Brian Jones

BRIAN JONES d1969. The founder of The Rolling Stones. A talented musician and multi-instrumentalist with his main instruments being guitar, harmonica and keyboards. His innovative use of traditional folk instruments including the Sitar and Marimba became integral to the ever changing sound of the group. Although he was originally the leader of the group, his fellow band members Mick Jagger and Keith Richards soon overshadowed him, especially after they became a successful song-writing team. He developed a serious drug problem over the years, he became unreliable and his role in the band steadily diminished. He was asked to leave the group in June 1969 and guitarist Mick Taylor took his place. Brian Jones died aged just 27 less than a month later (July 3rd 1969) by drowning in the swimming pool at his home on Cotchford Farm Hartfield East Sussex. Bill Wyman said of his band-mate ; "He formed the band. He chose the members. He named the band. He chose the music we played. He got us gigs. ... Very influential, very important and then slowly lost it – highly intelligent – and just kind of wasted it and blew it all away."