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March 11 has delivered some surprisingly eclectic moments in Rolling Stones history. One of the most curious arrived in 1966, when The Aranbee Pop Symphony Orchestra released Today’s Pop Symphony, a project that transformed rock hits— including Rolling Stones songs—into sweeping orchestral pieces. With Keith Richards guiding the musical direction and Andrew Loog Oldham producing, guitars gave way to strings and brass, turning familiar riffs into lush symphonic arrangements. It was a bold studio experiment that hinted at rock’s future beyond amplifiers. From orchestral Stones to Moroccan adventures and live milestones, March 11 reveals a fascinating cross-section of the band’s ever-expanding world.
March 11, 1965: City Hall, Sheffield, England (2 shows)
March 11, 1966: Release of The Aranbee Pop Symphony Orchestra‘s LP Today’s Pop Symphony, with Keith as producer and musical director. Produced by Andrew Loog Oldham, the album presents an unusual and ambitious concept for its time: symphonic interpretations of contemporary pop and rock hits, including several songs originally recorded by the Rolling Stones. Instead of guitars and drums leading the arrangements, the music is driven by sweeping strings, brass sections, and classical instrumentation that transform familiar rock melodies into lush orchestral pieces.
The LP blends classical arranging techniques with the spirit of 1960s pop, creating a sound that feels both sophisticated and experimental. Through this project, Oldham explored the idea that rock music could be reimagined beyond its traditional format, anticipating later attempts to merge rock with orchestral textures. The result is a distinctive example of 60s studio creativity, showcasing Oldham’s early vision of what could be described as orchestral rock fusion.
March 11, 1985: Willie and the Poor Boys (the band that included Bill and Charlie) shoot a few videos to promote their self-titled album at the Fulham Town Hall in London, England. The videos also included Ronnie, who’s not playing in the album but still showed up for the footage. They were later released as a home video (Willie and the Poor Boys) and DVD (One Night Only) Tracklisting: Poor Boy Boogie/ You Never Can Tell/ Chicken Shack Boogie/ Let’s Talk It Over/ All Night Long/ Saturday Night/ Baby Please Don’t Go
March 11, 1993: Release of Gerry Groom‘s CDOnce In A Blue Moon, feat. Mick Taylor
March 11, 1996: Release of the Wild Horses CD-single (from the Stripped album), feat. four tracks: 1. Wild Horses (studio version, Tokyo 1995)/ 2. Live With Me (live in London 1995)/ 3. Tumbling Dice (live in Paris 1995)/ 4. Gimme Shelter (live in Amsterdam 1995)
March 11, 1999: Civic Arena, Pittsburgh, PA, USA Jumping Jack Flash/Bitch/You Got Me Rocking/Gimme Shelter/Honky Tonk Women/Fool To Cry/Saint Of Me/Some Girls/Paint It Black/Band introduction/You Got The Silver/Before They Make Me Run/Out Of Control/Route 66/When The Whip Comes Down/ Midnight Rambler/Tumbling Dice/It’s Only Rock’n Roll/Start Me Up/Brown Sugar/Sympathy For The Devil
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