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The Rolling Stones in the press: “Stones are on the rampage once more”
BACK IN THE JAWS OF THE JAGGERWOCK Forget that mellow streak—The Rolling Stones are back to their untamed selves, crashing through studios like a rock ’n’ roll storm. My trip to a secret rehearsal in Surrey was anything but ordinary. With Stu on watch and tour manager Tom Keylock flashing his brand-new set of ivory chompers (battle scars courtesy of a 1967 Athens brawl), I knew I’d stumbled into the wild heart of the Stones’ chaos again.
Those of you who have followed my series of word-by-word battles with the Rolling Stones may have been disappointed to read in the last episode how our anti-heroes appeared to have mellowed! But now is the time for reporters with faint hearts to run for the shelter of a nice “safe as milk” interview with Dave Clark—for the news is that abnormal service has now been resumed! The Stones are rampaging again!
Straight into the jaws of the “Jaggerwock” I ran when attending a Rolling Stones Rehearsal in a small private recording studio in Surrey. Outside the studio and guarding the doors were Stu, all-round road manager and tour manager Tom Keylock, who greeted me again after some 14 months by removing the upper portion of his jaw—containing new ivory teeth (originals were lost in action during 1967 while defending Lewis Brian Jones on stage in Athens). (Ref. Rolling Stones in 1968)
Inside the studio were three of the Stones—Keith Richard, Charlie Watts and Mick Jagger (on guitars, giving out severely thunder-charged twangs and a whiner which wailed with second line blues-chords, blood on the floor. Bill Wyman and Brian Jones were conspicuously absent.
Mick was apparently suffering from a media-hangover after intensive Trogg Report reading, being heavily engaged in answering every question he found embarassing with a cloud of cold sarcasm.
Another rare and rather low-down question came from me: “Was this rehearsal a prelude to the Rolling Stones making more live appearances?” It provoked Jagger to ask Mick to play guitar on stage?
Sarcastic
“Oh yes,” smiled Mick sweetly. “We are hoping to make several live appearances shortly from our wheelchairs. In fact, I think you can safely say that live appearances are a thing of the future. No, of course, I don’t want to play a guitar. I want to go on stage and do all that leaping about, don’t I?” (Ref. Rolling Stones in 1968)
“No—we’re rehearsing because we’ve forgotten how to do it. We’ve forgotten how to put the plug in the amplifier. We’re just having a good time rehearsing.”
Filming in the gap elsewhere, ascertained that Mick has been practising guitar now for almost nine months and become quite a talented rhythm man, working through the group’s back catalogue. During the rehearsal, he occasionally switched with both Brian and Keith and the combined sound of all three going is enough to blow any other group off the stage.
Keith Richard, in a violent purple suit, had also adopted his “best-being-interviewed” manner and to the question “Have you written many new songs?” replied: “In fact, we have!”
Was Jimmy “Gentleman” Miller — also in the studio — to be the producer on their next single andalbum? “In fact, he is?” agreed Keith. Brian Jones was not there, was he? “In actuality he is not,” agreed Keith. “He is in Paris, celebrating his birthday.” Why was Bill Wyman not there? “He’s got a bad leg,” suggested Mick. What about this rumour of a world tour?
“As soon as Bill’s leg gets better…” said Mick, adding in dj voice: “And at this point we would like to play a record for Bill Wyman who is not at St. Stephen’s!”
Why had the Stones decided on Jimmy Miller, who produces Traffic, to be their record producer? “Well, we like the way he does things,” was the answer.
“He’s very hard on the legs,” said Keith. “You have to keep running from the control room to the studio. And besides, the lead on my amplifier isn’t long enough.”
No ego
Mick became a little more forthcoming and liked the work that Jimmy did on the early Spencer Davis recordings, Gimme Some of Your Lovin’, and on Nirvana’s Rainbow Experience. Most of the recordings I know—and some I wasn’t fond of—are done in one way or another with Rod, Mick and Keith help.
“With Jimmy’s assistance they could have more time. LP tracks and that, where time isn’t such a problem.”
Were they satisfied with the sales of the last Stones album, Their Satanic Majesties? “Shall I answer this?” asked Mick, sly as a Britrail.
“How many did we sell? I don’t know,” said Mick. “We want to make a symbolic effort that wasn’t just an American one. We want to make an English effort.”
It had been revealed to me that there were a number of completed tracks not yet released, and that side one of the new LP will contain at least one track recorded by the Stones when Brian Jones was absent and Bill Wyman’s part had been recorded by the band.
“Lady Madonna?” asked Mick. “Yes, I’ve heard it, he growled. “No,” I replied, “the new straight arm in the business. Bill Wyman’s single Shades Of Orange, which he produced for the End.” “Bob Dylan,” said Keith, “Yeah great number.” “But what about Bill Wyman?” “The Byrds?” queried Mick. “Yeah, they’re great too.” You don’t have to hit me with a brick to know when someone does not want to talk about Bill Wyman. So he grooved, the End. But we got the plug in didn’t we. Asked about Mother Earth, Bill Wyman referred to his independent label, which he is hoping to launch.
“His “Yes, her new single’s coming out soon,” agreed Mick. “Really, I didn’t want anyone to know about Mother Earth until we’d had time to get off the ground with it. Most people started showing their mothers the money anyhow,” added Mick. (Ref. Rolling Stones in 1968)
Jimmy Miller then helped sober the situation, I thought, and so was he pleased to be producing the Stones?
“I’m delighted,” agreed Jimmy. “The idea of me being down here with the Stones while they are rehearsing is much the same policy as I adopted with Traffic in the seclusion of their country cottage. You get to know and feel the music…”
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