Brian Jones – Page 2 – The Music's Over

Died On This Date (December 19, 1993) Michael Clarke / The Byrds

themusicsover December 19, 2009 2 Comments

Michael Clarke (Born Michael Dick)
June 3, 1946 – December 19, 1993

Michael Clarke was a rock drummer who, according to legend, was hired by the Byrds in 1964 primarily because he looked like Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones. Prior to his short run with the Byrds, Clarke had never played the drums, or much of any other instrument for that matter. Once hired, he practiced on cardboard boxes until he got his first drum kit. In 1967, the Byrds released him. He apparently developed some drumming skills because he later played with the Flying Burrito Brothers, Firefall and Jerry Jeff Walker. During the ’80s, he joined up with Byrds former singer Gene Clark in a Byrds reunion/tribute group of sorts. He also played in Byrds Celebration during the early ’90s. A heavy drinker for many years, Michael Clarke, age 47, died of liver failure on December 19, 1993.

Musician Rock

Died On This Date (December 12, 1985) Ian Stewart / Co-founder of Rolling Stones

themusicsover December 12, 2009 0 Comments

Ian Stewart
July 18, 1938 – December 12, 1985

Ian Stewart was a Scottish boogie-woogie piano player who, in 1962, was the first to respond to Brian Jones’ ad looking for musicians to form a band. Dick Taylor, Tony Chapman, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were soon to follow, and the original unit of the Rolling Stones was born. Within a few months, Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman replaced Taylor and Chapman. In early 1963, the band’s manager convinced the others that Stewart’s burly physique just didn’t fit in with the image the band was developing, so he was relegated to road manager and studio keyboardist. He played on all but one Stones album between 1964 and 1983. Over the years, Stewart played keyboards on Led Zeppelin’s “Rock and Roll” and “Boogie With Stu” (named for Stewart), as well as George Thorogood’s Bad To The Bone and Howlin’ Wolf’s London Sessions albums. On December 12, 1985, Ian Stewart, 47, went to a local hospital to have an ongoing respiratory problem checked out. While in the waiting room, he suffered a fatal heart attack.