For all the glory of a number
one hit single, and a worldwide hit album
in “Beggars Banquet”, the Rolling Stones
had to face reality as a member of the
band, Brian Jones, was finished. He still
had the image. Elfin features (somewhat
bloated now by habitual excess) and trademark
bouffant blond haircut were still in place,
but his musical abilities had completely
deserted him, as had his faculties to
uphold himself as a useful member of the
entourage. At this point it was announced
that Brian Jones would be leaving the
band to explore different musical avenues.
Tragically, within a month he was found
drowned in his own swimming pool after
a late night party.
The Stones rallied. Plunging into the
studio to record a new album and single,
plus the search was on for a new guitarist
to compete for the spotlight with the
one and only Keith Richards. The list
of people who tried out for the job or
were rumored to have auditioned is endless.
To name a few: Ray Major, Luther Grosonor,
Mick Ronson, Rory Gallagher, Harrey Mandel,
Chris Spedding, Peter Frampton, Leslie
West (what would that have done for the
image of the Stones? or conversely 30
stone men across the world?), Bobby Tench,
Jeff Beck (who was rumored to have gotten
the job, but turned it down saying that
just playing three chords a night would
of bored him!! Yeah but, come on Jeff,
think of the bank account), and the one
I find the hardest to believe was our
old mate Ritchie Blackmore. Now, that
does boggle the old noodle.
Finally it was poor old John Mayall and
the Bluesbreakers that suffered again
as their line-up was ransacked for their
baby faced but brilliant lead guitarist
Mick Taylor.
So it was against this surreal backdrop
that Mick Taylor was announced as the
new Stone. He made his debut on stage
at a free festival in London’s Hyde Park
on Saturday 5th July 1969 in front of
300,000 people. Must have been quite a
wrench from playing to 200 people at the
Half Moon in Putney a month before. But
the most important thing was that the
greatest Rock ‘n’ Roll band in the world
were up and running again.
If they could just weather the negative
media, they knew they had the world at
their feet now. It was just like a prize
fighter coming out of his corner at the
beginning of a new round having taken
a battering, but with his mind clear and
his hands full of dynamite. First plan
of attack was in July the release of the
single “Honky Tonk Women”, their first
worldwide number one since “Paint It Black”
in April 1966 (Jumpin’ Jack Flash got
to number three in the States).
“Honky Tonk Women” summed up everything
that the Stones and the sixties were about.
How can you resist Jagger as he’s boasting
of “Being Dragged upstairs by some Memphis
Queen as she tried to take him for a ride”.
Now, in 1969 this was really pushing the
barriers of sensibility. In England it’s
just as likely that dear old Auntie B.B.C.
hadn’t got a clue what Mick and the boys
were on about anyway.
Put this together with perhaps one of
the most famous intros in rock music.
Charlie Watts on bassdrum and cowbell,
followed by Keith’s low down dirty guitar
riff, which leads into the whole band
lolloping in, then Mick tells his story,
which is leading into a chorus that anybody
can singalong too, and a guitar solo that
only Keith Richards could play. Pure magic.
Sounding as vibrant today as it did then
- thirty three years ago. Rock ‘n’ Roll
doesn’t get any better than this.
Almost every band in the world has covered
this song including some of the most famous
(Mott the Hoople, Humble Pie, Elton John)
but nobody can do it like the Stones.
At this stage Mick Jagger flew off to
Australia to film his first starring role
in the movies he was dreadfully miscast
as Ned Kelly. But the band re-grouped
in November for rehearsals for the all
important tour of America and the release
of “Let It Bleed”.
Pawed by Mott The Dog
Remastered by Ella Crew
E-mail: review@mott-the-dog.com
Related
Links Part
I | Part
II | Part III | Part
IV
