Dick Taylor Talks Rolling Stones To Pretty Things
by PAUL CASHMERE on SEPTEMBER 29, 2012


Dick Taylor was a founding member of the Rolling Stones and went on to form another legendary UK band, The Pretty Things.


Dick will soon be heading to Australia with The Pretty Things for the very first time. In a pre-tour interview he told Noise11.com about the origins of The Stones and The Pretty Things.

Dick counts the beginning of The Stones from April, 1962 but says he and Mick Jagger go back way before that.

“It just seems surreal that it was 50 years ago. In some ways it does seem like it’s in the dim distant past but in other ways a lot of my memories are quite fresh still,” he recounts to Noise11.com.

“I was in the very first band that Mick Jagger was ever in,” he says. “Even through we never played any gigs we rehearsed and rehearsed and rehearsed around my house mostly. I was involved with him and we were bringing records into school and a group of our friends would be playing the latest Chuck Berry record, or whatever. I was involved with Mick from a very early age. Then when I went to Art School I met Keith Richards. There I was at art school at the age of 16 and still rehearsing with Mick . Keith was playing guitar. He was fascinated by Scotty Moore. He was too shy to suggest he come around to rehearse with us until one day he and Mick caught up with each other. They had known each other when they were really young. At that point we decided to get him round. Then we had Mick, myself and Keith playing together for quite a while. Then we met Brian Jones and the Rolling Stones came together”.

However, Dick can’t remember who named the band. “I am really not sure,” he says. “I know we were in the Bricklayers Arms, a pub we used to rehearse in in Soho. We stood around trying to think of a name. We had been playing ‘Rollin Stone Blues’ by Muddy Waters prior to discussing the name. Then it came up. I am really not sure which of us actually suggested it. I’d love to say it was me but I really can’t remember”.

Dick also confirmed that the original name of the band was The Rollin’ Stones (without the g). “Yeah because ‘Rollin Stone Blues’ was how it was spelt on the Muddy Waters record,” he said. “I noticed in the very first gig we ever did it was billed as ‘Mick Jagger and the Rollin Stones. I am quite sure Brian would have been miffed about that”.

Dick Taylor only had a short stint with the Stones. By December 1962 he left and was replaced by Bill Wyman. “I was playing bass and also trying to get into the Royal College of Art. In the end I went to the Central School of Art. I wanted to play guitar rather than bass. At the art school I was at was Phil May. We actually hired the Rollin Stones for an art school dance. We had to pay them 25 quid. We thought we could be making that kind of money if we started another band”.

The Pretty Things will perform in Australia on:

Tuesday 4th – The Corner Hotel, Richmond
Wednesday 5th – Lizotte’s, Dee Why
Friday 7th – The Factory Theatre, Marrickville
Saturday 8th – Good God Small Club, Sydney
Thursday 13th – Caravan Club, Oakleigh
Friday 14th – Caravan Club, Oakleigh





[www.noise11.com]

If you're near any of those venues, go and hear them. Well worth it.

Now that is a very nice guy. Good luck in Australia Dick!

Dick Taylor is a very nice person indeed. In the Sixties The Pretty Things where a very Rough Band and great that they are still around and playing.






run

It's a real shame. There's a complete documentary done and in the can on the Pretty Things done by the same people who did the recent British Invasion DVDs. But the economy has made it too tough to distribute it at a profit. They had a showing in L.A., but that's it. It was supposed to be in a second boxset with the Hollies and couple others, but they gave up and released the Holllies on its own.

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Edith Grove
Dick also confirmed that the original name of the band was The Rollin’ Stones (without the g). “Yeah because ‘Rollin Stone Blues’ was how it was spelt on the Muddy Waters record,” he said. “I noticed in the very first gig we ever did it was billed as ‘Mick Jagger and the Rollin Stones. I am quite sure Brian would have been miffed about that”.

Has somebody of you seen a written proof of this first spelling of the band name without the "g"? I often heard about that story, but if I remember correctly, I saw a scanned in paper here some time ago, an announcement of the first gig in the Marquee Club, where I think the name was written with "g" (Mick was quoted as hoping not to be mistaken for a Rock 'n' Roll band in it). Where were they billed as "Rollin' Stones", as Dick Taylor says?

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StrawberriesBlueberries

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Edith Grove
Dick also confirmed that the original name of the band was The Rollin’ Stones (without the g). “Yeah because ‘Rollin Stone Blues’ was how it was spelt on the Muddy Waters record,” he said. “I noticed in the very first gig we ever did it was billed as ‘Mick Jagger and the Rollin Stones. I am quite sure Brian would have been miffed about that”.

Has somebody of you seen a written proof of this first spelling of the band name without the "g"? I often heard about that story, but if I remember correctly, I saw a scanned in paper here some time ago, an announcement of the first gig in the Marquee Club, where I think the name was written with "g" (Mick was quoted as hoping not to be mistaken for a Rock 'n' Roll band in it). Where were they billed as "Rollin' Stones", as Dick Taylor says?

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



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012-09-29 19:53 by Deltics.

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Deltics

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StrawberriesBlueberries

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Edith Grove
Dick also confirmed that the original name of the band was The Rollin’ Stones (without the g). “Yeah because ‘Rollin Stone Blues’ was how it was spelt on the Muddy Waters record,” he said. “I noticed in the very first gig we ever did it was billed as ‘Mick Jagger and the Rollin Stones. I am quite sure Brian would have been miffed about that”.

Has somebody of you seen a written proof of this first spelling of the band name without the "g"? I often heard about that story, but if I remember correctly, I saw a scanned in paper here some time ago, an announcement of the first gig in the Marquee Club, where I think the name was written with "g" (Mick was quoted as hoping not to be mistaken for a Rock 'n' Roll band in it). Where were they billed as "Rollin' Stones", as Dick Taylor says?

Thank you very much! That's proof enough, especially the letter. Where did you get it from?

Apparently the newspaper in the middle (I assume it is from some newspaper) didn't know about the correct spelling and included the "g". I thought of another announcement for the Marquee, though, which also had the "g". Did the band eventually change their name, because many people got the name wrong anyway?

Was it in an interview with Wenner where Mick said that he always thought that it was him who came up with the name?

There's also this one from "Disc" which also spells it with a 'g'.




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

Dick Taylor..the Stones ONE TRUE bassist......aaaaahhh, those were the days...

Who the 'ell is Earl Phillips?

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24FPS
Who the 'ell is Earl Phillips?

Howlin' Wolf's drummer - a bit of wishful thinking on Brian's part!


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

I wonder if Dick Taylor can name the drummer for their first gig at The Marquee on July 12, 1962.

I love the handwritten letter by Brian, acknowledging Mick's prior contact, but 'reasserting' his authority (Leader) and mentioning MJ last in the lineup.

Classic.

I wonder if that's why they were billed Mick Jagger and the Rollin' Stones?

Maybe they thought the 'with Mick Jagger' meant MJ was a solo performer, performing with the "Rollin' Stones"?

Great misfire for Brian if that was the case.

Pretty Things will perform in Apeldoorn next week. I'll be there :-)

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Promoman
Pretty Things will perform in Apeldoorn next week. I'll be there :-)

Ask Taylor who the drummer was at the first Marquee show !

any pics of Dick Taylor in those days with Mick and Keith and Brian?

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duke richardson
any pics of Dick Taylor in those days with Mick and Keith and Brian?

If someone does, they're sitting on it.

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Promoman
Pretty Things will perform in Apeldoorn next week. I'll be there :-)

That's tonight. See you there!

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24FPS
It's a real shame. There's a complete documentary done and in the can on the Pretty Things done by the same people who did the recent British Invasion DVDs. But the economy has made it too tough to distribute it at a profit. They had a showing in L.A., but that's it. It was supposed to be in a second boxset with the Hollies and couple others, but they gave up and released the Holllies on its own.

Shame about the docu.
Are these B. Invasion DVDs good? Original material?

PAUL CASHMERE again.

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CousinC

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24FPS
It's a real shame. There's a complete documentary done and in the can on the Pretty Things done by the same people who did the recent British Invasion DVDs. But the economy has made it too tough to distribute it at a profit. They had a showing in L.A., but that's it. It was supposed to be in a second boxset with the Hollies and couple others, but they gave up and released the Holllies on its own.

Shame about the docu.
Are these B. Invasion DVDs good? Original material?

I don't quite understand what you mean. There's original material in the form of recent interviews with surviving band members. The rest is restored TV appearances, some live, some canned. They are all restored beautifully. Sometimes in the instances of a TV appearance that was lip synched anyway, they'll replace the tinny TV soundtrack with the master cuts themselves. There is also rare, sometimes never seen footage like the Hollies doing 'On A Carousel' acapella in the studio. I found them all to be quite entertaining and very informative. I knew little or nothing about the Small Faces. And I know little to nothing about the Pretty Faces. They also have a series covering Motown artists that is equally great. And if you like Jazz they have some masterful editions of fantastic artists.

Another without the 'g'.
Jazz News, September 26 1962




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

Went to see the Pretty THings in Apeldoorn last night. It was great. Dick Taylor surely still can play.
video: [youtu.be]
(Don't Bring Me Down)


This is Dick Taylor in Bluescafe Apeldoorn last night :-)




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012-10-11 17:09 by Promoman.

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Promoman
Went to see the Pretty THings in Apeldoorn last night. It was great. Dick Taylor surely still can play.

That was a great gig indeed! The new, young rhythm section really kicks the band in great shape. They did everything from early R&B, Bo Diddley, country blues (with a reference to Keith...), SF Sorrow stuff, and some from the latest 2007 cd.

Hey Promoman, heb je nog meer foto's? Je stond volgens mij vlak voor me.

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robv

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Promoman
Went to see the Pretty THings in Apeldoorn last night. It was great. Dick Taylor surely still can play.

Hey Promoman, heb je nog meer foto's? Je stond volgens mij vlak voor me.

Jawel. Er staan al twee filmpjes op het youtube kanaal van mijn vriendin mrsradiohead (met dat 60s jurkje). Ik zal zaterdag nog wat filmpjes uploaden op stonesfan62.

Can't be Satisfied. Great classic blues slide by Dick Taylor

video: [youtu.be]

Since the Chuck concert in Paris is cancelled I wonder if the Pretty Things would be a good alternative...not totally convinced by the clips above though.

Love a couple of their more recent tunes: All Light Up and Walking Through My Dreams, both adventuresome neo-psych feeling. Sort of remind me of We Love You era Stones.