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Rolling Stones Quotes: Mick Jagger about the Stones’ Rock and Roll Circus planned for the following year (1967)
“The Stones will perform quite soon. What I want to do is have a show for young people which is not just pop stars coming on stage singing their latest recordings. I want it to include all kinds of acts- a stage show – except at the end we’ll go round on a revolving stage, leaping about for an hour to make up for the Palladium. Oh, and the ice creams will all have acid in them – that’s my brother’s idea! I suppose we could take an elephant on stage and break that up!”
The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus: A “Masterpiece” of Chaos
Ah, The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus—because nothing says “rock ‘n roll royalty” like a chaotic, 60s fever dream of awkward performances, too many guest stars, and a literal circus. Filmed in 1968 but not released until 1996 (because who doesn’t want to wait 28 years to see an unfinished, oddball mess?), this is a “must-see” for anyone who loves the Stones… or enjoys the strange intersection of music and circus acts.
First off, the idea of mixing rock music with circus performers is genius, right? I mean, what could be better than watching Mick Jagger attempt to perform with a tightrope walker in the background? The Rock and Roll Circus was designed to show the Stones as the ultimate rock spectacle, but instead, it feels more like a bad acid trip, only with a lot of famous faces you didn’t know you needed in your life. John Lennon, Eric Clapton, and even a strange, confused-looking Marianne Faithfull make appearances in what feels like a chaotic jam session of “who can get the weirdest lineup together.”
A Glorious Mess: The Rolling Stones’ Rock and Roll Circus
The performances themselves are a mix of clunky, half-baked renditions of songs and moments that seem like the band just couldn’t be bothered. Still, somehow, it all fits together to create a weirdly endearing, albeit imperfect, portrait of the Stones during a time when they were at their creative peak and total unpredictability.
In the end, The Rock and Roll Circus is a glorious mess. It’s a testament to the band’s ability to get by on pure charisma, regardless of whether or not the performance actually made any sense. It might not be the “definitive” representation of rock ‘n roll, but it’s definitely worth watching if you’ve ever wanted to see Mick Jagger prance around in tights for some reason.
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