Get a Line On You [Brian Jones]

Lou Reed

Okay because I have like a million draft chapters in this book and they annoy the shit out of me you'll get a few updates today. The chapters are not a 100% how I would like them to be, but well screw it.

Lou Reed wrote an essay named "Fallen Knights" for the book 'And no-ne waved goodbye' Published in 1973. A book about dead rock stars. 

He speaks about Brian Epstein, Jimi Hendrix and well Brian Jones, so here are the Brian parts:

After The Beatles came The Stones and of The Stones one could never have ignored Brian Jones with his puffed up Pisces, all-knowing, suffering fish eyes, his incredible clothes, those magnificent scarves. Brian always ahead of style, perfect Brian. How could Brian have asthma, a psychological disease (we're told) and certainly something strange for a member of a rock and roll group. We read in interviews that Brian saw himself as the original lead Stone, a position he held until their American tour singled out Mick for the honor in the hearts of the American female.

Can you remember 1964 when The Stones were called homosexual for long hair? (Were you?) Brian, with two 14-year-old girls draped on each arm, must have laughed. And yet the center of attention was drifting. In a group the attention may be evenly distributed (we all knew and loved John, Paul, George and Ringo) but in The Stones it was to be Mick. Now normally in a group an instrumentalist can never overshadow a lead singer. (Exception: The Yardbirds where: Eric Clapton. Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page did just that to poor Keith Relf.) In The Stones there was Mick. the pivotal center, Charlie and Bill were for gourmets. That left Keith and Brian. 

Lead guitar always, always beats rhythm guitar for popularity, so that left Brian, who one assumes therefore turned to more and more exotic instruments to establish his presence both to himself and others. This is what I'm worth. Let me see you play the damn thing. 

It would be a mistake I think for someone to compete with Jagger on his own terms. Jagger has literally rewritten the book on strut scowl and scruffy and the role of street urchin versus society he played perfectly and mercilessly. Had Bun thought of competing it would have been a mistake. No one can overtake the lead vocalist.

New drugs. new countries. new sounds, back to the blues. my own music {every man's conceit and dream). I must redefine myself because the self I wanted to become is occupied by another body. And still he was identified as a Stone which was contrarily identified as Mick's group, a backup band, a side man.  Now connoisseurs of course: know that the band is a Band, but the great mass looked to Mick, not Brian to be their leader through this Fall from Grace. And how can you take that? "But I stated the thing." you might say. "It was my records in the first place. I turned them on, must I be a damn singer to turn on the world?" Yes. Or the champion of guitar.

Then, of course, there are more problems, the drug arrests, the constant mental turmoil. What if they tout without me? Financial Could I starve? {He died well in debt.) If they play without me I shall be disgraced and have nothing whereas if I leave and strike out on my own I'm out before they get me {how sad! how Inevitable!) and I create my own myth, style, voice, the eyes will be on me. I have a future. there's so much I know. music. music. MUSIC. who would know it from THAT. I can do it. I have to do it.I will do it. I must do it.

And of course the disorientation, am I backwards, forwards, the asthma attack {I am going to choke), the fall (where is the pool?!) and everything settles like a quiet bubble coming in spurts and then thin streams until finally the ' last one has popped itself right out of earthly existence.

If sb wants to read the full thing, just google Lou Reed Fallen Knights and it should immediately come up. ✌