I really really hope you enjoy this chapter. I was so excited about it, since the beginning.
By the way, I really feel I was awful in the last chapter... Well, this one will be better :)
It took a lot longer to post. First of all, I had some stuff going on that took my time and second, I wrote this chapter again and again and changed a loooot of things. That was a very hard chapter cause every place I search for facts say something different, you know? Oh and this chapter used to be longer, but because of the time and all the details i had still to fix, I decided to make it shorter and leave the rest for the next chapter.
Also I'm in my last year of school now and I'm so busy, i hope i find the time to keep posting.

••
Saturday, March 17th 1962

-So...! - I said as I drank my strawberry milkshake - Any plans for later today?

-Yeah, I don't know - Michael answered, reading a music magazine -  We can come back to carousel later or something... - Oh, look at that!

-What?? - Keith asked.

-That! - He pointed to an article on the magazine - Ealing Jazz club! It's opening today!

-It's probably just one more traditional Jazz club - Keith said with no surprise.

-Could be, but it says here that they have a regular Rhythm and Blues night every Saturday! With this band, Blues Incorporated.

-Rhythm and Blues night? - Dick asked - It seems we aren't the only ones interested in this music...

-Ealing? - I stole a french fry from Michael - That's in London...

-Yeah... We can go early, we won't arrive much late.

-Uh, I can't, I'm sorry - Dick said - It's my grandma's birthday. But you three should go, I go next time.

-Bob?

-Sorry, man.

-But we're going, aren't we? - Keith looked at us.

-Sure. - I answered.

-Great! 5:30 we leave.

•••

-Ok, Michael, your brother might come downstairs...

-We would hear his steps... - he said, kissing my neck.

-Seriously - I sat correctly and organized my clothes - I guess it's time to go get the boys before it gets late... Remember we have to arrive early.

-Yeah. you're right - He got up and went to the kitchen to drink some water. I joined him.

He got the keys as I looked at the mirror.

-Chris! - he shouted - I'm going out now! Mom and Dad must arrive in an hour or so!

We got in the car, Michael driving and I sitting by his side. His left hand touching my leg.

-Keeeith! - Michael shouted - Get out man, let's go!

He sat in the back seat and we headed to London.

Michael moved his hand on my leg up to my thigh, which was naturally under my dress, I took it off of there.

-Michael!...

-Don't worry about me, guys - Keith said, looking to the window.

I gave Michael a freezing look.

•••
-So here we are. Welcome to Ealing.

When we walked in, it was like being in South Chicago, at least in the way we thought it was. Humid and stuffy, small, in the basement. Underneath the train station, with glass-made ceiling, those that are the ground of sidewalks, so you could see people passing by above our heads.

It was crowded and noisy. Lots of smoke. The group was getting ready to play. Anyway, we managed a table. We got the menu and took a look at it, as the band started to play.

Some people seemed to be very concentrated on the performance.

-Korner is just incredible! - we heard a man talk to the other on a table near ours.

-Excuse me... - Michael talked to him - are you talking about one of the guys who are playing?

-Of course! It's Korner! Alexis Korner, the owner of this club. He's in the guitar. He's known as the founding father of the R & B movement in England!

-Founding father, uh? - Keith said, surprised.

-And what about the others? - Michael kept asking - do you know anything about them?

-Well, let me see. There's a Dick-something on the sax..., Cyril Davies playing the harmonica and on the drums... Oh, Charlie Watts. I don't know much about them, though. Korner is the star - he laughed.

-I see... It's early and the place is already very crowded! Do you think people came because of them?

-Are you kidding? People come from Manchester and even Scotland to see these guys! It's not a very common thing to see in UK. I'm sure this place will become the meeting of R&B fans from many places.

-That's insane! Thank you, sir, sorry for bothering.

•••
The next three Saturdays we went there but now with the other boys.

Saturday, April 7th 1962

-Before we start - the guitarist, Korner, talked on the microphone - You must have noticed our vocalist from last week was different from the first week. That's because we don't have a regular one. So, if you're interested to make an audition, talk to us. And that's not all! We aren't a formal group so we're also interested in auditions for every instrument. We'd like to get more good musicians to play with us not regularly.

-Hey, we could do that! - Dick told us.

-And we'll have one today, Elmo Lewis on the guitar, and tonight's vocalist, P.P. Pound! - we all clapped.

(song from the top of the chapter)

-Listen. - I said - what's that?

-I'd say Elmore James... - Keith answered - but who's playing that guitar though?

-I can't see - I tried to look behind all the people in front of me, i got up on the top of my feet - Some young, blonde boy...

-Are you sure? - Keith got up too.

The low light of the ceiling shined through his golden hair. He wore a suit and seemed to be very concentrated on the music. Eyes closed, some sweat.

-How does he do that? - Keith asked me. Michael got up to watch too.

His dominance of the instrument, especially his dynamic style left us stunned. It was electrifying, he played wonderfully. And the way he was approaching the audience, teasing it then abruptly going back and forth... I could see how Michael was impressed. And so was I.

When the song was over, we applauded enthusiastically, still standing up.

-That was slide guitar... - Keith started - I haven't seen anyone doing that. Not in England... He got that from Elmore James for sure. He's so talented!

-We need to talk to him - Michael added.

-Look! - I said looking at him - He's leaving the stage.

Keith, Mike and I walked in his direction while the other boys sat on our table.

He was putting the guitar inside its case as Michael ran closer to speak.

-Excuse me - he placed his hand on the guy's shoulder - Could I talk to you?

-Do I know you? - he asked with his eyes still on the guitar.

-Uh... no. I'm Mick Jagger. These are Keith Richards and Jane Parker. And you're Elmo Lewis, is that right?

-That's right - he looked at us very quickly.

-We saw you playing just now and... we're very impressed. - Keith added - It was amazing what you did!

-Thanks, man - He got his stuff, walking away.

-Wait! - Mike called him - Uh... Why don't we sit, talk, maybe I can get you some beer?

-Talk about what?

-Music, I don't know...

-Do you guys play?

-Yeah, we have a band - Keith answered.

-Oh, interesting... Yes, we can talk. And I'll take the beer. But only if you call me by my real name. Elmo is just an artistic thing, you know, Elmore James. My real name is Brian. Lewis Brian.

We sat in a different table, just the three of us. Another band started to play.

-Bring us some beer, would you? - he asked the waiter.

-Oh no, thanks! - Keith said - we have a long way back home by car.

-You can drink, boys. I drive.

-Look, she talks - He smiled - Three beers, then - He talked to the waiter again, and then looked at us - So! A long way back home, uh? Where are you from?

-Dartford - Keith answered.

-Small city. I know how it is like, I'm from Cheltenham. Your band must be very famous around there.

-Well... Not exactly...

-The girl plays too?

-No, actually - Michael answered for me - But she has a great taste.

-Come on, let her talk. I want to hear more of her beautiful voice. Tell me, sweetheart, how come you're walking with this two chatterboxes?

-Cause she's my girlfriend. - Michael answered, quickly, sounding jealous.

-I said let her talk, man!

-Well, we know each other from Primary. It comes out that I'm his girlfriend too, but it's not all about that. The thing is we have the same taste, and we love to go to clubs like this.

-You see how much she can talk? Who'd have guessed??

-Ok, back to the point... - Mike started talking again - we've been looking for some musicians to talk to, play with, hopefully... And we think you're perfect for that.

-Well, we can talk... - the waiter served them with beer - ...Play, I don't know. I mean, I have my own band... The Ramrods. It won't be very easy to find much time. My timetable is filled with gigs and rehearsals and all... as it must be for you and your band!

-Actually no... - Keith said, shyly - we're still looking for a weekly contract at some place or something. Actually we didn't even consider it for real as we thought no one would go listen to our kind of music... but look at you! Look at the blues incorporated!

-You guys should try here. I think they're looking for some new bands to play here weekly, besides the individual musicians to play with them.

-Really? Thanks, man! That would be awesome! - Keith said.

-It really would! - Mike shook his hand - the other members are here too, I'll call them.

The other boys came to our table and we talked for one hour or so. Elmo sounded brilliant and said some intelligent stuff. I could see the boys were as fascinated as I was.
No.
They were a lot more.

I looked at Mike's watch and whispered to him that it's time to go.

-Uh, sadly we gotta go now. See ya next week?

-Okay, sure - he called the waiter - bring us the bill, please - he looked at us - bring a tape next week so they can hear your music!

-Right, thanks again! We'll be here.

-Look - the waiter handed him the bill and a pen. He got a napkin and started to write in it - here's my number. - he handed it to Michael - Do you want one for your own, sweetheart? - He asked me with a smile.

-I think one is enough. - Michael interrupted again.

-I'm joking, okay? - he laughed - For your information, I have a girlfriend, living with me. Who, by the way, is the mother of my child.

-Child? - I asked - that's lovely. Don't take this wrong, but you look so young!

-I'm 20.

-You must love kids!

-Not really. - we three looked at each other and laughed a little to be polite.

•••
Thank you all so much who read it! I really hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Leave your comment❤️

Real facts of this chapter:

To be honest most of this chapter is based in real facts. But okay let's list it. I wrote down a lot of information and I'm not really sure which of them are from each font. But I got them, as often, from Keith's Autobiography, Mick's Biography and my Stones magazines.

• Mick, with the others, was reading a copy of Jazz News/ News Musical Express (Some places say one and some say the other) magazine and there was a note announcing the opening of a regular Jazz Club in Ealing on March 17th. And also announced a blues band that played there every Saturday, at their "Rhythm and Blues nights", the blues Incorporated.

• When you walked into that club, it was like being in South Chicago, at least the way they thought it was. Humid and stuffy, small, in the basement. *Underneath a bakery and in front of a jewelry store*. - *BUT! I also found a different description, which I used, that was more trustable. I'm not sure if it was Keith or Dick who said that: - "It was underneath the station, the ceiling was made of those glasses that are the floor of sidewalks. Then you could see people walking above our heads".

•People came from Manchester and even Scotland to listen to the Blues Incorporated, at Saturday nights.

• In the next three weeks, they went there to listen to Korner on the guitar, Dick Heckstall-Smith on the sax, Cyril Davies on the Harmonica and Charlie Watts on the drums. "In the third week, we said 'we could do the same'", remembers Dick Taylor.

• Every Saturday night, aspiring singers were encouraged to play with the guys, auditioning to join the band. One night, more specifically on April 7th, PP Pound got on stage and started to sing the great blues of Robert Johnson, Dust My Broom. What caught Mick and Keith's attention was the slide guitarist, a young, blonde boy wearing a suit, who was introduced as Elmo Lewis.

• (Keith:) "His mastery of the instrument - specially the slide technique, new stuff in England, and his dynamic style... It was electrifying, he played it wonderfully. Mick was also impressed by the way he was approaching the audience, teasing it then abruptly going back and forth."

• Right after the performance ended, Mick ran to the stage and offered him a drink. He accepted it, but only if he would call him by his real name - Brian Jones. They found out he had his own band, the Ramrods.

•When Brian turned 19, he left his girlfriend, Pat Andrews, after she had his son in 1961. But she ended up finding Brian and came back to him, with the baby Julian.