Like what you see? Help keep it going! This site runs on the support of readers like you. Your donation helps cover costs and keeps fresh Rolling Stones content updated every day. Thanks in advance!

Today in Rolling Stones history: May 13

*Click for more DAILY ROLLING STONES CHRONOLOGY 1962-present

May 13 has quietly become one of those oddly loaded dates in Rolling Stones history where nothing stays in one era for long. From early 1960s live shows in Newcastle with The Rolling Stones still grinding out their club-era identity, to later moments that show a band constantly rewriting its own mythology, the date threads together evolution rather than nostalgia. The release of Paint It Black alongside the reflective Long Long While highlights how Mick Jagger and Keith Richards could balance darkness with vulnerability without over-explaining either. Fast forward and you hit Montreux rehearsals, where the Stones sharpened their live machine with almost suspicious efficiency. Then there’s the early-2000s studio burst around Forty Licks, proof they still cared about new chemistry. Even the 2022 El Mocambo 1977 release feels like a reminder: they never really leave the stage, they just change the angle.

May 13, 1964: City Hall, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England (2 shows)

May 13, 1966: Release of the Paint It Black / Long Long While 7″ single in the UK (Decca F 12395)

Paint It Black has sparked many interpretations, some speculative. Contrary to popular belief, it isn’t specifically about the Vietnam War, Mick Jagger’s breakup with Chrissie Shrimpton, or his relationship with Marianne Faithfull. Instead, the song may represent the emotional turmoil brought on by hallucinogens or mirror the mindset of someone battling intense depression, symbolized by its dark, color-based imagery. There was no singular inspiration behind the lyrics. When asked why he wrote about death, Jagger admitted there was no unique reason, simply saying, “It’s been done before… It’s not an original idea. It’s all about how you handle it.”

As for Long Long While, its B-side, it didn’t appear in the U.S. until the More Hot Rocks (Big Hits & Fazed Cookies) compilation in 1972. Unlike many early Stones B-sides, it stood out as a stronger track—arguably better than some early originals used as filler. Its exclusion from albums like Aftermath or the Flowers compilation may be due to its softer, more emotional tone, which contrasted with the edgier, sarcastic style Jagger and Richards favored then. The song explores a rare theme for Jagger: a man admitting fault and pleading for forgiveness, expressed with genuine vulnerability and emotional vocal delivery.

May 13, 1972: The Stones kick off a week of intense tour rehearsals at the Rialto Cinema in Montreux, Switzerland, turning the venue into a temporary creative hub where setlists were refined, arrangements tightened, and with the band’s live chemistry pushed back into full gear. Songs rehearsed included: Shake Your Hips, Tumbling Dice, Loving Cup and the unreleased Bluesberry Jam and John’s Jam.

May 13-June 7, 2002: The Stones returned to the studio to record new material for the first time in five years, regrouping at Guillaume Tell Studios in Suresnes, France, where they worked on fresh tracks specifically intended to complement their upcoming greatest hits compilation Forty Licks. The sessions marked a renewed creative burst for the band, blending their classic sound with a modern edge, while also reinforcing the project’s role as more than just a retrospective collection. Instead, it became a bridge between eras, pairing iconic catalogue cuts with newly recorded material that underlined the band’s continued relevance and studio chemistry after decades together.

May 13, 2022: Release of El Mocambo 1977. Recorded over two nights (March 4 and 5, 1977) at the intimate El Mocambo Tavern in Toronto, Canada, the album captures the Stones in a deliberately secret club setting that held only around 300 people showcasing songs tied to the Black and Blue (1976) era (plus some tracks previously issued on side 3 of the Love You Live album in 1977) The shows were disguised as a contest prize event featuring Canadian band April Wine, with the Stones hidden under the fake name ‘The Cockroaches’ joined by Billy Preston on keyboards and Ollie Brown on percussion. Most of the material comes from the second night, while the first contributes Luxury, Melody and the then-unreleased Worried About You, later appearing on Tattoo You (1981)

Tracklisting (CD version):
CD1: 1. Honky Tonk Women/ 2. All Down The Line/ 3. Hand Of Fate/ 4. Route 66/ 5. Fool To Cry/ 6. Crazy Mama/ 7. Mannish Boy/ 8. Crackin’ Up/ 9. Dance Little Sister/ 10. Around And Around/ 11. Tumbling Dice
 CD2: 1. Hot Stuff/ 2. Star Star/ 3. Let’s Spend The Night Together/ 4. Worried Life Blues/ 5. Little Red Rooster/ 6. It’s Only Rock’n Roll (But I Like It)/ 7. Rip This Joint/ 8. Brown Sugar/ 9. Jumpin’ Jack Flash/ 10. Melody/ 11. Luxury/ 12. Worried About You

COPYRIGHT © ROLLING STONES DATA
ALL INFORMATION ON THIS WEBSITE IS COPYRIGHT OF ROLLING STONES DATA. ALL CONTENT BY MARCELO SONAGLIONI.
ALL SETLISTS AND TICKET STUBS TAKEN FROM THE COMPLETE WORKS OF THE ROLLING STONES. 
WHEN USING INFORMATION FROM ROLLING STONES DATA (ONLINE OR PRINTED) PLEASE REFER TO ITS SOURCE DETAILING THE WEBSITE NAME. THANK YOU.