Directed by Oliver Murray and Clare Tavernor to celebrate the 60y since the Stones first performed, this series looks at their life together as a group from the perspective of each of them. Its all fascinating and offers new insights into their massive talent, the managerial skills of Mick and the fascinating creative interplay especially between Keef, Ronnie Wood and Mick Jagger. The fact that they advanced the stadium concert as an art form is referred to and its all true.
Slightly less believable is the emphasis placed on drug use, not only as part of their lifestyles but as a necessary creative ingredient. According to Ronnie Woods in his episode, they were all heavy users for several decades but always managed to sober up/get their heads together in time to perform. We are also expected to accept as fact that they were able to remain creative and tour whilst they all, with the exception of Brian Jones in 1969, survived into old age apparently more unscathed than the average 65 yr old after a lifetime of hard work and sobriety.
I can't quite swallow that aspect of these otherwise brilliant programmes. The other 99.9% of the world finds that drug misuse at that level generally fucks you up and fucks up the lives of those around you massively. I think they're playing up to their own back story and really.....they don't need to.
Comments
So you can use heroin and be a fantastically successful and hard working entertainer at the same time?
Great! I should be OK trying it when I am not slugging my guts out in the restaurant kitchen or building site etc.
Got a lot of enjoyment out of the recent Studio Outtakes https://www.discogs.com/release/17643877-The-Rolling-Stones-Fully-Finished-Studio-Outtakes-Volume-123
As an aside, Charlie Watts episode describes how it was his heavy drinking which did him the most harm and he was strongly advised by Keith Richards to stop. They did care for each other. Perhaps that's one reason why they got through it impressively intact.
But they're still terrible role models in some respects, and probably always were. Just fabulous musicians.
And I agree Jez, without the dosh, the hotel rooms, the genius and lots of tolerance, the man on the Clapham omnibus has a totally different experience of being screwed over by drugs.
It's all a bit 20th century innit!
He also did not mainline. Strictly intramuscular.
There must be something in their constitution that is more resilient than average.
The smoking and alcohol seems to have taken more of a toll on them.
Jagger's energy on stage is incredible for any age
The first three episodes have been disappointing for the absence of references to concealed chocolate bars or the "Brenda" years.
Inevitably, the Charlie Watts episode was bitty, relying heavily on old film clips.
It would be nice if some other contributors to the band's story were given their due.
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