3 Hall of Fame Classic Rock Band Co-Founders Who Left the Group Too Soon

Anyone who has ever been in a band will tell you that being in one is very hard. Personalities, egos, musical tastes, and money can all get in the way of a lasting bond. Not only that, but if the band becomes successful, it can be harder and harder to keep everyone happy. Sometimes, members leave even before the group can get off the ground. Here below, we wanted to take a look at three examples of that. Let’s dive into a trio of occasions when co-founding members of what would become famous bands had to bow out of their projects for whatever reason. Indeed, these are three hall of fame classic rock band co-founders who left the group too soon!

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Brian Jones, The Rolling Stones

Brian Jones founded the British-born blues rock group The Rolling Stones in 1962, even giving the band its iconic name. A guitarist and backup singer, Jones began to lose control of the group once lead vocalist Mick Jagger and lead guitarist Keith Richards began showing skills as a songwriting team.

Jones left the group in 1969 and was replaced by Mick Taylor. Sadly, about a month later, Jones passed away. Today, he is remembered as one of the dubious 27 Club; a star musician who died at only 27 years old.

Syd Barrett, Pink Floyd

A co-founder of the British-born psychedelic rock group Pink Floyd, the imaginative Syd Barrett helped give the group its ethos as an out there project. Sadly, he was only with the band he started for about three years, leaving in 1968 due to what fans came to know were mental health issues.

A painter and freewheeling musician, Barrett passed away in 2006. He was part of two Pink Floyd albums and he released two solo albums in 1970. After his departure, Pink Floyd released several significant musical dedications to Barrett, including “Shine On You Crazy Diamond”.

Jeremy Spencer, Fleetwood Mac

This entry on our list of classic rock band co-founders was a founding member of the British-born rock band Fleetwood Mac. Guitarist and keys player Jeremy Spencer was with the band from its beginning until about 1971 when he left abruptly. That’s when he joined a religious organization now known as The Family International.

While with Fleetwood Mac, he recorded on their first five albums, including the 1970 LP Kiln House. Known for his raucous blues playing and his musical versatility, Spencer’s loss was hard on the group. That is, until the band picked up new members Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham around 1975.

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