THE ROLLING STONES’ OTHER MICK | MICK TAYLOR’S SUBSTANCE OVER STYLE

The epic pic, “Flapjacks and a Fag.” – The Rolling Stones’ Mick Taylor and Keith Richards, Hotel Manchester, September, 1973 — Photo by Laurens Van Houten

At the wee age of 20 years old, guitarist Mick Taylor (of John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers fame) replaced B.JONES in what as that time the greatest rock and roll band in the world– the Rolling Stones. Well the best was yet to come, as they went on to record the epic musical masterpieces– Let It Bleed, Sticky Fingers and Exile On Main Street.

Then suddenly in ’74, Mick dropped out. Some say he was kicked out– but Taylor simply had enough of the chaos, drugs, and strain that came with being in the Stones. Had he stayed, Taylor adamantly believes that the Stones’ life of debauchery would have killed him.

__________________________________________________________________

Mick Taylor of the Rolling Stones
*

The one thing no one argues, not even the Stone’s themselves, is that Mick Taylor’s musical prowess far surpassed that of his former band mates. His fluid and bluesy guitar work held the group together through many of Richards’ drug and alcohol binges. The irony is that many fans unwittingly attribute much of Mick Taylor’s picking on countless Stones’ classics from ’69-’74 to guitar frontman, Keith Richards.

Back in ’82, the Stone’s management cut-off royalties due to Taylor for his work with the band– essentially screwing him. Adding insult to injury, they threw this tasty gem in the recently released documentary “Stones in Exile”–

Bassist Bill Wyman declares, “Musically he (Mick Taylor) was a better musician than the other guys in the band. Some of the things he did was amazing but he was incredibly boring onstage. He’d do the most amazing licks, riffs and solos but he’d just stand there and look at his guitar. God, the audience would see the top of his head all the time. I always thought he could’ve been a bit more… but then I’m not a good one to talk. I don’t leap about much. In 30 years with The Stones I’ve probably made three steps on the stage.”

Mick Taylor, Keith Richards, and Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones.
*
*

September 1970, Paris, France — Mick Jagger, guitarist Mick Taylor and drummer Charlie Watts from the Rolling Stones during a press conference before their concert at Palais des Sports. — Image by © Jean Louis Atlan/Sygma/Corbis
*
*

Mick Taylor with the Rolling Stones
*
*

Mick Taylor with the Rolling Stones
*
*

Mick Taylor with the Rolling Stones — Image by © Chris Walter
*
*

October 1969, Los Angeles — The Rolling Stones’ Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Bill Wyman, Mick Taylor, and Charlie Watts. — Image by © Henry Diltz/CORBIS

September 11th, 1973, Frankfurt, Germany — (Original caption) A lot of young people will recognize this young man who has had a lot of influence in recent years. For the rest of us, this is Mick Jagger (and Mick Taylor on right) of the Rolling Stones. He’s arriving in Frankfurt for the start of the German leg of his rock troupe’s 1973 European tour. — Image by © Bettmann/CORBIS
*
*

June 13th, 1969, Westminster, London — (Original caption) Here is the new Rolling Stones line-up. Mick Taylor (second from left), a young lead guitarist, has just joined the pop group in place of Brian Jones, who quit after disagreement on music policy. The group is shown at Hyde Park. Left to Right: Drummer Charlie Watts, Mick Taylor, lead singer Mick Jagger, guitarist Keith Richard and bass-player Bill Wyman. — Image by © Bettmann/CORBIS

Jimi Hendrix and Mick Taylor of the Rolling Stones

Mick Taylor with the John Mayall Bluesbreakers