LAMONT’S MUSIC NOTES-JULY 3, 2019…THIS IS A BAD DAY HISTORICALLY TO BE A ROCK STAR. ON THIS DAY IN 1969 ROLLING STONE GUITARIST BRIAN JONES WAS FOUND DEAD IN HIS SWIMMING POOL BECOMING ANOTHER MEMBER OF ROCK’S NOTORIOUS “27 CLUB.”
THREE WEEKS BEFORE HIS DEATH, JONES WAS ACTUALLY KICKED OUT OF THE ROLLING STONES. MY QUESTION IS, HOW BAD IS YOUR DRUG HABIT WHEN IT CAUSES YOU TO GET KICKED OUT OF THE ROLLING STONES !!???
THE BAND CITED HE WAS KICKED OUT FOR HIS SPIRALLING SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROBLEMS AND OVERALL ERRATIC BEHAVIOR.
SPECULATION HAS RAGED OVER THE YEARS ON WHETHER JONES’ PASSING WAS AN INNOCENT ACCIDENT, A CALCULATED ACT, OR ACCORDING TO CONSPIRACY THEORISTS A RESULT OF FOUL PLAY. THE CORONER’S REPORT RULED IT OFFICIALLY A “DEATH BY MISADVENTURE.”
TWO DAYS AFTER HIS DEATH THE STONES CARRIED ON WITH A PLANNED CONCERT HELD AT HYDE PARK IN LONDON THAT WAS REPOSITIONED AS A TRIBUTE TO BRIAN JONES. IT OFFICIALLY MARKED THE PUBLIC DEBUT AS MICK TAYLOR AS A MEMBER OF THE BAND.
DAYS LATER, ON JULY 10,1969, JONES WAS LAID TO REST. BILL WYMAN AND CHARLIE WATTS WERE THE ONLY MEMBERS OF THE ROLLING STONES IN ATTENDANCE.
HERE’S BRIAN JONES ON THE SITAR WITH THE STONES PERFORMING ‘PAINT IT BLACK’
