ROLLING STONES.

The story of the Rolling Stones began in 1960 on a train when Mick Jagger met Keith Richards, who was carrying record albums by Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters, among other rhythm-and-blues artists. Both teenagers had been born in 1943 in Dartford, England. Jagger studied at the London School of Economics and was the son of a physical training teacher, while the rebellious Richards, who had dropped out of school, was the son of an electrical engineer. Joined first by troubled guitarist Brian Jones (1942–1969), and then by Charlie Watts (b. 1941) (who was strongly influenced by jazz) on drums, and finally by Bill Wyman (b. 1936) on bass guitar, the Stones began to play in London clubs, where they first began to attract attention, in 1963. They signed on with Andrew Loog Oldham (b. 1944), who would help launch their careers as their producer and manager, quickly leading to their first record, "Come On," released that June.

A disastrous tour of the United States followed in 1964. In contrast to the frenetic reception accorded the Beatles, the Stones played to general indifference, mocked to their faces by Dean Martin (1917–1995) on the variety show The Hollywood Palace and denied an appearance by the most successful television presenter, Ed Sullivan (1902–1974). Their long hair seemed downright disorderly compared with that of the somewhat more proper and relatively clean-cut Beatles, who had been greeted as conquering heroes on their arrival. In Omaha, Nebraska, a policeman pointed a pistol at Richards, believing he had put whisky in the Coke he was drinking. In the meantime, the Stones developed a loyal, passionate, and sometimes even hysterical following. More records and successful albums followed, some of their songs reflecting the influence of rhythm and blues. Concerts in The Hague and Paris ended in riots. A second U.S. tour in 1964 drew wildly enthusiastic crowds. The Stones played Carnegie Hall, and even Ed Sullivan finally invited them on his stage, insisting that they change the lyrics of "Let's Spend the Night Together" to "Let's Spend Some Time Together," which Jagger sang into the camera with rolling eyes and a sneer. Of the Stones, the mayor of Milwaukee said, "This concert is an immoral thing for teenagers to exhibit themselves at … such groups do not add to the community's culture or entertainment."

The Stones made an enormous impact in 1965 with the release of "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," which sold more than a million copies in the U.S. before being released in Britain. With Jagger doing the vocals in an incredibly energetic and provocative fashion, strutting and dancing, by the late 1960s the Stones had become rock-and-roll cult figures, releasing seminal, blues- and country-influenced albums such as Beggars Banquet (1968) and Let It Bleed (1969), and performing hits such as "Honky Tonk Women," "Jumping Jack Flash," "Ruby Tuesday," and "Street Fighting Man" in sold-out sports stadiums. In 1969, Jones quit the Stones and in July of that year was found dead in his swimming pool, a death in which drugs and drink played a role. Shortly thereafter, the Stones played in London's Hyde Park, commemorating Jones, who was replaced by Mick Taylor (b. 1948). A concert in Altamont, California, later that year turned ugly. Following several violent incidents as other groups played, when the Stones were onstage a member of the Hell's Angels motorcycle gang, which had unfortunately been given some responsibility for security, stabbed a man to death. Although the Stones could in no way be faulted for the violence, they maintained their reputation as the "Bad Boys of Rock." ("Would You Want Your Daughter to Marry a Rolling Stone?" memorably screamed British tabloid headlines.) They channeled the anger of young people in the late 1960s and early 1970s over the Vietnam War and racial prejudice into stormy and sometimes blatantly erotic music. When they sang "You can't always get what you want," they moved away from the softness of the Beatles, reflecting the harsher realities of a violent period on both sides of the Atlantic. The Stones helped fuse popular culture in Britain and the United States, and had a considerable influence in many other countries as well.

Sticky Fingers (1971) and Exile on Main Street (1972) became classic albums, and in 1975 guitarist Ron Wood (b. 1947), formerly of the Faces, joined the Stones, replacing Mick Taylor. In 1978, with Wood firmly entrenched in the band, the Stones released their fiery response to the punk and disco movements, Some Girls. The album was a huge success, both critically and artistically, and was highlighted by the multimillion-selling, disco-influenced "Miss You," the Stones' biggest single in years. Following the critical acclaim and popularity of 1981's Tattoo You, featuring "Start Me Up," subsequent albums in the 1980s and 1990s failed to generate the same enthusiasm. "We were sort of feeding a machine rather than controlling it," was the way Richards put it in retrospect. However, the Stones' worldwide tours set the standard for rock-and-roll spectaculars. Wyman left the Stones in 1993, but Jagger, Richards, Wood, and Watts rocked on, the passing of the years neither diminishing their energy nor their popularity, despite periodic rifts between Jagger, who wrote most of their lyrics, handled much of the business aspects and marketing for the group, and recorded several albums of his own, and Richards, who contributed most of the music (and also recorded on his own) and battled and eventually overcame problems with drugs. The phenomenally successful Steel Wheels/Urban Jungle tour (1989–1990) was followed by Voodoo Lounge (1994–1995) and No Security (1999) circuits, each of which were suspected of being the last one for the Stones.

Jagger, lead singer for what once seemed to its critics a scruffy, even threatening band, was knighted by the queen of England in 2002. Three years later, the Stones kicked off another so-called final world tour in the United States, each performance sold out, whether in a club, arena, or gigantic stadium, with scalped tickets going for incredible prices. In September 2005, the group released A Bigger Bang, their most well-received album since Tattoo You, yet another sign that rock's bad boys continue to defy age and time.

See alsoBeatles; Leisure; Popular Culture.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Dalton, David, ed. Rolling Stones. New York, 1982.

Loewenstein, Dora, and Philip Dodd. According to the Rolling Stones. London, 2003.

Pascall, Jeremy. The Rolling Stones. London and New York, 1977.

Sanchez, Tony. Up and Down with the Rolling Stones. New York, 1979.

Tremlett, George. Rolling Stones Story. London, 1974.

John M. Merriman