandy he started while Townshend instructed him: „I’m going to lead you. I’m going to cue you.“ So the Who had a new member for three songs. They played the Blues standards Smokestack Lightning“ and „Spoonful“ before going into the Who song „Naked Eye„. So after approximately thirty minutes of absence, Keith Moon came back on stage to finish the show.

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Music Diary – 13th November

Welcome to my Music Diary – today for the 13th November!

On the 13th November 1964 the Rolling Stones single „Little Red Rooster“ was released. The single became a No. 1 hit in the UK. The song is a cover version of the Blues classic by Willie Dixon and it was also recorded by musicians like Howlin‘ Wolf and Sam Cooke.

The Rolling Stones recorded the song on 2nd September 1964 and it was produced by Andrew Loog Oldham. For the b-side the track „Off the Hook“ was chosen.

For the Rolling Stones biographer Sean Egan it was a „Brian Jones‚ record. He was always the biggest Blues purist in the band.“ And bass player Bill Wyman remembers the recording: „‚Little Red Rooster'“ was a slow, intense Blues song, totally uncommercial and wrong for our new-found fame. The tempo made the track virtually undanceable.“ And Mick Jagger recalls: „The reason we recorded ‚Little Red Rooster‘ isn’t because we want to bring Blues to the masses. We’ve been going on and on about blues, so we thought it was about time we stopped talking and did something about it. We liked that particular song, so we released it.“

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