The Beatles and The Stones were basically inspired by American Rhythm and Blues.
Mick Taylor
I do remember actually learning chords to Beatles songs. I thought they were great songwriters.
I've written lots of songs on the piano. My mother had a piano and it was the first instrument I played.
The Blues scene now is international. In the '50s it was purely something that you would hear in black clubs, played by black musicians, especially in America. But from the '60s onwards it changed.
I play the piano a lot at home. I write songs on the piano and guitar. I would like to actually play piano on stage. I don't think I'll get the chance for a while.
I have a really good band, and just returned from a short tour in California. It hasn't always gone that well.
Maybe if I go far enough back into my ancestry, I have African roots or something. I've got no idea.
I suppose because I have a good ear, I could pick out harmonies and learn by ear. I still think that you have to have an ear for music to really be able to feel and understand what you're playing. You can learn by watching and listening to other people.
The most important thing is to follow your instinct and get involved with some friends who have similar tastes and aspirations and like music as much as you do.
Blues music is becoming more and more popular than it ever was. I'm always meeting people on the road that are really young, and are guitar players. male and female.
These days there's so much technology and ways you can learn. There are videos and CD roms.
I didn't think of myself as a lead player, especially when we did live shows, because me and Keith used to switch around all the time. He'd take a lead, I'd play rhythm. Sometimes even within one song. It wasn't strict and regimented.
I don't know why, but I never felt I was gonna stay with the Stones forever, even right from the beginning.
It's sometimes impossible to fit in all the music we want to fit in, in an hour and 45 minute show.
It's frustrating actually, the time involved in getting something released these days. My new CD has actually been finished for a year. It's only now that it's being released.
I've never stopped learning.
The Stones are a different kind of group. I realized that when I joined them. It's not really so much their musical ability, it's just they have a certain kind of style and attitude which is unique.
Altamont... I remember all of that. That was an awful day.
I was very influenced by Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix, both of whom I had the pleasure of playing with and becoming friends with.
What I've always lacked is a really strong band to back me up.
I'm sure if we had made an album that was more traditional would have been released immediately. When we actually play this music on stage and people become familiar with it, it will become more popular.
I never advise anyone to sacrifice something else because of music, but then I don't see why they would have to anyway.
It's not rubbish to say that I was a bit peeved about not getting credit for a couple of songs, but that wasn't the whole reason. I guess I just felt like I had enough. I decided to leave and start a group with Jack Bruce.
I certainly want to get back to the U.S. to play. It's such a big country. I've always liked playing there, and enjoyed living there. I lived in New York, LA, and Florida.
The Stones don't really need to do it for money, so they must get some kind of pleasure out of it. They're not like a group that's disbanded and gone away and made a comeback. They've always been there.
It's nice to finally have a CD out which reflects my songwriting, my singing and the band that I have.
If it wasn't for Mick, the group would've fallen apart a long time ago.
I had to learn chord shapes. I bought books with chord charts. I used to listen to all kinds of pop music.
I do to keep things sounding fresh. Sometimes just changing the running order of the show is a good idea.
If you've been playing for a few years, especially in a group context, you'll see if you have the ability or the passion to want to carry on. It's something that you have to be dedicated to and you've got to love, no matter what happens.
