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Today in Rolling Stones history: January 11

*Click for DAILY ROLLING STONES CHRONOLOGY 1962-present

January 11 is one of those dates that quietly stitches together the Rolling Stones’ entire story—raw beginnings, creative breakthroughs, scandals, setbacks, and moments of shared loss. From scrappy early club gigs without a settled lineup, to studio sessions that shaped future classics, to tours cancelled by visa trouble and courtrooms that threatened to derail the band altogether, this single day keeps reappearing at pivotal turns. Decades later, January 11 also became a moment of reflection, as the Stones publicly mourned David Bowie, a fellow original spirit. One date, many chapters—each revealing a different face of the Stones’ long, turbulent journey.

January 11, 1963: Ricky Tick Club, Windsor, England (without Charlie, last gig with Tony Chapman on drums)

January 11, 1964: The Baths, Epsom, England (extracurricular gig)

January 11, 1965: The Stones start working on their next single (which ended being The Last Time) at De Lane Lea Studios, London. They also work on two more songs: A Mess Of Fire (probably an early version of Play With Fire) an also on a first version of the very Play With Fire

January 11, 1973: A rumoured Stones tour of Japan is cancelled after Mick was informed that he was not allowed to enter the country because of a drugs conviction. The band finally played in Japan 17 years later, in 1990.

January 11, 1977: Keith was fined by the Aylesbury Crown Court for possession of cocaine found in his car after he had been involved in a car crash. He was fined £750 ($1290) and assessed another £250 in court fees. Richards, who was convicted in 1973 of drug possession, was warned by Judge Lawrence Verney that another conviction would lead to a jail sentence.

The drug possession charges, to which Richards had pleaded not guilty, stemmed from a car accident and subsequent drug bust last May. The prosecution contended in the trial that police had found about 130 milligrams of cocaine in a small tube attached to a silver chain under a car seat immediately after the accident in which Richards overturned his Bentley. The prosecution also contended that Richards had a small amount of LSD in his coat pocket, a charge of which he was found not guilty. In the trial, the prosecution’s case rested on a photograph of Richards wearing a chain and tube identical to the one found in his car.

Richards stated that he did not own the chain and had never seen it before; he added that the LSD could have been placed in his pocket by a fan. “We all wear each other’s stage clothes,” said Richard. “It could belong to anyone. I don’t even know what it is.” Judge Verney, in deciding against a jail term, added that Richards had had every chance to dump the evidence if he had known it was in his possession, noting, “There is some support for Richards’ contention that he knew nothing.”
“It’s basically a question of security,” said Richards after the trial, “just making sure you know what people are giving you.”

January 11, 2016: With reference to David Bowie’s death on the previous day, Jan. 10, the Stones post on their band and personal Twitter accounts:
“The Rolling Stones are shocked and deeply saddened to hear of the death of our dear friend David Bowie. As well as being a wonderful and kind man, he was an extraordinary artist, and a true original.”
Mick: “David was always an inspiration to me and a true original. He was wonderfully shameless in his work. We had so many good times together. He was my friend, I will never forget him.”
Keith: “I’m going to miss him. Another goodbye to another good friend.”
Ronnie: “Thinking of you David, God bless.”

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