Something I have been wondering about as I watch the "Four Flicks" DVD, and more recently the "Biggest Bang" (both of which feature numbers where Mick plays guitar) is Mick's capabilities as a guitar player. I am not a musician, just a music lover, and I would be interested as to how any any guitarists on this forum rate Mick in this area- has he got some decent chops, or is it just for appearances? Would be interested to read the views of musicians about Mick's guitar playing...

....as anyone heard him ....?

Keith's quoted as saying that Mick's a good acoustic player but rather "thrashes about" at the electric. Keith was maybe in semi serious mode at the time and It's maybe a fair assessment from what we've heard of Mick's playing down the years. He's certainly as competant as many guitar players.

mick taylor is

starting around 2005, Keith started updating his assessment of Mick on electric -
"he's finally tamed the beast" and so on

If he is good enough for keith and Ronnie, he is good enough for me! :-)

Live, he only seems to use it as a prop.

>> he only seems to ... <<

Back of My Hand was wonderful in concert -
i love the moment before it starts when Mick takes a deep breath and steadies himself

Some interesting snippets of info/comments- thanks people!

Does anyone remember a couple of solo albums by Leslie West (from Mountain) that featured sideman Mick Jagger on Guitar ?? They came out the latter part of the 70's.....Mick on guitar only....

Terraplane wrote:

Live, he only seems to use it as a prop.



This thread is about Mick, not Keith.

Seriously, he seems decent, if not good. As a lead singer, though, he's the all-time champ.

"No Anchovies, Please"



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2007-07-17 00:16 by Elmo Lewis.

He's OK.

Although you can see from the way he holds the guitar that he doesn't sleep with it at night...

A solid third place in the greatest rock 'n roll band in the world - not bad at all!

----------------------------
"Music is the frozen tapioca in the ice chest of history."

"Shit!... No shit, awright!"

I don't know Greg - Blondie's back there!

"No Anchovies, Please"

He's good. He does write music with his guitar, after all. I've been playing guitar for 10 yrs and I still can't play slide as well as he can.

I have noticed that Mick plays guitar on songs from whatever new album is out when they are touring.

like Miss You

is it true that good old Eric Clapton himself tried to give him a couple of lessons?

(On Sway Mick plays electric guitar). Yeah... Well, like I say, acoustically he's got a nice touch. It doesn't translate electrically. It's not his thing. It's not everybody's cup of tea... I'd never let him play electric if I could help it. He's like Bob Dylan, same thing. They thrash away at it. No sense of electric at all. Usually I turn him down.
- Keith Richards, 2002

I think that that's the quote your talking about.

Now since it's Mick playing the main riff on Sway, I'd call that pretty good. I think Keith can be a little bitter at times!

I am not sure if he is any good on guitar....but it always seems strange to me Mick with guitar....anyway, he`s a great perfomer, great singer and a phantastic harmonica player.....

sjs12 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> (On Sway Mick plays electric guitar). Yeah...
> Well, like I say, acoustically he's got a nice
> touch. It doesn't translate electrically. It's not
> his thing. It's not everybody's cup of tea... I'd
> never let him play electric if I could help it.
> He's like Bob Dylan, same thing. They thrash away
> at it. No sense of electric at all. Usually I turn
> him down.
> - Keith Richards, 2002
>
> I think that that's the quote your talking about.
>
> Now since it's Mick playing the main riff on Sway,
> I'd call that pretty good. I think Keith can be a
> little bitter at times!


Yep, that's the quote.
I don't think Keith's being bitter... though he always enjoys the opportunity to have a mischeivious dig. He's always been very complimentary about Mick's harp playing.

natural-born-stonesfan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I am not sure if he is any good on guitar....but
> it always seems strange to me Mick with
> guitar....anyway, he`s a great perfomer, great
> singer and a phantastic harmonica player.....


He gets by with strumming a few chords. I'd say that his playing and Keiths singing have both improved over the years, but in no way will they compete as lead for each others roll. I agree that Mick is a great harp player and that that is were you find the true Mick Jagger the musician. No showmanship, just music.

natural-born-stonesfan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I am not sure if he is any good on guitar....but
> it always seems strange to me Mick with
> guitar....anyway, he`s a great perfomer, great
> singer and a phantastic harmonica player....

He sure knows how to give the best of harmonica on Stones songs and give them a high touch of Blues.

Check out the special feautures in the Gimme Shelter DVD.

At the "backstage outtakes" Mick is playing some bluesy electric guitar for Ike & Tina. Not brilliant, but not at all bad if you ask me.

with sssoul Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> starting around 2005, Keith started updating his
> assessment of Mick on electric -
> "he's finally tamed the beast" and so on

he may believe this, or he may have been forced to say it because mick plays so much guitar on the final version of ABB, just then being released.

mick sounds much better in the controlled environment of the studio. I really enjoy picking out his guitar there. onstage, he seems nervous and ineffective with it. I guess that is somewhat charming.

Forget it, boys. Mick takes guitar on stage to relax, in the 5st or 6st song. He don't have to run and dance...

@Roadrunner

Please enjoy Rain Fall Down or Streets Of Love live again. Mick's palying the guitar surprisingly loud and good on these tracks.

...and let's not forget "Back of my Hand" live