Belami Mick

A quirky detour of late-'60s British progressive/blues rock, Blodwyn Pig was founded by former Jethro Tull guitarist Mick Abrahams, who left Tull after the This Was album. Abrahams was joined by bassist Andy Pyle, drummer Ron Berg, and Jack Lancaster, who gave the outfit their most distinctive colorings via his saxophone and flute. On their two albums, they explored a jazz/blues/progressive style somewhat in the mold of (unsurprisingly) Jethro Tull, but with a lighter feel. They also bore some similarities to John Mayall's jazzy late-'60s versions of the Bluesbreakers, or perhaps Colosseum, but with more eclectic material. Both of their LPs made the British Top Ten, though the players' instrumental skills were handicapped by thin vocals and erratic (though oft-imaginative) material. The group were effectively finished by Abrahams' departure after 1970's Getting to This. They briefly reunited in the mid-'70s, and Abrahams was part of a different lineup that reformed in the late '80s; they have since issued a couple of albums in the 1990s.

There is no rock star greater than Mick Jagger. There are plenty other as great, but nobody eclipses Mick in terms of art and influence, as he virtually created the modern-day rock & roll rebel. Given that, why is it that almost nobody takes his solo recordings seriously? Even his longtime partner Keith Richards is quoted on record calling Jagger's 2001 album Goddess in the Doorway "Dogsh*t in the doorway," a tacit signal that all the dismissive reviews of Jagger's solo stuff were not only justified, but appropriate – a judgment that may be a bit extreme, but in a way it's understandable, because Jagger's solo recordings showcased his least lovable aspects, particularly his relentless social climbing and obsession with style…

Mick Taylor's self-titled debut album is rather different than one would imagine for an ex-Rolling Stone and former Bluesbreaker. As to whether this is due to the conformist sound of the lighter numbers ("Leather Jacket," "Baby I Want You," etc.) or the fact that his singing voice is so much more average than Jagger or Mayall's is debatable. In any case, Mick Taylor is an undeniably attractive and often surprising album. The highlight and thrust of the album is Taylor's astounding guitar playing. His fusion of blues and rock styles, and, of course, his slide guitar work, is constantly impressive. "Slow Blues," "Giddy-Up," and "Spanish/A Minor" feature some particularly gob-smacking guitar solos.

Sir Michael Philip Jagger (born 26 July 1943), known professionally as Mick Jagger, is an English singer-songwriter, musician, composer and actor who gained fame as the lead singer and one of the founder members of the Rolling Stones. Jagger's career has spanned over five decades, and he has been described as "one of the most popular and influential frontmen in the history of rock & roll". His distinctive voice and performances, along with Keith Richards' guitar style have been the trademark of the Rolling Stones throughout the band's career. Jagger gained press notoriety for his admitted drug use and romantic involvements, and was often portrayed as a countercultural figure…

Best known for his approximately five-year stint as Procol Harum's guitarist in the 1970s, Mick Grabham had previously played in the minor British late-'60s band Plastic Penny, also logging in time with the even more obscure Cochise and the Guitar Orchestra. He also made a little-noticed solo album in the early '70s.

Bassist Mick Paul, best known for his work with the David Cross Band, is releasing his new album “Parallel Lives” on June 9th. The album features guest appearances by David Cross (King Crimson) and David Jackson (Van Der Graaf Generator). Says Mick about the new album, “I’m interested in the way our lives tend to mirror each other without us realising it, hence the title ‘Parallel Lives’. Two of the songs relate to my children who are now grown up, I can see how their lives echo mine and of course how my life has parallels with my parents and the way they saw things and reacted to events- and how it goes on through the generations. It is not a concept album in the traditional sense of having a story as such but I think there is cohesiveness to the overall content of the lyrics that tell some of my story. I also feel that the moods and general feel of the album very much reflect how I felt when I was writing it.”

American Soul sees Simply Red frontman Mick Hucknall handpick twelve of his personal favourites for a helping of classic American soul and an insight into the music that has inspired him throughout his career. Produced by Andy Wright, tracks include Etta James's "I’d Rather Go Blind", The Flamingos’ fireside burner "I Only Have Eyes For You" as well as "Hope There’s Someone" and "Baby What Do You Want Me To Do". The new deluxe edition of American Soul, featuring the full top ten selling CD plus a brand new live 16 track CD, recorded at the Royal Albert Hall in September 2012.

Although the vast majority of Rolling Stones songs from the Mick Taylor era sported Jagger/Richard writing credits, there's no denying that Taylor provided an extra creative spark for the band – as the Stones never truly scaled the same heights as Sticky Fingers or Exile on Main St. again. And the same (albeit less surprisingly) could be said for Taylor after he went his merry way from Stones land. But Taylor remains one heck of a blues-rock guitar player to this day, as evidenced by 2003's 14 Below. Originally issued in 1995 as Live at 14 Below: Coastin' Home, the re-release features the same exact track listing but a different album cover.

IN 1988 FORMER ROLLING STONES guitarist Mick Taylor began what was to be a significant series of collaborations with L.A. based Carla Olson, first with their “Live at the Roxy” album Too Hot For Snakes, the centrepiece of which is an extended seven-minute performance of “Sway” included on this album. It was followed by Olson’s Within An Ace, which featured Taylor on seven songs. He appeared on three songs from Reap The Whirlwind and then again on Olson’s The Ring of Truth, on which he plays lead guitar on nine tracks, including a twelve-minute version of the song “Winter”. Further work by Olson and Taylor can be heard on the Olson-produced Barry Goldberg album Stoned Again. This is the best of their collaborations.