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The Rolling Stones in the press: “Stones Set Studio On Fire!”
On Fire: When The Rolling Stones Set Fire at Olympic Studios in 1968
*By Marcelo Sonaglioni During the Beggars Banquet sessions at Olympic Studios in 1968, The Rolling Stones were on fire—literally. The band was deep into recording one of their most iconic albums, pushing their sound in a grittier, more raw direction. As the story goes, things got a little out of hand one night when they decided to set the studio on fire. But, hey, don’t take this literally!
It wasn’t exactly an accident. Keith Richards, ever the rock & roll outlaw, reportedly lit up a pile of liner notes, album covers, or whatever was lying around, and suddenly, flames were spreading. Whether it was pure mischief or just part of the chaotic energy of those sessions, the fire added to the wild, reckless atmosphere surrounding the making of Beggars Banquet. The album itself was already fueled by a rebellious spirit, with tracks like Street Fighting Man and Sympathy for the Devil capturing the turbulent vibe of the late ‘60s.
Olympic Studios, one of London’s premier recording spaces, had seen its share of legendary moments, but a full-blown fire set by the Stones? That was next level. Fortunately, no one was hurt, and the session continued—probably with even more attitude than before. The incident has since become another infamous chapter in the band’s long history of rock & roll excess.
In the end, the Beggars Banquet sessions gave the world one of the greatest albums of all time, proving that a little chaos (and maybe a small fire) is just part of the magic when it comes to the Stones.
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