Dick Taylor
Encyclopedia
Richard Clifford 'Dick' Taylor (born 28 January 1943, Dartford
, Kent
, England
) is an English musician who was an early bass guitar
ist for The Rolling Stones
. He left to become an art student at Sidcup Art College
and while there formed The Pretty Things
in September 1963. Taylor now lives on the Isle of Wight
, England
.
was formed when Taylor, Mick Jagger
and Keith Richards
' three piece, Little Boy Blue and the Blue Boys joined Brian Jones
and Ian Stewart
's Rollin' Stones. Initially, Taylor played lead guitar
in the band, but found himself pushed into bassist
position to accommodate Jones, who quickly went on to become an accomplished slide guitar
ist. In November 1962, Taylor left to return to art college, and the bandmates posted an advertisement seeking another bassist. Bill Wyman
responded, and succeeded him as The Rolling Stones' bassist in December 1962.
Later in 1963, Taylor formed The Pretty Things with vocalist Phil May
and once again played his preferred guitar position. During a break from The Pretty Things after the release of their album, S.F. Sorrow
(1968), Taylor produced
Hawkwind
's debut album, on which he also played guitar. His contribution to punk rock
was a recording
by Auntie Pus, and during the second half of the 1980s Taylor played guitar with the English post punk band The Mekons. He recorded with Andre Williams
in Chicago, Illinois for George Paulus
' St. George Records
. The core members of The Pretty Things remain in the band to this day, and released the Balboa Island album in 2007 on the Cote Basque record label
.
Dartford
Dartford is the principal town in the borough of Dartford. It is situated in the northwest corner of Kent, England, east south-east of central London....
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
) is an English musician who was an early bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
ist for The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
. He left to become an art student at Sidcup Art College
Sidcup Art College
Sidcup Art College was an art college in Sidcup, London Borough of Bexley an outer suburb of Greater London, England.One of the college's most famous students was Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones...
and while there formed The Pretty Things
The Pretty Things
The Pretty Things are an English rock and roll band from London, who originally formed in 1963. They took their name from Bo Diddley's 1955 song "Pretty Thing" and, in their early days, were dubbed by the British press the "uglier cousins of the Rolling Stones". Their most commercially successful...
in September 1963. Taylor now lives on the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Career
In July 1962, while Taylor was at Sidcup Art College, The Rolling StonesThe Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
was formed when Taylor, Mick Jagger
Mick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of The Rolling Stones....
and Keith Richards
Keith Richards
Keith Richards is an English musician, songwriter, and founding member of the Rolling Stones. Rolling Stone magazine said Richards had created "rock's greatest single body of riffs", and placed him as the "10th greatest guitarist of all time." Fourteen songs written by Richards and songwriting...
' three piece, Little Boy Blue and the Blue Boys joined Brian Jones
Brian Jones
Lewis Brian Hopkins Jones , known as Brian Jones, was an English musician and a founding member of the Rolling Stones....
and Ian Stewart
Ian Stewart (musician)
Ian Andrew Robert Stewart was a Scottish keyboardist, co-founder of The Rolling Stones and inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...
's Rollin' Stones. Initially, Taylor played lead guitar
Lead guitar
Lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
in the band, but found himself pushed into bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
position to accommodate Jones, who quickly went on to become an accomplished slide guitar
Slide guitar
Slide guitar or bottleneck guitar is a particular method or technique for playing the guitar. The term slide refers to the motion of the slide against the strings, while bottleneck refers to the original material of choice for such slides: the necks of glass bottles...
ist. In November 1962, Taylor left to return to art college, and the bandmates posted an advertisement seeking another bassist. Bill Wyman
Bill Wyman
Bill Wyman is an English musician best known as the bass guitarist for the English rock and roll band the Rolling Stones from 1962 until 1992. Since 1997, he has recorded and toured with his own band, Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings...
responded, and succeeded him as The Rolling Stones' bassist in December 1962.
Later in 1963, Taylor formed The Pretty Things with vocalist Phil May
Phil May (singer)
Phil May is the stage name of an English vocalist...
and once again played his preferred guitar position. During a break from The Pretty Things after the release of their album, S.F. Sorrow
S.F. Sorrow
S.F. Sorrow is the title of the fourth LP by the British rock group The Pretty Things, released in 1968.One of the first rock concept albums, S.F. Sorrow was based on a short story by singer-guitarist Phil May. The album is structured as a song cycle, telling the story of the main character,...
(1968), Taylor produced
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
Hawkwind
Hawkwind
Hawkwind are an English rock band, one of the earliest space rock groups. Their lyrics favour urban and science fiction themes. They are also a noted precursor to punk rock and now are considered a link between the hippie and punk cultures....
's debut album, on which he also played guitar. His contribution to punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
was a recording
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
by Auntie Pus, and during the second half of the 1980s Taylor played guitar with the English post punk band The Mekons. He recorded with Andre Williams
Andre Williams
Andre Williams is an American R&B and punk blues musician who started his career in the 1950s at Fortune Records in Detroit.-Biography:...
in Chicago, Illinois for George Paulus
George Paulus
George Paulus is an American record producer, founder and owner of Barrelhouse Records, Negro Rhythm Records, and St. George Records.-External links:* * *...
' St. George Records
St. George Records
St. George Records is a blues and rockabilly record label setup in 1983 by George Paulus.The label first started reissuing early post-war blues recordings by artists like Little Walter, Jimmy Rogers, Johnny Young, Sleepy John Estes...
. The core members of The Pretty Things remain in the band to this day, and released the Balboa Island album in 2007 on the Cote Basque record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
.