The greatest rock ‘n’ roll band in the world (©) are 50.

On this day in 1962 a scruffy looking act graced the stage of the Marquee club in London for the first time. The main act that night were Alexis Korner’s Blues Incorporated but it was to be the support act that everyone now remembers. Yep, the Rolling Stones are officially 50 years young today.

The band’s early influences were the old bluesmen of the Southern American states like Jimmy Reed and Muddy Waters, in fact when Jagger and Richards (real surname Richard, but changed to keep distinct from Cliff) bumped in to one another at Dartford railway station the previous October after losing touch after school, Jagger was carrying an armful of imported rare vinyl which piqued the guitarist’s interest and within weeks they were in a band together. They didn’t last long though and with the addition of two of Alexis Korner’s protégés, Brian Jones and Charlie Watts, the lantern jawed Scotsman Ian Stewart and Bill Wyman (who, legend has it was asked to join as he had a lot of his own amps and speakers) they became the Rolling Stones. Being British, they were embraced by America as part of the British invasion in the early 60s that the Beatles started, Keith admitting many years later that The Beatles kicked the door down and they effectively sneaked in right behind them.

Their career has seen them sell over 68 million albums and play to countless millions of fans, including playing a free concert (albeit paid for by the city) on Copacabana beach in front of over a million people which is a far cry from the estimated 250,000 that turned up for the Hyde park gig in 1969.

Early days (Morrissey on marimbas?)

Today now only working as a 4 piece (Wyman jumped ship in 1997) with effectively session musicians they have come full circle from being the epitome of RnR cool to being a bit naff and old hat to being the elder fathers of rock (literally in this case, their average age is 68) they have recently started hinting at sort form of live show or shows to mark this this year’s anniversary. Headlining this year’s Glastonbury being the one rumour that won’t go away. Keith has actually admitted they’ve had a couple of rehearsals so it does seem likely that something is in the offing though.

All the best gents.

By Chris Mackinnon of Freak Music, one of the UK’s leading music agents.

 

 

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