The one from 1979. Is it any good? What style of music, really? And how is his guitar playing? Soaring blues or just lame latin influenced fusion? Did he mainly use a Strat or does it have his signature fat Les Paul snarl?

Many questions, but I'm curious, before buying...

LieB Wrote:
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> Soaring blues or just lame latin influenced fusion?

Something in between. I quite like that album. Especially "Alabama", "Leather Jacket" and "Broken Hands".

His leads on: Slow Blues are Classic!!

Giggie up is very good, if you like Mick Taylor you will like this release!!!

I got him to sign my Japanese release of this album, funny thing, in Japan, they listen to albums/CD's, and try to write out the lyrics for you in english. They included this with pictures of Mick as a special inclusion fold-out. When I gave it to Taylor to sign he said: I've never seen this before...

MLC

It's a nice record, very tasteful, but it lacks a coherent musical vision. That "flaw" is perfectly acceptable at that point in his career, but I think it is a problem that has plagued him throughout his career. Where am I going? What do I want to do? So many things in his career have just fallen into his lap...sitting in for EC...Mayall looking him up...the Stones...Dylan coming backstage at the Roxy in '82...Left to his own devices he is often unmotivated and uninspired.

BTW: Taylor's "fusion" period, circa 1987, is very nice. I wish he would have pursued it more and released an album in that mood. That period is a very nice listen early in the morning or late at night.

I found this interview with Charlie Watts where he talks about Mick Taylor. It´s from a Swedish newspaper in July 1998.

Q: Many people says that the best version of the Stones was when Mick Taylor was in the band. Do you know what he´s doing nowadays?
CW: I hear from him from time to time. He has his ups and downs. Sometimes he seems to be doing good, sometimes less so. I could never understand why he left the band. He just went and then he did a crappy solo album, which he could have done without leaving the band.
Q: Wasted talent?
CW: Yeah, really. We were the perfect platform for him. He´s clearly the best solo guitarist the Stones had, and he´s still today one of the best there is. Just listen to the albums we did in that period, Sticky Fingers and Exile on Main Street…

I think CW comment why he left the band was him being politically correct its the same reason why BW left,you would expect more from CW - I mean he always says Mick Jagger is his singer in the band.

To each their own. Despite what Charlie Watts says, MT's first solo album has some excellent music.

Great melodies (Baby I Want You, SW5, Leather Jacket) & incredible playing Broken Hands, Giddy Up & Spanish Aminor.

I rate it more highly than Jagger's solo stuff & on par with Talk Is Cheap (though a different genre).

Taylor came up with some of those great melodies first on piano.

I remember reading where he played nearly all the instruments on this album.

I am actually very surprised by Charlie's stance. Although I agree with him. It just surprises me that he called MT's album 'crappy' LOL. And that he says that MT was clearly the best lead guitarrist. Again - I agree with it all, just susprised that it is CW saying it.

"...no longer shall you trudge 'cross my peaceful mind."

Sounds like the official party line from Mr. Watts.

I love MT's 1st solo album - when I got (the remastered version) I listened to it nonstop for about 2 weeks, driving my wife nuts. I find his guitar work on amazing, and it left me wondering what/where else the stones might have gone had he stayed...Definitely worth picking up.

I remember reading that interview in the Swedish paper when it came out. I too was surprised by Charlie's candid comments. And I agree with most of it too, especially about the Stones being the best platform Taylor ever had. But I'm gonna pick his first solo album up. I've heard many positive comments about it, so it seems to be worth it. Thanks for your input and keep 'em coming!

Many moments on Mr. Taylor's solo debut remind me of David Gilmour's solo work of the same period. Interesting to note that a number of the folks that worked on Woody's first two records are also present on Mr. Taylor's first.

Rocky Dijon Wrote:
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> Interesting to note that a number of the folks that worked on Woody's first two records are also present on Mr. Taylor's first.


Jean Roussell and...who else?

Lowell George helped out and I think wrote or cowrote Alabama.

IMO there is some excellent playing on this album, but the sound, the production and most important the vocals makes the album a bit too boring for my taste. Brilliant at times, but as a whole mediocre.

BTW Taylor's singing is not bad, but his voice just is not interesting IMO. Lack of signature.

When it came out in 1979 it was pretty underwhelming. My thought was, "It took him FIVE YEARS to make THIS??"

Had it come out 3 years earlier, it might have had more commercial success. But by 1979, punk/new wave had a firm hold on the public's imagination and MT's album seemed irrelevant.

(The 45 version of "Leather Jacket" has a different mix. I wish they included it as a bonus track on the CD)

My error, EricJF. The keyboard player is the only common player on the disc. I thought Andy Newmark and Willie Weeks played on a few tracks for some reason. I also thought the engineers were the same. Wrong on all counts.

I wasn't sure either. Jean Roussell was the only name that popped up.

which m.t. album do you guys think is his very best rocking type album? thanks...

Mr. Taylor's best rocking moments would be Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out and Real Live. Obviously, he should always have Glyn Johns producing...

i mean, solo album? which of his solo, (after stones) albums is his best rocking album? thanks!

Stranger in this town (Has some rockin' blues)

The other odd thing about Taylor's first solo album...He did nothing to promote it. In '86 he put together a poorman's Bluesbreakers band and did blues covers. I find this period very depressing. NIce playing, but depressing nonetheless. But the audiences were well aware of the solo album and were calling out for songs from it. Finally, in late '86 he started to play Giddy Up and Spanish on stage for the first time...7 years after the album's release. Mick...I luv ya...but that is BAD planning.

I heard the album sold really well in Japan

erikjjf Wrote:
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> Rocky Dijon Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Interesting to note that a number of the folks
> that worked on Woody's first two records are also
> present on Mr. Taylor's first.
>
>
> Jean Roussell and...who else?


Mick Taylor


OpenG Wrote:
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> Lowell George helped out and I think wrote or
> cowrote Alabama.


Colin Allen co-wrote Alabama. LG played on Giddy Up or some other tune.

i doubt CW's remark meant he didn't think highly of the album, musically, actually. i think it was more meant that it was a crappy idea to do the solo album instead of stick with the band.

i love MT's debut - it's rich in ideas and flawless in execution. Stones' Throw ain't bad at all, either. Weakest aspect of both albums is the vocals - never been much of a singer.

It's quite a god album in my opinion, there's some great guitar work to be found. The only problem I have is that I just can't stand Taylor's voice. In my very humble opinion, he's a terrible singer, with a very bad voice, and this spoils all his solo efforts for me.

Mathijs

you should seek out the very hard to find karaoke editions of MT's albums, Mathijs!