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Today in Rolling Stones history: January 17

*Click for DAILY ROLLING STONES CHRONOLOGY 1962-present

January 17 isn’t just another date on the calendar—it’s a crossroads in Rolling Stones history where birthdays, breakthroughs, rarities, and legendary performances collide. From the birth of Mick Taylor, the lyrical and melodic force behind some of the Stones’ most elegant guitar work, to early 1960s club gigs and key releases that helped shape the band’s rise, this day captures the Stones in motion. Add a thunderous Madison Square Garden set and the resurfacing of a long-lost Lennon–Jagger collaboration, and January 17 becomes a snapshot of rock history itself—raw, evolving, and endlessly influential.

January 17, 1949: Happy birthday Mick Taylor!
Born Michael Kevin Taylor (son of Marilyn and Lionel Taylor) on Jan. 17 1949 in Welwyn Garden City but raised in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England.
A gifted guitarist, he rose to fame as a member of John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers before joining The Rolling Stones in 1969. Renowned for his fluid, melodic playing style, Taylor contributed significantly to iconic albums like Sticky Fingers and Exile on Main St. His work on tracks such as Sway andCan’t You Hear Me Knocking, among many other songs, showcased his virtuosity and musical depth. Taylor left the Stones in 1974, pursuing a solo career and collaborating with other artists. Despite stepping out of the spotlight, his influence on rock and blues remains profound, cementing his legacy as a guitar legend.

January 17, 1963: Marquee International Jazz Club, London, England

Jan. 17, 1964: City Hall, Salisbury, England (extracurricular gig)

January 17, 1964: Release of the The Rolling Stones EP in the UK (Decca DFE 8560)
The EP was issued to capitalize on the momentum of their latest single and to test the band’s commercial potential ahead of their debut album, ultimately achieving strong chart success in the UK.

SIDE A: 1. Bye Bye Johnny/ 2. Money
SIDE B: 1. You Better Move On/ 2. Poison Ivy

Jan. 17, 1998: Madison Square Garden, NYC, NY, USA
Satisfaction/Let’s Spend The Night Together/Flip The Switch/Gimme Shelter/ When The Whip Comes Down/Might As Well Get Juiced/All Down The Line/ Saint Of Me/Out Of Control/Miss You/Band introduction/Thief In The Night/ You Don’t Have To Mean It/Little Queenie/I Just Want To Make Love To You/ Like A Rolling Stone/Sympathy For The Devil/Tumbling Dice/Honky Tonk Women/Start Me Up/ Jumpin’ Jack Flash/You Can’t Always Get What You Want/Brown Sugar

January 17, 2003: A long-lost recording featuring John Lennon and Mick Jagger caused a bidding war at a London auction when the rare acetate surfaced. The disc contained the song Too Many Cooks, recorded in December 1973, with Jagger on vocals and Lennon on guitar, capturing an informal yet historic collaboration between the two icons. At the time, the track remained unreleased due to contractual complications, as Lennon and Jagger were signed to different record labels, making an official release impossible. Despite this, the song circulated for years on various bootlegs, gaining near-mythical status among collectors and fans, before finally receiving an official release on Jagger’s 2007 compilation album The Very Best of Mick Jagger.

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