Stones vs. Pretty Things: Who Had the Real Blues Cred in 1964?

The Rolling Stones and the Pretty Things both cut their teeth on American R&B covers, but their approaches reveal a fundamental split in the British blues boom. The Stones’ versions of “Route 66” and “Little Red Rooster” were tight, Jagger’s vocals already leaning into a charismatic sneer, and the band’s production – especially on the 1964 debut – had a clean, almost pop-friendly edge. The Pretty Things, by contrast, were rawer and less concerned with radio readiness. Their take on “Rosalyn” or “Big Boss Man” sounded like they’d just stumbled out of a Chicago juke joint, with Dick Taylor’s bass pushing a greasier groove and Phil May’s howl closer to Howlin’ Wolf’s original menace.

For sheer live blues authenticity in the early years, the Pretty Things often had the edge. The Stones were already chasing a crossover sound by late ’64, while the Pretty Things stayed stubbornly faithful to the 12-bar grit – sometimes to a fault, sacrificing dynamics for intensity. Witnesses from the Crawdaddy Club days recall the Pretty Things’ sets feeling less like homage and more like possession, whereas the Stones were beginning to show the polish that would soon make them global stars. If performance authenticity meant sounding like you were still in a Mississippi juke, the Pretty Things won that round – even if the Stones won every other one that followed.