I think that the Stones rendition of "Sympathy for the Devil" highlights Jones' growing irrelevance and it's quite sad for the once leader of the band. Here he makes no contribution merely shaking his maraccas while Keith does his searing solos, Mick displays (as usual) his showman talents, Charlie and Bill man the drums and bass competently. It's quite depressing watching Jones' slow decline that would within a year result in his death.
share[deleted]
I actually thought Brian Jones did a good job on the slide guitar on "No Expectations". He was ignored on the other songs and on "Jumping Jack Flash" it looks as if his guitar is not even turned on. Oddly enough, he was allowed to sit as the third person of importance after Mick and Keith during the great finale "Salt Of The Earth".
share[deleted]
One thing: He wasn't "relegated to slide guitar" at all. Legend has it that Brain Jones was one of the first people in England (or at least London) to actually know how to play blues slide. Until then, it had only been heard there on American records.
share[deleted]
Yeah, it's a well known fact that Brian Jones (Wilson?! Beach Boys forum is that-a-way. -> ) was a pathetic disaster waiting to implode when RnR Circus was made. But I don't think that has anything to do with how the songs were arranged for live performance. I can see the logic in thiking he was "relegated" to maracas, but not slide guitar. People aren't relegated to slide, it something a master has to step up to and say "I'll do it."
shareOn "The Kids Are Alright" DVD, Roger Daltrey expresses the opinion that Jagger and Richards withheld the release of RnR Circus because of Jones and his decline, and not because they were upstaged by the Who. After seeing the Stones on the RnR Circus. I can agree wth that.
I watched with glee while your kings and queens fought for ten decades for the God they made.
I noticed, too, that sometimes, the camera pulled away or maybe that was editing. Too bad for a star of his caliber and good looks! Too bad he didn't get the help he needed. Maybe something like the Stones was too much for him, becoming almost an athletic event. Brian had missed a lot of shows by then. I felt, looking at Mick, that he was not even noticing Brian, just focusing on the future.
"Two more swords and I'll be Queen of the Monkey People." Roseanne
...on a slightly related topic, can anyone shed any light on who plays what on "jig-saw puzzle" on beggar`s banquet? everyone always says brian was largely absent for the recording, but the slide + ~something~ guitar sounds like him...
share[deleted]
It was striking how wasted Brian looked, especially in the beginning of the "Salt of the Earth" finale. Even though at that time I'm sure his drug consumption was higher in comparison to Keef's and Mick's, as contrast, Mick was startlingly alive and calculatingly precise in his perfomance, staring down the camera and daring you to look away. Hell, Keef was completely comprehensible as he sang "Salt of the Earth". Makes you wonder what kind of contributions Jones could have made if he reduced his drug usage.
http://saucybetty.blogspot.com
He goes back to himself of old when he plays that real sweet slide solo on No Expectations. He plays rhythm guitar on most songs. And no, Brian plays very little on Beggers. Slide on above song, sitar on Street Fighting Man and recorder on some other song. Contributes to the " ooh.ooh's on Sympathy. It's a very sad story on his decline. Though at the time of his death he was calling people and wanting to start a band, had a new girlfriend and was looking ahead.
share[deleted]
I think that the best album is Their Satanic Majesties Request, and it's Brian Jone's album! He does everything! He was so unique and it's sad that he isn't remembered, some people don't even know from his existence! Sooooo SAD!
share[deleted]
From what I understand, by this point Brian Jones was so vastly unreliable as a musician because of his addictions that it's a bit of good fortune that he was allowed to appear at all. Mick had spent the greater part of that day trying to pull Brian together--he was going off into great bursts of uncontrollable tears and was stoned out of his mind (as was Keith, and who was having his OWN set of problems, but could still pull it together enough to play), and it dragged the filming out interminably. The footage of the Stones was shot at something like five in the morning of the following day, and Mick had been breaking his hump for almost 24 hours at that point. But he was (and is) a pro--and he kept the rest of them going to be able to produce something that was, IMO, brilliant.
I feel as badly as anyone that Brian went the way he did--but no one can accuse Mick of not helping him, at the risk of sacrificing his own career just to keep Brian as front and center as was possible at the time.
According to most accounts by this time Brian could barely play because of his drug use. Still he manages some excellent slide so he couldnt have been that out of it. There is a lot of good footage of his contribution to the Stones elsewhere. Several appearances on Ed Sullivan with Brian playing sitar on Paint it Black, recorder on Ruby Tuesday and blues harp on Little Red Rooster. Also a performance on Ready Steady Go showing him on marimbas for Under My Thumb. There is evidence enough of his enormous contribution to the Stones . He made good songs even better and more memorable.
Actually at the time of his death Brian was paranoid about going to jail. So his imbibing was real minimal. No drugs whatsover. Maybe a few cocktails. He wanted to start a real blues/rock band. He'd recently got really into Creedence. And that was giving him some inspiration. Anyway, Keith and Mick are complete hypocrites. Jagger has used drugs and Keith was a full blow heroin addict for quite some time. Anita too. That's one heck of a good friend. Nicking your friends girlfriend. I would have beat his ass. How Keith even followed through with that romance is narcissitic. You have a band. Friends you went through thick and thin with. Mates you lived with. Broke and cold. You made it up to the top together and you screw your frined/bandmate's girlfriend? What's that say about Anita too? Brian was no angel, but he gets way too much brunt of the problems with the Stones. Even Charlie was hooked on heroin at a time in the 70's. It would have been real cool to see Brian live and get a good band together. Shame it didn't happen. I think Mick and Keith are a phonies.
share[deleted]
I think he was just tired.
Tired or tired of the fact that that was his very last appearance ever?
Here he makes no contribution merely shaking his maraccas
Does anyone have the DVD's of Ready Steady Go ! ? It was a UK (mainly live) TV pop series from London which showcased British and American music (mainly R&B) and ran from 1963-66. It was the first (in the UK at least) to feature young presenters instead of old-time presenters. It showcased up and coming singers and groups too, not just the most popular and also had fashion and latest dance features (RSG brought the "Hitch-hiker" to the UK). It also had a bustling dancing studio audience, all sharp-dressed Mods (invited for their dancing and coolness - and usually pilled-up on uppers and quickly chewing gum to control their extra energy - LOL !), invited from London's coolest R&B dance clubs. They showed how they did The Block and The Bang among other Mod dances. The Beatles were regular performers in the very early days (1963-mid 1964) and they often appeared on the show up till they came back after their first US tour, then tailed off as they became superstars. From 1964, The Rolling Stones and then in 1965 The Who became popular attractions. America's Tamla Motown was famously showcased as a special on RSG! as well as an Otis Redding Special plus individual appearances by US performers like Martha & The Vandellas (frequent performers), The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Rufus Thomas (Walkin' The Dog), SugarPie de Santo (I Don't Wanna Fuss), Kim Weston (A Little More Love), Ike and Tina Turner (I Don't Hear What You Say) and The BeachBoys ("I Get Around" first UK appearance) - even Jerry Lee Lewis was on it (Hi Heel Sneakers and Whole Lotta Shakin') !
In The Stones' 1964 appearances, it is clear that Brian Jones was the band's leader. They played his style of music (R&B and blues), he made the most "in depth" interviews and you could see the youthful Mick Jagger was basically the singer - not the leader. On RSG, they performed "Little Red Rooster" with Brian on slide. In some ways, for me, this was The Stones at their purest and most enjoyable. Pure R&B. Even now, the instrumental start of "It's All Over Now" still puts electric tingles up my spine. But by say 1966, their new pop/rock material was slipping away from Brian Jones' control and Mick was now leader and he was doing the interviews, with Brian in the background. I reckon "Satisfaction" was the point of no return for Brian being elbowed from being the Stones' leader.
In 1963-66, my most favourite groups were:-
1963 - Beatles, The Shadows
1964 - Beatles, then The Rolling Stones, then The Kinks
1965 - Beatles, The Rolling Stones, then The Kinks, then The Who.
1966 - The Small Faces, The Rolling Stones, then The Who, then the Kinks, then The Yardbirds, then Spencer Davis Group.
Of course, I loved Motown and also the Big O.
After that The Small Faces, The Rolling Stones, then The Who, with The Who taking No 1 over by 1968.
You wanna f * * k with me? Okay. Say hello to my little friend! (Tony Montana)
It should be noted though that the band also recorded another version that night of Sympathy with Brian playing guitar. Brian was fading away but Mick and Keith didn't care. They kept him around long anough for their own purpose then flushed him down the toilet when it was time to tour the US
"I am Reality"
I remember after, I think the Jethro Tull's performance, it showed a shot of him in the crowd applauding, and I believe he looked a little green.
He does smile a couple of times, including in the show's final number.
I also remember this deleted scene on the DVD, when he announced one of the circus acts, and his voice sounded a bit slurred to me.
"In all my years as a barber, that is the weirdest kid I have ever met."
- Doctor Barber
i thought marry anne faithful was great on the maraccas
share