Brian Jones, Founder of the Rolling Stones

Last year the music community and fans marked				sunk deeper and deeper into a drug-induced
the 25th				stupor, it has been said
anniversary of John Lennon's death. Predictably,				that his personality became unbearable. Many
quite a few new				claim the drug use
Beatles books have hit the stores just in time				made him nasty and violent and he was accused
for the holidays.				of beating more than
Few bands have managed to carve out such a				one of his ex-girlfriends, which eventually lead to
coveted place in rock n'				the infamous
roll history, which leads to the age old question:				"Anita Pallenberg incident". Anita, a German model
The Beatles or				Brian met in
The Rolling Stones. It's a debate that has raged				1966, has been called Brian's only 'true love'. In
on since the early				1967, she
60s, with devoted fans of each voicing their				joined Brian and Keith, among others, on a trip to
steadfast opinions.				Morocco. Legend
Others stand firmly in the middle, believing it's				has it Brian became irate with Anita and beat her
simply a matter				to the point
of taste. Both artists contributed much to the				where she fled to Keith, hysterical and begging
history of recorded				for help. Keith
music. More than 40 years after their formation,				came to her rescue and the entire group left
The Rolling Stones				Morocco, leaving Brian
still tour the world, though some argue they are				behind. Keith and Anita would eventually become
a pale shadow of				lovers (legend has
the once vibrant band they were in the early				it she also had onscreen intercourse with Mick
60s. Ultimately, they				while filming the
are still selling out shows and fans are still				cult film "Performance") widening the gap
enjoying them.Most Stones fans cite the prolific				between Brian and the
material of the 1970s as the				other Stones even further. By the time Brian
group's best work and few can downplay the				returned to the UK on
importance of EXILE ON				his own, his relationship with the Stones was
MAIN STREET and LET IT BLEED. But, the term				beyond repair.It's clear, through stories from
'best' is open to				bandmates, ex-girlfriends and
interpretation. Surely, it had a strong impact on				friends, that Brian Jones could be an outright
bands to follow				louse but he could
but the same can be said of the Stones early				also be a trusted friend and confident musician.
material, represented				Sadly, by the time
by such classic albums like 1966's AFTERMATH				the Stones recorded the infamous THEIR
and 1968's BEGGARS				SATANIC MAJESTIES REQUEST in
BANQUET . The early live shows and recordings				1967, Brian was worlds apart from his former
set new boundaries by				'best buddies'. He
tying classic blues and R&B together with raw				hated the album and repeatedly begged the
rock n' roll. The				other Stones not to
blues foundation, which carried over into the				release it, claiming it blatantly ripped off the
Stones 70s material,				Beatles SGT.
was rooted in the band's original guitarist and				PEPPERS album. Strangely enough, this is the first
founder, Brian				Stones album
Jones. The "forgotten Stone" is known to few				that featured a track written by a Stone other
newer Stones fans.				than Mick or Keith,
Still, Brian's enigmatic persona and unique style				Bill Wyman's "In Another Land". Upon release,
mirrors Lennon's				Brian's opinion was
in the Beatles. Accounts claim Lennon was, in				proven correct, as critics and fans dismissed the
fact, closer to Brian				album as a pale
than any of the other Stones. The two were				shadow of its Beatles counterpart. Over time,
inseparable during the				the album has been
infamous Rock N' Roll Circus debacle of 1968 and				given much more credit for its place in rock
there were even				history. By the time
rumors they discussed the possibility of a musical				the Stones hit the studio to record the follow-up,
collaboration				1968s BEGGARS
prior to Brian's untimely death in 1969. Our				BANQUET, Brian was all but useless. Luckily, he
imaginations could				was able to
only envision how it would have turned out.				contribute some fantastic slide guitar to "Salt of
Sadly, too few remember				the Earth" and
Brian and the often understated impact he had				lend some backup vocals to "Sympathy for the
on one of the most				Devil". Sadly, Keith
quintessential rock n' roll bands of all time.I've				was forced to pick up most of the slack on this
read nearly every book on the life of Brian Jones				album, and Brian's
and visited				dismissal from the Stones was all but imminent.
his grave in the English countryside a few years				Brian managed to
back. Most books				contribute mildly to LET IT BLEED, released in
say the same thing: they talk about Brian's early				1969, but his part
life and				is barely worth a mention.The Stones asked
childhood; his meeting with Mick and Keith, which				Brian to leave the group in June of 1969. The
led to the				split was reported in the press as mutual, and
formation of the Stones; his subsequent downfall				Brian retired to his
due to lack of				home, Cotchford Farm, formerly owned by A.A.
self-esteem and drug use, and his untimely death				Milne, writer of the
ruled a suicide				classic "Winnie the Pooh" books. Brian spent much
but still believed by many to be murder. Lost in				time working on
all of these books				music and 'detoxing' during this time. He
is the true insight into Brian as a person. There is				reportedly discussed
mention of				collaborations with other musicians, including the
both his many character flaws, which contributed				members of
to his ultimate				Credence Clearwater Revival and John Lennon.
downfall, and his many attributes, including a				Sadly, on July 2,
tenacity that drove				1969, Brian Jones was found dead in his
the Stones to the forefront of a musical rebellion.				swimming pool, his passing
The two				ruled "death by misadventure" a/k/a drowning.
conflicting sides of Brian's personality somehow				Interestingly,
melded together to				neither Mick Jagger nor Keith Richards attended
form a musician with unique talent, whose				Brian's funeral,
musical "flavorings"				though the Stones held a 'memorial concert' in
helped the Stones stand out from their				Hyde Park days after
contemporaries; from the				his death. Both Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman
sitar on "Paint It Black to the dulcimer on "Lady				attended the service
Jane".The Rolling Stones were formed in the early				in Brian's native Cheltenham, while rumors that
60s when Brian came				Brian's death was
together with childhood friends Mick Jagger and				actually murder surfaced shortly thereafter. First,
Keith Richards. In				his girlfriend
the early years, the three held each other in				at the time, Anna Wohlin, was whisked away
admiration and even				never to be seen again.
lived together in squalor in a small London				Second, though Brian was an expert swimmer
apartment without heat				and there was a nurse at
during one of the roughest winters on record in				his home the evening of his death, no one was
the UK. Brian had a				able to save him.
hard time holding onto steady work and he and				Third, though Brian did have narcotics in his
Keith would spend				system at the time of
hours practicing guitar riffs in their freezing				his death, they were not strong enough to have
apartment. The trio				rendered him
would often share a bed to keep warm at night,				helpless in his own pool. New theories have
a story that				abounded in books by
eventually led to rumors that Mick and Brian had				Wohlin and Terry Rawlings, among others. The
a sexual				general consensus is
relationship. Mick, Keith and Brian were the glue				that Brian was killed by a live-in contractor, Frank
that held the				Thorogood.
Stones together until they crossed paths with				Published reports claim the two had a falling out,
Andrew Oldham, who				prompting
became their manager and marketer. His				Thorogood to hold Brian's head under the water
business savvy impressed				until he drowned.
the group and they trusted his input, which				Rawling's book claims, according to former
eventually included				Stones tour manager Tom
elevating Mick and Keith to the post of				Keylock, Thorogood eventually confessed to the
songwriting team (an				crime on his
unofficial 'poster boys'). Though not able to break				deathbed. British producer Stephen Wooley is
into the				currently working on a
"Glitter Twins" writing monopoly, Brian was able				film centered mainly on Wohlin's book. STONED
contribute				(scheduled for
enduring musical masterpieces, with instruments				release in early 2006) claims to finally 'solve' the
ignored in				mystery of
contemporary music up until that time. Truly				Brian's death. According to Wooley, Janet Lawson
gifted, Brian was able				(the nurse at
to pick up just about any instrument and learn				Brian's home on the night he died) offered
how to play it in				valuable information
just a few hours time. His brilliant sitar				that led to the ending of the film. The indie film
performance on "Paint It				may be hard to
Black" is heralded as one of his best. The song				find at local theaters but a DVD release is also
owes its "classic"				planned. Whether
status to Brian's inspired performance.				or not the film is a success, the music of the
Regardless, Brian was				Stones will stand as
gradually removed as self-proclaimed 'leader' of				a testament to Brian's legacy. If you aren't
the Stones. Only				familiar with the
those present can be certain of the dynamics at				early material, now is your chance to pick it up. It
play, but the				surely shaped
accepted version is that Mick and Keith grew				all Stones material to come, including their current
closer while writing,				work. If you
as Brian became more and more alienated. His				are interested in more on Brian's life, there are
severe self-esteem				many books to
problem, something he was never able to				check out, each with subtle nuances and
conquer, apparently kept				interesting stories. Either way, it's a pleasant
him from offering input and further isolated him				musical education. Happy New Year!If you are
from the band. It				interested in more articles let us know.DefstarLtd
has been said that Brian actually wrote songs and				Auctions dedicated to providing unique products
had he been more				from entertainment memorabilia to technology
mentally stable, he might have been confident				and beyond. Please check out our website and
enough to present				contact us with questions.
them to the band. They are now rumored to be				Thank you,Dawn SimondsLee Simonds EARLY
held by one of his				STONES ALBUMS:ENGLAND'S NEWEST
many ex-girlfriends. Some members of the				HITMAKERS / 1964 [includes a fantastic cover
Stones inner circle claim				version of Buddy Holly's "Not Fade Away"]THE
that Brian, and not Keith Richards, actually				ROLLING STONES, NOW! / 1965 [great slide work
crafted the famous				by Brian on
riff that launches the Stones classic "Satisfaction".				"Little Red Rooster"]OUT OF OUR HEADS / 1965
The story				[featuring the classic "Satisfaction"]AFTERMATH /
goes that Brian was playing the riff one day, and				1966 [standouts include "Paint It Black" and "Lady
Keith heard it.				Jane"]BEGGARS BANQUET / 1968 [Brian's 'swan
Later, Keith awoke in the middle of the night and				song' slide work on "Salt of
began playing the				the Earth"]"Jumpin' Jack Flash" / 1968 single
riff into a tape recorder, expanding on it to				[some nice 'color' from Brian]SUGGESTED
create the tune that				READING:"Who Killed Christopher Robin?" / Terry
became legendary. The rumor of Brian's input				Rawlings [June 2005]"The Murder Of Brian Jones"
has never been				Anna Wohlin [October 2000]"Golden Stone" /
corroborated. Ultimately, Brian's paranoid				Laura Jackson [October 1993] (this one is out of
insistence that the				print but worth finding)"Death Of A Rolling Stone"
remainder of the Stones were "out to get him"				/ Mandy Aftel [September 1982] (major
kept him from				collector's item, fetching more than $200 used
achieving his most coveted musical: to be				and very rare)"The Last Decadent" / Jeremy
recognized as a				Reed [July 1999]"Brian Jones: The Inside Story of
songwriter.By the mid-60s, Brian Jones had				A Rolling Stone" / Nicholas
developed a serious dependence on				Fitzgerald [October 1985] (another rare find, not
illegal drugs. Sadly, these mixed badly with his				much new
poor mental				information, but worth it for a collector)"Paint It
health, leading to further isolation and paranoia. If				Black: The Murder of Brian Jones" / Geoffrey
Brian were				Guliano
alive today, he would most likely be diagnosed as				[April 1994] (I've heard mixed reviews on this
manic depressive				one; it's quite
and placed on medication to control his extreme				similar to Terry Rawlings' book.)Dawn Simonds is
ups and downs. In				a music professional with 6 years of experience
Brian's day, however, far less was known about				under her belt. She currently works in the
such medical				business & legal affairs department at Universal
conditions and Brian was left to cope with his				Music Group, home to such prolific labels as Def
growing stardom and				Jam and Motown. Dawn began writing at a young
increasingly shrinking role in the Stones and				age and honed her skills as entertainment editor
unable to dig himself				for The Beacon at William Paterson University.
out of the cycle of alternating megalomania and				She graduated with honors from the School of
self-loathing.				Communication in 1995. She currently makes her
Interestingly, Mick and Keith's much-publicized				home in Queens, NY with her husband, Lee
"drug orgy" at				Simonds. Both Dawn and Lee are actors, working
Keith's home, Redlands, eclipsed Brian's own				with The Queens Players out of Long Island City,
arrest and trial for				NY. As entrepreneurs, they have launched
retaining a controlled substance. Even in drug use,				DefstarLtd. Auctions dedicated to providing unique
Brian had				products from entertainment memorabilia to
failed to measure up and he continued to feel				technology and beyond. Please check out our
defeated. As Brian				website and contact us with questions.

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Brian Jones, Founder of the Rolling Stones

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