Saturday, September 10, 2011

Confusion

After their third UK tour the Rolling Stones continued their hectic touring schedule, including a performance in Montreux (Golden Rose International TV Awards), the first time the band had gone abroad to play! During March, April and May, 1964 the band also recorded some UK radio sessions (BBC's 'Saturday Club', 'Blues In Rhythm', and 'The Joe Loss Pop Show'). As usual Ian Stewart didn't play during these sessions, with the exception of the May 25 show, where he played organ on "You Can Make If You Try".

In the meantime the Rolling Stones had become central figures in London's and British blues and R&B scene. But who knew who, and who played with whom? In his book Stone Alone, Bill Wyman confused everybody by stating that "the sixties were a great period for impromptu jam sessions as well as mass-hysteria concerts. Stu and I went on 6 May to Eel Pie Island and got onstage and had a jam session, with Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck on guitars, Stu on piano, myself on bass, Stu's friends Wint on drums and Knocker on harmonica. As we had no singer, everyone had a go at singing. I sang three or four songs. Stu said: "Nobody knew we were going, and we had a marvellous evening, just playing the sort of music we all like".

Who are Wint and Knocker, and did this jam session really take place? Just to add to the confusion: somewhere in 1965 Bill and Stu once again jammed with Jimmy Page, this time around accompanied by Eric Clapton, Chris Winters (Wint?) and Mick Jagger (credited as Knocker!). Is it very likely that Bill Wyman didn't recognize his bandmate in the first place? Who's who and when's when...anybody?

Source: Bill Wyman, Stone Alone, Penguin Books, 1991.

1 comment:

  1. If the session took place at all it was probably in the Eel Pie Hotel, and not in the Eel Pie Studios (not located on the island).

    This thread on the official Led Zeppelin forum might help finding out what really happened: http://forums.ledzeppelin.com/index.php?/topic/12518-eel-pie-island/

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