Monday, September 14, 2009

Former Rolling Stones Guitarist Mick Taylor "Virtually Destitute"

Classic Rock Magazine is reporting that former Rolling Stones guitarist Mick Taylor is virtually destitute.

Now living in a small, rundown house in Suffolk, apparently with mounting unpaid bills, the 61-year-old told the Mail On Sunday:

“In 1982 they stopped paying me [royalties]. They’d signed to a different record company and had new contracts and were advised they didn’t need to pay me any more.

“I should have got a lawyer. But instead I called them rude words and asked how they could just stop paying me. They all know it’s not right. In fact it is outrageous. They get all the money and I get the plaudits and praise, even from Mick. I’ve tried to talk to Mick a couple of times, but I realize that hiring a lawyer is probably the only way they’ll take me seriously. But they figure I’m not going to do anything about it.”

Yet, despite his financial problems Taylor – who replaced Brian Jones as the Stones guitarist in 1969 – has no regrets about quitting the band in 1974:

“People are always asking me whether I regret leaving The Rolling Stones. I make no bones about it – had I remained with the band, I would probably be dead. I was having difficulties with drug addiction and couldn’t have lasted. But I’m clean now and have been for years.

“My life is so much better now than being a drug-ravaged member of the Stones. So no, I don’t regret leaving. But people who really know me ask another question – whether I regret joining the Stones. To me, that’s far more astute.”

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Why dont they pay him some money ?Its not like they're short of funds.I consider mick Taylors contribution to be critical to some of their best music. I note I have never seen Ladies and Gentleman the Rolling Stones officially released on DVD . Mick taylor really shone in it and embellished their sound with a fabulous conterpoint to Keith

Anonymous said...

it should be noted that any money due to Mick for his recorded work with the Stones would be in the form of royalties coming from the record company responsible for the recordings he was involved with - and not the band.

Anonymous said...

WHY DOSEN'T THE ROLLING STONES HAVE MICK TAYLOR THE GREATEST GUITARIST THE ROLLING STONES EVER WILL HAVE TAKE WOODIES PLACE BECAUSE HE'S NOT LONG FOR THE BAND ANYWAYS. WOOD IS ALWAYS DRUNK OR WHAT EVER! MICK YOU ARE OWED MONEY BUT THESE DUDES ARE SO LOCKED IN WITH YOU KNOW WHO THAT YOU BETTER NOT GO SWIMMING.THE BOTH OF YOU'S HAVE A GREAT OPPERTUNITY TO RIGHT THE WRONGS. YOU PLAY GREAT AND HAVE A SIGNATURE SOUND THAT YOU PLAY ONE NOTE AND YOU KNOW IT'S THE GRAET MICK TAYLOR. I CAN LISTEN TO YOU FOREVER JUST SOLOING. WAYNE CHARLES WATTS OXFORD CT.06478-USA

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