The importance of Brian Jones (?)

As a fringe fan of the Stones and their music - I've always wondered what significance Jones brought to the group.
Singing? Musicianship? Creativity?
I remember reading, that early on - he had fancied himself as the leader of the Stones.

opinions?
any help would be appreciated.

 

I'm not a huge Stones fan but that original grouping with Brian is really all I like and want to listen to. I think his musicianship is vastly underrated and it's what gave the Stones their classic early sound.

 

He brought them together.

 

He died, they met Mick Taylor, and they were then able to become the best rock and roll band of all time.

 

He was the best multi-instrumentalist in the history of the band. Unfortunately, he was also a tortured soul and that interfered with his creativity.

 

He was the keeper of the fairy dust, the magic. He had a fantastic talent for colouring in the music. Without him they morphed quite quickly into a pretty one-dimensional rackinrawl band- never again were they the innovative band snapping at the Beatles' heels.

I get the impression he couldn't cope with fame and self-medicated his creativity out of existence.

And ABKCO don't go out of their way to promote those 60s albums that showcase his gift. Where are the expanded/remastered editions?

 

we'll never know just talented jones was.

had he lived would there have been a glimmer twins, or would it be a glimmer trio?

would it have been jagger/jones rather than jagger/richards?

in what direction would the band have gone: ever hear the pipes of pan?

 

I'd suggest reading the book Sympathy for the Devil by Paul Trynka. He gives an interesting view that balances out the Mick Jagger/Keith Richards version. It's a convincing read, simply because he has been downplayed so much as a key element.

To be honest he seems to have been a vital early influence but increasingly marginalised by people like Oldham and Jagger (in a band that could be ruthless in its behaviour) and by his very own nature which was I'd suggest was as a talented ****.

 

I agree with this. With Brian, the Stones music was much more colorful than what followed. As a result, this is generally the era of the band I find most interesting...

 

Exactly. No Brian no Stones.

 

The Jones-era is my favourite Stones period. Early on his guitar/harmonica contributions are really important but as they moved away from the derivative r'n'b into their own thing (early 65?) he begins adding other touches such as dulcimer,mellotron and a whole bunch of other stuff. Mick and Keith were writing some great songs (mostly) and really found themselves and their "real" group identity after the LSD psych splurge of 67. Unfortunately this coincided with Brian going to pieces as his drug use began to seriously impact his ability and willingness to contribute. I think Mick and Keith wanted something of a return to the 2 guitar thing and BJ wasn't very interested in that. He clearly had some significant personal problems, some self-inflicted.
While (obviously) i didn't know him personally, enough people have suggested that he could be a seriously nasty piece of work ...look at the trail of babies and beaten up women he left behind him and i get the impression that he was an extremely talented a++hole. Maybe he had something like Aspergers, maybe he was just a git. Other people (George Harrison for example) said he was a nice bloke. Maybe he behaved with a Beatle. John and Paul both said he was nice too until he got messed up and paranoid.
I would not be at all surprised if his death was the result of him pissing off the wrong people one too many times.
Ultimately though, he started the band, named it and made significant contributions - that slide on I Wanna Be Your Man is outrageous. Without Brian Jones, there would be no Rolling Stones.
That's a pretty good thing to be remembered for and he will be remembered for a very long time.
ABKCO need to sort the unreleased back catalogue out...especially the 1964 Radio Luxembourg acetate owned by Bill Wyman.

 

Brian was key to the early sound. He almost gets the shaft, not exactly in a pete best sort of way, but more so in Syd way. Brian's contributions, musically, metaphysically, and spiritually cannot be understated or brushed aside(like mr best). the band would never had existed without JOnes.

 

The founder and, early on, a focal point of the band. Look at many of the early photos of the group- Jones is often front and center, or at least the element that catches the eye.

Brian brought a sophistication and musicianship to the group that the others couldn't equal. He was intelligent and witty and could interact with the press while the others seemed to like to cultivate their outlaw image.

They wouldn't have quite achieved what they did without him. He helped lay the foundation for their success.

 

Brian Jones was the Rolling Stones! When he left the band was never the same again. In 1969 when Mick Taylor came into the fold he made the Stones a
exciting band again with his awesome fluid guitar playing. But I missed the colouring of the music that Brian gave the Stones and the Stones never got that part back again without Brian Jones in my opinion.

 

"While Brian’s musical prowess didn’t extend to composing, his extraordinary and versatile talent as a musician is found on all his recordings with the Stones, among them, his slide guitar on “I’m a King Bee”, “Little Red Rooster” and “No Expectations” from Beggars Banquet. He plays the sitar on “Street Fighting Man” and “Paint It Black”, organ on “Let’s Spend The Night Together”, marimba on “Under My Thumb” and “Out Of Time” recorder on “Ruby Tuesday”, dulcimer and harpsichord on “Lady Jane”, saxophone and oboe on “Dandelion”, mellotron on “She’s a Rainbow”, and harmonica on “Not Fade Away”, “2120 South Michigan Avenue” and “Prodigal Son”."
http://www.rollingstones.com/artist/brian-jones/

 

pretty spot on.

You may become a huge stones fan if you look past Brian Jones as that's where things really got good.

 

"The Importance of Being Brian Jones"

In this scene, Brian has his snuffbox confiscated by a friendly intervention.

 

Brian was the heart of the early Stones, there should be no 'question mark' at the end of the title of this thread, he's important, period.

They were never as good without him.

 

World music pioneer as well. The Joujouka album is amazing. Brian's field recordings of the master musicians are a very important part of his legacy.

 

When you watch the early footage of the band he was far more out front on stage than Keef. He was stiff competition for teen adulation for Mick. I wonder how much friction that caused? I agree with other posters who state his importance in the early Stones. He was a talented musician who may not have written much (if any) of the Stones early work, but influenced it all.

 

Also slide guitar on "I Can't Be Satisfied" and "Doncha Bother Me"...harmonica on "Little Red Rooster", "I Just Wanna Make Love To You", "Goin' Home", "Dear Doctor" and "The Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man"...saxophone on "Child Of The Moon" and mellotron on "Jigsaw Puzzle", "Stray Cat Blues" and "We Love You".

There's probably more to add but I've just woken up!

 

I've looked beyond the Jones era many times, and I just don't like it. If I hadn't done this I would not have made the statement that I did.

 

I love the Jones era and the Taylor era...in my opinion it's the Ronnie Wood era when the standard drops.

 

Don't forget his huge contribution to "Satanic Majesties Request" - even if you don't like the album, his work on 2000 Light Years From Home is a masterclass in the Mellotron. I'd even say he saved that album from total disaster.

 

In my mind there are/were three Rolling Stones bands.

1. Brian Jones era : fantastic, many creative peaks, great different styles, with amazing textures added by Brian
2. Mick Taylor era: fantastic in a different way. The best "band" , harder edge to the band , great Mick Taylor guitar playing
3: Ron Wood era : workman like records, still good live shows. Least important of the three bands though.