Farin Posted September 15, 2009 Report Share Posted September 15, 2009 Mick Taylor claims he received no credit for songs that 'would not have existed' without him [smaller]Sean Michaels | guardian.co.uk | Monday 14 September 2009 | Link[/smaller] Former Rolling Stone Mick Taylor has revealed plans to sue the band for unpaid royalties. The guitarist said he has not received money from the band since 1982, despite playing on albums such as Let It Bleed and Exile on Main St. When Taylor left the band in 1974, he was guaranteed performance royalties for songs such as Brown Sugar and Angie. Eight years later, the group switched labels – and stopped sending payments. "I should have got a lawyer," Taylor admitted in an interview with the Mail on Sunday. "Instead I called them rude words." The Stones had "new contracts and were advised they didn't need to pay me any more," Taylor explained. "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 realise 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." Today, while Mick Jagger and Keith Richards – and even Mick Taylor's "replacement", Ronnie Wood – jet-set across the globe, Taylor is scraping by, living in a cottage in Suffolk. The 61-year-old said that when he joined the Stones, he wasn't even a very big fan. "I sort of liked them, but was never passionate about the Stones. In some ways I liked the Beatles more. At the first session, I overdubbed the guitar on Honky Tonk Women, but I thought they were all a little bit vain and full of themselves." He stayed with the band for five years, touring the world and contributing to some of their biggest hits. But Taylor didn't feel he was appreciated. "Let's put it this way – without my contribution those songs would not have existed. There's not many but enough, things like Sway and Moonlight Mile on Sticky Fingers and a couple of others ... Mick had promised to give me some credit for some of the songs – and he didn't." These frustrations – as well as Taylor's drug problems – are what led to his departure. "By 1974, I felt I'd gone as far as I could with the band. I didn't think they'd stay together. The records were doing well but the band was falling apart – it was in chaos." Twenty-five years later, Taylor mainly plays in pubs, with old friends such as Jeff Beck sideman Max Middleton, former Manfred Mann guitarist Denny Newman and Snowy White drummer Jeff Allen. "People are always asking me whether I regret leaving the Rolling Stones," he said. "Had I remained with the band, I would probably be dead. I was having difficulties with drug addiction and couldn't have lasted. 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." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edna Posted September 15, 2009 Report Share Posted September 15, 2009 Mick Taylor is the best thing that happened to the Rolling Stones... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted September 15, 2009 Report Share Posted September 15, 2009 Easy , now ... I agree he is likely owed a few more bucks , but he didn't MAKE the band , by any means - though he was great when he was there ! Just another grumpy old rocker telling other old rockers to pay up - and beware the 'lawyer man ' Jagger - while trying to retire in better comfort . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chutzpah Posted September 15, 2009 Report Share Posted September 15, 2009 Mick Taylor was (at that time) the "Stones" guitar player...He probably deserves some money... But...the "Stones" are more like a company now...Lotsa lawyers and unfortunately he won't see as much as he deserves...BTW...Ronnie Wood was a good pick to replace him... IMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted September 15, 2009 Report Share Posted September 15, 2009 I foresee an amiable out of court settlement - but he didn't write any songs , nor is credited with any publication so easily could be turned on by the rest if needs be . I hope they'll treat him fairly , regardless . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MindCrime Posted September 15, 2009 Report Share Posted September 15, 2009 I heard on the radio yesterday that he is broke and I knew then that there would be a blurb about him somewhere on this site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miamisammy29 Posted September 15, 2009 Report Share Posted September 15, 2009 The man QUIT the Rolling Stones! He may be a great guitar player....one of the best...but in my eyes, he's a F***ING MORON! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonJonSurfer Posted September 15, 2009 Report Share Posted September 15, 2009 He quit for the same reason Roy Buchanan gave for turning them down...the lifestyle would kill him. Roy's own lifestyle killed him anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miamisammy29 Posted September 15, 2009 Report Share Posted September 15, 2009 Why? They couldn't take all that sex, huh? Yeah, I could see how that could be deadly. Rumor is: Taylor quit because they didn't give him writing credits for a few songs he wrote or helped write (namely, "Time Waits For No One"). Great tune, but was it worth giving up millions and millions of dollars over the next decade or two?! I think not! "Now look at you! You f***ing cockaroach!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted September 15, 2009 Report Share Posted September 15, 2009 'Mmmm, shu-doobie , shattered, shattered ...." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edna Posted September 18, 2009 Report Share Posted September 18, 2009 He was extremely young and also hooked on heroin when he left. I always thought he should have thought twice... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chutzpah Posted September 18, 2009 Report Share Posted September 18, 2009 Gee, I thought that Roy Buchanan hung himself... after being arrested for public intoxication or some other minor thing...And I thought all the Stones (at that time) were doing some sort of drug...Still,I think Mick Taylor is entitled to some money... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonJonSurfer Posted September 18, 2009 Report Share Posted September 18, 2009 Gee, I thought that Roy Buchanan hung himself... after being arrested for public intoxication or some other minor thing...And I thought all the Stones (at that time) were doing some sort of drug...Still,I think Mick Taylor is entitled to some money... You are right about Roy, that's what I meant about his lifestyle killing him....getting over the top drunk, arrested and hanging himself. It's just that a gig with the Stones would have sped up the inevitable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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