Brian Jones and Rickenbackers

[lennon211]

I'm no authority on the Rolling Stones (although I've read several books about Brian Jones) and I hate to further muddy the waters (pun fully intended), but it's fairly well-known that Brian also owned a white Vox Teardrop 12-string. I've actually seen a photo of Keith Richards playing it.

You're correct. He did have a matching 12 string from Vox. I have an interview with Keith about the guitars used on Mother's Little Helper. That's not a sitar, but a 12 string electric played with a slide. Richards said that it was a random guitar that was used and it wasn't that great, but it did fit the song. The sound on Get Off of My Cloud is Jones playing slide on a Firebird with the mini-humbuckers. I can't say that I've ever seen a pic of Jones with a 1993...only a 360/12. Is there one online to take a look at?

Also, I have a book with pics of Jones and the Vox 12 and Wyman and a 4005. I'll try to pick it up tomm. and scan some to post.

[admin]

Here are a couple of photos of Brian Jones with Rickenbackers.

[lennon211]

Here are a couple of photos of Brian Jones with Rickenbackers.

Thanks for the link Peter.

[eggman]

Howdy,

Thanks for the link Pete! Nothing's cooler than Rickenbacker

Eggman

[lennon211]

I've been listening to all of the Stones material from Out of Our Heads through Flowers, and thus far out of the 60-some odd songs that I've had a chance to get through, I've heard what appears to be electric 12 jangle on 2: "The Singer Not the Song" and "Blue Turns to Grey". These songs have a very similar feel and sound to them. The jangle that I hear is buried partially in the rhythm and "weaving" guitars. This however doesn't mean Ric 12. It may be Ric 12, it may be Vox 12. There's another issue here too and that's that Jones also had a Vox Mando-Guitar that can sound like an electric 12 as well. In fact there was a debate for sometime that George Harrison played one of these on Beatles for Sale. Back to the point though: there isn't nearly as much documentation about the instruments that were present at the various Rolling Stones sessions, save for a few where it is very obvious what guitar may be played. There is also very little consistency with Jones and Richards regarding what guitars they were using, as they were both into gear and using a wide variety of guitars. I'm going to continue with the "Stoning" and see what else I can pick up on as far as 12 string electric sounds.

[rickboy88]

I highly recommend the Alan Clayson biography of Brian Jones (2003, ISBN: 1-86074-544-X). I bought it earlier this year from "Edward R. Hamilton" a seller of remaindered books (just $4.95 U.S.). I bought two of them, sending one to a good friend in Vegas.

Brian Jones wasn't someone I'd probably trust with something valuable (he also fathered lots of illegitimate kids). I was most surprised to find out that he was initially into traditional jazz. There appears to still be controversy over his death all these years later. You can now buy "Rock and Roll Circus" on DVD which includes Brian Jones. Apparently Jagger kept it under wraps till recently as he apparently thought the Stones didn't come off well. I don't think they went on till very late due to off and on problems with the cameras, but Jagger still had energy. The Who definitely upstaged them - *lots* of energy. It may have been the last time Brian was filmed performing with the Stones, but I'm not sure about that. He does some good playing for "Rock and Roll Circus" but he's also a bit of an outsider by then.
By the time "Let it Bleed" came along, Richards was now playing slide guitar (Brian's thing) and even played bass & lead guitar on "Sympathy for the Devil".

[JakeK]

I've got a couple photos from the "Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby?" promo film, and check out the 360/12! Also attached is a pic of Brian on the same tour with the 360/12

[JakeK]

Two more...

[lennon211]

I have some bootlegs of that tour that I'll get out and see what I can hear on the songs. It's hard to make out clearly much of anything as the recordings aren't that great of quality whatsoever, but it might yield some answers.

[JakeK]

I never knew Brian had a Teardrop 12. What book is the pic in, Matt? I was at Barnes & Noble yesterday, and saw no books on the Stones.

[rickosound]

This company supposedly makes the vintage Vox guitars to specifications. We've never played one, so we don't know what the quality is like.
http://www.phantomguitars.com/

They are still making the BJ Teardrop 12

[lennon211]

I never knew Brian had a Teardrop 12. What book is the pic in, Matt? I was at Barnes & Noble yesterday, and saw no books on the Stones.

It's in an out of print book that I picked up from somewhere. I'll scan as soon as I can.

[JakeK]

Some things I've learned today...

Brian DID use a dulcimer on Lady Jane when it was performed live...



And with a new account at Musicpictures.com, I found another pic of Brian playing a Ric that I have attached. Please try and disregard the watermark. What soung COULD he be playing?

[JakeK]

I'm listening to "Ride on, Baby" from "Flowers", and I swear I'm hearing a Ric in that song.

I've got my list of songs Brian might have used a Ric on, it's much smaller now that we've went into some depth on this:

The Singer Not the Song
Blue Turns to Grey
Sad Day
Mother's Little Helper
What to Do
Cool, Calm and Collected
Who's Been Sleeping Here?
Ride on Baby

The sitar-like sound we hear in "Mother's Little Helper" could be a seriously compressed Ric with a slide. There is a slide for sure on that track, but the 12-string guitar he used is mind boggling. It's been said that George Harrison was using a Vox Mando-guitar on "Words of Love" recorded and released in 1964, but that was his Ric double-tracked with his Tennesean and that the Mando-guitar was invented in 1966 or 1967. Also, it's been said that Mother's Little Helper featured a Mando-guitar, and it was released in '66. According to Bill Wyman's book "Rolling With The Stones", Mother's Little Helper was recorded in December of 1965, so Brian couldn't have been using a Mando-guitar.

The banjo sound in "Cool, Calm and Collected" could be a seriously compressed Ric, too.

[daytripper1964]

One of the coolest rockers in history. And he played cool gear!