Rolling Stones celebrate 54 years since their first gig

Under the name ‘The Rollin’ Stones’, the boys did their first show at the Marquee Club, 165 Oxford Street London on 12 July 1962.

Out of luck they were offered a slot on BBC Radio’s Jazz Club programme, so the Marquee’s owner, Harold Pendleton booked this new four-piece band to deputize for Korner’s group on this historic night.

Needing a name, quickly, so the club could advertise their appearance they came up with The Rollin’ Stones, lifted from a song by their hero Muddy Waters. Jazz News carried the band’s line up:

Mick Jagger (Voice) / Keith Richard (Guitar) / Brian Jones (Guitar) / Stu (piano) / Richard Taylor (Bass) / Tony Chapman (Drums)

You can read all about ‘The Rollin’ Stones’’ first adventures as a band in Keith Richard’s diary now being show at Exhibitionism, at the Saatchi Gallery until September 4. He recalls “only 2 people turned up by 8 so we went home. Nevertheless, we did a couple of number. One using maraca, tambourine and wailing guitar with Charlie doing a big jungle rhythm (which just shows he can do it).

The set list included ‘Kansas City’, ‘Confessin’ The Blues’, ‘Bright Lights’, ‘Big City’, ‘Dust My Blues’, ‘Down The Road Apiece’, and ‘I’m A Hoochie Coochie Man’.

 stonesexhibitionism.com

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About Ant May

I spend half my life at gigs or festivals and the other half writing the reviews and editing photos, and somehow find time for a full time job too. Who needs sleep - I've got coffee.