The Stones had a concert scheduled two days after Brian Jones’ shocking death and they already had his replacement ….guitarist Mick Taylor who was a band member 1969-1974.
Mick Taylor 10♦️ 5 ❤️ 8 ♠️
A quick look at Mick Taylor’s Birthday cards show that he was a good replacement for Brian Jones. His 10♦️ tells us he is successful, creative and surrounded by friends. We see a lot of performers with 5❤️…restless souls who are always looking for something…they love to travel and are always searching for either love or a better situation…which was an ideal personality card for Taylor when the opportunity to join the Stones was presented to him. The 8 ♠️ is a powerful work card… it takes a lot of practice to be a great guitarist
Mick Taylor’s path that led him to the Stones is an interesting story…a teachable lesson… The story goes…
Mick Taylor was 16 when he went with a group of friends to see a performance of John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers. Eric Clapton, the guitarist at the time didn’t show up for the first set…and there happened to be a lot of guitar players in the audience.
Taylor saw that Clapton’s guitar was set up and on the stage…only Clapton was missing. Taylor approached John Mayall and asked if he could play in place of Clapton…he said he knew the repertoire. Mayall agreed and the funny thing is that Taylor didn’t really consider what a break this was for him…he just wanted to play the guitar on the stage. After he played the second set with John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, he got off the stage and left before even speaking to Mayall…he had no idea that he impressed Mayall with his guitar playing.
Fast forward one year…Mayall needed a guitarist to fill the spot of Peter Green who left to start Fleetwood Mac with the other original members, Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, and Jeremy Spencer. Eric Clapton had already left the Bluesbreakers to form Cream. Take note of all these famous musicians…at the beginning of their careers!!!
Mick Taylor responded to the ”guitar wanted” ad and was welcomed into the band by Mayall, who was relieved that Taylor answered his ad. Taylor had already proven his worth…this is the lesson…when an opportunity presents itself, it’s important to recognize it and be fearless with your response. Take chances…you might be rewarded…if not…you tried and next time the outcome might be different.
The first night Mick Taylor played with the Bluesbreakers was a big event in the North London music scene…they were anxious to see the 17 yr old… the kid replacing Eric Clapton. Taylor didn’t disappoint and was a Bluesbreaker till 1969… He left when he was asked to replace Brian Jones and join the Rolling Stones
Mick Taylor’s debut with the Rolling Stones was 7/5/1969…two days after the death of Brian Jones. 250K people attended that concert which became a tribute to Jones.
Mick Taylor’s contribution to the Stones shouldn’t be overlooked…despite his participation in the band was only five out of sixty years. Taylor brought his stellar guitar playing to the Stones…leading to their most creative years. Taylor played on Let it Bleed, Sticky Fingers, Exile on Main Street and Goats Head Soup… his melodic playing style was a great asset on both the stage and in the recording studio. In an interview, Keith Richards said that since Mick Taylor was a serious guitarist, he strove to write songs with that were more interesting ….music Taylor wouldn’t get bored with.
Richards continues to go on and say at a different time, “we did the most brilliant stuff together, some of the most brilliant stuff the Stones ever did. Everything was there in his playing — the melodic touch, a beautiful sustain and a way of reading a song.”
By 1974 Mick Taylor was having issues with Keith Richards and ended up leaving the Stones…
He made it very musical. He was a very fluent, melodic player, which we never had, and we don’t have now. Neither Keith nor Ronnie Wood (who replaced Taylor) plays that kind of style. It was very good for me working with him …. Mick Taylor would play very fluid lines against my vocals. He was exciting, and he was very pretty, and it gave me something to follow, to bang off. Some people think that’s the best version of the band that existed”.[17] Asked if he agreed with that assessment, Jagger said: “I obviously can’t say if I think Mick Taylor was the best, because it sort of trashes the period the band is in now.”[18]Charlie Watts stated: “I think we chose the right man for the job at that time just as Ronnie was the right man for the job later on. I still think Mick is great. I haven’t heard or seen him play in a few years. But certainly what came out of playing with him are musically some of the best things we’ve ever done”.[19][page needed] In an October 2002 Guitar World interview, Richards reflected on his relationship with Taylor: “Mick Taylor and I worked really well together … He had some lovely energy. Sweetly sophisticated playing, way beyond his years. Lovely sense of melody. I never understood why he left the Stones. Nor does he, I think … I had no desire to see him go.”[20] Taylor later admitted in the 2012 documentary Crossfire Hurricane that he left because he wanted to protect his family from the drug culture surrounding the band. He further stated that in order to stay alive and fight his own demons (Taylor had turned into a drug addict himself by 1973), he needed to escape the realm of the Stones.[21]
After the 1973 European tour, Richards’ drug problems had worsened and begun to compromise the band’s ability to function.[11] Between recording sessions, the band members were living in various countries as UK income tax exiles, and during this period Taylor appeared on Herbie Mann‘s London Underground (1974) and also on Mann’s album Reggae (1974).
Fun Facts: MIck Taylor was ranked 37th in Rolling Stone magazine’s 2011 list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time.
It's always in the cards... 