Mick Taylor  - The interview 1998

Saturday June 5th was finally a good day for all the blues lovers in Paris.   We were supposed to be in Lyon for a Rolling Stones show, but since Keith fell down from his library and postponed the Bridges to Babylon European Tour start, we had the chance to see the première of Mick Taylor's 1998 tour. It was the big event of the 21st open air jazz contest of La Defense (Paris' Business District)

As I arrived around 5:00 PM, I had the chance to find Mick leaving his lounge for a 30 min. long photo session, which he invited me for

( see pictures HERE)

Mick was very kind and very relaxed that day, just the opposite of the angry and unfriendly behaviour he had some years ago as he played the parisian New Morning Club.

As we got back to the lounge, I had even more luck because one of the journalists scheduled fro an interview couldn't find his translator, so I went on traducing both questions and answers, and taking profit of the situation by asking myself some questions.

The interview :

If you should define your career with a single word, what would you say?

Well… my career is not ended now, so it's a bit difficult to say, but I think that the word imprevisible would be good. You know, I've had a lot of ups and downs in my carreer and in my private life, a lot of good moments, and also a lot of regrets…

Do you sometimes regret having left the Stones ?

Surely not ! I'm of course very proud of my Rolling Stones period, but I don't have any regrets, and I'm even prouder of what I'm doing now, with my new album and tour.

Who are the persons you would like to play with ?

This could be a long list…      Let's say Van Morrisson, Aretha Franklin…  and Janet Jackson.               

Janet Jackson? For the music ?

(Laughs) …  Let’s say first for the music !

Let's talk about your forthcoming album, how does it sound ?

I've recorded it with the band you'll see on stage tonight.  It's mostly a blues album, but not a traditionnal blues album. I've put a lot of different influences in this record. Some tracks sound pretty Gospel, and we have 2 wonderfull female backing vocalists on some tracks, and we also have some Latin influences, which are expressed by the percussions we used.

You played on the recent Bill Wyman's "Rhythm Kings " project, can we expect to find you on the next albums ?

Yes, probably. I recorded 4 tracks with Bill, some may be released.

What did you think about Bill leaving the Stones after the Steel Wheels / Urban Jungle Tour ?

That wasn't a surprise to me. In fact I thought he would quit at the same moment as I did !

What do you think about your replacement by Ronnie Wood ?

That's fine, Ronnie's a good friend of mine.

If the Stones invite you as a guest for some shows on their current tour, which song(s) would you like to perform with them if you could choose?

You can't always get what you want ….  Brown Sugar,….  and Gimme Shelter

Which is your favorite Stones' song from the Mick Taylor era, and which Stones' song you didn't play on do you prefer ?

Street Fighting Man and Moonlight Mile

The interview was over by this question, and before leaving Mick accepted very kindly (this man has changed!) to sign some autographs, even on bootlegs .

I was lucky enough to stay hanging around the lounge so I could see him some more times, because he lost his fire, and I was the only one able to light his cigarettes. We talked a bit longer  and I asked him what he thought about bootlegs. He answered that he wasn't against it.

If someone makes a recording of this show tonight, would you agree ?

Not if he doesen't ask me first.

If he asks ?

I would say no .

Why ?

Because we'll play new songs, and because the album hasn't been released yet !

Mick went on stage at 9:30 PM for an approx. 90 min. show, including an encore.

Sound was clear. Mick and his band performed a good show and the response from the audience was fantastic.

There is a very good feeling between the band and Mick Taylor, and everyone could feel how much they like to play with each other. Our only regret was that they didn’t play any Stones song, excepted a short excerpt of Can’t You Hear Me Knockin’.