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Mick Taylor on tour

London's Shepherds Bush Empire,
Saturday June 20, 1998
Review by Simon Emmerson, UK

I arrived early and managed to get a position right at the front of the stage. Mick came on at 8.05am and played for one hour. Mick dressed casually in grey jacket, blue shirt, black trousers and grey loafers looked a little broader these days with his guitar hiding his paunch. After a quick drag on a cigarette he walked onto the centre of the stage to huge applause by an almost full Empire.

The first number was a sizzling 10 minute version of "You've Gotta Move", this featured some great slide guitar playing.At the end of the number he said to the audience "that was a very old song I use to play with the Stones". The next song was an old Freddie King song called "Boogie Man". Next came a song called "Need some time to be myself", which Mick intoduced as a new track from his forthcoming album. He told the audience it would be released in the autumn, the band looked a little suprised at this. The track had a real Stones feel to it .

Then it was "Almost nothing on my mind". Mick introduced the next track as one he had done with Bob Dylan, this was "Blind Willy McTell". After a huge positive response from the audience he quickly introduced the band.The final number was "Can't you hear me knocking" and featured some blistering guitar work. This Stones number still sounded fresh and worked well with the flashing strobe lights. At 9.05 pm the band left the stage.

John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers finished the evening off with some electric blues. The audience went home having witnessed two great bands. Mick Talyor demonstrated that he is still one of the best slide guitarists in the world some 23 years after leaving the Stones.

Mick Taylor live in 1998:

July 3: France, Festival

July 4: UK, Club

July 5: Austria, Festival

July 11,13: France, Festivals

July 18: Denmark, Festival

July 24,25: France, Festivals

Aug. 5,6,7: Italy, Festivals

Aug. 8: UK, Festival

Sept. 6: LA, USA

Oct. 2-24: France, Club tour

Nov. 5-21: Germany, Club tour

The band lineup: Mick Taylor: Guitar, vocals - Robert Ahwai: Guitar (Marvin Gaye, Chris Rea, George Michael, Art of Noise) - Max Middleton: Keyboards (Jeff Beck, Kate Bush, Chris Rea, Jack Bruce, Cozy Powell) - Michael Bailey: Bass (Billy Ocean, The Breakfast Band, Boney M, Joselyn Brown) - Jeff Allen: Drums (John Martyn, Van Morrison, Bonnie Tyler, Barbara Dickson, Snowy White).

The new Mick Taylor album due out in September will include the following songs, recorded at Sensible Studios, London - all songs written by Mick Taylor except where noted: Twisted Sister (Taylor/Allen/Middleton), Blind Willy Mc Tell (Bob Dylan), Blues In The Morning, Late at Night, Secret Affair, Morning Comes, Losing My Faith, Never Fall In Love Again, Lost in the Desert, Here Comes The Rain (Jerry Williams).

Previous page Next page First page IORR home It's Only Rock'n Roll no. 33 - June 1998 - © The Rolling Stones Fan Club Of Europe