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March 1962: Place: Unknown.
Producer: Unknown.
Track status: Unavailable.
Like stars forming a constellation,
the various members embarked on their unification coming together
in 1961. Mick Jagger and Keith Richards bumped into each other at
Dartford train station in the autumn, the two having not seen each
other since primary school days. They reminisced and then, due to
records held under their arms, discovered music was their current
common denominator - Jimmy Reed, Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters, etc.
To carry records around under your arms was like declaring your
badge on your sleeve. Both knew Dick Taylor (who later founded a
successful mid-sixties R 'n' B band, The Pretty Things) and consequently
they started some rehearsals at the Jagger's home. Bob Beckwith
and Allen Etherington were their co-noise makers under the guise
of the Little Boy Blue and the Blue Boys. The seeds were sown, the
friendship renewed. In 1961, Bill Perks was forming a pub and dance
pop band who became known as The Cliftons, their drummer was Tony
Chapman. Brian Jones by comparison landed in London from the Cotswolds,
propelled by meeting Alexis Korner after a Chris Barber gig at Brian's
home-town in Cheltenham in late 1961. Brian had gained valuable
experience by playing guitar and saxophone on Duane Eddy style numbers
in the Cheltenham band the Ramrods. On Monday 19 February 1962,
The Ramrods supported The Delta Jazzmen, Danny Rivers, Mike Berry,
and The Outlaws at Cheltenham Town Hall. Brian had met Paul Pond
(later Paul Jones the front man for Manfred Mann) at parties in
London where musical ideas were swapped, but Brian proudly refused
to join Paul's band, wanting one of his own. Brian wanted to know
what Alexis Korner felt about a tape, he and Paul Pond had sent
him, but he could not remember it. As a result, Alexis listened
to Brian's guitar playing and duly impressed, invited him to London
- where Brian regularly stayed at his home. Brian had a girlfriend
and already a son which complicated his life but he eventually moved
to London in early 1962 and played occassionally with Blues Incorporated
guesting on slide guitar on his favourite Dust My Broom. In January
1962, Charlie Watts joined Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated which
featured Cyril Davies. In the late 'fifties Cyril Davies Jazz Band
had launched skiffle and the career of Lonnie Donnegan. They currently
played a mixture of jazz, rhythm and blues, even country blues and
attracted press attention in musical journals like Disc, Jazz News
and the Melody Maker. In April, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and
the band investigated the West London, Ealing Jazz Club and witnessed
the slide blues player who was guesting with the Blues Incorporated
band. After the gig they chatted with Brian Jones alias Elmo Lewis.
At that time, the Little Boy Blue and the Blue Boys recorded a number
of tracks. A reel to reel tape of these tracks was sold at Sotheby's
in 1995 by a school friend whose parents owned the reel-to-reel.
They mainly consisted of Chuck Berry covers, but also Elvis Presley's
cover of You're Right, I'm Left, She's Gone and Bobby 'Blue' Bland's
Don't Want No Woman. Mick Jagger himself was the buyer for £50,000
of 13 songs which ensured his rightful ownership. Additionally at
some point Reelin' And A Rockin' and Bright Lights, Big City were
recorded and these tracks with La Bamba and Around And Around were
sent to Alexis Korner to assist in their quest for a residency at
the Ealing Club. Dick Taylor remembers fondly the version of La
Bamba with Mick who got all the words off the record in pseudo-Spanish.
Alexis was not impressed by the recordings but still invited Mick
Jagger to sing and play harmonica on guest tracks with the Blues
Incorporated at week-ends at the Jazz Club and also at the Marquee
Jazz Club during week-days. And so Charlie Watts backed Mick Jagger
for the first time. The sixth Stone, Ian Stewart marked his time
before signing up.
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