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The Rolling Stones in the press: “Stones free gig in U.S.”
THE STONES AND THE PRESS IN MANHATTAN ’69 In June 1969, the Rolling Stones turned the Rainbow Grill upside down for a wild press conference. Cameras, cables, and shouting techs everywhere—pure madhouse vibes. Mick in white and red stayed cool and quiet, Keith’s earring stole the spotlight, and Charlie looked like he needed a nap. Between bites of fancy snacks, journalists scrambled to catch quotes, turning every casual remark into headlines. Classic Stones: chaos, style, and rock ’n’ roll attitude, all in one room.
NEW YORK — Into the Rainbow Grill, home of the smart set, wining and dining 65 floors above Manhatten trooped the Rolling Stones for their usual madhouse press conference. Television cameras, press cameras, TV cables lighting equipment and shouting technicians made it the usual laugh for serious questionings.
The little snacks on toast were very good. Through it all you caught odd bits of conversation that journalists would take down and turn into pages of copy, and also make it look as if they and Mick Jagger were dining alone in the Rainbow Grill.
Mick (white suit, red shirt) was his usual taciturn self when confronted with the Mass Media. Keith wore his ear ring — an immediate target for flash bulbs. Charlie was stone-faced and sleepy.
War, Vietnam, Mick? “Just leave. Get out and get it all over with.” Pot, marijuana, Mick. What about if they change the laws, Mick? “Well if the laws were changed it wouldn’t stop the violence, the sale of guns and things, but it would stop running fight between youth and the cops today.”
Tom Jones, Mick? The singer? “He’s alright, I guess, a bit stiff when it comes down to the nitty gritty.”
Free concerts, Mick? “We like them and we are going to give one in San Francisco, December 6. Not New York, New York’s too cold. San Francisco is into the free concert thing…”
Lennon sending his award back, Mick. “The MBE? Well, he should have done that a long-time ago. We’d never have got one anyway.”
And then it was all over.
At the concert the Stones were, as usual during this tour, in good form and widely appreciated, which is different from being screamed at. The huge Madison Square Gardens appeared to have a quietening effect on Tina Turner of the Ike and Tina Revue and even a surprise onstage appearance of Janis Joplin didn’t lift things. Wisely Joplin elected not to sing. She also wore trousers which might also have a wise thing in view of the sexy Mrs. Turner’s mini-shift. B. B. King on the other hand loved the tremendous audience, the size of everything and was in rare form.
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