Like a Rolling Stone? Are you kidding me? I love ‘em all!

You can probably tell that from the photos below of my Rolling Stones collection.

OK, so maybe The Rolling Stones aren’t the innovators others were; maybe they’ve been highly dependent on those who trod the path before them, especially those Blues troubadours they often name-check and pay homage to on the recordings. But we should be eternally thankful to Brian, Mick, Keith, Charlie, Bill, Mick (the other) and Ronnie, for popularizing The Blues and keeping the proper R&B vibe alive.

Not only that, but they’ve also shown that music need not be complicated or flash. It can be enjoyed by millions without the need for impressing with gimmicks. I mean, look for instance at the basic drum kit used by dear Charlie. And check his simplistic and understated playing style. Was he less effective as a drummer for that than say, Ginger Baker? Or any one of the big rock band drummers whose face you can barely spot among the countless mounted-toms, floor-toms, snares, bass / kick drums and cymbals? Maybe even a bloody great big gong, in some cases?

No.

And what of the guitar playing? There are no histrionics; no facial grimaces to convince the audience how hard they are playing – just a relaxed, almost jamming style of interplay between Keith and Ronnie that offers something new to the listener each time.

Yes, perhaps this is because Mick has a monopoly on the band histrionics. Some contemporary front-men have tried to emulate, but Mick Jagger’s style is unique – be that in a fashion sense or stage presence.

Quite simply – ‘he moves like Jagger.’

“But they’re old …” some will whine. “They’re not current; not relevant.”

Would they say the same for Elton John and Paul McCartney?  Stevie Wonder? I bet you, not.

 And Lady Gaga? Now she is most definitely ‘current.’ They are just four superstars of the music industry who are keen to identify with The Rolling Stones, all guesting on the new ‘Hackney Diamonds’ album. Many more regularly appear on stage with the band. Sure, it may be a good career move, but I’m certain all regard it also as an honor and privilege.

Do we still care about them? Do The Rolling Stones matter?

Does a bear s**t in the woods?

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I’m always quick to say I’ve been a Rolling Stones fan ‘all my life.’ On reflection, though, that’s not strictly true. As a ten-year-old kid, I can distinctly recall singing the words to The Beatles’ ‘Yellow Submarine’ as I climbed the apple tree in our garden, the words to ‘Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing In The Shadow’ having completely escaped me a couple of years earlier.

In fact, when I check my collection, the first Stones 7” single I bought, was ‘Brown Sugar’ in 1971; the first LP was the ‘Rolled Gold’ compilation in 1975.

I can only think that being a child of ‘Glam Rock’ and then being blinkered by Rory Gallagher and Alex Harvey, my maturing but short musical attention span was already at ‘overload’ level. But certainly, since then, and even through the Punk years, I’ve made up for lost time.

I’m not sure why I didn’t buy tickets for the three nights the band played at The Apollo, Glasgow in May 1976 – probably because my paper round money didn’t stretch or I couldn’t be arsed queuing up overnight to part with my cash. I do recall though, a few of us in the school common room, entering a competition in the New Musical Express to win tickets.

#fail, I think the kids say.

My excuse in 1982 is that I was busy decorating / moving into a house in Stirling (30 miles away) just a week before my wedding.

In 1990, when they played Hampden Park, with local heroes Gun opening for them, I was unable to get time off work … and so it was September 2003 when I first managed to see them ‘live.’ That was at the Glasgow SECC as part of the band’s ‘Licks’ world tour. I think I paid best part of £100 for the ticket!

I splashed out even more just three years later to be in a ‘prime’ seat at Hampden Park for the ‘Bigger Bang’ tour. ‘Prime’ meant central, but quite a distance from the stage … and perhaps too conveniently close to the bar!! Hic!

That’s the one ‘negative’ thing about being a Stones fan – the cost of ‘following’ them with all branded items from recordings to clothing to gig tickets now, for me at least, becoming prohibitively expensive.

But these guys are the absolute doyens of marketing, and they manage to keep cynical, old codgers like me on board with, for example, a ‘personal,’ name-checked thank-you message for buying their new album.

Little things like that sucker the happily committed!

Quality comes at a cost.

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I nearly, very nearly, had an absolute doozy of a ‘claim to fame’ to finish off with.

I guess this story is a bit like my rare Bob Dylan record being worth loads of money … apart from the fact that one of the tracks, by Joan Baez, sticks at one point, rendering the 7” vinyl valued instead at merely a few pounds.

Hey – you know what? I’m still claiming it, for what it’s worth … which is really sod -all.

Some years ago, it must have been about twelve years or so, through a contact I had for my (old format) Loud Horizon blog, I was lined up for an interview piece with Mick Taylor! He was coming to Glasgow for a relatively low-key show, and I was to meet and chat with him – for my wee blog!

Sadly, Mick was unwell on the day in question and the interview, as well as the show, were cancelled.

Naturally I was well gutted. Being honest though, I have to concede  to feeling a tad relieved also. I’m not sure I could have held it together without coming across as a gibbering fan-boy with an unhealthy man-crush!

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Like A Rolling Stone? I’d happily adopt one and bring it home, buy it a pair of warm slippers and sit it in front of a roaring fire.

😊

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(This post was originally written for Dave Ruch’s excellent music blog, A SOUND DAY.)