TAYLOR MADE
   IN THE BEGINNING : 1963 - 1966

Mick Taylor was born Michael Kevin Taylor in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, England.
For a long time it was thought that his birthdate was 17 January 1948, but in the late 90’s
it came out that he was born one year later… in 1949.

His first band were The Strangers in which he played around 1962 - 1964.
They did at least one recording session in 1963, which produced a rare 10" acetate
with the following tracks:

630000A  1963: THE STRANGERS. Probably London, unidentified studio. Recording of at
                    least four demos.
                    - A Picture Of You (Johnny Beveridge/Peter Oakman)
                    - The Cruel Sea (Mike Maxfield)
                    - It’ll Be Me (Jack Clement)
                    - Saturday Night At The Duck Pond (Keith Owen; based on a section from
                         Peter Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake)
                    Line-up: MT (gtr)/Malcolm Collins (voc)/Alan Shacklock (gtr)/John Glascock
                                   (bass)/Brian Glascock (dr)

In 1964 The Strangers were renamed in The Juniors and recorded one single:

640800A  August: THE JUNIORS.
                 7“ single (Columbia DB 7339). Producers: Dick Katz & Edward White.
                 A: There’s A Pretty Girl (Roger Webb)
                 B: Pocket Size (Edward White)
                 Line-up: MT (gtr)/Malcolm Collins (voc)/Alan Shacklock (gtr)/John Glascock
                               (bass)/Brian Glascock (dr)

He also played with The Gods (1965 - 1966), but according to interviews with Mick -
he was never a full member of The Gods and they never recorded anything while he
was with them. Despite this some sources claim that he plays on one single (see 670602A).
Line-up: MT (gtr)/Ken Hensley (org, voc)/John Glascock (bass, bvoc)/Joe Konas
               (gtr, voc)/Brian Glascock (dr) and later Lee Kerslake (dr)

One night in April 1966 Mick attended a Bluesbreakers gig. Eric Clapton didn’t show up
and Mick sat in for the second half of the set. Unbeknownst to him this was to influence
the rest of his life.

660418A 18th April:  JOHN MAYALL’S BLUESBREAKERS. Welwyn Garden City,
                 England, Woodhall Community Centre
                 MT plays half a set with the Bluesbreakers, substituting for Eric Clapton.
                 Line-up: MT (gtr)/John Mayall (voc, harm, gtr, keyb)/John McVie (b)/
                               Hughie Flint (dr)

When Peter Green left the Bluesbreakers in spring 1967, John Mayall remembered Mick
Taylor, called him up and the rest is history.