Brian Jones’ handwritten letter explains how The Rolling Stones were formed
The story of how The Rolling Stones formed has now been codified in the rock and roll history books. Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were already acquainted, while Brian Jones played with Alexis Korner’s Blues Incorporated, Ian Stewart, and Charlie Watts. The meeting between these parties at the Ealing Jazz Club served as the flashpoint for 60 years of rock music.
If you asked Jones how the band formed in the early days, however, you might have gotten a direct response in the form of a letter. When the Stones were in their earliest solidified incarnation, Jones received a letter from a fan named Doreen Pettifer. She asked how the Stones had formed, and Jones was amicable enough to provide her with an answer.
“Dear Doreen / Many thanks for your letter and for the great interest you have shown in the band,” Jones writes. “It’s very gratifying that you should be so willing to help us to the extent you are doing so. Some information.” From there, Jones lays out each of the band members and what their duties entail.
Personnel:
Keith Richards – Guitar – 19 years old – went to Art School, then straight into rhythm and blues.
Mick Jagger – Vocal Harmonica 19 years old. London School of Economics.
Charlie Watts, 21 worked in advertising for some years – now full-time musician. (Drummer)
Jan Stewart – Piano, 23 works with I.C.I. as a Shipping Clerk during the day (known affectionately as “Stu”)
Bill Wyman – Bass – 23, works during the day as a storekeeper or something equally horrible. Only member of the band married – only one who’ll ever be married. Proud father of a baby son (or daughter)
Myself, Brian Jones – Guitar and Harmonica, 21 was studying Architecture – more artistic satisfaction from R & B.
(Mick, Keith, and myself as I expect you noticed, wear our hair out long, the others being more conventional)
Jones also provides a brief history of the band up to that point. “The band is really an amalgamation of two bands. The one being an R&B band I formed about a year ago, and the other being a group run by Mick and Keith in S.E. London. I was introduced to Keith and we decided to pool our resources, so with Stu from my band, and Mick from Keith’s we became the nucleus of the ‘Stones.’”
Adding: “The first job we did was a half an evening at the Marquee, Oxford Street standing in for Alexis Komer’s Blues Inc. Our first residency was at the Ealing Club, Ealing Boy, which we still do most weeks, unless we are playing elsewhere. Charlie joined us at this point & Bill a bit later. By now we have carried our banner to most parts of London, though by no means every area. We are finding our style of rhythm and blues more readily acceptable than most others in the country at the moment”.
“We are doing a series of Saturday dates at the Poole, Dorset, starting next week. We play the Ken Coyler Club and every Sunday evening play the Station Hotel, Richmond which has been described as one of the most hip sessions,” he adds. “We have, I may add, a habit of breaking attendance records. We have signed an agreement with an independent recording company, I.B.C who channel their releases through the major company labels. We have already cut quite a few sides, all on the commercial side.”
“Jerry Grant, producer of ‘Saturday Club’ has heard and apparently impressed by an LP of ours, and is coming to hear the band in action at Richmond. … You raised a point in your letter about Blues material. You must appreciate that blues are not easy to put over to the average club audience. They prefer something more in the twisting, jumping line. However at the Ken Coyler club – we always stick in a host of blues material. This is the only place we ever push this type of material with any success.”
“Unlike most forms of jazz the accent in R&B should not be on soloists but on an overall integrated group sound – hence the absence of the strings of solos,” he concludes. “Your point of getting our name known before a record is released is a really good one. We must really work together on this. At the moment we haven’t a suitable photograph to send, but this can soon be rectified. Well, I think that’s about all. Once again thank you for your interest in Rhythm and Blues and ourselves. It’s wonderful music and deserves more recognition. We look forward to hearing from you and seeing you on the 19th.”
If you’re interested in owning this specific piece of rock and roll history, Bonhams has put the letter up for auction. A word of warning, though: the item won’t go cheap. Current estimations have the letter going for between £17,000 – £25,000.
