The Marquee Club: 3-january-1963-rolling-stones
3-january-1963-rolling-stones
DATE: Thursday, 3rd, January, 1963
LOCATION: 165 Oxford Street
MAIN ACT: Cyril Davies R&B Group
MEMBERS: Cyril Davies (harmonica, vocals), Long John Baldry (vocals), Nicky Hopkins (piano), Rick Brown (bass), Bernie Watson (guiatr), Carlo Little (drums)
SUPPORTING BAND: The Rolling Stones
MEMBERS: Mick Jagger (vocals), Keith Richards (guitar), Brian Jones (guitar), Ian Stewart (piano), Dick Taylor (bass), Tony Chapman (drums).
Despite that it has been oftenly stated that the Rolling Stones played their debut gig at the Marquee club on January the 12th, their first ever public appereance was at the Marquee on the 3rd of January as the ad published in Melody Maker magazine shows.
This was not the first time than Keith Richards and Mick Jagger played together onstage, since they had a former band called Little Boy Blue and the Blue Boys formed in 1961. It wasn't either the first time that Mick Jagger played at the Marquee club since he had performed in numerous Thursday nights during 1961 with Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated.
It has been also oftenly pointed out that Mick Avory was the drummer on this early gigs because he was doing some rehearsals with The Rolling Stones at the time, but it was actually Tony Chapman who played The gigs. Chapman also used to play with Bill Wyman's band the Cliftons.
During these early gigs The Rolling Stones played mainly stuff from Jimmy Reed and Elmore James and Chuck Berry. The Rolling Stones attracted a new kind of young rhythm and blues fans to the Marquee club for the first time and the new situation provoked fights with the jazz Marquee locals. This, supodsely caused the anoyance of the Marquee club's chairman Harold Pendleton.
The debut of the Rolling Stones on this very night also coincided with Cyril Davies R & R All Stars' debut at the Marquee club which started a 13 month club residency. This is without a doubt one of the most legendary nights ever held at the Marquee club.
Memorabilia on this night:
Melody Maker ad
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