On This Day in 1962: The Rolling Stones Recorded Their First-Ever Demo While Still Going by Another Name
Unknown author. This is a retouched picture, which means that it has been digitally altered from its original version. Modifications made by Dcameron814., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
The Beginning of The Stones’ Story
Before becoming one of the biggest names in rock and roll, The Rolling Stones—then known as The Rollin’ Stones—recorded their first demo at Curly Clayton Sound Studios in North London. The band members pooled their money to pay for the session, which most accounts say took place on October 27, 1962. Their goal was simple: create a demo they could send to record labels in hopes of landing a deal.
At the time, they didn’t have any original songs of their own, so they turned to their blues influences for material. The group recorded three covers: Willie Dixon’s “You Can’t Judge a Book by the Cover,” St. Louis Jimmy’s “Soon Forgotten,” and Jimmy Reed’s “Close Together.” Although the acetate record would become a rare collector’s item decades later, it initially drew little interest from record companies.
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Conflicting Dates and Early Lineup
Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman later recalled that the session took place on October 26, but he didn’t actually join the band until December 14 of that year. That means his recollection may have been slightly off, showing how easily memories can fade over time.
The band lineup during that early recording session wasn’t the same as the classic group fans would later know. The demo was recorded under The Rollin’ Stones name, which was directly inspired by a Muddy Waters album title. They would later drop the apostrophe and adopt the name The Rolling Stones.
The Band That Would Soon Change Rock History
The musicians who played on that first acetate included Brian Jones, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ian Stewart on piano, and Tony Chapman on drums. Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts would join later that year, completing the lineup that went on to shape the sound of 1960s rock.
Following the modest demo, The Rollin’ Stones began touring across the U.K., gaining attention for their bluesy sound and stage energy. By June 1963, they released their first single, a cover of Chuck Berry’s “Come On.” Later that year, they put out “I Wanna Be Your Man,” written and given to them by John Lennon. What began as a small studio session with no label interest quickly grew into the foundation of one of rock’s most legendary bands.
