Is it just me or was Mick Taylor "underused" while in the Stones? What I mean is, in the studio, he really only shines or is given room to display his talents on ballads like Sway and Time Waits for No One. But live, he seemed to turn the faster, harder, more ''rocky'' songs into just plain awesomeness. Look at how he shined on for example "Street Fighting Man" in the '72 and '73 tours--He totally transformed that song from an experimental psychedelic anthem into a stadium rock climatic anthem full of fury and epic solos. I think had they actually let him play solos over their harder songs it would've been magical. Imagine how Hand of Fate, for example, might've sounded had he stuck around another year, or how Brown Sugar might've sounded with a Mick solo instead of the Sax, or what he could've done with Gimme Shelter.

And I still wish the band had re-recorded Street Fighting Man the way it was played on those tours--To be honest I prefer it to the studio version. It's much more raw and angry live on those tours. It almost comes off as proto-punk rock in the '72 and '73 versions of it..

The guy was like a '70s version of Slash (from Guns N' Roses) and he could've helped the Stones create some really hard rock epics on the scale of Free Bird or Ten Years Gone (by Zeppelin).

StickyStones wrote on Oct 10^th, 2010 at 6:42am:

StickyStones wrote on Oct 10^th, 2010 at 6:42am:



Fortunately, they didn't. Taylor was a wonderful musician but thankfully there's a lot more to the Stones' canon than epic-length guitar wankery.

You really think that the studio cuts of 'Brown Sugar' and (especially) 'Gimme Shelter' can be improved upon?

There are a few alternate versions of both tracks in circulation. In the case of 'Brown Sugar', some without the sax.

The Stones picked the best versions for release. No question. Maybe it's a case of over-familiarity breeding contempt, but those two records are perfect as they are. In fact, the studio version of 'Gimme Shelter' is IMO the single greatest thing they've ever done.

And people allways forget,he did NOT write those songs,any of them.Stones needed a virtuoso back then,because it was also a "fashion" thing,every other rock band had one,so they needed their own.I BET his style would not fit with todays music,let alone with stones anymore.

corgi37 wrote on Oct 11^th, 2010 at 3:21am:


And in 5 years he contributed more then Ronnie Wood did in 35 years, if someone can name one song that Ronnie contributed, name it, certainly not these.
Love In Vain (Slide Work)
Sway.
Wild Horses.
Can't You Hear Me knocking.
Moonlight Mile.
Winter.
Till The Next Good-Bye.
Time Waits For No One.
Ventilator Blues.
Stop Breakin' Down.
Shine A Light.
100 Years Ago.
Those are just a few, the albums with The Stones are some of the best they ever did, I don't understand these comments like Mick Taylor was a nobody, when he left, The Stones didn't get another guitarist to inspire original medolic guitar lines, they got a guy who's  good at covering his & Brian Jones's parts, no songs written that were outstanding by any means.

Bingo wrote on Oct 11^th, 2010 at 6:59pm:


http://t0.gstatic.com/imagesq=tbn:ANd9GcSBWDt0CzA8IK2mfKowxZErgDiRW4Oq9gS3Oybare...

Bingo wrote on Oct 11^th, 2010 at 8:19pm:

At that age, Bill was probably hitting on fetuses.
Brainy

StickyStones wrote on Oct 11^th, 2010 at 9:56pm:



It doesn't. It consists of a lot more. Every period of music has had it's share of utter conveyor belt drivel - the 60's included - mixed in with fine music.

These days you just have to look a bit harder as it's not in the charts and generally not on the radio.

You're making it sound like it's a simple black and white issue. Justin Bieber or Mick Taylor. No grey area in between?

Well he does use up 3% of Twitter. 

Steel Wheels wrote on Oct 13^th, 2010 at 12:31pm:

Ronnie contributed to "Dance" on ER.

Thats worth 5 1/2 Time waits no one's