Today: The late Brian Jones passed away in 1969 – 43 years ago

From Wikipedia:

Lewis Brian Hopkins Jones (28 February 1942 – 3 July 1969), was an English musician and a founder member of The Rolling Stones.

Jones’ main instruments were the guitar and the harmonica, but he played a wide variety of other musical instruments and was a talented multi-instrumentalist. His innovative use of traditional or folk instruments, such as the sitar and marimba, was integral to the changing sound of the band.


 

Originally the leader of the group, Jones’ fellow bandmembers Mick Jagger and Keith Richards soon overshadowed him; especially after they became a successful songwriting team. He developed a serious drug abuse problem over the years and his role in the band steadily diminished. He was asked to leave the Rolling Stones in June 1969 and guitarist Mick Taylor took his place in the group. Jones died less than a month later by drowning in the swimming pool at his home on Cotchford Farm in East Sussex.

Original Stones bassist Bill Wyman stated about Jones: “…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.”

The Rolling Stones – “Carol” – 1964:

In the spirit of Brian Jones.. and considering that the crucial blues masterpiece “Muddy Waters at Newport 1960” also has it’s birthday, I choose this album as album of the day:

Other July-03:

  • At Newport 1960 is a live album by Muddy Waters performed at Newport Jazz Festival in Newport, Rhode Island with his backing band, consisting of Otis Spann (piano, vocals), Pat Hare (guitar), James Cotton (harmonica), Andrew Stevens (bass) and Francis Clay (drums), in July 3. Water’s performances across Europe in the 50s and at Newport helped popularize blues to broader audience, especially to whites. The album is often said to be one of the first blues live albums.
    Released November 15, 1960 (US)
    Recorded July 3, 1960
    Genre Chicago blues
    Length 32:38
    Label MCA/Chess
    Producer Leonard Chess
  • Fred McDowell (January 12, 1904 – July 3, 1972) known by his stage name; Mississippi Fred McDowell, was an American Hill country blues singer and guitar player.
  • James Douglas “Jim” Morrison (December 8, 1943 – July 3, 1971) was the lead singer and lyricist of the rock band The Doors, as well as a poet. Following The Doors’ explosive rise to fame in 1967, Morrison developed a severe alcohol and drug dependency that culminated in his death at the age of 27 in Paris. He is alleged to have died from an overdose of heroin, but as no autopsy was performed, the exact cause of his death is still disputed.
  • White Blood Cells is the third studio album by American alternative rock duo The White Stripes, released on July 3, 2001. Recorded in less than one week at Easley-McCain Recording in Memphis, Tennessee, and produced by frontman and guitarist Jack White, it was the band’s final record released independently on Sympathy for the Record Industry. Bolstered by the hit single “Fell in Love with a Girl“, the record propelled The White Stripes into early commercial popularity and critical success. In 2012, Rolling Stone ranked the album at number 497 on its list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
    Released July 3, 2001
    Recorded February 2001 at Easley-McCain Recording, Memphis, Tennessee
    Genre Garage rock, alternative rock,punk blues
    Length 40:25
    Label Sympathy
    V2
    Third Man
    XL
    Producer Jack White

     

-Egil

2 thoughts on “Today: The late Brian Jones passed away in 1969 – 43 years ago”

  1. Brian was great musician
    If it was not for Brian there would not be rolling Stones according to Bill Wyman
    Sad day 3 July every year
    I am lucky to own 2 of guitars

  2. I have followed the Rolling Stones since I was 12 yrs old, living in NYC. Anytime the Stones came to town, my friend and I would find out what hotel they were staying in and wait, just wait to get a glimpse of them, Brian was the founder and leader of the Stones, most talented and the most handsome, I remember the day Brian Jones passed away, a very sad day for me, I still prey for him and think of him, 45 yrs later!

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