Mick Taylor

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mick Taylor (2012)

Michael "Mick" Kevin Taylor , nicknamed Little Mick (born January 17, 1949 in Welwyn Garden City , Hertfordshire , England ) is a British musician. He was best known as the lead guitarist for the Rolling Stones . Taylor also plays piano , bass, and drums .

Life

Mick Taylor founded the band The Gods in 1965 together with the later Uriah Heep member Ken Hensley . Other musicians included Greg Lake and John Glascock . Taylor left the band and in 1967 accepted an offer from John Mayall to join his band The Bluesbreakers as the successor to Peter Green .

Guitarist for the Rolling Stones

Mick Taylor during a Rolling Stones concert ( San Francisco , 1972)
Taylor during the 1970s

While still playing guitar with John Mayall, Taylor received the offer to become the new guitarist with the Rolling Stones , who had separated from Brian Jones in June 1969 . He accepted the offer and first appeared on July 5, 1969 as an official band member with the Stones. The concert took place in London's Hyde Park in front of around 500,000 people. Because of the sudden death of Brian Jones two days earlier, the concert was dedicated to the former guitarist and co-founder of the Rolling Stones.

Taylor had worked with the Rolling Stones a month earlier. Taylor overdubs for two tracks - Country Honk and Live With Me  - on the album Let It Bleed . The following week, a new version of the song Country Honk was created , for which Taylor wrote a new riff after experimenting with the original version. The new version of the song was released under the title Honky Tonk Women and jumped to the top of the charts immediately after its release in July 1969 .

Much like Bill Wyman , Taylor appeared on stage as an introverted musician who left the show to Mick Jagger and Keith Richards . His interaction with rhythm guitarist Richards drove the band into a rougher, more blues-oriented sound. Around 1970 Jagger and Taylor began to work together more intensely because Richards appeared less and less for studio appointments due to his increasing drug addiction. Without Richards, Taylor and Jagger recorded songs such as Sway , Moonlight Mile , Winter , Till the Next Goodbye and Time Waits for No One , without Taylor ever receiving any confirmation in the form of royalties for his involvement in the making of these tracks. The only exception was the song Ventilator Blues from the album Exile on Main Street (1972).

In December 1974, Taylor announced that he was leaving the Rolling Stones. One of the reasons for this decision was Taylor's growing frustration with the way in which Jagger and Richards passed over his artistic contributions. For example, Taylor was never named as a co-author of the songs for which he had made major contributions. In addition, his relationship with Richards deteriorated more and more during this time, which was expressed in the latter in increasing nagging at Taylor's playing style. Taylor finally informed Jagger of his decision at a party in London. Taylor's exit came at a bad time for the Rolling Stones. The band had soon the recordings for a new album in the Musicland Studios of Giorgio Moroder in Munich begin. A number of guest guitarists were hired for the recordings. Among them were Ry Cooder and Ron Wood , who later became Taylor's successor with the Rolling Stones.

After leaving, Taylor could be heard on the following Stones albums: Metamorphosis , Sucking in the 70s , Made In The Shade , Through the Past Darkly (Big Hits Vol. 2) , on the compilation Rewind (which was not released until the 1990s ), Jump Back: The Best of the Rolling Stones , The Singles Collection: The London Years , Hot Rocks , More Hot Rocks , Forty Licks and Rarities .

Taylor also plays guitar on Tops and Waiting on a friend from the album Tattoo You (1981). However, this was not about new recordings, but titles from previous sessions in which Taylor was still a member of the Rolling Stones; the band did not have time to write new titles and prepare a tour at the same time.

In an article about the Rolling Stones that appeared after Taylor left, music critic Robert Palmer (The New York Times) wrote that “Taylor is the best technician who's ever played with the Stones. A blues guitarist with a jazz flair for melodic invention, Taylor was never a rock 'n roller and never a showman. "

Solo career

1984
As a guest musician with the Rolling Stones. Right Keith Richards ( Hyde Park , 2013)

Compared to his six years with the Rolling Stones, Mick Taylor's solo activities have received far less attention from the press and audiences, although he has since worked on a variety of projects. In June 1973, Richard Branson asked Taylor to attend the live premiere of Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells at London's Queen Elizabeth Hall . Also in 1973 Mick Taylor could be heard on the solo album The Tin Man was a Dreamer by pianist Nicky Hopkins and on the live album by Billy Preston , which was recorded during his tour as the opening act for the Rolling Stones in the same year.

After Taylor left the Stones, he formed the Jack Bruce Band with Jack Bruce , Carla Bley and drummer Bruce Gary . The band went on a European tour in 1975. The attempt to build on the success of the legendary super group Cream , however, was doomed to failure. Despite promising concerts, the planned studio recordings did not materialize due to growing differences between Mick Taylor and Jack Bruce - with the exception of the 1974 title Without a Word . The recordings were only released in 1995 on the Jack Bruce album Live On The Old Gray Whistle Test (seven tracks with Taylor on guitar) and officially released in 2003 on the Jack Bruce Band album  - Live at Manchester Free Trade Hall '75 .

In 1977 Mick Taylor signed a contract with CBS Records in New York. In December 1978 he presented his solo album Mick Taylor , which was published in 1979, in a series of interviews with various music magazines . While the album received critical acclaim, it was a disappointment commercially.

As a solo artist, Mick Taylor was only moderately successful. He worked with Lowell George from the American band Little Feat , John Phillips from The Mamas and the Papas , went on tour with Alvin Lee (1981), made a world reunion tour with John Mayall and John McVie and played in the studio ( Infidels , 1983) and on tour with Bob Dylan (Real Live, 1984).

After leaving the Rolling Stones, Mick Taylor occasionally worked with one or more of his former bandmates, and he repeatedly played some of the rock band's songs at his concerts (e.g. Jumpin 'Jack Flash , Can't You Hear Me Knocking or No Expectations ).

On December 14, 1981, Taylor performed with the band for most of the Rolling Stones' concert at the Kemper Arena in Kansas City . His guest appearance gave some fans hopes that he would become a member of the group again. However, these hopes were not fulfilled.

On December 28, 1986, at Mick Taylor's concert in New York's Lone Star Cafe, Keith Richards appeared at Taylor's side to play Key to the Highway and Can't You Hear Me Knocking . Taylor can also be heard on Richards' first solo album Talk Is Cheap in the track I Could Have Stood You Up . In the early 1990s, Taylor starred in Bill Wyman's solo project Rhythm Kings .

In 1989 Mick Taylor was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with the Rolling Stones . In November and December 2012 as well as in May 2013 Taylor performed again together with the Rolling Stones during their anniversary concerts for the 50th anniversary of the band. He also took part in the 14 on Fire Tour . Since then, Taylor has largely withdrawn from the public eye.

In 2011, the music magazine Rolling Stone listed Taylor as 37th of the 100 best guitarists of all time .

Discography

Solo albums

  • 1979: Mick Taylor (CBS / Columbia)
  • 1990: Stranger in this Town (Maze Records)
  • 1999: A Stone's Throw (Cannonball Records)

With John Mayall's Bluesbreakers

  • Crusade (Decca, 1967 / LP; 1987 / CD)
  • The Diary of a Band, Volumes 1 & 2 (Decca, 1968 / 2LP; 2007 / 2CD)
  • Bare Wires (Decca, 1968 / LP; 1988 / CD)
  • Blues from Laurel Canyon (Decca, 1968 / LP, 1989 / CD)
  • The 1982 Reunion Concert (Repertoire, 1994 / CD) - with John Mayall, John McVie and Colin Allen

With The Rolling Stones

Taylor plays for Honky Tonk Women.
Taylor plays on Country Honk and Live with Me.
Taylor plays in I Don't Know Why and Jiving Sister Fanny.
  • Rolled Gold: The Very Best of the Rolling Stones (1975, compilation) UK # 7
  • Get Stoned (30 Greatest Hits) (1977, compilation) UK # 8
  • Sucking in the Seventies (1981, compilation 1974–1981) US # 15
  • Tattoo You (1981) UK # 2 / US # 1
Taylor plays for Tops and Waiting on a Friend.
  • In Concert (1982) (live compilation 1966–1969) UK # 94
  • Story of the Stones (1982, compilation) UK # 24
  • Rewind (1971–1984) (1984, compilation 1971–83) UK # 23 / US # 86
  • Singles Collection: The London Years (1989, compilation 1963–71) US # 91
  • Jump Back: The Best of The Rolling Stones (1993, compilation 1971-89) UK # 16 / US # 30
  • Forty Licks (2002, compilation 1964–2002) UK / US # 2
  • Rarities 1971-2003 (2005) US # 76
Taylor played on Let It Rock (live 1971) and the 1974 B-side Through the Lonely Nights.
  • Exile On Main St. (Rarities Edition) (2010) US # 27
Taylor plays with Pass The Wine (Sophia Loren), Plundered My Soul, I'm Not Signifying, Loving Cup (Alternate Take), Soul Survivor (Alternate Take) and Good Time Women.
  • Brussels Affair (2011) 1973 live performance
  • Grrr! (2012) (compilation 1963-2012) UK # 3 / US # 19
  • Hyde Park Live (2013, 2013 live performance) UK # 16 / US # 19
Taylor plays guitar with Midnight Rambler , acoustic guitar and vocals with (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction

With Jack Bruce

  • Live on the Old Gray Whistle Test (Strange Fruit, 1995). Titles from several whistle test shows recorded between 1975 and 1981. Taylor plays guitar on seven of these songs.
  • Live at the Manchester Free Trade Hall (2 CD, Polydor, 2003)

With Bob Dylan

Taylor plays guitar on Tight Connection to My Heart (Has Anybody Seen My Love).

Sessions

  • Tubular Bells Premiere Mike Oldfield (June '73) Queen Elizabeth Hall
  • Tubular Bells (Mike Oldfield) Telecast Tubular Bells Part One and Tubular Bells Part Two. Recorded at BBC Broadcasting House November
  • The Tin Man Was A Dreamer (Nicky Hopkins) (1973)
  • London Underground - Herbie Mann (Atlantic, 1973)
  • Waiting for Columbus (Little Feat) (1978) double CD released 2002
  • Expresso II (Gong) (1978)
  • 1989: Have Blues Will Travel - Speedo "Harmonica" Jones & MT
  • 1990: Live - Carla Olson & MT (as Japan CD + 1 bonus track)
  • 1993: Within an Ace - Carla Olson feat. MT
  • 1993: Once in a Blue Moon - Gerry Groom, MT and Friends (as Blue Vinyl LP + 3 bonus tracks)
  • 1995: Coastin 'Home (as Japan CD + 1 bonus track)
  • 1997: Taylormade - Black Cat Bone feat. MT
  • 1997: Live Plus Interview (Leverkusen 1997)
  • 2001: The Ring of Truth - Carla Olson feat. MT
  • 2001: Mick & I - Miyuki feat. MT
  • 2003: The Turning Point - Peter Karp and The Roadshow Band with MT
  • 2007: Little Red Rooster (Recorded Live in Hungary, 2001)
  • 2008: Too Hot for Snakes-Plus - Carla Olson & MT (2 CD Set)
  • 2008: Family Meeting-Wentus Blues Band & MT (RUF 2 CDs + DVD) with Louisiana Red , Kim Wilson , Lazy Lester
  • 2011: Stinky Fingers - Anthony Thistlethwaite and MT (Internet download only)
  • 2011: Mick Taylor (dig. Rem. + 1 bonus track - Leather Jacket [vinyl promo version])
  • 2011: The BBC Sessions - Stephen Dale Petit feat. MT
  • 2012: Too Hot for Snakes / The Ring of Truth - Carla Olson & MT (2 CDs - with 3 bonus tracks and one title as a long version)

Singles

  • 1979: Leather Jacket (vinyl promo)
  • 1990: Lone Star Roadhouse (3 ″ Japan CD with 2 tracks)
  • 1990: Sway / Silver Train - MT & Carla Olson
  • 1996: Mick Taylor All Star Blues Band (promo CD with 4 tracks)
  • 2005: It's Only Thunder - Penni Colman feat. MT (only as internet download)
  • 2013: Holla - Stephen Dale Petit feat. MT (Promo CD with 1 track)

Web links

Commons : Mick Taylor  - Collection of Images, Videos and Audio Files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time. Rolling Stone , December 18, 2015, accessed August 8, 2017 .


personal data
SURNAME Taylor, Mick
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Taylor, Michael Kevin (full name); Little Mick (nickname)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION British guitarist
DATE OF BIRTH January 17, 1949
PLACE OF BIRTH Welwyn Garden City , Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom