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From sweaty theater shows in Edinburgh to and the sleazy pulse of Sex Drive, May 21 feels less like a random date and more like a chaotic highlight reel from the Rolling Stones universe. All band members drift through triumph, scandal, nostalgia, reinvention, and backstage weirdness in completely different ways. One minute it’s packed arenas and legendary setlists, the next it’s art photography, blues jams, documentaries, arrests, or MTV unplugged cash-ins pretending not to be cash-ins. Somehow, rock history rarely looked this gloriously messy.
May 21, 1964: Two shows at the Regal Theatre, Edinburgh, Scotland
May 21, 1965: Civic Auditorium, San Jose, CA, USA
May 21, 1968: Brian is arrested again at his apartment for drug offences, this time for possession of cannabis, and then sent to Marlborough Street Magistrates Court, where he received charges, facing a long jail term. A psychiatrist made an attempt to keep Jones out of confinement due to mental health issues, and a judge eventually did have pity on him, letting the guitarist off with another stern warning. However, it was now harder for him to get a visa needed for the band to tour the U.S. Later on he moves temporarily into Redlands, Keith’s house in the countryside.
May 21, 1976: Earl’s Court, London, England Honky Tonk Women/If You Can’t Rock Me-Get Off Of My Cloud/Hand Of Fate/Hey Negrita/Ain’t Too Proud To Beg/Fool To Cry/ Hot Stuff/Star Star/You Gotta Move/You Can’t Always Get What You Want/Band introduction/Happy/Tumbling Dice/Nothing From Nothing/Outa Space/Midnight Rambler/It’s Only Rock’n Roll/Brown Sugar/Jumpin’ Jack Flash/Street Fighting Man/ Sympathy For The Devil
May 21, 1979: Bill Wyman visits celebrated painter Marc Chagall near Vence, spending time photographing both the legendary artist and several of his colorful works. The meeting reflects Wyman’s longtime passion for photography and art beyond music, capturing a rare moment between two influential cultural figures from different creative worlds.
May 21, 1990: Feyenoord Stadion, Rotterdam, Holland Start Me Up/Bitch/Sad Sad Sad/Tumbling Dice/Miss You/Almost Hear You Sigh/Ruby Tuesday/Rock And A Hard Place/Mixed Emotions/Honky Tonk Women/Midnight Rambler/You Can’t Always Get What You Want/Before They Make Me Run/Happy/Paint It Black/2000 Light Years From Home/ Sympathy For The Devil/Street Fighting Man/Gimme Shelter/Band introduction/ It’s Only Rock’n Roll/ Brown Sugar/Satisfaction/Jumpin’ Jack Flash
May 21, 1991: The Stones film a provocative promo video for Sex Drive at Twickenham Film Studios. This marked the final recording project featuring Bill Wyman as an official band member. The sessions symbolize the end of an era, closing nearly three decades of Wyman’s steady presence within the group’s classic lineup and long recording history.
May 21, 1993: Release of Rod Stewart‘s album Unplugged…And Seated, with Ronnie Wood as guest By the time Eric Clapton made Unplugged a massive MTV sensation (and a best-selling album), veteran rock stars realized the format was perfect: revisit the classics, strip them down, and age gracefully in front of millions. Rod Stewart was practically built for it, considering so much of his early-’70s material already leaned on acoustic guitars and loose, pub-style charm. Bringing back old friend and Ronnie added extra nostalgia and turned Unplugged…and Seated into a carefully packaged “event.” Sure, it sometimes feels a little too polished and calculated compared to Clapton’s more natural performance, but the chemistry between Stewart and Wood still makes the whole thing an enjoyable, easygoing ride packed with strong songs and familiar warmth.
May 21, 1995: The Stones return to action on the Voodoo Lounge Tour beginning rehearsals for the upcoming European leg at Focus Studios in Amsterdam after a month-long break.
May 21, 2002: Release of Mick Jagger’s DVDBeing Mick – You Would If You Could Being Mick follows Mick through an eventful year, blending home-style handheld footage shot by Jagger himself with scenes from recording Goddess in the Doorway, his fourth solo album. The documentary also captures family moments, celebrity appearances, charity events hosted by Elton John, and the premiere of the Enigma movie, which was produced by Jagger’s company Jagged Films. Directed by Kevin Macdonald and Jim Gable, the film debuted on ABC in 2001 before its DVD release the following year.
May 21, 2004: Keith Richards joins blues legend David Honeyboy Edwards and guitarist Rocky Lawrence for a special onstage appearance at The BoxCar in Southport, close to Richards’ Connecticut home. The relaxed performance reflects his deep roots in blues music and his continued support for the genre’s surviving original pioneers. “That’s right, this is my neighborhood, too. At least part of the time”, Keith joked.
May 21, 2013: Release of the Crossfire Hurricane DVD Directed by Brett Morgen, Crossfire Hurricane celebrates the Stones’ 50th anniversary with a fast-moving mix of rare archival footage, live performances, backstage chaos, and modern voiceover interviews from the band members themselves. Rather than following a traditional documentary style, the film throws viewers directly into the madness of the group’s explosive rise throughout the 1960s and 1970s. The result feels raw, loud, and intimate, capturing both the excitement and unpredictability through time.
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