It is 2022, the 60th anniversary of the Rolling Stones. And I wanna be Rolling Stone.
It would be great to be in a band, as-it-is; it would be even greater to be able to play an instrument! I wanna be a Rolling Stone!
The Stones on the BBC
There has been lots of footage on the BBC celebrating the band and telling its history. The first meetings, introductions, development and growth.
I am amazed; they are still a tight group. Together they fit like a jigsaw, but the picture occasionally got temporarily displaced. If a piece is wrong, the image is distorted, and the band doesn’t work. Although reconfigured, it slots neatly where it needs to be, and they work harmoniously together again. Consequently, they might even get a song out of the displacement!
From the detail of the archived footage, the Beeb shared about the band. The band’s jigsaw got disrupted frequently.
Mick, Keith, Ronnie & Charlie
From the start of 1962, with the original lineup being Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, Brian Jones and Bill Wyman, various musicians came and went. It wasn’t till the 70s when Ronni Wood joined the band, and the final group were together. One of the founding members, Bill Wyman, was still playing in the band till 1993.
The individual interviews with band members show their passion for the band and highlight their bond. However, it also tells of the struggles within. The trouble with drugs, managers, and tour security. Although, unlike other bands, they manage to overcome it and move on.
Two great revelations
I wanna be a rolling stone. Watching the series, I think two bits stuck out to me.
Charlie Watts had an audition to be the drummer. Afterwards, he went home and said to his partner that he was successful and was in the band ‘, but it will probably only last a couple of months like the rest’….. Little did he know!
During the interview with founding member Keith Richards, he sat back in a comfy chair wearing a blue bennie. In the background are various instruments and lighting, blurred for effectiveness. Keith is describing his guitar playing. His technique, intros and riffs, and the development of his songwriting. The smile on his face tells how much he loves what he does. At one point, he says, ‘silence is a musician’s blank canvas‘.
Why do I want to be a Rolling Stone?
To sum it up, not for the money, not even for the fame. Not to be confident with a musical instrument.
Although, OK, yes, all of the above. I’d also like to add fast cars, private jets, and massive wardrobes.
Oh, to be a Rolling Stone…..