It is certainly not my intent here to open a can of worms, but would rather get the facts, complete with references if possible.

Thanks in advance.

Lack of songwriting credits - the money! Many sources point to this reason among others. Had also became fond of drugs, possibly worried about his health. Seems to have became fond of burritos since then.

In his words..........


Q - There are two stories going around about why you left the Stones...because of songwriting credit, or because you had a problem with you septum.

A - That's complete rubbish. It's not rubbish to say that I was a bit peeved about not getting credit for a couple of songs, but that wasn't the whole reason. I guess I just felt like I had enough. I decided to leave and start a group with Jack Bruce. I never really felt, and I don't know why, but I never felt I was gonna stay with the Stones forever, even right from the beginning.

The words from the man himself are as good as it gets. Thank you both kindly for the input.

Quote by Mick Taylor: "I never really felt, and I don't know why, but I never felt I was gonna stay with the Stones forever, even right from the beginning."

So, Mick acknowledges that he was just a "fill-in", or , in American parlance, a temporary, who happened to stay for five years. In the meantime, Ronnie was just waiting in the wings, serving his apprenticeship with the Jeff Beck Group and The Faces.

MY OPINION:

1) After seeing the physical and moral disintegration of Bobby Keys, maybe it hit too close to home.

2) Endless to hard drugs.

3) Not enough credit song Jagger/Richards for his instrumental work.

4) Sick of touring.

5) Tired of wearing glitter on his face every night.


There were certainly no rumours in the rockbiz about Mick T. leaving, were there?

"The wonder of Jimi Hendrix was that he could stand up at all he was so pumped full of drugs." Patsy, Patsy Stone

I truly believe it was simply a case of being too young to know any better. People do dumb things. But at age 24 or 25, you can really do some dumb things. Like walk away from 100 million dollars. For a solo career.
Poor guy, one of the sadder chapters in the Rolling Stones story.

I believe he thought he was going to be the next Eric Clapton and go on to a sterling solo career like Eric did. He probably had a girlfriend prodding him as well. He might have pulled it off except he never had any pr0per management or promotion not to mention that his records were not nearly as commercial as Eric's. I don't think he had the personal dynamism or charisma to pull it off either. All he had was the chops and that's not enough by itself. So there he is ,perpetually touring Sweden (?) and not a hit record to his name.

He was unhappy with not getting the opportunity to write more songs and with not getting credit for the songs he co-wrote. Basically, he didn't want to play second fiddle to Mick and Keith, he wanted to be one of the two big stars in a band he would form with Jack Bruce.

Certainly Taylor played most of the lead guitar while he was in the Stones, he was a more skilled soloist than Keith and many people thought (and still think) he was a better guitarist. I don't agree, but that's another story. You almost can't blame him for thinking at the time "I'm better than this guy, I'm going to form my own band and show the world."

Oops! He never imagined his post-Stones career would be as unremarkable as it has been, or that the Stones would keep going for 30-plus years and continue to be wildly successful. He also didn't realize that he worked best as a complimentary player, co-writing songs and adding great parts to them, but not writing them by himself from scratch. I can't think of one Taylor solo song that comes anywhere near his work with the Stones, and he never found another set of collaborators who were as talented as them.

The Bruce/Taylor band could have been really good, not as good as the Stones but very good, but he was too drugged out to get it off the ground. That is the other main reason he quit, because Keith's drug-fueled lifestyle had rubbed off on him and he knew he needed to get away from the scene before it killed him.

Duane in Houston Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I believe he thought he was going to be the next
> Eric Clapton and go on to a sterling solo career
> like Eric did. He probably had a girlfriend
> prodding him as well. He might have pulled it off
> except he never had any pr0per management or
> promotion not to mention that his records were not
> nearly as commercial as Eric's. I don't think he
> had the personal dynamism or charisma to pull it
> off either. All he had was the chops and that's
> not enough by itself. So there he is ,perpetually
> touring Sweden (?) and not a hit record to his
> name.

You nailed it, good post!

There was also the rumor that MJ and MT were found in bed together, naked and asleep and that MJ, while going thru his Bi-sexual stage (a-la-David Bowie) seduced a young MT and was poking his cornhole, which freaked Taylor out and got him into Heroin.

There is definitely truth about the songwriting credits. I think what put him over the Top is when Ronnie got some credit on IORR combined with being molested by MJ as a dominance thing.

Like I posted before, I think he got the job cause the band was broke, they needed to tour and they didn't have time to audition a bunch of guitar players. Remember they were still putting the finishing touches on the Let It Bleed album while they were touring in LA. I think he got the job cause he came highly recommended but I don't think the band, especially KR saw him as the guy he would be playing with until the band imploded. Ronnie almost got the job in 69

MT better guitar player than KR ? In one way..yeah, but I will say this: There are tons more people who can play like MT and imitate his sound note for note but the same cannot be said about KR.

MT also proved that he cannot write songs for shit. Everyday he wakes up and says "what did I do?"

"Regrets......I 've had a few" Sinatra may have sung it but I think MT got credit for "inspiration"

Milo, NYC
That'll be the way to get along

>> A - That's complete rubbish. It's not rubbish to say that I was a bit peeved about not getting credit for a couple of songs, but that wasn't the whole reason. I guess I just felt like I had enough. I decided to leave and start a group with Jack Bruce. I never really felt, and I don't know why, but I never felt I was gonna stay with the Stones forever, even right from the beginning. <<

Markdog, can you tell us the source and date of this quote, please and thank you?

>> He probably had a girlfriend prodding him as well. <<
she was his wife, no?
just a detail, but since the original request in this thread was for facts ...


"What do you want - what?!"
- Keith

Interesting info here! Never heard that gossip of gay scene between two Micks!

I had not any substantial stuff to add, I think most of the valid reasons "why he left" are already said. I just make some few remarks to enlighten a bit that big "why"-question.

One thing was that Mick Taylor did fill up very big shoes when he came in - I think it was natural for him to think that he will not totally even try to fill those shoes, be a proper Rolling Stone. It is perhaps difficult to see nowadays how big Brian Jones was at that time - he was not just an instrumentalist, for a big public he was a pop star,at least as big, if not bigger, name as Keith Richard(s). This worry can also be seen in Taylor's interviews given at the time. Horrifying to say, but Brian's tragical death made it a bit easier for him and The Stones to look convincing. I don't talk about the dynamics inside the band (they were surely better after Brian and his ego was away - there were only two big egos left from that on), but about how the big audience reflected and saw the band.

Another thing, somehow in contrary to the first, was that Taylor had way too big plans for his contribution in the band. This can be seen in his early enthusiastic interviews as well. Musically, inside the band, he maybe thought to take the profilic role of Brian Jones - a role that was already reduced to minimum in the musical heart of the band at the time Brian left, but perhaps not known by outsiders like Taylor. Taylor was talking about co-writting songs with Mick and Keith, progressing the musical repertuare, creating a band that consists of TWO lead guitairists, and so on... I suppose he really was disappointed and bored (as he has said later) by 72-73, when he finally understood what sort of role (a hired gun) he would have in the band now and forever. Even though the band was playing better than ever, there was no any progress to be seen in their music, and that was rather dull for a ambitious musician like him (or at least he reflect himself being one). For example, it must have been quite frustrating for a musician who admired musical landscapes of Mike Oldfield, but was fated to play a secondary role in the band that had reduced it's message to "It's Only Rock and Roll But I Like It". That unhappy project with Jack Bruce was a symptom of that.

Third thing, I think not said yet, was that the future of The Stones wasn't very promising at the time Taylor decided to leave; musically they seem to be out-dated, and not much improvement was seen to be in near future; Keith was in a horrible state; Bill Wyman was planning to leave; Mick Jagger was planning to do a solo record (there is even a 1973 interview wher Jagger declares that Billy Preston and Mick Taylor will play on it - those three did seem to have a thing going on during the Goats Head Soap sessions), so young brave Taylor decided to leave before the whole ship sinks.

But like Dylan sings "Time will tell just who has fell and who's been left behind, when you go your way and I'll go mine..."

- Doxa




Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 2005-11-04 11:46 by Doxa.

Yup, I think that was a case of him being high and tired and depressed and making a foolish decision. Maybe he thought Keith would kick him since Keith played with Ronnie already and also overdubbing Mick on IORR. I mean, Keith is not a nice guy.

yeah when you have keith coming in late at night on IORR and erasing taylor's
parts, yeah what a nice guy,its all about keith and how he wants the stones to
sound.

He has that right, he is the sound of the stones.

yes, but taylor sure made them a blusier,dirtier,band . I mean take stray cat
a great effort by keith with all his screaming guitars.But on Ya ya's taylor
takes the song to new heights with his ripping solo.There are so many examples
of taylor's stamp with all the INTERPLAY going on

I think he just recognized that the only way to survive was to leave the band...

I`m respecting your adoration of Mick Taylor, and he is a really good guitar player, but from his own words there`s a lot of reasons why the stones made a couple of really good albums, and it`s not only Taylor.

I agree the songs come first and they made great studio records prior to MT.
I mean Taylor's contributions were HIGHLIGHTED when he was centerstage when
they put a light on him with all those extended solos from 72/73.

Whats the source of this "poking the cornhole" theory?!?
In other news, does he still do hard drugs?

I think I read over at a taylor site that he says he had a longer herion
habbit then keith if you can believe that.

The Menace of Mayfair Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> MY OPINION:
>
> 1) After seeing the physical and moral
> disintegration of Bobby Keys, maybe it hit too
> close to home.
> 2) Endless to hard drugs.
> 3) Not enough credit song Jagger/Richards for his
> instrumental work.
> 4) Sick of touring.
> 5) Tired of wearing glitter on his face every
> night.

I'm sure there were personal problems too: he did hard drugs with the Stones (and after) and after reading Keith's comments about Mick's departure I'm sure a certain animosity between Keith and Mick Taylor had developed. Keith can be a quite mean character. Since Mick Taylor was the weaker one of the two (and also more alert), he left for good.

He was lucky to get out alive.
The Stones have sent quite a few people to meet thier maker!

Simple - he wasn't strong mentaly enough to stay in the band.
If you look back through Stones history, anyone who has tried to rival or equal Jagger/Richards, has eventually had to quit the scene or virtually pay with their life. These two personalities are a hard act to keep up with. I think MT got out at the right time. for his own self preseravation.
The stories of Keith turning MT's amp down in volume on stage and their unwillingness to credit his imput in the band, must have been very demotivating and demoralising for him - ultimately leading MT to think, "F*ck this, I'm off....".

I agree with the post that claims Taylor believed he would be a rising star. Too bad......they still had the chance to get Taylor back in the band when Wyman left.......a case of Slim-fast for Taylor and move Woody to bass.

I'd say his "missus" had a bit to do with it.
I mean, she saw the drugs etc.. going on and knew he was a talent.
Sure he was pissed off with credits etc... but at the end of the day, a young 24-25 year old (with a drug habit) will probably listen to the woman ! If she thought he'd be better off without the Stones, then I'm sure she would be able to convince the guy.....

So blame the chick I say!

>> yeah when you have Keith coming in late at night on IORR and erasing taylor's
parts <<

huh?! it was Woody's parts he erased.


"What do you want - what?!"
- Keith

There definately was friction between Keith & MT even in the recording studio
with Taylors work being relieved of its positioning by Keith (as described by with sssoul)
In concert MT's over long solo spots,ever when they were not mean't to be total solos completely cracked Keith up who was heard umpteen times saying if that bast--d
does'n't stop when he should i'm going to fuc--g shoot him.
MT did not realise that he had in-advertently split up the Glimmer Twins
(or was he shrewdly doing it) and that Mick Jagger was more friendly with him than he was with Keith.
Mick Taylor got caught up in the spiders web of the Stones,was heavily into
drugs,became increasingly frustrated as he lost the power struggle to Keith and just quit the band.
There are so many possible reasons why MT quit but his ego had been expanded,not helped by drugs and i firmly believe that he made the right decission as he is still alive today.
MT was part of the band for 5 years and his contribution to the Stones
is still heard in Moonlight Mile & Time Wait's for No One - excellent guitar solos on record for all posterity and to remind everyone of his time as a Stone.

I think people must stop reading the "press" and put yourself in his place for a second. His wife was bitching him telling him to leave....what would a loving man do (especially at his age) ???? I'm not saying I would do it, but MT did seem like a guy who did what he was told.....at the end of the day he was pretty pissed off with Jagger ....