The R&B maestro Alexis Korner was at the forefront of London's blues scene, his band being the most popular for budding musicians to jam with. Alexis, after hearing him sing, invited Mick Jagger to sing onstage with the band, which led to Mick becoming their understudy singer to Long John Baldry.
Impressed with a tape of his playing, Alexis offered Brian the job of the interval band. Brian played with a friend, Paul Pond, as the warm up band for Korner on 7th April 1962. Brian went on to wow the audience that night with his breathtaking slide guitar on Elmore James' 'Dust My Broom'. It was on this night that Mick Jagger and Keith Richards first saw Brian Jones. Keith's first reaction was: "It's Elmore James. It's fuckin' Elmore James!" After the gig, the three spoke for the first time, and discovered their mutual interest for the blues and went onto exchange views all night.
After Paul Pond moved to Oxford, Brian was determined to gather more blues enthusiasts for his own band. He advertised in a local music magazine 'Jazz News', and soon after, found a brilliant piano player called Ian 'Stu' Stewart. Then Brian's new friends turned up. Mick started to sing for Brian, who, impressed with his voice, invited him to join. Mick said he would only join if Keith came in too. Brian, recognizing Keith's talent, was only too happy.
Now with four members, the band still lacked a drummer and a bassist. Brian advertised again, this time in Melody Maker, for a bassist. From the applicants, the one they wanted was Bill Wyman, though not entirely for his playing. "They didn't like me" admits Bill, "They liked my amplifier." As for a drummer, Brian had had his eye on one person all along. Charlie Watts was a competent R&B player, but was a jazz enthusiast. A brilliant drummer, he had been playing with Alexis Korner when Brian asked him to join. Charlie held out for some time and it wasn't until he had consulted Korner on what he should do that he made the decision to join the scruffy rabble, all of whom were a little in awe of him.
Being his band, Brian decided to call themselves after one of his idol's songs. From Muddy Waters' 'Rollin' Stone Blues', The Rollin' Stones were born.