The Rolling Stones PR machine is working overtime to hype the band’s forthcoming album Hackney Diamonds (out on Friday), but in the process, a bit of Stones folklore may have been debunked. Well, sort of.
In 1984, according to Keith Richards’ autobiography Life, Mick Jagger made an early morning call to drummer Charlie Watts’ hotel room, demanding, “Where’s my drummer?” Watts, incensed, put on a Savile Row suit, knocked on the door of Jagger’s room and punched him right in the face, warning, “Never call me your drummer again.”
In a recent interview with the magazine Mojo, Jagger denied the incident. But he did grant that there was some truth in the tale of Watts taking him down a peg. “Now, Charlie was annoyed,” Jagger said. “And he was very drunk, as was Keith. And he was a bit wound up. But there were so many people there, so many people between me and Charlie, and it never came to blows.”
So who do you believe, Mick or Keith?
Ticket Alert
The presales are up for Erykah Badu’s just-announced show at the Smart Financial Centre on Saturday, November 25. Bear in mind that this performance will take place over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. In my experience, “But I’ve got concert tickets!” is a great way to get out of family gatherings, if you need it.
Tickets are still available for Janet Jackson’s World AIDS Day concert on Friday, December 1. The event, which is held under the auspices of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, will be held at the NRG Arena (as opposed to the stadium), and that means a probable sellout.
Concerts This Week
To paraphrase the introduction to an old television program, “There are a million bands in the Naked City, and this is one of them.” What sets Houston’s House Tiger apart? Songs like “Mile Marker” and “I Ain’t Over You.” That, plus an alchemical blend of Texas musical influences: rock and roll, blues and country. The boys rock hard, but they can also dial it down for a more contemplative experience. Check ‘em out tomorrow at the Continental Club.
Peter Gabriel has always been a seeker. When he left Genesis to follow his muse, many were perplexed. Later, many were angry, as Gabriel’s departure enabled drummer Phil Collins to slide into the lead singer spot. But that’s another discussion for another time. Gabriel will perform on Saturday at Toyota Center, with a show that focuses primarily on his latest album, i/o. While an artist’s commitment to his new creations is admirable, I am pleased to report that more of Gabriel’s hits have found a place on the setlist as the tour has progressed. So if “Sledgehammer” or “Solsbury Hill” is your jam, then you should be in luck. Oh, and you might want to wear a trench coat and bring along a blaster to hold over your head too, if you know what I mean.
If you like your rock and roll rough and rowdy, the Heights Theater is your spot this weekend. Deer Tick plays on Friday, and Cowboy Mouth takes the stage on Saturday. Though the two bands hail from different parts of the country – Deer Tick is from Providence and Cowboy Mouth is from New Orleans – they are certainly coming from the same place attitudinally. Cowboy Mouth co-founder Fred LeBlanc has said, “With every show, no matter where it is, we try to turn it into New Orleans during the middle of Mardi Gras. It’s like a s outhern gospel revival without the religion.”
The wayward sons of Kansas have been carrying on for many years now, and they are celebrating their 50th anniversary with a tour that make a stop at the Smart Financial Centre on Saturday. ‘Cause Knowledge is Power: “Dust in the Wind” started out as a fingerpicking exercise that guitarist Kerry Livgren had worked into his practice routine. It didn’t become a song until his wife said, “Hey, that’s pretty good. Maybe you should work on it.”
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2023.
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