The Rolling Stones is one of the most popular rock band in history. They are an English rock band that was started in April of 1962. It was founded by Brian Jones (guitar and harmonica), Mick Jagger (vocalist), Keith Richards (guitar), and Ian Stewart (pianist). During their early years, the band was content with playing rhythm and blues music and cover songs of mostly American hit rock songs. They only started to get fame when they started writing their own songs, reinventing themselves as a true rock and roll band and launching the Rolling Stones music generations of fans have learned to enjoy.
The band’s early history.
Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were friends way back in the 1950s and they shared the same passion for rock music especially for Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters music. They soon met with Brian Jones, Ian Stewart, and Charlie Watts. The group then decided to play blues music together and would practice with the intention of starting their own rhythm and blues band.
Muddy Waters had a clear influence on the band, not only with the Rolling Stones music, but most especially with their names. As claimed by Keith Richards, it was Brian Jones who thought of the band’s name. Jones was on the phone placing an advertisement for the band on a magazine. When he was asked what was the name of the band, Jones noticed the Muddy Waters LP near him and picked the song “Rolling Stone”.
Two major forces contributed to the early success of the Rolling Stones. The first one is the stepping in of Andrew Loog Oldham as the band’s manager and producer in 1963. He was credited for giving the band its bad boy image as a complete reversal of the good boy image of The Beatles who were enjoying tremendous success in the 60s.
He also got the band’s first record deal with Decca Records who gave them favorable terms. It was said because of the guilt that the executives of Decca felt at that time for passing on The Beatles. As a result, the Rolling Stones got better royalty rates and more artistic freedom for their songs and albums.
The second great thing that worked to the advantage of the Rolling Stones was the Mick Jagger and Keith Richards songwriting collaboration. It was in a way to imitate the success met with the Lennon/McCartney songwriting duo. It also paved the way for the band to graduate into becoming a band that plays its own songs as to what they were previously doing, just covering songs.
There have been many changes in the line up of the band, but the most prominent was the departure of Brian Jones, considered by many as the true founder of the Rolling Stones. Jones died in 1969 due to drowning.
There is more to the history of the band, but just like with any other rock and roll group, oftentimes it is its early years that are deemed most important. Because it was the era when the Rolling Stones music was forged, developed, and the fans continued to love and enjoy.
