Brian Jones

Brian Jones
Known as the “Beautiful Stone”, and the most wasteful, Brian Jones was found drowned in his pool July 3rd 1969 shortly after being kicked out of the Stones. The Stones held a memorial concert July 5th at Hyde park were they also introduced his replacement, 20 year-old Mick Taylor whom they picked-up from John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers. It was Brian who is credited with starting the group (along with Ian Stewart who they kicked-out for looking too normal) and giving the group it’s name. (after the Muddy Waters tune “Rollin’ Stone”). Brian assumed early leadership of the group until Mick and Keith’s songwriting began to dominant. Although he couldn’t write songs he provided Sitar,Marimba, Dulcimer, slide guitar and other instumentation to the Stones recordings. In 1967 things began to fall apart for Brian. Keith stole his girlfriend Anita Pallenberg while in Tangiers and he was repeatively busted for drugs. In 1968 as the Stones came out of the pyschedelic era Brian did not. His use of hallucinogenics increased and he started missing gigs and recording sessions, when he did show up he was in no condition to play. When the Stones decided to go back on tour in 1969 they had no choice but to kick him out of the band. A month later he was dead. His cause of death was listed as “Death By Misadventure”. New reports have surfaced that Brian Jones was actually murdered by a handyman doing painting around the house, long suspected he confessed on his deathbed. This seems to be plausable because Brian’s autopsy revealed minor traces of alcohol and no drugs in his system. Brian Jones was 27 years old at the time of his death.