OK, one more story about the Rolling Stones: As most of you know, once upon a time there were six Rolling Stones (or Rollin' Stones, as they were called then). Brian Jones and pianist Ian Stewart (seen at left, with the band's vocalist) had been playing with some blues bands when they decided to start their own group, and asked Mick and Keith to join up, then Bill, then finally Charlie, whom the others had been recruiting for some time. Just before they were to make their first-ever appearance on British television, manager Andrew Oldham had new suits with velvet collars sent over for the boys to try on. One problem: He sent only five suits.
At that point, Brian had to explain to poor Stu why there were only five: You don't need one, mate, because you're out of the band. That is cold-blooded.
The punchline is, Stu was asked to stay with the band, doing not just his old duties on the ivories but acting as their roadie and tour manager as well. He just wasn't in the band. Stu did get the last laugh, though, remaining an unofficial Rolling Stone for far longer than Andrew Loog Oldham, touring with them through 1982 and playing on albums as late as 1983's Undercover before dying of a heart attack in 1985.
1 comment:
Thanks for mentioning one of the great unsung giants of Rock and Roll. Stu was a terrific piano player and one of my inspirations in my "career" as a R&R keyboardist. Stu did a lot of great work besides the Stones, including "Rock And Roll" and "Boogie With Stu" with Led Zep and many, many others.
Somewhere Stu and Brian and Jimi are jamming and having a great time.
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