Saw Mick playing harp in Shine a Light tonight. Who was the better harmonica player: Mick or Brian Jones?


Best performances for each?

Brian sounded great on 2120 South Michigan Avenue.

Mick: Midnight Rambler or ?



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2010-05-03 06:55 by mitchflorida.

Ultimately Mick was much better, but he obviously had more time to refine his skill. I'd say they were about equal when Brian was in the band,

Hmmm, this post seems to come up quite a bit. I think in the earlydays, Brian had it on Mick. But Mick is an astute student and great at mimicking and he did eventually surpass BJ. Best stuff,
Brian on Good Times Bad Times is sublime. Also, on 2120 Mich Ave. he is stunning!

Mick, Turd on the Run is relentless barrel house harp with a great rhythm. And his harp solo on Can't You Hear Me Knocking live is quite fun. Midnight Rambler, of course, but funnily enough I prefer the live version, but his harp on the studio is better. More riffing and subtle keeping a great syncopated rhythm.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2010-05-03 07:57 by whitem8.

mick became the stones best harmonica player then he became the stones best guitarist. soon he'll master bass and drums

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ghostryder13
mick became the stones best harmonica player then he became the stones best guitarist. soon he'll master bass and drums

He will NEVER be the best drummer !

sc uk

Keith says that Mick is not bad, but who plays on 'Confessin the blues'? that's the better one...

Come ON, Keith says Mick's a brilliant harmonica player. In fact he says Mick plays the harmonica better than he sings. I've heard him saying this, and I even read in in a fairly recent interview. (Could be in Uncut, but I'm not sure, and don't have time to look it up...)
And I think I agree with Keith, Mick's brilliant on the harmonica, and I've experienced him blowing my mind away during "Micnight Rambler" several times. Truly an under estimated musician. And he's passionate about his fine collection of harmonicas.

Mick is breathtaking on Break The Spell, Fancy Man Blues and Hearts For Sale as well.

Brian all the way: Little By Little; Now I've Got A Witness; Look What You've Done; One More Try, etc.

Mick learnt to master the instrument as the years passed, but, imo, Brian was the better harpist circa 1962-'66

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Big Al
Brian all the way: Little By Little; Now I've Got A Witness; Look What You've Done; One More Try, etc.

Mick learnt to master the instrument as the years passed, but, imo, Brian was the better harpist circa 1962-'66

Not Fade Away also comes to mind. Brilliant!

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straycatuk

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ghostryder13
mick became the stones best harmonica player then he became the stones best guitarist. soon he'll master bass and drums

He will NEVER be the best drummer !

sc uk

true, no one's better than charlie

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ghostryder13
true, no one's better than charlie

Except for Jimmy Miller in '69.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010-05-03 15:23 by FreeBird.

While he was in the band, Brian had the ability to play what Mick played and far beyond, but not vice versa.

They had two completely different styles. I think Brian played the more authentic blues harp . . Mick is good too, but I don't enjoy his style as much.


I never liked Jagger's performance on Midnight Rambler . . the lyrics of the song always offended me , light-hearted treatment of violent rape.


Just listened to Jagger on Break the Spell . .probably the best I have heard from him. Very goo.d



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2010-05-03 15:56 by mitchflorida.

brian was one of those rare musicians who could basically pick up any instrument and master it in a very short amount of time.

Brian..I love the softer tone to his playing..
Sad that Brian didn't have 40+ years to get better like Mick..
Wonder how much better Brian could have gotten if he was still alive!

You have to compare them as they were up to 1969, pretty silly to give Jagger 40 years time to catch up and still class that as a fair comparison.

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His Majesty
You have to compare them as they were up to 1969, pretty silly to give Jagger 40 years time to catch up and still class that as a fair comparison.

Agreed - and just what examples can people give of Mick bettering some of Brian's finest moments on harp?

I think Mick is a good harmonica player but Brian was superior.

Rob

Brian... His harmonica playing has a feeling to it that I love. But Mick is a good player as well.

I agree with His Majesty's insights- comparison has to be made up to 1969. Brian had more skills and the first three albums bear that out.

I always liked this solo . . don't know how he rates in the hierarchy.

I much prefer Jagger's harp over Brian's. It is obvious, very obvious that Brian is more versed: he hits the notes almost prefect;y. They are isolated; if he wants to have only one clean note, then that is what he will produce. He could slide up and down the scale effortlessly; e g "Good Times Bad Times". But I like Jagger's approach more because (back then) he howled, whch to me is pretty bluesy. "Money", I like that one. And he got more proficient very quick; "Confessin the Blues" is Jagger getting a lot better.
A while back we had a thread that brings out a good comparison of the two in the early days. There is a live-on-radio version of "2120 So Michigan Ave" which has Jagger blowing the harp, and the difference is is plain to see. not near as confident as Brian's rendition; and in the live version you can hear Jagger flat out running out of ideas after a bit.

Mick. But Brian taught him a lot in the early days.

I guess Mick is better now, but Brian was better then. Had he had more time to further develop his skills, things might look different today. But Mick is really a great harp player. I wish his harmonica playing was more present on the band's studio recordings.

I think Brian was technically a much better player than Mick has ever been, but Mick always has been a very effective player. Just like Jagger is on guitar -technically he's not a good player by any standard, still he has done some fantastic guitar parts over the years.

Mathijs

Sugar Blue

I think Brian had a tremendous head start with his natural talent, and he was the teacher and Mick the student, but in the long run, in the end, Mick ended up better probably due to playing it so much more for so many years.

Mick ended up not only surpassing Brian but becoming something brian never was - a distinct harp player.

[thepowergoats.com]

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jamesfdouglas
Mick ended up not only surpassing Brian but becoming something brian never was - a distinct harp player.

Bollocks!