How could Brian be firedif he started the Stones or did he really quit,since he had no desire to play in the band anymore.It seems like Mick and Keith would have kept him if he agreed to get his act together .But he would not.I know he could not get a visa ,to theAmerica,but that could have been worked out.Lennon got one.

He was fired by Mick, Keith and Charlie. Mick and Keith certainly took over the band with Oldham maneuvering Brian to the sidelines.

I think even in 1969 ,he was given a chance to get his act together by Mick and Keithand made no effort to do so,because he didn’t want to be in the band

According to Brian, he didn't form the band.



An important handwritten letter by Brian Jones on the founding of the Rolling Stones
Very early Autograph letter signed (“Brian Jones”), to Doreen Pettifer (an early supporter), 9-pages, octavo, London, April 5, 1963, address envelope.

One can scarce imagine a more important Rolling Stones letter, penned entirely in the hand of the band’s original founder who died tragically in 1969, a couple of months after being forced out of the group.

Jones described in detail his vision for the band, the nature and duties of the personnel, and what he hopes to accomplish. In effect it forms a blueprint of what the Rolling Stones would become. In full:
“Dear Doreen, Many thanks for your letter and for the great interest you have shown in the band. It’s very gratifying that you should be so willing to help us to the extent you are doing so. Some information.
Personell
Keith Richards – Guitar – 19 years old – went to Art School, then straight into rythmn and blues.
Mick Jagger – Vocal Harmonica 19 years old. London School of Economics.
Charlie Watts, 21 worked in advertising for some years – now full-time musician. (Drummer)
Ian Stewart – Piano, 23 works with I.C.I. as a Shipping Clerk during the day (known affectionately as “Stu”)
Bill Wyman – Bass – 23, works during the day as a storekeeper or something equally horrible. Only member of the band married – only one who’ll ever be married. Proud father of a baby son (or daughter)
Myself, Brian Jones – Guitar and Harmonica, 21 was studying Architecture – more artistic satisfaction from R & B.
{Mick, Keith, and myself as I expect you noticed, wear our hair out long, the others being more conventional)”
After running down the personnel, Jones turns to the mission statement for the band.

Formation & History
The band is really an amalgamation of two bands. The one being an R & B band I formed about a year ago, and the other being a group run by Mick and Keith in S.E. London. I was introduced to Keith and we decided to pool our resources, so with Stu from my band, and Mick from Keith’s we became the nucleus of the “Stones.”
The first job we did was a half an evening at the Marquee, Oxford Street standing in for Alexis Korner’s Blues Inc. Our first residency was at the Ealing Club, Ealing Bdy, which we still do most weeks, unless we are playing elsewhere. Charlie joined us at this point & Bill a bit later. … By now we have carried our banner to most parts of London, though by no means every area. We are finding our style of rhythm and blues more readily acceptable than most others in the country at the moment. … We are doing a series of Saturday dates at the Poole, Dorset, starting next week. We play the Ken Coyler Club and every Sunday evening play the Station Hotel, Richmond which has been described as one of the most hip sessions …. We have, I may add, a habit a breaking attendance records. We have signed an agreement with an independent recording company, I.B.C who channel their releases through the major company labels. We have already cut quite a few sides, all on the commercial side. … Jerry Grant, producer of ‘Saturday Club’ has heard and apparently impressed by an LP of ours, and is coming to hear the band in action at Richmond. … You raised a point in your letter about Blues material. You must appreciate that blues are not easy to put over to the average club audience. They prefer something more in the twisting, jumping line. However at the Ken Coyler club – we always stick in a host of blues material. This is the only place we ever push this type of material with any success. Unlike most forms of jazz the accent in R & B should not be on soloists but on an overall integrated group sound – hence the absence of the strings of solos. Your point of getting our name known before a record is released is a really good one. We must really work together on this. At the moment we haven’t a suitable photograph to send, but this can soon be rectified. Well, I think that’s about all. Once again thank you for your interest in Rhythm and Blues and ourselves. It’s wonderful music and deserves more recognition. We look forward to hearing from you and seeing you on the 19th. Yours sincerely, Brian Jones / for “Rolling Stones.”

[www.bonhams.com]


"As we say in England, it can get a bit trainspottery"



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2019-12-21 12:04 by Deltics.

Precious stuff, I wonder however which was the "LP of ours" Brian was refering to in April 63.

Quote
slew
He was fired by Mick, Keith and Charlie. Mick and Keith certainly took over the band with Oldham maneuvering Brian to the sidelines.

well, I think the beginning of the end (for Brian as a band member) began when Jagger and Richards started song writing. That finally turned him from a band leader to a side figure in the first place.

Quote
riccardo99
Precious stuff, I wonder however which was the "LP of ours" Brian was refering to in April 63.

He probably meant their first EP.

I wouldn't have thought 'fired' would be the correct term as I understand it, he was never employed by anyone....(I might be wrong on that of course and a true Stones historian might know better).......

If you're not employed, you can't be fired.....the most that could have happened would be for them to marginalise him, musically and socially so he couldn't function in the environment ...............I can't imagine there was any P45 or Pink slip involved .......... [en.wikipedia.org])



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2019-12-21 13:59 by EddieByword.

This is what I recall from reading Bill's Stone Alone book.
Early 1964 the five musicians formed Rolling Stones Ltd. Each became a Director with 20% shares.
Mick was Chairman; Charlie the Company Secretary. LOL
(According to Companies House (UK) the company was not dissolved until 1993.) Coincidently this was around the time when Bill departed. The move to France in 1971 and the setting up of Promotone etc (Netherlands based) probably made RS Ltd somewhat superfluous.
Back to 1969: As a Director Brian would have been entitled to 20% of the value of the Company. Any debts eg tax, personal loans would have been taken into
account. What The BJ Estate got is Commmercial in Confidence, which is fair enough.
So, yes as it seems Brian " agreed" to leave there was no'firing' as such, certainly not in the legal sense.

Quote
riccardo99
Precious stuff, I wonder however which was the "LP of ours" Brian was refering to in April 63.

He's talking of the IBC Demos they did with Glyn Johns that earned them a contract with Decca. They must have thought it was going to be released given what he says about IBC working with distributors. This was before they cut the first single or their EP. It was their only professional session up to this point.

Didn’t Brian make a public statement about leaving the band? Because he didn’t see ‘eye-to-eye with the others over the discs we are cutting’ ?

Pity..... ..but he just faded out by drugs and health.

__________________________

Right, but 5 tracks hardly can be called an LP even then.

The letter that Deltics showed shows Brian presenting himself as a too modest person toward this female fan. Clearly one of his contradicting characteristics.
Original documented interviews with Mick, Keith, Ian and Dick Taylor from the early days (not LIFE) all basically tell the same:
1. Brian placed an add, Ian responded, Mick and Keith at some point were invited (one by one aparently) and Dick then also joined ... the Rollin' Stones.
2. Brian considered himself as the band leader (have himself paid more money for performances or in other words ... the oposite of modesty) and in the very early stages this was commonly accepted by Mick and Keith and the others. Brian signed the first contract on behalf of the other band members (the discovery of the 5 Pounds personal bonus was the first damage to his status).

This strange "modesty" was mentioned by close friends of Brian, telling him that he should ask to be credited for different song contributions (not just Nanker/Phelge), which Brian didn't. In one interview (with the other band members present) he in fact said that HE was trying to form a band, but only after he met Mick and Keith, things worked out right.
Brian wasn't really fired (only in Keith' words sort of kicked out). He indeed gave that official statement as part of the departure announcement (no longer eye to eye ..) in 1969.
As a matter of fact the so-called Brian Jones Estate is still being paid on the basis of an original agreement.

The above letter remains a unique piece of history though!