Brian Jones was cooler than
Mick Jagger. Brian Jones is
cooler than Mick Jagger. Some would contend that Brian Jones was cooler than Keith Richards, besides, he was the first '60s rock star to die by "misadventure," a feat Keith has not been able to pull off in forty years. After all, Brian did form the band, hand-picked the members and played a mean slide on Howlin' Wolf's "Little Red Rooster." Unfortunately Brian was pushed aside by the all-conquering potentate known as Jagger/Richards. Keith, Mick and Andrew Loog Oldham stole his band, Keith Stole his girlfriend and Brian retreated into is own world of excess. Bill and Charlie just did what Bill and Charlie always did, play bass and drums.

Having lost interest, the Stones were merely Brian's day job, as he had been creatively edged out by Jagger/Richards. One of Jones' final contributions to the band was the slide-guitar on "No Expectations" from Beggars Banquet. In December of 1968 Brian made his last public performance with The Rolling Stones during the filming of The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus. During the performance, Brian appeared disinterested, aloof and intoxicated. In June of 1969 The Stones informed Brian that they would be pressing on with a new guitarist. A month later Brian drowned under suspicious circumstances in his swimming pool.

Here is Brian playing some nervous slide-guitar on his swan song, "No Expectations" from Rock and Roll Circus. I apologize for the corny tribute intro, beggars can't be choosers. The clip is courtesy of YouTube.

"take me to the station
 and put me on a train
 I've got no expectations 
 to pass through here again"