One of the most striking images of The Rolling Stones shows the band as Greek gods descending a temple staircase, surrounded by admiring women in flowing robes. That painting, by Belgian artist Guy Peellaert, became the cover of 'It's Only Rock 'n Roll', their twelfth studio album, released on 18 October 1974. Yet behind that confident, divine facade, the band was fracturing. This was the last album to feature guitarist Mick Taylor, and his departure would reshape The Rolling Stones.
This was the last album to feature guitarist Mick Taylor, and his departure would reshape The Rolling Stones.
The title track's unusual origin
The album's title track had an unusual origin. Its basic rhythm was laid down not by the Stones, but by members of the band Faces, including Ronnie Wood and drummer Kenney Jones, during a jam with Mick Jagger, David Bowie, and bassist Willie Weeks. Jagger liked the resulting song so much that he brought the raw track to Keith Richards, who added guitar overdubs. The rest of the album was recorded separately, with sessions in Munich, Newbury, and London. The sessions took place at Musicland Studios in Munich, Stargroves in Newbury, and Island Studios in London. Among the guests were Ian Stewart, Nicky Hopkins, and Billy Preston, while percussionist Ray Cooper made his first appearance with the band.
For the first time since 'Their Satanic Majesties Request', Jagger and Richards produced the album themselves, under the pseudonym The Glimmer Twins. The record blended blues and rock 'n' roll with funk and reggae, and it topped the US charts. But the creative process hid a bitter conflict. Mick Taylor later claimed that he had contributed to writing 'Till the Next Goodbye' and 'Time Waits for No One', yet all original songs were credited only to Jagger and Richards.
Taylor's departure and auditions
Taylor's frustration went beyond credits. When the band chose to return to the studio in Munich instead of touring to support the album, he decided to leave. The Rolling Stones then held auditions for a replacement, considering guitarists like Jeff Beck and Rory Gallagher. Ronnie Wood, who had already played on the title track, later played guitar on the 'Tour of the Americas '75', which supported the album the following summer.
The promotional videos for the album reflected its mix of spectacle and irony. The most famous clip shows the band in US Navy uniforms playing inside a tent that gradually fills with soap bubbles. Interestingly, the video features Mick Taylor, Charlie Watts, and Bill Wyman, even though none of them played on the actual recording of the song. Other videos were made for 'Ain't Too Proud to Beg' and 'Till The Next Goodbye'.
Initial reviews of 'It's Only Rock 'n Roll' were mixed, but the British music magazine NME named it the second best album of the year. The title song became a permanent part of the band's live repertoire. However, most other tracks from the album were rarely performed after 1977, and several songs, including 'Time Waits for No One' and 'Till The Next Goodbye', have never been played live. The song "Luxury" reflected the band's growing interest in reggae. The first single, "It's Only Rock 'n Roll (But I Like It)", was released in July 1974 and reached the top ten in the UK but not in the US.
The album's cover art, with its striking resemblance to Henri Gervex's 1896 painting 'The Coronation of Nicholas II', was commissioned after Jagger saw Peellaert's book 'Rock Dreams'. Peellaert refused to sign an exclusive contract and also designed David Bowie's 'Diamond Dogs' cover that same year. The image of the Stones as rock deities remains a memorable snapshot of the band at a moment of both triumph and internal strain.