Looking Tired: The Last Days of Brian Jones, 40 Years On
Yes, it’s the 40th anniversary of Brian Jones’ death. We’ll spare you the nostalgic eulogies and half-baked conspiracy theories and instead focus on something that’s irked us for years – why the hell are photos of Brian in his final year so damn rare? Well, here’s why: the Rolling Stones spent the first six months of 1969 holed up in London’s Olympic Studios recording what was to become Let It Bleed (and some of Sticky Fingers, too), and Brian spent the majority of his time out at his pastoral new spread, Cotchford Farm. In fact, pictures of the Stones themselves during that period are few and far between. There were no live shows, no television appearances, few interviews… and that was in large part due to their wayward guitarist/multi-instrumentalist who, by the dawn of ’69, was a bloated, fucked-up shadow of his former self. Booze, pills, powders, paranoia, police harassment, and mutual disinterest had rendered Brian’s role in the Stones moot. They basically worked around him, with Keith coming into his own as the “KEITH RICHARDS” we all know and love and imitate in the process. By early summer, the other shoe had to drop – the Stones couldn’t tour the U.S. because Brian’s string of drug busts prevented him from obtaining a visa (not that he was in any shape to tour, anyway), so they gave him a golden handshake and brought the young Mick Taylor into the fold. About three weeks later, Brian went for a late-night dip and, as they say, the rest is history.
Anyway, here are a few photos of Brian’s final months that we managed to pull out of the ether (with special thanks to the fine folks on the It’s Only Rock N’ Roll message board). He didn’t look quite as bad as he did in late ’68, but he also looked a hell of a lot older than 27.
R.I.P., Elmo Lewis.
The Last Days Of The British Empire: Ceylon, Jan. '69 (or possibly sometime in '68 - we're searching for confirmation either way).
At the premiere of 'Candy' with girlfriend Suki Poitier - London, March '69
Outside Olympic Studios, early '69
Inside Olympic Studios - early '69
Redlands, Spring '69
Cotchford Farm, April '69 - David Bailey photo shoot
The Bailey shoot again, with Suki
Olympic Studios, Spring '69
Olympic again - the picture of health!
More Olympic Studios, February or thereabouts - that's the guitar Keith played on "Gimme Shelter", by the way.
May 21, 1969: The final photo shoot of the original line-up, by Ethan Russell. The cover & gatefold pics of "Through The Past, Darkly" came from this session.
There's a hale & hearty boy! From the 5/21 Russell shoot.
The last known photo - Cotchford Farm, June '69
Tags: Brian Jones, Rolling Stones
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July 3, 2009 at 1:04 PM
Does any footage or photo evidence exist of the 1968 NME poll winners
concert that the original 5 performed at? I’ve looked to no avail. But if anyone would know, it’d be you.
By the way, have you read that new book by that guy who was the fanzine dude-turned Stones insider in the mid 80s?
October 17, 2009 at 9:32 AM
hi i have seen photo of the perfomence on websites and in books one of the books is called the stones in the park.i’ve read that they did film the concert is has not surfaced yet.
October 17, 2009 at 10:38 AM
I’ve seen it out there somewhere, too – I’ve gotta recheck my books and my old computer to see if I have it saved anywhere. If you happen to come across one, definitely feel free to send along a link!
I’d kill to see video, or even somehow get some audio, of that gig – they played “Satisfaction” and “Flash” only, right?
August 10, 2009 at 1:23 PM
hi whats the kind of guitar was the that guitar keith played on Gimme Shelter?
August 12, 2009 at 11:21 AM
It’s a Maton, probably an early ’60s Starline model. And it’s Australian, not Italian as I think I wrote previously.
August 12, 2009 at 11:25 AM
Scratch that – it’s a Maton Supreme and could have very possibly once belonged to Ray or Dave Davies.
Check out this link for more info: http://www.iorr.org/talk/read.php?1,723599
August 14, 2009 at 1:33 PM
do you have a photo of the guitar(with no one playing it)please e-mail it to guitardan@tesco.net thanks
November 7, 2011 at 8:09 PM
actually, theres a photo of what looks like him floating in the pool he drowned in . the link to it is posted below.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3146/3012493791_e7d705bc44_z.jpg?zz=1
December 18, 2011 at 8:42 AM
That’s kind of freaky but it’s clearly not Brian.
December 17, 2011 at 8:27 PM
can anyone post more photos from the may 21st 1969 ethan russell photo shoot..please
also,is there full video footage somewhere for brians funeral,i can only find the 25×5 footage