The Rolling Stones' debut at the Marquee Club: lineup and how the booking happened

On July 12, 1962, a brand-new blues band called “The Rollin’ Stones” played their first-ever gig at London’s Marquee Club. The lineup that night looked a bit different from the classic five: Mick Jagger on vocals, Keith Richards and Brian Jones on guitars, Ian Stewart on piano, Dick Taylor (later of The Pretty Things) on bass, and Tony Chapman on drums. No Bill Wyman or Charlie Watts yet — Wyman wouldn’t join for another five months, and Charlie wasn’t even in the picture until January 1963.

The booking came together because of a sudden hole in the Marquee’s schedule. Alexis Korner’s Blues Incorporated had a regular Tuesday night slot, but on this particular night they couldn’t play — so club owner Harold Pendleton asked Korner to recommend a substitute. Korner suggested Brian