By the mid-1970s, The Rolling Stones\u2019 magic had begun to ebb.<\/p>\n
They\u2019d entered the decade at the peak of their mythology. With Let It Bleed behind them and Sticky Fingers in gestation, The Stones were at the top of their game while many of their British invasion peers had already crashed and burned. Critical consensus typically deems 1972\u2019s Exile on Main St as the finale to this glowing chapter, but while the following year\u2019s Goats Head Soup is underrated, The Stones strutted into a realm of unwitting parody.<\/p>\n
They\u2019re not bad albums, but the vitality had certainly waned by the time of cartoon cuts like \u2018It\u2019s Only Rock \u2019n\u2019 Roll (But I Like It)\u2019 or \u2018Hot Stuff\u2019s cod-reggae. In a few short years, The Stones had found themselves lumped with the classic rock dinosaur tag by a new underground cohort of punks and disco dancers who, at least rhetorically, viewed them as the old guard, never mind that much of the UK punks quietly admired and even hung out with guitarist Keith Richards.<\/p>\n
Still, if you can\u2019t beat \u2018em, join \u2018em. Soaking up punk\u2019s ephemeral fire and disco\u2019s dancefloor grooves, The Stones stumbled upon one of their most classic hits, heralding their glorious rebirth for a new generation. Worked out in a jam during rehearsals for their March 1977 El Mocambo shows in Toronto, an emerging bassline that snaked around a four-on-the-floor bass-drum part would provide The Stones with their next Billboard Hot 100 chart topper.<\/p>\n
Leading 1978\u2019s Some Girls, \u2018Miss You\u2019 provided The Stones with a canonical number, effortlessly imbued with a subtle Philadelphia soul gloss but crackling with just a dash of punk grit. They\u2019d struck gold. Yet, while bassist Bill Wyman played a major hand in shaping the groove conjured on the rehearsal demo, \u2018Miss You\u2019s initial sketch was conjured up by an R&B session legend often dubbed an \u201chonourable Beatle\u201d.<\/p>\n
While the \u201cfifth Beatle\u201d mantle is rightly afforded to EMI producer George Martin, keyboardist Billy Preston comes a close second for that honour. Already boasting credits with the likes of The Everly Brothers, Sam Cooke, and Ray Charles, Preston became one of the very few artists from the world of rock and pop to officially contribute to a Fab Four recording, the other being Eric Clapton\u2019s uncredited guitar solo on \u2018While My Guitar Gently Weeps\u2019.<\/p>\n
Having known each other since sharing billing with Little Richard, whom Preston was backing, as early as 1962, Preston was first invited into The Beatles\u2019 inner circle for the Let It Be sessions, seriously in need of an outside artist to inspire some creativity, as well as keeping the fractious band members on their best behaviour. Preston would prove invaluable, his organ magic dazzling all over \u2018Get Back\u2019, \u2018Don\u2019t Let Me Down\u2019, and Abbey Road\u2019s \u2018Something\u2019, among many others, and would join the band onstage atop the Apple headquarters roof for their fabled 1969 impromptu gig.<\/p>\n
Three years after The Beatles came to a close, Preston found himself an \u201chonorary Stone\u201d, joining the band for their 1973 European tour and often opening the show with his The God Squad band, including The Stones\u2019 Mick Taylor. He\u2019d lend his magic keys on numerous Stones records from then, but \u2018Miss You\u2019s groove would stand as the band\u2019s most consequential, ushering The Stones\u2019 \u2018comeback\u2019, leading to 1982\u2019s Tattoo You last hurrah.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By the mid-1970s, The Rolling Stones\u2019 magic had begun to ebb. They\u2019d entered the decade at the peak of their mythology. With Let It Bleed … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2681,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2680","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"yoast_head":"\n