Mick Jagger offers tips for aspiring rock stars
Veteran rocker shares his wealth of knowledge
There can be few more qualified to offer advice on how to make it in the music industry than Mick Jagger. And after 50 years in the business, the 69-year-old Rolling Stone has produced a list of the Top 10 things he has learned during his hugely successful career.
The tongue-in-cheek list, called The Top Ten Things I, Mick Jagger, Have Learned After 50 Years In Rock ’n’ Roll, includes some obvious entries about the relevance of drugs and how to trash a hotel room.
But fans may be more surprised by the inclusion of advice about the financial value of mortgages.
Jagger shared his wisdom with late-night talk-show host David Letterman, disclosing that at No. 10 was a piece of advice that would resonate with bands around the world: Nobody wants to hear anything from your new album.
He went on to suggest that one should never take relationship advice from Phil Spector, the record producer and songwriter who is serving a 19-year sentence for the 2003 murder of Lana Clarkson, an actress and waitress.
Spector, 72, was a great friend of the band and is referenced in the Stones’ instrumental track Now I’ve Got A Witness (Like Uncle Phil and Uncle Gene).
Jagger also joked about the perils of life on the road, stating: “Before shouting ‘Hi Seattle,’ make sure you’re in Seattle.”
He took a lighthearted swipe at the band Maroon Five by revealing that he had not made a penny from their hit single Moves Like Jagger before acknowledging with a smile that “everybody you meet after you become famous is only interested in you as a person.”
He said that although song royalties were great, they did not match the guaranteed cash flow from a reverse mortgage and disclosed that he entertained himself by signing every 10th autograph “Doris Goldblatt.”
At No. 3, he suggested that in order to be considerate to fellow hotel guests, your room should be trashed before 10 p.m.
He told Letterman that you could not get a good joke on the Top 10 list before revealing his No. 1 piece of advice: “You start out playing rock ’n’ roll so you can have sex and do drugs, but you end up doing drugs so you can still play rock ’n’ roll and have sex.”
The Stones, who first played in 1962 at the Marquee Club in Wardour Street in London, took to the stage last month for a series of anniversary concerts to celebrate their half-century in the industry.
More than 20,000 fans packed the O2 arena on two nights to witness Mick, 69, Keith Richards, 68, Ronnie Wood, 65, and drummer Charlie Watts, 71, for a two and a half hour show. The gigs sold out in seven minutes, but the steep ticket prices prompted controversy.
Richards suggested that the shows could be followed by an appearance at Glastonbury next year, although he claimed to have no idea about the band’s plans for 2013.
“We’re just getting this year under our belts. But anything’s possible, that’s all I can say about it. But if it could happen, I’d love to,” he told NME.
The band’s final anniversary gig is on Saturday when they will take to the stage with Lady Gaga and Bruce Springsteen among others in New Jersey.
Mick remained tight-lipped on future performances.
“I’m going to see what happens,” he said. “I’ve quite enjoyed doing these shows, you know, there’s no real reason why you shouldn’t do more. But we haven’t actually booked any or planned any.”