''Mick Taylor'' is the debut studio album by the former Rolling Stones guitarist

Mick Taylor Michael Kevin Taylor (born 17 January 1949) is an English guitarist, best known as a former member of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers (1967–1969) and the Rolling Stones (1969–1974). As a member of the Stones, he appeared on: ''Let It Bleed'' ...

, released in 1979. Though the album was acclaimed by critics, it was not very commercially successful. It spent only five weeks on the

Billboard Hot 200 The ''Billboard'' 200 is a record chart ranking the 200 most popular music albums and EPs in the United States. It is published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine and is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artist ...

and peaked at #119. The album's pleasant blues-based style was generally much softer than his work with the Rolling Stones. The album's polished blues- and jazz-based sound was arguably at odds with the mood of the moment of its release when

punk Punk or punks may refer to: Genres, subculture, and related aspects * Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres * Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...

and new wave were on the ascendancy, although fans were still buying the recordings of similar artists such as Dire Straits, Eric Clapton, Fleetwood Mac and the Rolling Stones themselves. The opening track "Leather Jacket" was a song which originated during Taylor's days with the Rolling Stones. An instrumental track without vocals was recorded by the full band in June 1970 during the ''

Sticky Fingers ''Sticky Fingers'' is the 9th British and 11th American studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones. The Stones released it on 23 April 1971 on their new, and own label Rolling Stones Records. They had been contracted by Decc ...

'' sessions, and has appeared on many bootleg records.

Track listing

All songs written by Mick Taylor, except "Alabama", with lyrics written by

Colin Allen Colin Eric Allen (born 9 May 1938) is an English blues drummer and songwriter. Career Allen spent the first ten years of his adult life working in aircraft engineering. He became interested in jazz at the age of 16 and two years later starte ...

. ;Side one #"Leather Jacket" – 3:42 #"Alabama" – 3:49 #"Slow Blues" – 3:25 #"Baby I Want You" – 5:17 #"Broken Hands" – 4:00 ;Side two #"Giddy-Up" – 5:18 #"S.W.5" – 5:37 #"Spanish / A Minor" – 12:12

Personnel

*Mick Taylor – guitar and vocals (all tracks), piano (4, 7, 8a), bass guitar (4, 5, 7, 8b), electric piano (8b), synthesizer (8b), strings (7, 8a) *

Lowell George Lowell Thomas George (April 13, 1945 – June 29, 1979) was an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer, who was the primary guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and founder/leader for the rock band Little Feat. Ear ...

– slide guitar (6) *Kuma Harada – bass guitar (1, 3, 8a), strings and double bass owed bass(8b) *

Alan Spenner Alan Henry Spenner (7 May 1948 – 11 August 1991) was an English bass player who performed with Wynder K. Frog, the Grease Band, Spooky Tooth, ABC, David Coverdale, David Soul, Joe Cocker, Kenny Loggins, Lynda Carter, Peter Frampton, Ted Nug ...

– bass guitar (6) *

Jean Roussel Jean Alain Roussel (born 1951 in Port Louis, Mauritius) is a Musician, Composer, Record Producer, Arranger, Educator and 'Music and Life Coach'. He is best known for keyboard work from the 1970s through today, playing regularly with Cat Stev ...

– piano (1, 3, 6, 8b) *

Pierre Moerlen Pierre Moerlen (23 October 1952, Colmar, Haut-Rhin – 3 May 2005, Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines, near Strasbourg) was a French drummer and percussionist, best known for his work with Gong and Mike Oldfield and as Pierre Moerlen's Gong. Biography Pi ...

– drums (1, 3, 8a) *Mike Driscoll – drums (4, 5, 7, 8b), bass drum (2) *Richard Bailey – drums (6) *Norman Mighell – tambourine (1) ;Technical *Benny King, Genaro Rippo, Guy Bidmead, Jerry Boys,

John Burns John Elliot Burns (20 October 1858 – 24 January 1943) was an English trade unionist and politician, particularly associated with London politics and Battersea. He was a socialist and then a Liberal Member of Parliament and Minister. He was ...

, Norman Tighell, Paul Northfield, Phil Ault, Simon Fraser, Will Reid-Dick – engineer *

Hipgnosis Hipgnosis were an English art design group based in London, that specialised in creating album cover artwork for rock musicians and bands. Their commissions included work for Pink Floyd, T. Rex, the Pretty Things, Black Sabbath, UFO, 10c ...

– cover design, photography

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mick Taylor (Album) 1979 debut albums Columbia Records albums Albums with cover art by Hipgnosis