𝑀𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑝ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑒

➪ bagging watts and banging girls

𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗧𝗛𝗥𝗘𝗘

Soon enough, the leader of Blues Incorporated, Alexis Korner caught wind of our act and dialled Mick on the telephone. I can still see Mick excitedly jumping up and down once he hung up, making me join him once he told me what it was about. The Blue Boys were breaking out, joining a real group. This couldn't get better!

Mick showed up, adorning just a smile considering he didn't play guitar, and two extra members. Me and Keith stood awkwardly behind him, free hand stuffed in our pockets.

"Alexis," Mick met the man, gesturing to us behind him. He held so much hope in his eyes, I couldn't help but get some myself. "This is my best mate, guitarist, Keith Richards. You've seen him before. This is my lil sis, Bobbie Jagger, you've seen 'er too." Alexis smiled warmly at Keith, even shaking his hand, and then looked at me with an unreadable expression. He raised an eyebrow, then frowned. I knew what it meant, it was the face of doubt.

"Yes.." Alexis responded, "Well, Keith my friend, you're welcome in with Mick here." Keith perked up, standing taller, going next to his friend holding his own guitar case. "As for you, little Miss," I scowled, and knew what was coming. I could never escape it. Alexis carefully thought about his words, going over them in his head. For all I cared, they could have stayed up there, I would have done the same amount of listening. "I'm not sure.. we want a bird, per say. Nothing personal, we just have an image of sorts. This is a rock and roll group, why don't you try out for a pop group?" I frowned, furrowing my eyebrows. Mick looked the same as me, ready to punch this man out.

"Alexis, cmon," Alexis's attitude changed immensely when speaking to the boys, like a girl like me wasn't worth his time. "She's talented, don't matter if she's a girl!" Alexis considered Mick's words and narrowed his eyes again.

This would be the first act of sexism in our music careers, and it certainly wasn't the last. Oftentimes, it wasn't even the young man's fault, it was years and years of being taught outrageous things. Each time it happened, I refused to go down without a fight. I refused to go without winning.

"Alright," Alexis sighed, eyeing my guitar case and weighed his options. "We'll try ya out, I suppose. You can rehearse with us." I bit my lip from snapping back, nodding slowly. I did not offer him a thank you of any sorts.

Alexis Korner was the leader of the London blues scene, he was practically the frontman. Everyone either wanted his position, or wanted to be his friend. If you looked closer, you'd see he wasn't too great of a player himself, but it was the novelty that kept it going. He had a previous job Djing at the BBC- interviewing musicians, which to us kids, put him on the same level of royalty.

His band was good, and it was a treat to be considered for it. That's the only reason I bit my tongue, for Mick and Keith's sake. His harp player, Cyril Davies, was the best harp player I've ever heard that didn't have any formal practicing. However, Cyril wasn't very pleasant himself. With a huge greed for bourbon, he wasn't fond of us cause he smelt a change coming, and it started within us. He knew it before we did, and resented us for it.

Keith left art school around this faithful time, with a furry for that place like I'd never seen. He was a promising artist, but hated schooling and teachers with a passion deep-rooted, and promptly dumped his portfolio in the trash can outside the establishment.

The place we were standing in was called 'Bricklayers Arms', a pub in Soho. If I can remember correctly, using some of my diaries of the time, it was in May.