Studio single Highwire, with its anti-Iraq War stance, incurred the wrath of, amongst others, British politicians and the BBC. The first Iraq War that is, when George Bush Senior was let into the White House.
A Conservative member of Parliament called it appalling in a time of war and the BBC added it to a list of songs it “discouraged” its DJs from playing.
There was, surprisingly, little backlash in America.
Mick Jagger told the London Times newspaper: “Pop music should address a broad range of subjects > not just sex and cars”.
Highwire and another studio track Sex Drive are tucked at the end of 1991 live album Flashpoint.
With a 20-minute video streaming from a concert at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, the Rolling Stones on November 18, 1994, were the first major recording artist to broadcast a show over the internet.
The video streaming included five songs > Not Fade Away, Shattered, Tumbling Dice, You Got Me Rocking and Rocks Off.
Mick Jagger greeted the internet audience and said he hoped the system didn’t collapse, the New York Times reported.
The concert was part of the hugely successful worldwide Voodoo Lounge tour, promoting their album of the same name.
‘There were lots of hacks (reporters) out there who said we couldn’t do it anymore. But maybe what they meant was they couldn’t do it anymore.’
> that’s what Mick Jagger told Rolling Stone magazine.
Jagger continued > “Anyway, once we started playing, all that died down. You can talk about it and talk about it – but, once we’re on stage, the question is answered.”
The tour took in $320 million to become the highest grossing of any artists up to that time.
Keith Richards on the cover of his 2015 solo album.
‘He was cremated and I couldn’t resist grinding him up with a little bit of blow’
That’s what Keith Richards told British music magazine NME (April, 2007).
“The strangest thing I’ve tried to snort? My father. I snorted my father,” Richrads said.
“My dad wouldn’t have cared, he couldn’t give a shit.
“It went down pretty well, and I’m still alive.”
The tabloid press soon had a field day with the story and outrage ensued.
Richards pissed on the fire a few weeks later by claiming he had just made it up.
There’s also a long-held belief that in 1973 Keith Richards had a complete blood transfusion > involving an embalming process > during drug addiction treatment in Switzerland to prepare for a Stones tour.
Richards many years later denied this, saying he just made it up as he was approached by the press at London airport.
Ron Wood on the cover of his solo single Sure The One You Need from 1974, before he’d even joined the Stones.
MAKE IT A DOUBLE DATE > COCKTAIL WAITRESS … AND VODKA
Guitarist Ronnie Wood, then aged in his early 6os, took up with a barely out of her teens > if that > Russian cocktail waitress in 2008, leaving his wife of 23 years, Jo, and their four children.
He was reported to have met Ekaterina Ivanova at an escort bar in London’s Soho district.
And that’s not his only liking for things Russian > Wood battling an alcohol problem at the time, drinking two bottles of vodka a day.
Wood’s publicist told London’s Daily Mail: “She is a drinking partner. When you’re an alcoholic and your family are all telling you to stop drinking you simply find someone else to drink with. You can see how it happens, you end up pushing away the ones you love because you don’t think straight. He’s fallen off the wagon big time. He’s spiralling out of control and every time he returns to his drinking it’s worse than before. He’s not even clear-headed enough to check himself into rehab.”
Surprise, surprise > the new relationship didn’t last long > and ended ugly.
Ronnie Wood accepted a police caution in December 2009 for allegedly attacking Ekaterina Ivanova after a fierce row. He allegedly dragged her down a London street, slapped and throttled her.
Wood eventually admitted himself into rehab to battle his alcohol addiction in 2008 > and again in 2010 > for the eight time.
Mick Jagger on the cover of his solo album Wandering Spirit.
ROLLING STONES CANCEL AUSTRALIAN TOUR AS JAGGER RUSHES BACK TO NEW YORK
Mick Jagger’s partner of more than 10 years, New York fashion designer L’Wren Scott, was found dead in her luxury Manahttan apartment on March 17, 2014. She committed suicide at the age of 49, Jagger aged 70 at the time.
It was reported that her fashion company had debts of over US$5million and she put a mortgage, unbeknown to Jagger, of over $1 million on her almost $5 million apartment, said to have been paid for by the Rolling Stones frontman.
The Rolling Stones had just arrived on their private jet in Perth to kick off an Australian and New Zealand tour. Mick Jagger quickly flew back to New York and the tour was rescheduled for October-November of 2014.
L’Wren Scott’s small, private funeral service was held at Hollywood Forever Cemetry in Los Angeles. At a later packed memorial service at St Bartholomew’s Church in New York, Mick Jagger sung the Bob Dylan song Just Like A Woman in tribute.
The Australian tour was rescheduled and then cancelled after Mick Jagger was beset by throat problems.
ROLLING STONES FIRST MAIN BAND TO LET IT ROCK IN HAVANA
With Cuba opening its doors and relations with America in a thaw, the Rolling Stones played a free, open-air concert in Cuban capital Havana on March 25, 2016, to hundreds of thousands of people. Some even estimated the crowd at half a million.
The historic concert came three days after US President Barack Obama wrapped up an historic visit to the island during which he declared an end to what was left of the cold war with communist-run Cuba.
“We know that years ago, it was difficult to listen to our music in Cuba, but now here we are in your beautiful land,” Jagger told the crowd in Spanish. “I think that, finally, the times are changing. That’s true, no?” The crowd roared their agreement, reported London’s The Guardian newspaper.
At the height of the Cuban revolution, which started in the 1960s, bands such as the Rolling Stones were seen as a threat to communist ideology, and their songs banned from being played on radio and their records also banned.
The replacement poster close up > that’s much more betterer.The offending artwork
EXHIBITION PROMO RUN AGROUND ON LONDON TRANSPORT
A poster promoting a Rolling Stones art exhibit was deemed too lewd for London’s public transport system.
The poster had been placed on city buses and the London subway for an exhibition titled Exhibitionism kicking off at the Saatchi Gallery in Chelsea in April, 2016.
The “too lewd” artwork features a female model’s midsection and bikini bottoms with the Rolling Stones’ tongue logo.
It was replaced with a new poster that merely moved the tongue logo up to the model’s navel.
A Rolling Stones spokesman said > “We are dumbfounded and perplexed at this rather silly decision. Perhaps something to do with the fact that it’s the Rolling Stones and controversy still seems to follow them everywhere.”
The exhibit is set to tour the world and features band memorabilia including unseen videos and audio files, plus about 500 posters, photos, stage designs and instruments played by the Stones. It is the first ever exhibition of personal items from band members.
TWIN PEAK: Ron Wood and wife Sally Humphreys on the cover of hello magazine
OH BABY, WE GOT A GOOD THING GOING >
Mick Jagger, aged 72, baby No.8, with 29-year-old partner Ron Wood, 68, celebrates having twin daughters
American ballerina Melanie Hamrick, 29, is expecting a baby with long-time lothario Mick Jagger, is was announced in July, 2016
Jagger, 72, and Hamrick have been in a relationship since 2014 and seen each other regularly over the past two years, London’s The Sun newspaper reported.
This comes about two months after Rolling Stones guitarist rockin’ Ronnie Wood, 68, welcomed twins on board with third wife Sally Humphreys, 38.
Wood said: “Mick popped in on the third day. He couldn’t wait, I put one in each arm and took a photo.”
Humphries and Wood appeared on the front cover of Hello magazine with the twins.
“I’m the burper, walker, nappy changer and I’m still trying to work out when I can get to sleep in between all that. I have played the guitar to them and when I get round to it I will do some drawings,” Wood, also a renowned artist, told Hello magazine
The twins brought Wood’s children tally to six, while Jagger’s pending arrival will be his eight child, with five different women.
Wood celebrated his 69th birthday soon after the twins’ arrival and Jagger, born on July 26, will be 73 by the time his latest baby arrives.
TAKE A SLASH > YOU’RE NOT WANTED GUNS N’ ROSES GUITARIST
GUNS N’ ROSES guitarist Slash (pictured) was visiting the studios when Keith Richards was working on the song Thru and Thru for 1994 album Voodoo Lounge.
Slash made the unfortunate suggestion that he add some blues licks.
According to the album’s producer Don Was, Keith Richards replied: “Look, I like ya kid, but don’t press your luck. You’re not coming anywhere near my fucken track.” (Quote From the book The Rolling Stones: It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll by Steve Appleford.)
YOU INVADE MY SPACE, I SMASH YOUR FACE > if only I wasn’t so busy playing this guitar.
On the Rolling Stones 1981 American tour, Keith Richards spotted a youngish male fan who made it on stage. The Stones guitarist took an almighty swing with his guitar at the invader’s head > missing by centimetres.
This immortal moment is captured on Rolling Stones stage film Let’s Spend The Night Together > directed by Hal Ashby.
SUPPORT ACT PRINCE BELTED WITH BEER CANS
Rolling Stones bass player Bill Wyman tells of an incident with funk soul brother Prince on the same tour.
Opening for the Stones in Los Angeles and wearing a pair of black bikini bottoms > Prince was soon pelted with beer cans by Stones fans. [A tale from Bill Wyman’s book Rolling With The Stones]
ROLLING STONES STAGE TAKES ON ADDED DIMENSIONS
Prince on the front cover of his 1988 album Lovesexy
IT’s like the Rolling Stones had to outdo themselves each tour > with bigger and more spectacular stadium shows.
The 80-plus show 1981/82 tour of the US and Europe had a stage over 350 feet across at full stretch > adorned with large cloth replicas of paintings by Japanese artist Kazuhide Yamazaki.
Eight semi-trailers were used to transport the stage.
GUITARIST RON WOOD ARRESTED FOR COCAINE
The Rolling Stones guitarist and partner Jo were arrested in St Maarten, the Caribbean, in February, 1980, on cocaine possession charges.
They spent five days in jail before being deported to the US.
