Why Mick Taylor Left the Rolling Stones in 1974 and How It Shaped 'It's Only Rock 'n Roll'

Mick Taylor quit the Rolling Stones in December 1974 because he was fed up with getting no songwriting credits or fair pay, even though his guitar work had been central to their best early-70s albums. He told the band he was leaving during the sessions for It’s Only Rock ’n Roll, and they had to finish the record without his full commitment—though he still plays on most of the tracks.

Taylor’s frustration had been building for years. He joined in 1969 after Brian Jones died, but Keith Richards and Mick Jagger kept the writing and publishing locked down. Taylor never got a cut of songs like “Brown Sugar” or