Brian Jones: Like a Rollin' Stone

In Association with the Brian Jones Fan Club

Brian at his home at Cotchford Farm, 1968 photo by Ethan Russell Go there, click here: http://www.ethanrussell.com/

Lewis Brian Hopkin-Jones was born in The Park Nursing Home in Cheltenham, England on Saturday, 28 February, 1942 to Lewis and Louisa Jones. He had one sister Pamela, born on October 3, 1943. She passed away 2 years later on October 14, 1944. His sister Barbara was born 2 years later.

Brian at Sympathy for the Devil Sessions

Photo by Tony Gale/Pictorial Press/Pictorial Press Photo Agency/Canberra House, 313 Regent St. london W1R 0BL/Tel: 0171 255 1468/Fax: 0171 436 2582

Brian however, did not want to just play piano and soon added clarinet lessons as well, which he later played in the school orchestra at Pates Grammar School. By 1955, Brian had traded in his clarinet for a second-hand saxophone.
Brian started school in 1947, attending Dean Close Public School near his home at 335 Hatherley Road in Cheltenham. He later attended Pates Grammar School in 1953. Brian was a very bright student and especially adept at music,
mathematics, science and English. He did, in fact, have an IQ that was remarkably above average; in the top 3% of the British population. When the young Mr. Jones chose to work to his full capacity, he shone as a student, often even passing exams in spite of himself.

Brian at unknown concert date

It's rather doubtful that the young Brian carefully planned all this; much more likely that there was in him a strong desire tobe exactly who he was within himself. This natural sense of non-conformity served him very well musically in later years, leading him to both innovative and original musical contributions, although it must be said that it is relatively certain that at least in part, that character trait was also a contributing factor in his difficulties with others.
Continued

This web site is dedicated not in "affectionate memory", but in loving memory to the man who started the "Greatest Rock and Roll Band" in the world.

Rare colour photo of Brian at Monterey Pop Festival, June 18, 1967

Rare colour photo of Brian at Monterey Pop Festival, June 18th, 1967

From a very young age, Brian was interested in music. He started piano lessons around the age of 6. His mother, Louisa was a musician and taught Brian up until that age. He learned so quickly, that she soon had to find another teacher, the first of whom was Mrs. Grace Stone. Shortly after Brian began taking lessons from her, he also began composing his own pieces of music. Mrs. Stone was quite aware that Brian had a rare musical talent and told his parents such and that she felt he was truly gifted. All of his succeeding music teachers agreed with her observation.

Brian on TV show 1966 photo by David Redfern
Brian at TV show, 1966
photo by David Redfern

Often however, he was "difficult" and purposely went out of his way to break rules that he saw as stifling and too regimented.
Many of the transgressions Brian committed would be laughed at today; but in the context of the time, they were taken as deadly serious offenses. Such things as "losing" his spectacles,destroying his mortarboard which was part of the school uniform, wearing sports shoes in the classroom...all contributed to an image of a rebel, a non-conformist, a bad boy, a troublemaker.

Publicity shot..mid 60's
photo by The Brampton Group

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Disclaimer: Obviously none of these pictures are mine
but rather are from my private collection.
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