December 30 - nice interview with charlie watts and Ronnie Wood

A recently done interview with Charlie and Ronnie can be seen here - nice and funny. If you go there, take the player to the start at 13:10, ending at 19:20

=> If you haven't read that already: "Facts About the Stones' Most Notorious Record Cover" - this is a recommended read right down at the Huffington Post! It's an interview with the Sleeve Co-Creator of the Hubert Kretzschmar

In case we don't see each other this year: Folks: have a very happy new year 2012, with lots of happiness ...

and a fuckin new Stones tour 2012, Yea!

December 29 - Correction about Indianapolis

Well, you see, that's how is goes sometimes. That date in Indianapolis was odd and quite rightly so: it's about a party being hosted by Rolling Stone magazine as you can see at thecranebay.com.

So sorry for that, folks! But anyway: if there's something interesting coming up, don't hesitate to tell me!

December 27 - Gig in Indianapolis?

Another date has been added, this time by songkick.com and the schedule is February 4th, 2012. However, that does not seem very likely to me, at least by now: as far as we know, the Stones have not done too many tour preparations, right? And for this state of things, that date is a bit too early.
[thx, Danny!]

Nevertheless, it shows that the business want's to sell some Stones-Tour-Tickets. And we would buy them, right?

December 23 - GIG in Vienna 2012

I just received reliable info, that a gig in Vienna's Ernst Happel Stadion is planned for the summer next year!

Ain't that a christmas present or what!?
As you can see at the site of the Event & Ticket Shop, Vienna is announced and more details are promised to be published shortly!
[thx to Othmar & Lukas!]

December 19 - About the London sessions

By now, we have some credible reports from people in the know.

It looks like the sessions took place in Chelsea, London between December 6th and 8th. Mick also joind in, but only on the last day as he was having an appointment in Paris. Bill Wyman was there on all three days and according to his tour manager, he was enjoying himself very much. Ben Waters also joined in. However, Mick Taylor wasn't seen in Chelsea at the sessions.

The music was just some loose blues jams and there was no recording done during those three days. What could have feared by some didn't happen - Keith and Mick went along with each other very well. Now, that's promising, isn't it?
[thx gazza (ro), Paul]

So far - so very good. Still no concrete (i.e. official) tour plans, but most of the news we hear points to some kind of tour. Of cause, there will be some DVD covering their 50 years in the business. And lot's of otgher things will surely happen. Only the scope and time of some future gigs or a tour is still left uncertain.

Speaking of it, the HardRock Calling in Hyde Park still needs some headlineer for the Sunday date, hehehe, and the rest of the world is wating so impatiently, too...

December 15 - non official rumours

Incredible - nothing official came past us in the last few days. To be honest, I was waiting for some pics of Mick, Keith, Ronnie, Charlie or even Mick Taylor and Bill Wyman from London. But so far: none. Everything is suspiciously silent.

On the other hand, there are hints and rumors about business talks concerning gig dates taking place and stage builders getting assigned for some stage thing. Of cause, there is something boiling and it keeps building up steam and pressure.

It's not the question if something is going to happen, that's already and officially announced by both Mick and Keith. What's much more driving us mad is the question exactly WHAT's going to happen: some anniversary gigs of a full tour? More from the archives (yes please) or new material (they should, for Chrissakes!) ?

With every day more, it's closer to the time, we will get the full story, and it's coming, at least that's for sure! If you should hear anything interesting, just pass me a note and I'll be more than happy to tell it all to all...

December 11 - Wyman joins the sessions

Word has it, that Bill Wyman now has joined the sessions which take place in London these days. So this is yet another VERY good sign for the things we can expect in the near future. One doesn't need to much power of imagination to know that Keith is 100% spuring every member of the Stones team on this thing and he is not going to let it slip away...

December 7 - Mick & Keith pay for Hubert Sumlin's funeral

Yes, they don't forget, where their roots are; Mick and Keith will take over all the costs for Hubert's funeral. Good move, boys!

December 6 - Mick in London, Ronnie joins Paul, RIP Hubert Sumlin

=> This just came in: Mick is said to be in London now! That would imply, that he, Keith, Ronnie, Charlie, Mick Taylor and Bill Wyman are there, too. Woah! Let the jamming begin!
[thx sdb]

See the reviews at the Mirror, the Telegraph or the Guardian or the Sun (thx too, Paul!)

=> RIP, Hubert Sumlin! He was Howlin' Wolf's guitarist for almost 2 decades and greatly admired by Mick and Keith (and all of us, I think!). He died from heart failure on Sunday, December 4th.

Keith: "With sorrow I received the news of Hubert's passing. He put up a long hard fight. To me he was an uncle and a teacher, and all the guitar players must feel the same as myself. Warm, humours and always encouraging, he was a gentleman of the first order. Miss him, yes, but we have his records. All my condolences to his family."

Mick: "Hubert was an incisive yet delicate blues player. He had a really distinctive and original tone, and was a wonderful foil for Howlin' Wolf's growling vocal style. On a song like 'Going Down Slow' he could produce heart rending emotion, and on a piece like 'Wang Dang Doodle', an almost playful femininity. He was an inspiration to us all."

December 4 - Keith and Ronnie in London

On Friday, Keith flew in to London; Ronnie also came from Australia, where he dutifully spent some time with his grandson, like a good grandpa should!

Looks like the sessions could begin. Can't wait to get more news from London - so inf anybody has something to share, just mail me!

November 29 - Taylor surprise gig, Mick & Keith, Superheavy in radio arcive

=> Sometimes, fairy tales become true, that's right. Especially in this case and for a musician, too. Here, the lucky guy is Paul Chesne with his band, who played a gig on Friday, November 25 at Pappy & Harriet's (53688 Pioneertown Road Pioneertown, CA 92268).

Word spread that Mick Taylor would join in for a few songs, but at first didn't show up. But later, he did come and they all had some really good time there. Go read all of this really nice story and check out the YouTube vid they have there - let's hope, they'll upload some more from that night! Until then, have a look at twenty-something pics they have at picasaweb to get an idea of what kind of evening that was. Hilarious!!
[thx ijwthstd, sdb]

=> Mick Jagger and Keith Richards speak about the re-release of 'Some Girls', the best-selling 1978 classic.
Go to Radio npr.org's arcive page... it's 29,5 minutes.

=> At the same spot, you'll find another Stones related interview: it's about Superheavy (19 minutes)

=> A good review abou the Some Girls Deluxe edition you'll find at consequenceofsound.net!

November 23 - more signs towards a new tour

In Rolling Stone, we get some more infos that point towards a new tour, gigs any maybe new material for an anniversary celebration next year. Mick and Keith will meet and decide things next month, it says there.

A top source tells Rolling Stone that AEG Live, Live Nation and veteran Stones promoter Michael Cohl have already reached out about acquiring the band's anniversary tour, which has the potential to be the biggest of all time. "It would be a total home run," says the source.

Keith: "I would suggest a lot of blues in the beginning. That's where the band's roots are. We'll start playing some Jimmy Reed stuff and some Muddy Waters stuff and then things will blossom from there. It might bore Mick to death – and that's the idea. We're just going to go, and you start from Day One. You've got the drums and a couple of guitars and you start hammering away."

Chuck and Bobby like the idea to play several gigs in some venues and to skip all of the travelling. Bill was already mentioned by Keith, but has not yet received his formal invitation:

"I've been reading about the possibilities in the press, but Keith hasn't turned his lips in my direction yet. [...] Let's see what transpires over the next few weeks, and I can then make a serious decision. I've got my chops together, and I know that my mate Charlie has – so let's see if it ever happens."

Another good read at Spinner.com: after Keith' interview, read Mick's "New Rolling Stones Songs and the Sexuality of 'Some Girls'"

November 22 - Keith & Mick on the radio today! / official reloease of brussels affair and 4 more bootlegs...

=> Go to xpn.org: they say, Mick and Keith are interviewed on behalf of the Some Girls re-issue. Also, in the second hour of 'World Cafe', Super Heavy is the subject! Let's hope, Keith and Mick are interviewd together or are at least in a conference call... here is what the website says:

The Rolling Stones have reissued one of their most beloved albums, Some Girls, including twelve previously unreleased tracks and we talk to Mick Jagger and Keith Richards today. In the 2nd hour, SuperHeavy are Mick Jagger, Eurythmics founder Dave Stewart, soul singer Joss Stone, film composer A.R. Rahman, and reggae artist Damian Marley, and their eclectic musical combination appears on a new self-titled album.

[thx stonesfann, sdb]

=> Brussels Affair - the such named bootleg from the 1973 gig - was a classsic and well known for 38 years. And that was for a reason! Now, Google has just announced the launch of a new Google Music store (music.google.com, so far only available in the US) in the Android Marketplace and they have officially released this recording in a new mix overseen by the band. By next year, four more recordings, formerly bootlegs, will see their release! You see, more and more good news pop up; let's hope, that trend is continuing for some time more ...

November 17 - every stone invited for jam session

This is a MUST READ, folks. Keith gave an interview which you can read in full at spinner.com. Asked about the planned jams in December he said the following:

My basic thing is that he, Charlie and I are going to work together. Just go in and see if we can warm our chops up. And of course everyone else is welcome. Mick Taylor's welcome. I don't see why everybody who was a Stone shouldn't be involved. [...] Everybody's welcome. I was going to ask Bill Wyman to come by too. And Mick Taylor. The whole lot. They're all Stones, you know? Why not?

Just imagine their anniversary tour with Mick Taylor an Bill as guests.
My wish would be that they even do some 'jam-gigs' in smaller venues where they just play what they like. I mean anyt song would do, including maybe a Stones song or two - the rest would just be their choice and we were in for a real treat full of surprises...

November 16 - New tour seems at stake, but Keith still hopes

Keith said in an interview with the LA Times:

"The Stones still work, I know [the prospect of a tour] it's an all important point but there's nothing more I'm going to say about that. But the Stones will pull it together. It always comes easy once you get the bunch of guys together. It's the getting the guys together that's the hard part."

And Mick said in the same article:

"You can't be too impressed, I think. You could wallow in nostalgia if you wanted, couldn't you? I don't think that'd be the right attitude. There are a lot of ideas and things to do, some of them sound interesting, some of them sound possible and some of them sound difficult and some sound outright schmaltzy, to be honest. I don't really know what's going to exactly happen — but I'm working on it."

So we see: both of the Glimmer Twins are working for something to happen in next year. I don't see the reason yet not to hope for a new tour...

November 15 - Ketih gets his Norman Mailer Award

In case you haven't seen it already elswhere, here's Keith's speech at the Mailer Award ceremony, Nov. 8th:

November 9 - jam session in London scheduled for next month

Keith has affirmed, that next month, he and Ronnie and Charlie will meet for a jam session in London. Mick is explicitly invited to join in. And Keith is sure that he will come and meet the others.

“We’re just going to play a little together, because we haven’t played for three or four years,” Richards tells Rolling Stone. “You don’t necessarily want to rehearse or write anything — you just want to touch bases. That’s a good start: me, Charlie and Ronnie. Mick’s welcome, and I’m sure he’ll turn up, but right now we just want to get our chops down.”
(About playing live to celebrate the 50th anniversary) "The idea is there. We kind of know we should do it, but nobody’s put their finger on the moment yet," he said.
[...]
"I just hope we can perform live," Ronnie says of plans for the big anniversary next year plans about which still remain shrouded in uncertanty. “It’d be great to see if that old spark is there.”

Telegraph.com | Ultimateclassicrock.com | NME.com | RollingStone.com |

Ain't that good news!!! And that was about time. I guess we're all tired of waiting for so long ...

October 30 - the bonus tracks

Details are from music-news.com; a track-by-track review can be found at examiner.com

October 22 - new track from some girls: no spare parts

Already known from bootlegs, this nice little country-inspired track comes in as a lightweight, IMHO. Nevertheless, it's officially a new track! On this track, Mick plays electric piano and Keith is on acoustic piano, Ronnie did somepedal steel, Charlie of cause is drumming and Bill is on bass.
Read more on Rolling Stone, 411mania.com or nme.com

October 18 - 50 years ago, Macchu Picchu, GQ, Ed Sullivan, Some Girls today, £13.000 a dinner, tom Waits

=> 50 years ago, October 17 1961, Mick and Keith (18) met at Dartford train station, platform 2. Mick carried some rare imported gems under his arm: Rockin' at the Hops of Chuck Berry on Chess Records and The Best of Muddy Waters! The rest is just plain history and if that meetingwouldn't have taken place, who knows what would have become of us, hehehe ... one of many reads on this: BBC.co.uk

=> Mick is still on holidays in Peru; some days before, he visited the famous Inca roads at Machu Picchu - go, read the Peruvian Times for the details! Regional director of Foreign Trade and Tourism, Juan Carlos Arzola sais: “His presence is a big support for the fight to defend the environment since it brings the world’s attention to Madre de Dios.”

=> GQ magazine has a string of interviews under the headline "The Survivors", among several others of cause is Keith. Have a look!

=> After the 'small' version we are very much looking forward to the Deluxe, Super-Deluxe and Who-Knows-How-Deluxe-Edition of the Stones at the Ed Sullivan Shows - check the LA Times among others for this...

=> Some years later, the Stones played Fort Worth, 1978 and now we have to wait only until November 21 for the release of "Some Girls Live in Texas" (85 minutes, 17 performances). Until then, you hopefully hurry up and catch it as a nationwide screening; Fathomevents has the details as to which US cinema and when!

=> Ronnie, after seperating from his friend Ana Araujo, has spent £13.000 for a dinner with Scarlett Johannson at a charity auction organised by Harry Becher in aid of Breakthrough Breast Cancer. But he himself also raised £20,000 to give a guitar lesson to the highest bidder; not bad!

=> Read a nice interview with good ol' Tom Waits at pitchfork.com, where he, among other intersting things, tell of his cooperation with Keith on his Rain Dogs album.

October 10 - a lot to do, recommended Read

=> Mick has said in an interview with People Magazine, that for "Our 50th anniversary is next year so, there will be a lot of things to do!" Oh yes, we agree, Sir Mick! [thx Dough, sdb]
Right now, Mick is enjoying a trip to Peru - stricktly as a tourist, as peruthisweek.com reports. Arriving Friday night, he met with President Humala on Sunday, at the Government Palace.

=> "Newly unearthed Rolling Stones concert film wows" nice review of Some Girls by Ilan Preskovsky - recommended! [google]

October 6 - Ronnie: we owe it to ourselves and the people

Ronnie was in Birmingham yesterday where his artwork is shown and he gave an interview which I will cite in parts below, bit you can also see and hear him saying this at the site of the BirmingshamMail.net... and he was clearly dismissing suggestions of a permanent rift between Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, which were disussed prominently in the last months all across the Stones' fansites.

He said: "It does make you feel like playing; I miss playing with the boys... Charlie is cracking away on the continent with his jazz band, Keith is making his record in New York, Mick is like, forever, getting into different musical... we are not getting any younger."
“We are all looking forward to it; we do not know what it is. I said to them we owe it to ourselves and the people to do something. We are just... whatever, we will find a way."
“I wish I could say. We had a great meeting the other week and we all got on great.”
He described himself as the “diplomat” of the band. “You will have to ask the two brothers (Jagger and Richards) – they are like family.”

[thx sDough! shd; ggl]

September 28, October 3 - Ronnie travels, Stones ski, Ed Sullivan,

Ronnie was in Monaco during the end of last month, where he was looking for a boat on the boat show there. There's also a gallery with some pics of him as a guest of Philip Green (thx Bart, for the tip and link!).

Ronnie apparently continued his busy schedule into October in London - visiting and performing on two nights at a launch-party of Mark Ronson's Club Nouveau at Mayfair's The Arts Club. He visited the premiere of a Gorge Harrison dokumentation directed by Martin Scorese on October 2; more details are to be found at examiner.com.

==> Winter is coming and if you like to ski, why not do so with a decent pair of ski? K2 will drop these specially designed skis on November 11... click on the small pic on the left for a closer look. You'll find much more details and even a chance to win a pair of those at theskichannel.com!

==> Today, October 4, an abridged of the forthcoming DVD of the Stones' Ed Sullivan Show performances hits the stores. But on 1 November comes the complete package, containing all six episodes in which The Rolling Stones appeared. I would rater wait for that one... more: see musicradar.com

September 27 - Mick's movie, Keith's Hung-On-U

Mick's might play a dubious media mogul in the film TABLOID he is developing with his Jagged Films. The film is being written by Josh Olsen, based on a story by Mick. [see gibson.com, deadline.com]

Keith appeared the party where Patti Hansen celebrated the launch of her new bag collection Hung On U at Barneys New York with Keith and a crowd of fashionable friends. Of cause, Keiths and Pattis daughers where there. One bag was designed by Ronnie, one even by Keith. He said:

“My wife came up with the idea, and I did the drawing, ... I’m always drawing; I didn’t know they put it on the bag" he said, laughing. However, don’t look for Richards to be carrying one. “I’m not a bag man, you know. I travel light...”

[fashionetc.com, hungonu.com, many more pics at barneys.com, thx VoodoCiW, lssuffle from RO]

September 22 - the bookworm

What's Mick been doing besides interviews and stuff? The NYpost has this litte gem for us:

After visiting a preview of Bob Dylan’s paintings at Gagosian Gallery, the Stones legend and SuperHeavy singer hit the rare- book room at the Strand near Union Square. Flanked by gal pal L’Wren Scott and two bodyguards, Jagger spent an hour browsing, according to spies. He bought “a stack of antiquarian and rare” tomes on painters Egon Schiele and Marc Chagall, graphic designers Merle Armitage and Alex Steinweiss, fashion designer Madeleine Vionnet and photographer Helmut Newton. Jagger also left some room for fun, buying a first edition of Ian Fleming’s “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.”

[THX Doug - shd]

September 21 - Mick in New York

Yes, he's jumped across the ocean and is getting interviewed together with his Super Heavy bandmates all across the media. Just watch him and Joss and Dave (with his skull ring!) and Rahman at ABC News [thx EotD - shd] - later, there will be another bit of that in ABC Nightline from today...

You can think of Super Heavy what you will, but is crystal clear, that Mick is really enjoying himself very much with this project...
Again at ABC News he is cited about the next tour:

"I have no idea if there is going to be a tour," the Stones frontman said during an interview on Monday. "We haven't really discussed it. We are talking about if next year is the 50th anniversary, sort of. It depends where you are counting from."

His point is, that in 1962, the Stones did play their first gig as "The Rollin' Stones" but Charlie was not yet plaing the drums with them, to be strict. But to me, that doesn't really count. Mick, Keith and Brian were there, so that makes the first gig for me ... :-)

Read more of him in USA today: "Mick Jagger's SuperHeavy: A supergroup like no other"

September 20 - zigzag course

It's one, two up, one down. And that's getting on our nerves, I guess. Within the last few days, Mick was the one who was very much present in the media, giving interviews and answering questions mostly about Super Heavy and, almost inescapable, the Stones and their probably next tour. Mostly, he was very diplomatic; sometimes, he found formulations like we 'shouldn't hold our breaths'

Quite the opposite, for instance, comes from Londonnet.co.uk: Mick Jagger pens new Rolling Stones songs, (dated September 19, 2011) where we can read amongst other interesting statements:

Sir Mick Jagger has been writing "a lot" for the Rolling Stones.
The Brown Sugar singer revealed he and the band's drummer Charlie Watts recently had a "really good time" performing some of the latest tracks he's penned.
He said: "I have been writing a lot for the Stones. I mean, when I write, I go, 'Yeah, that could be a good Stones tune' or, 'That's not really going to work for that'.
"I did some sessions with Charlie recently where I just played some songs I'd written, and of course I wrote more when he was there."

Last but not least, for the Huffington Post , the (tarot) cards clearly indicat a tour and let's not forget Georgia Jagger hopes for a tour, too, in order to meet all members of the Stones family, Rightly so, Miss Jagger!

September 14 - another nice jagger interview

Hear him comment about Super Heavy of cause, and lots more he gave british radio station BBC Radio2! His interview starts at 1:04 into the file and lasts until about 1:29. You'll get to hear Miracle Worker from Super Heavy as well as one new version of Miss You from the upcoming re-release of Some Girls.
[Thx l.s.shuffle and RO!]

September 10 - See Keith get his GQ Writer of the year award!

He was introduced by Sir Tom Stoppard and Johnny Depp. I thought, he could have elabrated a bit more, though ... ;-)

Anniversary without Keith - If you have read about an article saying that Mick wants to celebrate the 50th anniversary next year without Keith - don't worry - that's rubbish. If you like, you can read for yourself a long article about Mick and SuperHeavy in the Daily Mail from September 10 (recommended!).

Here's the crucial passage:

"Maybe we could go back to the Marquee to accept a plaque for 50 years of service instead (of a tour). That could work – except Keith can’t obviously come. Charlie could come but he wouldn’t get the plaque, obviously."

Got it? It's again something completly blown out of proportion. With more signs of a tour dawning, you know: any press is good press! It's just Mick's sense of humor, you know.

In another article (Mick Jagger Talks SuperHeavy 'Egos,' the Rolling Stones' 50th Anniversary and Their Upcoming 'Some Girls' Reissue => spinner.com) he just makes it short:

Then we talked about maybe what events are going to be going around for the 50th anniversary of the Rolling Stones. We don't really know the answer to that, but we talked about it a bit.

So you see, everything's fine - no official statement for a tour yet (of cause), but no denial either, right!??

September 9 - Mick interview!

On German TV, channel ZDF, there's a magazine called 'Aspekte', which is a cultural format. And it really has a treat for us: 17 Minutes of an interview with Mick and it is not spoiled by german translation.

To me, he is very well versed and trying to get his points across. Even promted to commend very recent political issues, he tries to give honest and serious answers, to the best of his knowledge.

You can see and listen to what Mick has to say about Super Heavy , the latest riots in England, the new SOME GIRLS DVD and, right to the end, about the 50. anniversary of the Stones. He says: "There's no tour plans at the moment ..." but, you know, the stress ist on 'at the moment', right?!!?

==> Here you can see it with Media Player or Quicktime!
[thanks HW!]

September 8 - tour in the pipeline? All stones in london

a) The basic information, besides who was wearing what, in today's article of the DailyMail, is, that all our beloved members of the greatest rock'n'roll band in the world, the Rolling Stones, i.e. Mick, Keith, Ronnie and Charlie, have been seen coming out of an office in London.

That's it, in a nutshell. But within the next hours, I promise that all wires are going to turn red hot with discussions about the subject, whether this meeting was scheduled for a decision on whether there's gonna be another album and/or tour or not. I'll try to post as soon as I get any more news.
[thanks HW, ]

=> Now, Charlie just had a gig tonight, with the A,B,C&D of Boogie Woogie at the 606 Club, London - and now guess who attended ... Mick and Ronnie were there and enjoyed the show!
[thx sdb!]

b) All 17 Ed Sullivan Shows on DVD by October 2011

The Stones’ performances on The Ed Sullivan Show are going to be issued on DVD and in two versions. There is an abridged version whis is issued first, on Oktober 4, 2011. The second, extended version will hit the stores on November 1. Both versions will include the complete Ed Sullivan episodes between 1964 and 1969.
[see gibson.com, billboard.com]

September 7 - some Girls: the Stones live in Texas (DVD)

Yeah, there's still hope for big nuggets from the shelves... by November 22nd, a DVD is being issued of that gig at the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth, Texas, July 18, 1978! And it has that killer setlist, as you can see on the right. That's definitely a must have!

Details:

Format : DVD
Region Code : NTSC 0
Picture Format : 16:9
Audio : DTS Surround Sound, Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Digital Stereo
Release Date : 2011
Sub Title : (Bonus Features Only): English, French, Spanish, German
Publisher : Eagle Rock
Other Information : Total Running time: 85 mins (Main Concert)

See it at evo88.com ($13.99) and Amazon.co.uk (DVD+CD Set, £18.70)
[thx Werner - Highwire, F. Ted - IORR]

September 6 - Ron & Mick T . backstage, ana & James Bond?

There's rumors that Ronnies girlfrend, Ana Araujo, could be the next Bond girl - that definitely would be a thrill for both, I guess. Araujo has defeated Naomie Harris for the coveted role in the 23rd installment of the 007 franchise, which will begin shooting in India before moving elsewhere, the Ace Showbiz reported.
Well, let's see what happens ... [Deccan Herald, greatnewmovies.com]

Some time ago, in July, the Faces played a gig on the Boscop festival, July 8th. Thanks to Harry H. from stonesforum.nl, we have some nice backstage scenes, where you can see Mick Taylor hugging Ron and Ron answering the most important question we have these days (When will the Stones go on tour??) by quipping: "I don't know - how long's a piece of string?" - i.e. how could I know... [see at 2:17 ... thx for the pointers, Barth!]

September 1 - pre-listening the Super Heavy tracks

Meanwhile, you can enjoy a prelistening of every of the new Super Heavy tracks for 1:30 minutes at reverbnation.com - Enjoy!
thanks [hw]

August 31 - Keith: once more a millionaire, helps Angel radio and loves his ipad

Yes: Keith once more is a millionaire, because his 'Life' went platinum. Our heartfelt congratiulations, Mr. Richards!
=> See cbsnews.com | rollingstone.com | Interesting read in this context: artbeat.blogs.nytimes.com: Imagining the Rolling Stones without Keith Richards

Keith also is reported to have sent donations to Angel Radio Isle of Wight, the Island’s first community radio station, which now is back on air again thanks to listeners donations. Keith also must be one of them, as he helped them to cover the costs for a new receiver (about up to £2000.-) as the old one was burnt out due to a lightning strike at their mast site. He sent in a generous cheque...
=> See islandpulse.co.uk for more details of this story... Guess what: just as I listen to that station when typing this here, they mention Keith, his donation and thanking him for that they play a Stones song: Brown Sugar ... cool!

Last not least: Alexandra, Keith's daughter, got her father a new piece of high tech: an iPad - and apparently he seems to love it. Before, he oonly would sent faxes, hehehe ...
=> See telegraph.com.au for more on this

August 19 - Ronnie joins Brad Pailey in London

Brad Paisley surprised his full-house audience at London's O2 Arena on Wednesday (August 17) when he brought out a special surprise guest during an encore -- our very own Ronnie Wood. They performed 'Let the Good Times Roll' and Brad's hit 'Alcohol' with a little help from Darius Rucker together. ... [thx lshuffle, ggl, ro]

Review (thisislondon.co.uk) | Could be a new superband (countryweekly.com) | Paisley and Rolling Stone jam in London (theboot.com)
Below's a video with better optics and here is another one with better sound...

August 15 - Chuck hopes, too, Keith plays...

As several sources report, Stones keyboardist and former member of the Allman Brothers, Chuck Leavell, is hoping for another tour, too. So, you see, more and more points towards a new tour of the Stones. Chuck says the band could have split up many times over the years but the problems between Mick and Keith provided a healthy tension.
[ggl - nypost.com, tourdates.co.uk, musicrooms.net]

And Keith? Well, he's playing his guitar! That's really good to see!
[thx sdb, lshoes of ro, kr.com]

August 14 - Latest Faces

... coming up here [thx RO, keessie]: at TV station BBC 2 in the 'The Rob Brydon Show', London, Ronnie, Mick Hugnall and the Faces were the scheduled guests.There's an interview with Ronnie and Mick first, then "I wish I knew what I know now..." followed at the end by "Stay With Me" with all of the Faces. Ronnie is sharp, present and sober - very promising.

HEY Stones: enough of warming up: just het that tour thing going, now, will ya!??!

August 13 - superheavvy video out, Billy Gibbons & Keith?

Today SuperHeavvy releases a new video, "Miracle Worker " - to be seen on Vevo and YouTube. German fans can watch the video on Bild.de. [sdb, google]

According to gibson.com and audioinkradio.com, Billy misses a collaboration with Keith which he would love doing: "Absolutely. Keith [Richards], are you busy?" [sbd, google]. That would be a nice project - a rocking track, if possible, Misters Gibbons and Richards, pleeeeze!

August 12 - Charlie expects gigs, superheavvy

Hi there folks - sorry, I had some days off in France ...
Meanwhile, I got information from Charlie, who was visiting Poland together with his wife Shirley, last week and he expects "a tour to start in 2012 100%" [thx, Pawel!]
Everywhere else all remains silent these days - so this comes a bit as a surprise and is very much welcomed!

SuperHeavvy releases the second single, "Satyameva jayate" (Truth alone triumphs) - after Mick already sang in Urdu, now it's Sanskrit! See [BBC.co.uk, newstrackindia.com].
Mick has decided to wear pink for the video; this is discussed diversely on the net, hehehe ... [see dailymail.co.uk or thesun.co.uk]

July 29 - Ronnie goes TV, Band 2, Keith visits HMS Victory

Ronnie, after collecting awards for his radio show, is about to move his show to TV! Showmaster Ronnie - who would have thought that? Ronnie "has landed a Sky Arts programme following the success of his award-winning radio slot for Absolute Radio in the UK. The show will feature debate about the music industry with interviews with music stars and specially-recorded live performances."

musicrooms.net | mirror.co.uk | Gibson.com | [google]

While Charlie keeps practicing Boogie Woogie, Mick is engaged with SuperHeavy an Ronnie is on the road with the Faces, what's going on with Keith? Does anybody know?
Well, he has visited Sir Nelson's flagship in Portsmouth ... [see portsmouth.co.uk or aboutmyarea.co.uk]
Then again, we have a recommendet read: The Keith Richards school of public relations [espn.go.com]

Right now, even the backing band is getting into gear: "Band 2" FEATURING: BOBBY KEYS - BERNARD FOWLER - LISA FISCHER - BLONDIE CHAPLIN. Just yesterday, they played the Highline Ballroom, NYC. Here's CYHMK for a start, hehehe ... (thx Werner, Dreamtimenyc)

And Paul sent us a nice pic from "another brilliant Faces gig at Kenney Jones's place"

July 27 - faces 2011, Weert, July 8, 2011

It just surfaced. Here you go... check out megaupload.com and dimeadozn.com! (thx, kssi, lss [ro], tim knol) more coming ...

July 26 - Happy birthday, Mick !!!

Mick just turned 68 - but don't you worry, it's only good old rock 'n' roll, hehehe ... like the Washington Post wrote in 1965: Mick Jagger - Morbid and pathetic and very close to being ugly

huffingtonpost.com | washingtonpost.com |

July 18 - Mick Jagger's latest bid to break orbit from Keith Richards

Recommended read: under the above headline writes Nick March at the The National. Only that I would not agree, that there haven't been any great albums after 1981's Tattoo You, hehehe ...

July 14 - Ronnie sez there's gigs coming up in 2012

WOAH!! Well, Ronnie has quite a lot of news buzz these days. Anyways, he's added fuel for our hopes for a tour 2012 as part of the 50th anniversary:

Wood revealed he and the Stones plan a series of gigs to mark their 50th anniversary next year and hope to recreate their 1969 show at Hyde Park. He is meeting bandmate Keith Richards this week to begin discussions. "We'll try to recapture the old camaraderie," he said.

"I know Keith is fully supportive, as are the rest of the boys in the Stones. We'll see what we can do as a unit. Playing Hyde Park would be fabulous."

PLUS: Ronnie's been sober for more than 16 months now! My deepest respect to him for that, honestly! His son Jesse said the family was delighted he had stayed sober and found a place to settle down. "The difference is huge," Jesse told the Standard. "It's a fantastic improvement and I'm proud of him - he has been very strong. It has been up and down for him and the family, but he's settling well."

Well, ain't that good news or what!?

Read more: thisislondon.co.uk | spinner.com

July 9 - Ronnie's second award, super heavy launches this week

Ronnie got another award for his radio show. However, when the award was to be handed over to him, he was gone. Later he was found smoking which was why he left his table and the award was handed over later that evening. Funny ...

Mick and Super Heavy launch on iTunes this week with an album to follow in September. Even a tour is not ruled out.
‘Jai Ho’ Jagger Jams with A.R. Rahman | Mick Jagger's SuperHeavy should not be written off just yet | Jagger to take super group on tour? | Mick Jagger Discusses SuperHeavy Collaboration

June 29 - BB King, Ronnie, Slash, Derek Trucks, Susan Tedeschi, Mick Hucknall @ Albert Hall

(thx Paul, Gzza, LSShuffle!)

June 26 - Ronnie and Rod at Hyde Park yesterday, Keith recording, Christina's Jagger song

Ronnie's 18 months sober and rock'n'rolling - right on, Ronnie!

=> Keith has been recording in New York, at Kaufman Astoria Studios, NYC, according to the New York Post (thx jDupee). That sounds promising! Can't wait to get more news...

=> Christina Aguilera and Adam Levine have teamed up for their new song "Moves Like Jagger." "The Voice" co-stars channeled their inner Mick Jagger when they hit the studio to record this fun dance track. Go have a listen to that song at globalgrint.com.

June 25 - Marianne doesn't like to talk about the stones

Recommended read: Q&A of Vanity Fair - with Marianne. Here's some taste:

You marched in protest of the Vietnam War in ’68.
I did. I come from a very left wing, Socialist family, anti-war and anti-empire. I think it’s a great shame that America stopped being a republic and became an empire.

Marianne's new album, Horses and High Heels, comes out on June 28 on Naïve Records. Listen to the track “Why Did We Have to Part” below.

June 24 - SuperHeavy album in september

Billboard says:

Universal Music will release the album from SuperHeavy, a group featuring Mick Jagger, Eurythmics founder Dave Stewart, singer Joss Stone, composer A.R. Rahman and reggae artist Damian Marley. No exact release date is set, but Universal Republic will handle the United States and A&M will handle the rest of the world. An official release said the album will be unveiled in September; the first single is titled "Miracle Worker" and the five stars will be recording a video for the track. Jagger and Stewart co-produced the album.

[...] Recording in various studios around the world -- France, Cyprus, Miami, India -- the majority of the tracks laid down over three weeks in Los Angeles earlier this year. The quintet wrote 22 songs in their first six days together. The term "SuperHeavy" was inspired by Muhammad Ali.

[...] According to the band's bio, SuperHeavy came together after Jagger and Stewart wondered what a band of musicians from different genres would sound like. Jagger had his doubts it would come together. One of the first on the album is Jagger singing in Urdu. He takes lead on Rahman's song "Satyameva Jayate," which translates to "the truth alone triumphs."

(all those: thx 2 LSSuffle!!)

June 23 - Ronnie, Mick and Kenny of the faces

Kenney Jones from the Faces, Mick Hucknall from Simply Red and Ronnie Wood from the Rolling Stones talk about reforming The Faces in BBC Breakfast Show. They are about to embark on a festival tour that starts in July. That again led to a Twitter bashing as you can read at metro.co.uk.

So, at best, Ronnie is warming up, too. Charlie tours anyway with the A,B,C&D of BoogieWoogie. So now let's wait until Keith announces another Expensive Wino tour, hehehe.

=> June 21 - an introduction to ... superheavy!

(thx Werner!)

Mick and Jagged Films signed with CAA, "which will represent the Rolling Stones frontman's solo music projects in addition to his films." See Variety for more oines on this.

At best, Mick is warming up, IMHO.

=> June 14 - Ronnie, Charlie and Ana in London

The DailyMail reports, that the three met at an opening of Frankie Dettori's new italian restaurant 'Cavallino' yesterday. There are some nice pics of Ronnie and Charlie; and Ana, well she always looks fabulous, I guess. Whereas the DailyMail claims that Ana was bored to death, I can't seem to agree with that, looking at the pics (thx to DailyMail and VCiW!)

=> June 9 - Pics Brass Balls, Devil's music

Hi there, folks. I thought, you would like some more pics from the Brass Balls Award Ceremony; wenn here we go (thanks, ls shuffle!).

Also, in the July issue of Q-Magazine, there are some gems out of Keith's record collection. Really nice! (thanks, Gzza!)

=> June 8 - Brass Balls Award for Keith, Keith and Bill Clinton

In this clip from Spike TV's Guys Choice Awards, Robert De Niro presents the Brass Balls award to Keith.
"I always thought, if you get things like this, happens to them when you get them home?," Keith said. "I've got to call Clint Eastwood, I think, and ask him how he displays his balls."
Have a look:

=> Former President Bill Clinton, 64, had dinner with Keith at Craft in NYC last night.

=> June 6 - Photobook Mick, Ronnies latest gig and award, Soccer-Mick

=> Just recently published and recommended: Mick Jagger - The Photobook by Thames & Hudson Ltd, London.

"Mick Jagger is universal...

... his unmistakable face has made him the archetypal rock star. His charisma has fuelled the admiration and passion of his fans, the way he moves his body has shaped the myth of male celebrity, and his lips have become the logo of his band, the Rolling Stones.

Jagger has had one of the longest careers in rock and has collaborated with many top photographers for press shoots, album covers and posters. In the theatre, people speak of unity of place and time. In order to consider the rock portrait, we have chosen to focus on different unities; unity of face, in the form of Mick Jagger, and unity of genre – the posed portrait, as opposed to stage photography or candid shots.

While we certainly hope that this collection will thrill Mick’s fans, this is primarily intended as a photography book. His face tells the story of fifty years of portrait practice, speaking of our relationship with celebrities, of evolving fashions, and of the creation of a rock aesthetic. As we journey through the years, we can almost hear the music.’
- François Hébel

Here's some details (more on 1 page as PDF right here)
Mick Jagger: The Photobook
Introduction by François Hébel // ISBN 9780500289495 // 26.00 x 18.90 cm // Paperback with flaps // 136pp // With 71 illustrations in colour and duotone
First published 2011

=> Some more on Mick:

As you can read here (goal.com) and on many other sites, Brazil played vs the Netherlands in the international friedlies ending 0 : 0 - In a nutshell: "There was no shortage of chances ... as two of the world's greatest national sides faced off, but neither team could find the net in 90 minutes".

There were brazilian fans seen whielding pics of Mick in a Oranje tee. Why? Because, by suggesting that Mick is a fan of the Oranje team, they hope to weaken the Netherlands team, because Mick is famous for causing the team he supports to lose, hehehe ... see more pics at daylife.com.
[thanks, Barth!]

=> June 5 - Ronnie's latest gig

Ronnie Wood made a guest appearance at the invitation only black end charity event at Wintershall Estate, Surrey, UK on June 4. He played with The Jones Gang (ie members of Small Faces, Faces, Free, Bad Company, The Who etc) and Roger Taylor's band, playing a fantastic version of Voodoo Chile.

Also on board was Eric Clapton. This was the very last time the Picnic Concert by the Chapel on the Lake took place. Eric joined Gary Brooker’s Band du Lac, raising funds for the Heart and Stroke Trust Endeavour (HASTE).

The event started at 5:00 pm. The Band du Lac was on at 10:00 pm, after The Jones Gang (with Ronnie Wood guesting on one song), Roger Taylor (with Ronnie Wood joining Roger for one song – playing a fantastic version of Voodoo Chile) and Jeff Beck and Roger Taylor.

Find more on this, a setlist and another pic at Eric Clapton Music News and at rodstewardfanclub. com.
Thanks to Paul for this! He also sent in another great pic from the gig:

(Click to enlarge)

=> May 25 - More to come ... hopefully

After that quote from Keith (see => May 21), moer and more papers and media pick up the hope. Among them the SUN, Gibson.com and inrumor.com.

Most articles circle around a gig on the occasion of that anniversary. Like the Olympic Games 2012 in London or something. Anyway, if the Stones gather to celebrate that 50 years date , I can't imagine them doing just one gig however big that might be. It's more like another album and tour. Right now, Mick and Keith each add ammunition in the magazine, saing, I've got my own Super-Group to. In the end, it's negociations, a piece-treaty and then the regiment is going to call to arms (as Charlie described it). I'm pretty sure, we'll get some news about this, soon.

=> May 21 - keep your head above water

Recommended read: Here's an article from USA Today. (thx Werner C.)

"People want to live vicariously, and they set me up. You want Keith? I'll give you Keith. It may not always be me, but people want to believe it."

"Mick pouted a bit, as is his wont," Richards says. "I told him, 'It's water under the bridge. I want to talk about the future. We're larger than a little bitching here and there. It's only rock 'n' roll.' I love working with Mick. Maybe that friction that makes it work, that bit of sand in the oyster that makes the pearl."

"There's a Wino-ish thing in the air," Richards says. "We've got a track or two."

But a monster milestone is looming, and Richards concedes, "Timing is everything." The Stones played their first gig at London's Marquee Club on July 12, 1962. Richards' golden anniversary wish list: a 2012 studio album and world tour.

"Something's blowing in the wind," he says. "The idea's there. We kind of know we should do it, but nobody's put their finger on the moment yet. This is what we have to ask each other: Do we want to go out in a blaze of glory? We can, if Mick and Charlie (Watts) feel like I do, that we can still turn people on. We don't have to prove nothing anymore. I just love playing, and I miss the crowd."

=> May 20 - Super Heavy

Mick has confirmed that he has formed a new group called Super Heavy. He and his three band mates (Dave Stewart, Joss Stone and Damian Marley) have been rehearsing in Los Angeles.

NME.com reports: Discussing the formation of the new band, Jagger said: "The four of us got together and thought we'd go into a studio and throw some things around, see what would happen, if we'd have fun.
"We didn't know what kind of music we'd make. We knew it would be a laugh, because we all got on. But you can have a laugh and nothing comes out, y'know."
AR Rahman, the award-winning composer behind films such as Slumdog Millionaire and 127 Hours, has joined the team, it seems. "Dave Stewart and I said to each other, 'Let's phone AR Rahman, he's in town, that'll be different', then we had another continent involved."

This coinsides with news from Keith who has announced to be working with his Expensive Winos colleges on new material.

As I think about it - this does look like there's something going on between Mick and Keith. Could it be WW#4 after the rift between them in the 80ies? Also, recently Keith was seen leaving a bar in NY being pissed. That's not important by itself, but another pointer towards a direction which may become clearer and clearer - it seems, the glimmer twins are at odds on the subject of another album and tour. It's definitely going to stay thrilling ... one thing's for shure: more news and details are coming up soon!

May 13 - Keith announces new album / Elizabeth bares it all

More of them good news: Keith has told Jimmi Fallon (see below), that he is working on material for a new EXPENSIVE WINOS album. No word as to when that album is going to surface and hit our ears, but, as Keith said, "the sessions are starting to blossom".

Nevertheless, he is still trying to get his fellow Stones up going for some new material:

"I'm trying to nail them down but I don't want to crucify them."

Read on: uk.reuters.com, gibson.com and others...

=> And yes, you may have heard it: Lizzy Jagger graces the cover of next month's issue of the Playboy.

May 10 - Keith and Lauryn Hill on Jimmi Fallon's Bob Marley Tribute Week

Good news indeed: will sit down with Fallon on Wednesday night (May 11) to chat about the movie, his recent best-selling autobiography and the current status of his seminal band.

He’s not currently scheduled to perform, but Richards has a hard time turning down opportunities to crank up his guitar, and considering his enthusiasm for reggae, it seems likely he’ll be tipping his pirate hat to Marley in some fashion.

Read on: music-mix.ew.com, digitalspy.co.uk and others... so don't miss it.

=> May 8 - Rock on Wood

Recommended Read: Sex, drugs and rock'n'roll have taken their toll on Ronnie Wood, but at 63 he's sober and starting over.

IF THERE'S one thing more surprising than Rolling Stone Keith Richards surviving into his 60s, it's that bandmate Ronnie Wood has done so too. After all, this is a man so debauched, so obliterated by drink and drugs, and such an all-round pain in the arse that Richards put a gun to his head and threatened to kill him. And that was before things got really bad. Three years ago, the Stones guitarist walked out on his wife, Jo, who appeared to be the one stabilising influence in his life, and moved in with a teenage girl, and the drink, the drugs, the mood swings all got worse. Many feared the worst. [...]

Read on: smh.com.au/

=> May 6 - High definition rolling stones

ABKCO still benefits from the old back catalogue of the 60ies Rolling Stones until the present day. Re-releases like those just now sell pretty well:

The Stones' mid-late '60s classics Out of Our Heads (UK version), Aftermath (UK version), Between the Buttons (UK version), and Beggars Banquet are all now available as audiophile downloads at HDtracks.com, each as both 176khz/24bit versions (for $29.98) and 88khz/24bit versions (for $19.98).  David Chesky (HDtracks Co-founder) comments:

"This ABKCO Rolling Stones collection in high resolution is a combination of the utmost care in re-mastering, the best technology in A/D conversion and the highest resolution files available on the web. Our goal is to bring out every musical nuance that occurred at the original recording session and deliver it to your home for your musical enjoyment."

[Read on: ugo.com, examiner.com]

=> May 2 - Mick & L'Wren at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute gala

Here's a pic from the red carpet at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Benefit celebrating the opening of the "Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty" exhibition in New York City. More pice at gettyimages or daylife.com

(thx ls shuffle!)

=> May 1 - Stones at Olympics 2012?

For quite some time this question pops up again and again. Already some months ago, I think. Anyway, these days that subject is raised again among others by express.co.uk, musicrooms.net, gigwise.com or london.net

=> April 28 - Keith in the studio

According to reports, Keith has been in New York in the Germano Studios together with Steve Jordan as producer and engineer Dave O'Donnell. He is said to be recording new material. Keith himself has not commendet on this yet, so we don't know what kind of material it is and whether is will be used for the Rolling Stones or for another solo album.
[rttnews.com, sonicscoop.com]

As for Ronnie, he talks about Keith loosing and gluing his teeth and that the Stones members all do their own stuff right now but want to get together again.
[411mania.com]

And Sir Mick? Well, he just tried his skills with the new Rolling Stones pinball machine:

=> April 12 - Ronnie in Moskow, Keith invited to Cannes

Ronnie can't seem to slow down, he's doing alright. Just some days, March 24, he did a gig in Moskow at the 5 Year Anniversary Of Natalia's Naked Heart Foundation:

The highlight of the evening was an incredible one-off performance by the band "Naked Hearts", composed of Ronnie Wood (The Rolling Stones), Johnny Marr (The Smiths), their sons Jesse Wood and Nile Marr, as well as Andy Newmark (Sly and the Family Stone) and Andy Wallace.
-> Read more at ronniewood.com (thx. erikj)

As People, hollywoodnews and theprovince (among others) report, is Keith expected to show up at the forthcoming Cannes Filmfestival, besides Brangelina and Johnny Depp and lots of others, of cause. Could even Mick attend again and probably meet his Glimmer Twin? ...

=> April 9 - all stones: Dylan cover 'watching the river flow'

Just stop talking, just listen to Mick, Keith, Charlie, Ron and Bill W. doing what they know best. Thanks, Stew!!

Watching The River Flow by Eagle Rock

=> April 8 - More on Cohl vs. Live Nation

That battle now seem to take the next step. According to hollywoodreporter.com (see there for more details), US District Court has enough reasons to let this dispute go forward. Here's a short quote:

Some might find it strange there's a lawsuit over a Rolling Stones tour that hasn't taken place. Others might find it odd that top industry folk were carving up rights on the tour before the band even entertained such an endeavor. (According to the 2008 agreement, Live Nation was to get 33% of profits from the tour and Cohl was to get 66%.)
[...]
"The mere statement by the Rolling Stones that they have no firm plans for a tour does not, at this stage in the proceedings, negate Defendants’ claim of damages," she wrote on Monday in an opinion rejecting Live Nation's motion to dismiss Cohl's counterclaims. "That the Rolling Stones may not have made any firm plans does not mean they have not engaged in negotiations regarding promotional rights for potential tours. Moreover, Defendants’ claim of reputational damages sustained as a result of Live Nation’s breach is not dependent on whether or not the Rolling Stones have actual plans for a tour."

=> April 5 - Bill rejoins, Vote for Ronnie, Stones Blues

Bill has kinda rejoined the Stones for the sake of Ian Stewards tribute album, Boogie for Stu (see below). As reported on Music-News.com and Gibson.com (among others), a band source explained:

“Charlie and Ronnie were already playing on the album and then Keith recorded his parts in New York, including ‘Watching the River Flow.” This was e-mailed back to Mick in France and he sent it back with a vocal and harmonica track. Bill also put the bassline on.”

Ronnie could win two awards for his radio show: ronniewoodradio.com - you can vote for him in the Rising Star category here! Go Ronnie, go!

Last but not least, two good reads: one is 50 Years of The Rolling Stones, another one is They Got The Blues by Jeff Konkel, where Jeff (among other things) referes to the heart of the Stones music thus:

"While it is impossible to ignore the deep and lasting impact that the Stones have had on rock music, there’s a strong argument to be made that their contributions to blues music are just as central to their legacy."

=> March 31 - boogie for stu trailer & a taste of ABC&D

Some 9,46 minutes of boogiewoogie:

=> March 30 - Charlie in Vienna, Stones dates for fall 2012!

Here's a very nice report about Charlie playing with The ABC&D of Boogie Woogie on three small gigs in the 'Metropol', Vienna. The first gig is tonight.

He says, that playing boogie with this band is just fun whereas playing with the Stones is work, much more regimented than those improvised gigs he is enjoying now.

He said: "This is exciting, a completely new feeling. I feel happy here, to me this is fun. It's about the music and not the money."

And then there are these lines, folks, which mademy heart jump:

"Parallel laufen schon die Vorbereitungen für die allerletzte Stones-Tour. Für Herbst 2012 ist dafür schon dreimal die Wiener Stadthalle reserviert."

This reads: At the same time, there are preparations for the very last Stones-Tour. Already booked are three dates in the Vienna Stadthalle for fall 2012

The source, oe24.at, can be considered serious; it is the online version of the daily paper "Österreich", comparable to 'USA Today'. Although it is not from within the Stones camp, this is the best news for some time now. You bet I keep my eyes on this!

=> March 29 - Ronnie nominee for 2 Sony radio awards

Ronnie got nominated in the rising star category in the 2011 Sony Radio Academy awards for his work as a commercial radio DJ. He has picked up two Sony nominations for his Friday evening show on digital station Absolute Classic Rock, the other being music radio personality of the year.

More details on this at the Guardian.co.uk

=> March 24 - Keith amd Peter Wolf

Ok folks, guess what: Keith is still alive and he's meeting musicians! Well that's good, innit!? Here's just some 40 seconds from the meeting backstage (thx Lantern!)

=> March 21 - Captain Teague

In a trailer of Stranger Tides, just right at the end, Johnny and Keith once more share a joke about Jack Sparrow's quest for the fountain of youth:

"Have you been there?"
"Does this face looks like it's been to the fountain of youth?"
"... eer, depends on the light ... "

Another thing: if you want to buy a Keith tee and help the nonprofit Japan Earthquake Relief Fund, just go to Keith's site.

=> March 15 - Mick's Book

Mick Taylor, 62, has plans to write a book. About himself, his life and, of cause, his time with the Stones. Here's a bit of what Mick said to Bang Showbiz:

"I jot down my memories all the time and have done for years in case I ever lose my mind. I don't want to write the kind of book that will shock people, about the scandals, sex, drugs and rock and roll because Keith's done that with his book. [...] It's a hard book to write. My time will come but it's not yet."

More on this at : Gibson.com, rttnews.com, examiner.com. (Thx Barth!)

=> March 10 - Boogie for Stu

Yes people, there was a mighty fine gig going down at tze Ambassadors Theatre on March 9th. Charlie Watts, Bill Wyman, Mick Taylor, Ronnie Wood, Mick Hucknall, Ben Waters and Jools Holland were among the line up. Mick and Keith were missing. Songs played included "Can I Get a Witness", "Worried Life Blues", "Little Queenie," "You Never Can Tell," and "Hi-Heel Sneakers."

We need a tour!

=> March 6 - Mick and dave stewart doing solo? /Theodora Richards' T&A

1) Mick is currently in the studio in LA together with Dave Steward (formerly Eurythmics) working on something which either could be Mick's new solo album, or Dave's or just something else - they have been working together before, so that's no surprise. But together with all that buzz about Mick beeing angry on the tiny-todger-issue which came from some remarky by Keith, that rumour spread like wildfire. And as the source is Mick's brother, this should be considered reliable. Chris told a portuguese TV Station:

“He’s doing a record at the moment in Los Angeles with Dave Stewart. He called me last night telling me what he was doing.”

Interestingly, we have a deny from a Eurythmics site. Dave is quoted there with this:

“I’m not producing a solo album with Mick gossip is wrong as usual”

So there you go. Everybody seems to be quite nervous and this time, it is truly becoming nerve-wracking. Truth is: we don't know wether there will be a tour or not. But I don't believe the Stones would miss this thing. Better watch this space ...

2) OMG! OMG! Theodora has vandalized a convent building!

She was caught right on the spot by the police in SoHo, when she devastated a building with a graffity about as big as your forefinger (or even less), reading "T [heartsymbol] A". She also was in possession of some (uh, 8 1/2 pills exactly) hydrocodone pain releavers and some crumbs of weed. Ain't that a bitch? I still can't believe the fuzz that was made out of this bit.

More of this and some nice pics, too at the DailyMail!

=> March 1 - ABKCO to sell stones HD catalogue

Allen Klein (rip) still milks the Stones-Cow: ABKCO plans to sell high-quality downloads of their first 27 records for the first time online.

The premiere batch of five went on sale Tuesday for $20 or $30 each depending on sound quality. The rest will debut on the first of each month until September, said representatives for ABKCO Music & Records, which owns the rights to the band's early recordings, and its retail partner.

The HDtracks releases are based on remasters that were pressed on Super Audio CDs between 2002 and 2004. These CDs are no longer being made, but ABKCO is considering producing another batch, it is said.

To sell the high-definition digital music, ABKCO has saddled up with HDtracks, a small online retailer that specializes in primo-quality albums. The agreement isn't exclusive, but the deal was natural because HDtracks is one of the few websites that currently targets the "audiophile" niche.

Professional music producers generally capture studio recordings in a 24-bit, high-fidelity audio format. But before the originals are pressed onto CDs or distributed to digital sellers like Apple's iTunes, they're downgraded to 16-bit files, which audiophiles say don't sound as good.

More: cnn |

=> February 28 - Mick at Vanity Fair's viewing-party dinner

(thx 2 vanityfair.com, wireimage.com)

=> February 18 - Mick's rehearsals

Man, you gotta see this and you shouldn't gonna miss this! One thing I like most is outtakes and rehearsals. Here, you get a glimbse of the rehearsals before the Grammy Show with Mick and Raphael Saadiq and the whole bunch of the band jamming for the show, ... sounds both tight and loose at the same time, so just enjoy:

(Thanks for pointing that out, StonesD!)

=> February 17 - Mick's dead??

Hi there folks; you also heard about that Twitter tweat that Mick suffered a heart attack and died in his home? Of cause, to the best of my knowledge, that's a hoax.

Or, in F. Zappa's words: "Mick isn't dead - he just smells funny!"

=> February 15 - Mick's new webpage

Mick's new site - mickjagger.com - launched not so long ago; to me it seems very likely that it is made by the same team who did the relaunch of rollingstones.com. It will show off a selection of classic interviews, Mick’s music, his films, a range of video clips, news and galleries of photo shoots.

=> February 13 - Here's Mick at the Grammys

Not much to commend: he still has got what it takes, right! We need a tour, for chrissakes!

The press: Jagger steals the show at the Grammys (buffalonews.com) | Grammys: Five moments to remember — thank you, Mick Jagger (blog.orlandosentinel.com) | Mick Jagger swings his hips, Jagger Swagger Rocks the Grammy house (examiner.com) | Mick Jagger Knocked The Socks Off Grammys! (hollywoodlife.com)

=> February 9 - new huge songles collection box

Hi there folks, this is definitely something for every Stones-fan and a must-have for any completetist: a CD Singles (1971-2006) Box Set in a Limited Edition for 200.- Euros / 170.- £ / 275.- $

The huge boxset contains 173 tracks, of which 83 are not available elsewhere, and a 32-page booklet which contains an interview with Bill Wyman. It will be released on April 11.

• 5 singles packed with rarities, re-mixes and live versions across 173 tracks!
• Comes in a striking pink box featuring the band’s trademark tongue design.
• Overflowing with all-time classic hits, collectable B-sides and hidden gems.
• Over 80 tracks not currently available on official releases!
• Taken from the original British, US and European singles.
• Lovingly replicating the original 7”, 12” and CD singles in miniature picture sleeves and labels.
• Also houses a 32-page hardback book packed with memorabilia, period photos and a new essay by renowned journalist, broadcaster and Stones expert Paul Sexton.
• Also features an exclusive new interview with Bill Wyman, the band’s former bassist and on-going archivist.
• Limited numbered edition
• The set will also be available digitally
• A limited 7" vinyl "Brown Sugar" for Record Store Day *April 16th 2011 will be released separately

The new box set also highlights the band's rock and roll and rhythm'n'blues roots, and showcases their wonderful cover versions of Chuck Berry's 'Let It Rock', the Temptations' 'Ain't Too Proud To Beg', Smokey Robinson and The Miracles' 'Going to a Go-Go', Bob & Earl's 'Harlem Shuffle' and Bob Dylan's 'Like A Rolling Stone'. And it brings the group's compelling story up to date with the soulful 'Streets Of Love', 'Rain Fall Down' and 'Biggest Mistake', their most recent studio recordings.

Here are the tracklistings, according to universal-music.co.uk:

=> February 8 - RIP Gary Moore! No stones at glastonbury this year

The Stones were among those rumored to headline the festival this year. metro.co.uk reports:

A festival insider said: 'Getting the Stones to Glastonbury has been high on Michael Eavis's list of priorities for a long time. He came really, really close this time round. He came up with an incredibly tempting offer and Mick [Jagger] and the rest of the band were considering it closely but they ultimately decided to turn it down.'

=> Another great musician, Gary Moore, has died in Spain last Sunday moring. The Belfast-born guitarist was 58.

"It is with deep sorrow and regret that we have to announce that Gary Moore passed away while on holiday in Spain last night," a message on his official website said on Sunday. "Our thoughts are with his children, family and friends at this sad time."

=> February 5 - another 'official' statement

On facebook, the Stones have published the following:

Some of you may have been made aware of the news stories concerning us touring and Live Nation. We wanted you to know directly that we have no current dealings with Live Nation and to date no news on touring. We can however confirm that you will be amongst the first to know if there is any tour news ...

I think, there's too much money involved for the stones not to tour, hehehe ... ;-)

=> Febraury 3 - Mick to appear at the Grammys

For the first time ever, Mick Jagger will perform at the Grammys. He will be accompanied by Raphael Saadiq and his band during the In Memoriam segment. Mick wants to honor soul singer Solomon Burke, the Grammy winner who recently died. Burke opened for the Rolling Stones several times during his comeback career.

"We're thrilled, delighted, excited and very much looking forward to Mick doing his debut on the Grammy stage," said Neil Portnow, president and CEO of the Recording Academy. "It's extraordinary to many of us that the fact is, this will be the first time; he has never performed on the Grammy stage."

Mick will take the stage on Feb. 13 for the 53rd annual Grammy Awards, which will air live on CBS at 8 p.m.

The previously announced performers on the recording industry’s biggest night are Arcade Fire, Eminem, Lady Antebellum, Lady Gaga, Miranda Lambert, Muse and Katy Perry; nominees Justin Bieber and Usher, with Jaden Smith; nominees B.o.B, Bruno Mars, and Janelle Monáe; nominees Drake and Rihanna; and nominee Cee Lo Green with Gwyneth Paltrow and the Jim Henson Company Puppets. All five Album of the Year nominees will perform: Arcade Fire, Eminem, Lady Antebellum, Lady Gaga and Perry.

=> February 2 - No concrete tour plans

Meanwhile, at pollstar.com and other sites, we have something that looks like an official statement from the Stones office:

“In light of recent reports surrounding the ‘Breach of Contract’ Court Case in America between Live Nation Entertainment and former Live Nation chairman Michael Cohl, The Rolling Stones wish to clarify their position regarding representation and touring.

“Following the end of the 2007 A Bigger Bang world tour, The Rolling Stones became free from any contractual arrangements or agreements with Michael Cohl. He is neither their representative nor their tour promoter. Also the Stones confirmed today they have no firm plans to tour at this time.

“The Rolling Stones have recently secured a worldwide merchandizing agreement with Bravado Inc. and in 2008 signed a new global record deal with Universal Music.”

So far, so bad. Nevertheless, this ist still just stating that they have "no firm plans" - i.e. nothing which could be officially be announced. There still is the idea and wish to tour and record new material, as we have read many times last year. But as far as concrete plans are concerned, there are no such plans as yet. That's what I understand from it. It definitely is not saying "We will NOT be going on tour again in the future!"