Brian Jones - MG Gormley

Anyone who hasn't been living under a rock for the past fifty years knows about the Rolling Stones. What many people don't know about are the dynamics within the band. Most likely, more of you have heard the name Mick Jagger than Brian Jones. Today, Jagger is arguably the most popular member of the Rolling Stones and therefore seen as their leader. Because this is how things are now, people often mistakenly assume that this has always been the case. However, another member was once the bandleader of the Rolling Stones, but his name has been forgotten as history has been rewritten, lost even to some of those who consider themselves die-hard Stones fans.

Brian Jones, founder and member of the Rolling Stones from their conception in 1962 until his death in July of 1969, was originally looked upon as the band's leader. Jones was already a well established blues artist before he started the band, which helped them immensely with their beginnings as a blues band. His radical style, attitude, and musical abilities are largely what catapulted the Stones into fame; it was hard for the public to ignore Brian and, in effect, the Rolling Stones. By looking at the  covers of their first few studio albums released in the UK, it's easy to see that Brian Jones was the face of the Rolling Stones during the early years.

The band's first album, "The Rolling Stones,"
was released in the UK in 1964.

Their first album, “The Rolling Stones,” was released in 1964. The cover is a simple portrait of the band with minimal lighting behind a black backdrop. No band name or album title appears on the cover. This is an odd choice for a band's premiere record and foreshadows the unforeseen strides that the Stones would later take in the music industry.

One aspect of this cover that stands out is how prominent Brian is when compared to the other band members. He stands slightly in front of his band mates and is dressed differently, lacking the jacket worn by the rest of the band. Brian even poses differently, appearing authoritative, and the lighting highlights his blonde hair, whereas it seems to swallow most of the other band members. These choices clearly establish to onlookers who the leader of the band is.

"The Rolling Stones No. 2," released in 1965.

Their second album, “The Rolling Stones No. 2,” was released in 1965. This cover shares multiple similarities with the band's first album. Once again, the cover contains no text and similarly places Brian at the focal point of the image. Brian is standing tall and looking sternly at the camera. In contrast, Mick Jagger, who is seen today as the band’s front man, is placed in the back of the photo, looking distant and mostly concealed by shadows.

"Out of Our Heads" was also released in 1965.

The band's third album, “Out of Our Heads,” is the first of the Rolling Stone's UK releases to include text on the cover. To the right of the album title and band name, the band poses between two walls. The emphasis on Brian on this cover is extremely obvious. The other four band members are crowded in a tiny slit at the top of the photo, and Bill Wyman hardly fits into the picture. Brian, on the other hand, sits below them and a few feet in front of them. Yet again, Brian is placed at the focal point of the photo and poses authoritatively. This album cover clearly sets Jones apart from the other Rolling Stones, indicating him as the band's leader. 

All three of these album covers reveal Brian's role as head of the Rolling Stones, but this can be seen, as well, in their interviews. Below is an interview, posted in two parts, given in the band's hotel room in Montreal, 1965. 

 

From watching this footage, it's easy to recognize that Brian was the band's spokesperson at this time. Brian commandeers nearly the entire interview and speaks on behalf of the other band members. This is especially explicit when Brian says "we all like basically the same American artist.... don't we fellas?" This interview reveals that Brian was the member expected to answer for the band when questions weren't addressed to anyone in particular. Some viewers see this interview as an example of the dynamic that later added to the friction between band members and  led to Brian's eventual estrangement from the band. Brian's leadership position in the band's early years is established, a position that would not sit well with the band in the end. 

Though the dynamic and style of the band clearly changed after Brian's death, resulting in Mick's rise as the face of the Rolling Stones and their transition to rock artists, the band we see now is not the Rolling Stones as they always have been. By looking at the way the band was represented in both their album covers and their interviews, it is evident that Brian once led the band. Though his superior role did not last, it is one that is revealed when examining their early work, and it is a role that should not be forgotten.