Mojo - The Music Magazine

As The Rolling Stones celebrate 50 years since their first show - July 12, 1962 at London's Marquee Club - the current issue of MOJO examines the birth of the band and the scene that spawned them. Paul Trynka's fascinating cover feature details the pivotal role assumed by Brian Jones during that formative period, as well as the guitarist's gradual alienation from The Stones' creative nexus, and this playlist provides an extraordinary audio-visual companion. More than anything, however, it illustrates just how fast The Stones were moving in those early days.

1. Alexis Korner - I Wanna Put A Tiger In Your Tank (1962)

As godfather of the British blues scene, Alexis Korner befriended the young Brian Jones. His band, Blues Incorporated also provided a blueprint for aspiring musicians who'd begun to dig deeper into American music. Korner's Blues Incorporated recorded the seminal album R&B From The Marquee for Decca's Ace Of Clubs label in June 1962. The LP included covers of tunes by Leroy Carr, Jimmy Witherspoon and this track, originally by Muddy Waters.

2. The Cyril Davies All Stars - I Got My Mojo Working (1963)

Korner's running mate Cyril Davies was arguably the most authentic exponent of blues music in the UK prior to the emergence of The Stones. This version of the classic Muddy Waters tune - featuring Long John Baldry on tambourine, Savages drummer Carlo Little and the remarkable South African female backing vocalists The Velvettes - is proof of his uproarious power.

3. The Rolling Stones - Come On (1963)

The Stones' first single was this cover of Chuck Berry's 1961 tune. Recorded and released in June 1963, its flipside contained another slice of Chicago blues in the form of the band's interpretation of Willie Dixon's I Want To Be Loved.

4. The Rolling Stones - Carol/Tell Me (1964)

"This is what you've been waiting for, young people!" announces US TV host Mike Douglas as The Stones' kick into their version of Chuck Berry's Carol and begin the process of exporting rock'n'roll back into America.

5. The Rolling Stones at the London Palladium (1964)

"They're even shaggier than The Beatles!" proclaims US funny man and all-round pantomime clown Red Skelton reporting from London in August 1964 where he found The Stones miming in the foyer of the Palladium...

6. The Rolling Stones interview (1964)

And what did Mick Jagger think about the art of miming? UTV's Maurice Smyth finds out while also discovering from Brian Jones that The Stones were paid "twenty quid" for their first gig at The Marquee.

7. New Musical Express All Star Concert (1964)

Ushered on by Jimmy Saville - in cycling cap! - The Stones launch into sexually charged covers of Not Fade Away, I Just Wanna Make Love To You (the originals of which are both included on the CD that accompanies this month's issue of MOJO) and I'm Alright. Jones, on crazed harp and dancing wildly, seems hell bent on upstaging Jagger.

8. The Rolling Stones on the TAMI show (1964)

Filmed at Santa Monica Civic Auditorium over two days in October 1964, the TAMI Show featured a stellar line-up that also included The Beach Boys, The Supremes, Chuck Berry, Smokey Robinson And The Miracles and Marvin Gaye. The Stones' biggest mistake? Trying to follow James Brown.

9. The Rolling Stones on Big Beat (1965)

The Stones tale is "a story still being written in the notes of traditional rhythm and blues" according to Roy Orbison, who introduces this four-track set filmed in Melbourne, Australia, on January 29, 1965.

10. The Rolling Stones - Down The Road Apiece (1965)

Boogie legend Freddie Slack wrote this tune in 1940 and it was in turn covered by Amos Milburn (1946) and Chuck Berry (1960). The Stones cut this version five years later.

11. The Stones on Pathé News, in colour! (1964)

"Come inside the dressing room," implores the plummy-voiced news announcer before marveling at Bill Wyman's talent for engaging in "dressing and reading at the same time".

12. Howlin' Wolf - How Many More Years (1965)

"I think it's about time you shut and we had Howlin' Wolf on stage!" snaps Brian Jones as Mick Jagger tries to interrupt his introduction to the Mississippi-born blues legend on US TV show Shindig!.

13. The Rolling Stones - Little Red Rooster (1965)

Recorded at the Chess Studios in Chicago, this cover of the Howlin' Wolf classic was designed to maintain The Stones' bad boy image. So too is this spooky-ooky promo film, in which Brian Jones's bottleneck can clearly be heard if barely seen.

14. Where's Brian's head at?

"My ultimate aim was never to be a pop star..." explains Brian Jones in this compilation of clips culled from Peter Whitehead's 1966 Stones film, Charlie Is My Darling.

15. The Rolling Stones Ready, Steady Go Special (1966)

This first part of RSG's Stones special underlines just how far Jones had moved from being The Stones' principal guitar player in the space of four years, Brian playing marimba on Under My Thumb and then dulcimer on I Am Waiting. Described as the band's "colourist" by Jagger, he would return to dulcimer on Lady Jane and the defining sitar part to the sepulchral Paint It Black.