The Rolling Stones Are Golden: 50 Years Of Rock And Roll

I would have to admit that it is, at first, an odd phrase to utter: the Rolling Stones are 50 years old. Say what? Seriously? Hard to believe, isn’t it? Queen Elizabeth II just celebrated 60 years on the throne. Now, the Rolling Stones celebrate their golden jubilee, with 50 years on the throne as the undisputed kings of rock and roll.

In 1974, they said “it’s only rock and roll”. Little did they know just what rock and roll would mean to the culture as a whole over the past 5 decades.

We can thank the Stones for bringing the blues to mainstream awareness. It started with the name – derived from a Muddy Waters song. The blues inflections didn’t stop there though. Their earlier music had that greasy, behind-the-beat vibe of the blues greats. Somehow, they translated this feel into some of the greatest rock and roll songs of our era. A Jagger – Richards song can be a thing of beauty, and only 3 or 4 chords total.

A good band might put out some good albums, but the real test is in the live performances. After all these years, this is what continues to be the life blood of the Rolling Stones.

I have had the good fortune to see the Rolling Stones twice. Each time, I thought it might be the last opportunity to see the legends perform live. Each time, I was wrong! The latest rumor is yet another upcoming tour. Not bad for a bunch of guys in their 60s and, yes, now, their 70s. I am sure that Mick Jagger will still be running and strutting around the stage nonetheless, still trying to work his magic on the ladies.

My first opportunity to experience their live show was in Toronto on September 4, 1989 (setlist). This was the "Steel Wheels" tour. The opening act was none other than Living Color. It was your typical football stadium show. The stage was in the end zone, and the seating in the stadium wasn’t that great. But it didn’t need to be. It was all about the music.

My second Stones experience was in Austin at Zilker Park on October 22, 2006 (setlist) – over 17 years after the first experience. This was on the “ Bigger Bang" tour. This was much more like an open air ‘60s festival, seated on the grass on a great fall evening.

These were two very different performances, but the results were the same. One tight band with some impeccable musicianship. I guess that is what happens when you have been playing together for 50 years.

Congratulations to the Stones for making it this far, and best wishes for many more great performances ahead. Many thanks for providing the timeless sounds of, well, at least a couple of generations.

Photo credits: abesselink