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Rolling Stones quotes: Mick Jagger about introducing Blues to the new audiences
SHARING THE BLUES, NOT STEALING IT For Mick Jagger, getting into the blues was never about chasing fame or copying heroes—it was about learning. The Rolling Stones didn’t set out to be the blues; they wanted the world to feel it. Their early covers weren’t about claiming ownership but paying respect to the masters who started it all. As Jagger once said, “we didn’t want to do blues forever”, but they made sure nobody forgot where it came from.
“They never knew anything about it and that’s why we stopped doing blues. We didn’t want to do blues forever, we just wanted to turn people on to other people who were very good and not carry on doing it ourselves. So you could say that we did blues to turn people on, but why they should be turned on by us is unbelievably stupid. I mean what’s the point in listening to us doing ‘I’m A King Bee’ when you can listen to Slim Harpo doing it?”
The Rolling Stones and the Blues: Just Passing the Torch
For Mick Jagger, diving into the blues wasn’t about fame or imitation—it was about education. The Stones weren’t trying to be the blues; they were trying to share it. Their early covers weren’t an attempt to own the genre but to shine a light on the legends who created it. As Jagger put it, “we didn’t want to do blues forever.” (Ref. Rolling Stones blues influence)
“Why Us? Listen to Slim Harpo”
Jagger was candid—and a little amused—when reflecting on the band’s early blues phase. “We just wanted to turn people on to other people who were very good,” he said. “Why they should be turned on by us is unbelievably stupid.” In his mind, the Stones weren’t the main attraction; they were the opening act for artists like Slim Harpo and Howlin’ Wolf, using their platform to redirect attention where it belonged. Songs like I’m a King Bee were stepping stones, not the final destination. Once the band had helped bridge that gap for new audiences, Jagger and the Stones felt their work there was done. It wasn’t that they didn’t love the blues—they just didn’t want to become a cover band of a genre too rich and specific for imitation. Their goal had always been about passing the flame, not keeping it for themselves.
In hindsight, it’s clear: The Stones weren’t trying to reinvent the blues. They were trying to make sure younger fans found it—and hopefully, fell in love with the real thing. That honesty is part of what made their early work meaningful, even as they moved beyond it.
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