Satisfaction

If you went to a party during the mid-Sixties, it was guaranteed that the majority of records played all night long would be by The Beatles or The Rolling Stones.
Both bands blew away all competition with a non-stop barrage of hits and the two were often slugging it out for the Number 1 position. "The Rolling Stones" stayed in the charts for 40 weeks, and for 11 weeks it was at UK Number 1.
At the U.S. the album peaked at Number 11 on July 25, an their U.K. Number 1 single, 'It's All Over Now', stayed in the U.S, Top 100 for ten weeks, reaching its highest position at Number 26, in September, 'Time Is On My Side' coupled with 'Congratulations', was released by London Records only in the States. The A-side had been recorded at Chess studios in Chicago during their tour and the single reached Number 6 during it 13 week run in the U.S. charts.
Millions of teenagers had now, begun to emulate The Rolling Stones appearance and lifestyle, Already the authorities were beginning to examine the band's influence closely, and police in London began to monitor their activities, concerned that the band were setting a very bad example to the young, There were also undoubtedly elements of both jealousy and envy there. And as the band began their new British tour, the public mood toward them veered between love and hostility. On opening night at the Empress Ballroom in the northern seaside town of Blackpool (July 4), there were scenes of utter chaos.
Some 7,000 fans packed the venue' among them some who bad come intent on causing trouble. When one of the audience spat at the band, Keith Richard kicked out at him, which led to riot, resulting in $8,000 worth of damage to the hall. Two police men and 30 fans were injured and there were several arrests. Another show scheduled at the same venue in August was promptly cancelled.

Riot'n'roll
Violent scenes continued to plague the band throughout the summer. When they played at a club in Belfast, Ulster on July 31, the show was stopped after only ten minutes. Girls, in hysterics, had to be carried out. When they topped the bill at a pop concert at Longleaf House, home of the Marques of Bath,- (August 2) they drew a crowd of 25,000 and 200 were crushed against barrier's during a mad rush to the front.
The scenes were the same all over Europe. During a flying visit to the Hague in Holland, fans smashed up seats and girls had their clothes ripped off as the Stones drove the Dutch wild. Back in Britain the next day (August 9) two policewomen fainted and barmen had to help 50 policemen trying to control 3,000 screaming teenagers, when the band tore up a Manchester city ballroom.
The Stones' daily routine was a frantic rush of flying, driving, recording, and playing concerts that seemed more like battle zones. The lifestyle was also a toil on their nerves and there was a constant fear that authority-figures were out to get them.

Hits for others
In the midst of all the mayhem Mick and Keith were gradually developing their song writing skills. In August, Decca Records released Marianne Faithfull's version of their tender ballad 'As Tears Go By', produced by Andrew Oldham. It was a big hit, reaching Number 9 in the U.K. charts in September. They also provided a group called The Mighty Avenger with 'So Much In Love'.
The Stones had barely recovered from their series of summer shows when they were hurled into another British tour starting on September 5. They headlined a package that included lnez and Charlie Foxx, The Mojos, Mike Berry, Billie Davis and Simon Scott. When the show reached the Liverpool Empire (September 13), a team of rugby players hired, as bouncers were swamped by human wave as soon as the Stones appeared on stage. It was the same story all over Britain. In Manchester police fought to control 3,000 screaming fans, and in Carlisle police dogs were brought in. At Edinburgh's Usher Hall (September 19), the band had to be rescued and carried out in an armoured security van.
somehow, Charlie Watts, their down-to-earth drummer, found time to get married. In between tour dates be wed his girlfriend Ann Shepherd at a registrar's office in the northern England town of Bradford, on October 14. After brief celebrations it was back to the riots. At the Paris Olympia, France, October 20, 2000 fans smashed windows and seats I an outburst that led to hundreds of arrests.
While Europe was reeling from the Stones' onslaught, America nervously awaited their return. On October 23, 1964 the group flew to New York to start their second 12-date U.S. tour.
The next day they played two shows at the New York Academy of music followed by a debut appearance on CBS TV's famed Ed Sullivan Show. The elderly compeer was unnerved when the kids became riotous and hysterical and tater, in the obligatory outraged sound bite, said he would ban both the group and their fans from the theatre. He told reporters: "I promise you they'll never be back on our show. It took me 17 years to build this up. I'm not going to have it destroyed in a matter of weeks. We won't book any more rock'n' roll groups. Frankly, I didn't see the group until the day before the broadcast. I was shocked when I saw them. "
The band would be back on the show within two years. Sullivan was just the start of a long line. Many more promoters, theatre managers, mayors and police chiefs would queue up to be shocked and threaten bans before the tour was over.
A highlight of the trip came when the Stones recorded spots on TAMI (Teen Age Music International Show) at the Civic Auditorium, Santa Monica, California, on October 28 and 29. There was a huge bill featuring many artists who were idols of the Stones. They felt it was a great privilege to play alongside Chuck Berry, The Beach Boys, The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, James Brown, and Smokey Robinson and The Miracles. More west coast shows followed in San Bernardino (October 31), long Beach and San Diego (November 1).
The nearest they got to an ugly incident was on November 3, when they played Cleveland, Ohio, and a 17-year-old girl was injured falling from a balcony. It was time to cue anti-Stones protests from the local mayor.

Recording in Chess
On November 5, they flew to Chicago to record in the Chess studios, then on November 13 released Willie Dixon's classic 'Little Red Rooster' (Decca), coupled with an athletic 'Off The Hook'. It was one of the most memorable singles. Mick's vocal performance-an unmistakable mixture of blues phraseology and harsh London accents-was greeted with delight by fans and provided careers for legions of impressionists who went on to build their comedic reputation with Jagger impersonations. There were 300.000 advance orders for the single that went straight to Number 1 in the U.K. In the U.S. the Stones had a different hit with a cover of an Irma Thomas song 'Time Is On My Side' (London) which reached Number 6 in November. Later they released 'Heart Of Stone, London), coupled with 'What A Shame', reaching 19 in the U.S. chart of January 1965. Both were Jagger/Richard compositions, the A-side recorded during a trip to RCA studios in Hollywood.
The band were able to keep pace most of the time, with all the energy and resilience of youth to keep them going. But rumours began to spread about Brian Jones' health and state of mind. While the Stones were in Chicago in November, Brian was taken to hospital with a temperature of 105 degrees. He complained of feeling sick and delirious and some U.S, press reports suggested be bad taken an overdose of drugs or medication. Brian bad missed the last four Stones' concerts but he denied gossip saying he was leaving the group, and it was generally concluded he was simply run down and had pneumonia. Within a few days he was well enough to rejoin the Stones, who flew back to London for a special appearance on the ITV network's Ready, Steady Go! weekly pop showcase.

Golden boy
Brian seemed the most vulnerable of the Stones, but his outward charm concealed many less pleas- ant traits. He was careless in his relationships with women, fathering at least five children, and he shocked people by dressing up as I Nazi for some ill-considered photographs. He seemed delight in offending with crude habits- "He was one of those people who are so beautiful in one way, and such an asshole in another remembered Keith Richard.
'Brian always bad to have an imaginary foe. He was a bit of a Don Quixote, I suppose. Brian would always manipulate people into these situations of proving your friendship to him by doing something dastardly to the other person."
As the exhausting schedule of tours and recording sessions continued unabated, so Brian seemed to retreat into himself. Keith and Mick had developed a lasting bond of friendship, but Richard still did his best to befriend Brian and make him feel wanted.
"Brian got very fragile and delicate. All that touring did a tot to break him, explained Keith. "We worked our asses off from 1963 to 1966. When I first met Brian he was like a little Welsh bull. He was broad, and be seemed to be very tough. People were always laying stuff on him, because he was a Stone. He'd take anything. Eventually it caught up with him. He gradually gave up all interest in the guitar, he just wouldn't touch it-so it would be down to me to lay down all the guitar tracks while he would be leaping around on the dulcimer or the marimba. " For a while, at least, the band could still function with Jones around.

R&B heaven
A trip to Ireland kicked off 1965 and Decca -released the band's second album in the U.K, on January 15: Rolling Stones No.2. Once again there was no artist name or title on the cover but there was a superb David Bailey portrait with Brian Jones well to the foreground. The album was a powerful follow-up and many die-hard fans have since claimed that the first two albums were the band's best. They captured a youthful Stones at their most vibrant, closest to their R&B roots. There was a simplicity and raw energy about the production and playing on the first two LPs that was very appealing. There was none of the studied sloppiness that carne when they felt perhaps they'd done it all, and didn't have to work so hard.
Outstanding tracks included a version of Otis Redding's 'Pain In My Heart', and Solomon Burke's 'Everybody Needs Somebody To love', which Mick sang with a tremulous, seductive charm, insisting 'Everybody needs someone to kiss, someone to miss, someone to squeeze! " Wyman's bass set up the riff, broken tip by stabbing guitar likes. lt may, have been a cover, but it was a tour de force for the Stones.
In contrast, 'Down Home Girl' was rather stiff and ungainly, the band tackling an unfamiliar funk groove. 'You Can't Catch Me' had the sort of blistering boogie beat that bad beatniks back at the old Crawdaddy Club jiving in the aisles. 'Time Is On My Side' was an attempt at a low soul groovier, on which Keith's limp solo showed the state of British rock guitar before Eric Clapton. At that point, though, nobody cared much about guitar solos, and with Jagger taking a strong vocal lead, cuts like 'What A Shame' had a healthy swing to them, enlivened by Brian Jones' slide guitar and some spine chilling, wailing harmonica.
Charlie's drums booted along the Chicago-influenced 'Grown Up Wrong' and 'Down The. Road Apiece', Keith redeeming himself with powerful and effective rhythm guitar, This was virtually a live performance, down to lan Stewart's piano romping in the background- 'Under The Boardwalk'-not such a clichéd tune when the Stones' cut their version-show- cased Mick doing a creditable job that provided melodic contrast. The album was completed with a lightly swinging 'I Can't Be Satisfied', a slow and laid back “Pain In My Heart', which showed off Jagger's -constantly improving vocal technique, the catchy “Off The Hook” and a stomping 'Suzie- Q'. Much of this work can be seen, as blatantly culled, from black American blues and soul. But at the time, before the old players were known to a mass market, It all seemed fresh, new and authentic, particularly to young audiences who had never been-_exposed to the original records. All in all, the Stones had been to a very good music school. Now they were ready to start developing their own ideas and songs. The album went straight into' the UK. charts at Number 1, knocking off Beatles For Sale and lurking in the Top Ten for a full 20 weeks.

Australian excess
On January 19 the band flew from Los Angeles- where they had been recording- to Sydney for their first Australian and Far Eastern tour. Once again the Stones caused a sensation. They were greeted at the airport by 3000 screaming Australians and hundreds of girls ripped down a fence to get a glimpse of the boys. The first of nine sell-out shows took place at Sydney stadium (January 22), attended. by an enormous crowd estimated 10500.
More shows followed, before the band headed back to the USA. On the way, they stopped off in Singapore for two concerts on February 16, and played in Hong Kong on February 17, before heading back to Los Angeles.
A new Stones album was released in the States in February, The Rolling Stones Now (London)
back Britain came a new 'The Last Time', coupled with “Play With Fire' released on February 26. The A-side was a Jagger-Richard composition which came in at Number 8 and rocketed to Number 1 in the UK. chart. It reached a healthy Number 9 in the U.S. in April.
The band were striking gold with every single. Stones' concerts were a maelstrom of screaming and shrieking and-even though the band gradually got bigger amplifiers- there was no real PA system available. The drums were not marked properly and there was no chance that anyone in the audience, let alone the band, could really hear the music. Charlie would still gamely bash away on his drums, Mick danced and sang his heart out, while Brian and Keith did their best to blast their guitars above the roar from the auditorium. Bill stood grimly clutching his bass, wondering if be really was part of this crazed new world.

Leader of the pack
In March the band were back on the road for a two-week British tour. It was almost as if the promoters and management were frightened to let the band stop work. It was massive over-expo- sure, and far too much to expect of 22-year-olds-they were forced to cope with being international celebrities on an endless treadmill around the planet.
Jagger was getting used to the idea of being not just a pop idol, with millions of screaming girls at his feet, but a band leader who knew, perhaps even better than his managers, what was right for The Rolling Stones.
There were frequent altercations with Andrew, the first being over Oldham's suggestion that they wore suits for British television. The logic was that producers wouldn't allow them into the studio if they looked too bohemian. The Stones agreed to compromise once, but would never wear suits again.
Mick also asserted his opinions about the choice of material for singles and albums. Most of the Stones accepted Jagger's decisions, but this tended to make Jones feel even more marginalized. At the time, it seemed the least of their worries.
At the back of their minds was the nagging belief that it couldn't last any longer than a couple of years. Then they'd all retire, perhaps go back to their studies, or live in mansions as gentlemen of leisure. They didn't know it then, but they'd never be let off the hook of rock'n'roll.
In March 1965 The Rolling Stones had both Number 1 album and single in the U.K- charts and were still out on the road playing movie und houses and theatres around England. They were accompanied by The Dave Berry, Goldie & Gingerbreads, and The Hollies, a tour during which the band attracted another bout of bad publicity. On the last night of the tout after a show at the Romford ABC band cinema-cum-theatre, the stopped off at a gas station and asked if they could use the toilet.
As they were refused permission to use the facilities, Bill Wyman Mick and Brian sneaked off to urinate up against a nearby wail. The manager of the station didn't find their antics at alt amusing and took out a summons against them. On July 22 - they were fined $10 each at West Ham Magistrates Court, after being found guilty of “insulting behaviour”.
In April The Rolling Stones retuned to north America and played their first concert of a major tour in Montreal on April 23. All went well until April 26 when they played a show in London, Ontario. The police chief decided he didn't like the reaction of the crowd and turned the house lights on, unplugged amplifiers and switched of the power to the stage. It became clear he was trying to stop the show altogether. -The Stones carried on as best they could, with Mick singing and playing maracas, while Charlie Watts kept the drums going. However, the police refused to turn the power back on at all, and so the band had to apologize to the audience and leave the building earl.
They went on to New York on May 1, to play at the Academy of Music and even managed to fit in a show at the Convention Hall, Philadelphia. Despite his previous complaints about the Stones, Ed Sullivan invited the band to appear back on his show and they recorded four numbers in the CBS TV studio behind closed doors.
More U.S. dates follow May, and more problems. While the band were staying Jacksonville, Florida, Brian Jones slipped doing karate exercise beside a swimming pool and broke two ribs. Despite this, the band managed to fit in more recording session at Chess in Chicago and RCA studios in Hollywood, where they cut tracks for their next album. One of the songs they laid down in Hollywood was the exciting “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction”.
It was released in the US on May 27, coupled with “Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man', both songs were written by Mick and Keith and produced by Andrew Oldham. The single went to Number 1 in the U.S. charts on July 7, but wasn't released in UK until August 20. It entered the U.K. charts at Number 3 and hit Number 1 within couple of weeks. The song caused a sensation with its pounding relentless beat, harsh and angry guitar riff and Mick's chanting, insistent vocals.
This was the performance that finally convinced everyone The Rolling Stones were the greatest rock band of the age. They had world at their feet and nothing and nobody could stop them.
The press, the police and judiciary were going to try.

Chapter 4

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