The secret to a “very good period” for The Rolling Stones was shared by Mick Jagger.
In a conversation with Rolling Stone Magazine founder Jann Wenner, the veteran performer confirmed he was living in a rented house at the time of recording what he believes is the greatest period for the band. Praising the group’s efforts between Beggars Banquet and Exile on Main St., Jagger suggested poetry, philosophy, and Marianne Faithfull were all to thank for the creative process. The Rolling Stones’ run of albums including Beggars Banquet, Let It Bleed, Sticky Fingers, and Exile on Main St. is considered by Jagger to be the best of all The Rolling Stones’ work. Many fans would agree with this, too, as the legendary musician breaks down what was so special about the late ’60s and early ’70s.
He said: “It was all recorded in London, and I was living in this rented house in Chester Square. I was living with Marianne Faithfull. Was I still? Yeah. And I was just writing a lot, reading a lot. I was educating myself. I was reading a lot of poetry, I was reading a lot of philosophy.
“I was out and about. I was very social, always hanging out with [art-gallery owner] Robert Fraser’s group of people. And I wasn’t taking so many drugs that it was messing up my creative processes. It was a very good period, 1968 – there was a good feeling in the air.
“It was a very creative period for everyone. There was a lot going on in the theatre. Marianne was kind of involved with it, so I would go to the theatre upstairs, hang out with the young directors of the time and the young filmmakers.”
Though Beggars Banquet would begin a four-album run of quality for The Rolling Stones, Jagger believes one song from this period has “no resonance”. Later in his conversation with Wenner, he suggested Street Fighting Man had no long-lasting impact on The Rolling Stones’ discography or wider culture.
He said: “I don’t know if it does [have resonance]. I don’t know whether we should really play it. I was persuaded to put it in this tour because it seemed to fit in, but I’m not sure if it really has any resonance for the present day. I don’t really like it that much.
“I thought it was a very good thing at the time. There was all this violence going on. I mean, they almost toppled the government in France; DeGaulle went into this complete funk, as he had in the past, and he went and sort of locked himself in his house in the country. And so the government was almost inactive. And the French riot police were amazing.”
Despite Jagger’s dislike of the song, it remained in the setlist for a tour in the mid-1990s. It’s a song which has been slowly dropped from modern-day sets by the band, featuring just twice across their 2024 tour. The song featured the most amount of times on any tour in the year 1995, the same year Jagger was interviewed by Wenner.
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It was Mick Taylor! Admit it Mr Jagger.
Agreed. I’m sure other factors contributed, and I like Ron Wood, but Mick Taylor truly provided the perfect complement to Keith. An iconic combination.
Absolutely, no question it was Mick Taylor who made the difference!
It was Jimmy Miller!!!
Yep. Mick Taylor was the secret sauce. Jagger and Richards didn’t give him his due back then either. Taylor gets pissed and leaves. I’ve heard Kieth say he likes playing with Ronnie better, because he can weave in and out of playing lead and rhythm. With Taylor, he was such a superior player, Keith was relegated to rhythm. I don’t like eating vegetables, but I know what’s good for me. What a shame.
It was Jones who planted the seeds of what all possible, of course he cannot admit that , though he maximised his potential .
Actually they did 2 of those albums without Mick Taylor. He wasn’t there at all for Beggars and only played on 2 tracks on Let it Bleed. So you are over praising Taylor, as usual. Keith’s guitar playing on those 2 albums was superb. The thing that makes the Rolling Stones is the composing and producing of Jagger/Richards. Jimmy Miller was just there to bounce ideas off. It’s not a lead guitarist or the sporadic contributions of Brian Jones. The success of the Stones has always been from Mick and Keith, whether you like it or not.
Exactly. Keith plays all the guitars AND the bass on Street Fighting Man, the guitar and bass on Sympathy for the Devil , all the guitars on Gimme Shelter, all the guitars on Monkey Man. Taylor played on 2 tracks on Let it Bleed and doesn’t really make much difference even to them. For instance Live With Me he plays on, but the bass is what makes that song…and guess who plays the bass on it, Keith. The best songs/riffs on Sticky Fingers are Brown Sugar , where Jagger came up with the riff; Can’t You Hear Me Knocking which is Keith’s riff and Sister Morphine which has Keith on acoustic and Ry Cooder on. slide guitar. Keith’s vocals alongside Jagger also sounded marvellous around thus era of the Stones.
Keith was thinking ahead. He knew they would need a much stronger lead player. The music was heading in that direction. Keith’s rhythm playing is the best no doubt. Especially on “Can’t you hear me Knockin”. As for Taylor all I can say is listen to “Sympathy for the Devil” on the ‘Get Your Ya Yas Out’ album at MSG. 1969 I think. One of there best live albums ever, along with ‘Love You Live’.
It was Jimmy Miller as producer of this great back to back run that was the thread of magic, though of course Taylor elevated the band enormously. But Mr Jimmy made these great albums into impeccable albums.
Street Fighting Man was/is an incredible song. Get Yer Ya Yas Out is one of my favorite albums and that song on the album is amazing! I bet Keith Richards doesn’t think the same way as Mick Jagger does about the song.