Going back , to the Licks tour, and the "London Stones week", in August '03..
it was well documented on iORR at the time, and rumoured/debated, that Mick Taylor was, perhaps, going to show up and guest-star, at the Astoria club gig.
He was in town that week, (i saw him and his band at the 100 Club, the following day).
What was the truth behind the rumours/gossip? Was he due to show up, or was it all wishful thinking/ myths? If he was scheduled to appear, anyone, know the truth, as to why he didn't?

I know he was there at the show in the crowd

So, he was actually inside the venue, watching the gig, with the rest of the lucky-punters, with tickets?
Did, he at anytime, go backstage, or talk to the band?

There are many different rumors about that.

The most common one is that he was late for the soundcheck and that the Stones (MJ, KR, both ?) refused to have him on the show without having rehearsed.

Again, it is a rumor...


[doctorstonesblog.blogspot.com]

Good questions, which I hope someone could answer

Oh fairytales...

If I remember right, the band had hoped to play "Rock me baby" with Mick that night

In the end, I think it got replaced with "Brown sugar" or something.

The excitement in the queue that afternoon as word spread that Mick had been seen at the Stones hotel earlier in the day and that he was down to be that night's special guest was something to behold...lots of text messages and phone calls were made!!

Quite a letdown when it didnt happen, it has to be said...even though the show itself was fantastic

bloody hell....what an amazing, one-off, opportunity missed,
if indeed, Doc is correct, and Taylor, failed to show for the soundcheck.
I'd doubt they'd want to try it out again, in the future, if this truly did happen.
What a potentially, golden-moment, that would have been!

even 8 thousand miles away I was let down - it was a "given" that MT would play that night. you really gotta believe it will never happen now....

Doc Wrote:
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> There are many different rumors about that.
>
> The most common one is that he was late for the
> soundcheck and that the Stones (MJ, KR, both ?)
> refused to have him on the show without having
> rehearsed.
>
> Again, it is a rumor...

thats how I heard it too...

he was AT the show, however, for sure...

I remember hearing the soundcheck outside..they did 'Heartbreaker' and another song that I cant remember (it may have been No Expectations, it escapes me for the minute) so it was quite apparent even then that Mick hadnt made the soundcheck.

From a purely selfish point of view, Taylor's no-show, did make it an easier pill to swallow, that i couldn't get a ticket.
But, surely, the chance that it may ever happen again, has gone forever.

yep

The way the band are quite consciously currently re-writing Taylor, Wyman and Jones out of the band's history (see the liner notes and sleeve of 'rarities' and the archive footage of IORR on the current tour which replaces Taylor with Woody as examples) would indicate that the chances of that happening again are pretty much gone.

Gazza Wrote:
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>
> Taylor, Wyman and Jones

Who are these guys ? I am very surprised that the Rolling Stones use a bassist on stage - I thought they were the greatest rock band without a bass player - the reason why the White Stripes decided not to have a bass player.

I don't buy that "late for rehearsals" story. Hell, if I was to play with The Rolling Stones, I would make sure not to be late and fill my room with alarm clocks. And double that if I had made the mistake of my life resigning from that same band before.

T&A Wrote:
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...it was a "given" that MT would play that night. you really gotta believe it will never happen now.
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Really? Why? Geez, it's been almost 25 years. He's due! :-)

good point, Brian....in '06 they could bill it as the "25 Year Reunion" show! MT comes on - cranks up his amp, pisses KR off, can't be heard on the resulting sbd..... - and the boot is called "Oh, No Not MT Again"

I was fortunate enough to have had my programme signed by him as he was coming out of the gig ten minutes after it had finished, and in recognising my accent, asked me if I'd been to see him at a recent concert in Liverpool (with John Mayall) and whether I'd be going to the 100 Club the following night.

We picked up a copy of the actual setlist itself that night from one of the roadies and Rock me Baby was indeed included but never played. More to the point, there were two unopened guitar cases on the floor in front of one of the stage amps.

Rock me baby was on the offical printed setlist, they replaced it with Honky tonk women.

rik

"The excitement in the queue that afternoon as word spread that Mick had been seen at the Stones hotel earlier in the day and that he was down to be that night's special guest was something to behold...lots of text messages and phone calls were made!!"

I was at the Landmark Hotel on the show day. Big surprise for me was of course, that Mick had to go to the vip-ticket office from the stones in person to get his ticket and wristband. Unbelievable but true!! He picked up his ticket around 1 o´clock.
Maybe this kind of behaviour of the stones was his reason not to go to the soundcheck. Don´t know.
Anyway, one of my personal stones highlights. Mick and I in the same queue for tickets.

I heard that MT was due to play on Rock me baby but Jagger changed the set list because his throat couldn't handle it and they did HTW instead. Just as well since HTW was a highlight of the gig.

The fact is they dump anybody who don't come to the souncheck. They did it one time with Bob Dylan as well, at MSG I believe. But that is not the reason for the missing guest spot. I think it was a very simple reason. They were running late. Very late. Just listen to Mick's introducton of the band. Done in seconds. I was sure he had to take a lak or something, never heard anything like it. They were about to break the curfew and that hurts in London. I think somebody came late for the show. One of the four RS key members that is.

Bjornulf

I think it all was not ment to happen.

No matter of what they say in public declarations, I don't believe that the Stones and MT are totally indifferent to the possibility of joining once again.
There is no way that MT could not have shown up at a scheduled sound check: it was the event of the tour!!!

CAn you believe this?

"What are we gonna do now?"
"Rock me baby, with MT. MT who? Ah yes Marc Taylor! Mick? Where is he anyway?
"Don't know"
"Well, WTF, next time, lets do HTW instead"

And WHERE is MT, out in a line to get tickets to see the show ...

Come on!

C

Ronnie's spare amp was turned on. On the introductions Jagger went to Leavell, and started to really complain about something. Leavell "massaged" Jaggers back for a bit, and nodded in a somewhat fatherly way. Jagger then appeared to be a bit pissed, and from this point really started to rush. The entire band was announced in one minute (Lisa! Bernard! Charlie!) and he even forgot Chuck. Rock Me Baby was on the original setlist at postion 15 but they played Honky Tonk Women instead.

Conclusion: Mick Taylor's performance was planned but got cut for unknown reasons. The soundcheck-rumor is plausable but not confirmed.

So why was Jagger so pissed of all of a sudden? Suggestions?

so if Ronnie misses a soundcheck, sounds like he won't play that night, eh?

bv Wrote:
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> The fact is they dump anybody who don't come to
> the souncheck. They did it one time with Bob Dylan
> as well, at MSG I believe.

thats right. Dylan was playing at the MSG theatre in Jan. 1998 at the same time as the Stones were playing the main arena. He was supposed to join them onstage for Like a rolling stone after he'd played his own gig but it didnt happen

Mick was still wearing his Astoria wristband when he played The 100 Club the next evening.
I believe he had to get his VIP ticket like anyone else.
Obviously, this implies that he was never going to play.

It is said he left Astoria significantly before the end of the show.

Mick Taylor is self-destructive, despite his wonderful musicianship.

A change of set-list does not imply a change of line-up.

Thanks for everyone's input - i guess we'll never know for sure, how events/circumstances, unfolded that day, but the "missed soundcheck" and
"Stones arriving late at venue", theories, are as good as any.

Mick Taylor should write a book: "Why I left the Stones and why I didn't play at the Astoria".

The problem in London is that the Stones are staying at their own homes, therefore, the coordination my be more difficult than in any other city (excepted NYC).

[doctorstonesblog.blogspot.com]

Keith doesnt have a home in London

and at the time the Stones last played in London, neither did Mick (and he still doesnt). He was staying in Claridges, although he 'sneaked' his pet giraffe into Downe House on the day of the Twickenham show, much to Jerry's displeasure



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2005-11-16 14:02 by Gazza.

Harm Wrote:
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> Mick Taylor should write a book: "Why I left the
> Stones and why I didn't play at the Astoria".

He should definetely, write his autobiography.
Would make a refreshing change, from "According to.." , and it's
nauseating air-brushed take, on Stones history.