Stones Keep Rolling

Back when I was a skinny teen still waiting for my first facial hair to appear, I fell in love with the bands coming out of Great Britain.

You remember — maybe — The Beatles, The Who, The Dave Clark Five, The Yardbirds, Cream, Gerry and the Pacemakers (OK, maybe not the Pacemakers). But the band I loved most when I was 15 was The Rolling Stones.

In that year — 1965 — they were at the top of their game, releasing a song called “(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction,” which became sort of their signature tune. It was a little racy for its time, talking about “trying to make some girl” who was out of action because she was “on a losing streak.”

Wow — pretty heavy stuff for a 15-year-old virgin to decipher.

Yeah, the British Invasion — as it was known — when a bunch of mostly English bands with longish hair and matching suits came to America to conquer the kids.

At the time — 1965 — The Rolling Stones had only been together since 1962, but they rocketed to fame on the coattails of The Beatles and the Stones’ sexy dancing lead singer and frontman, Mick Jagger.

Unlike The Beatles and most of the other bands, the Stones projected a “bad boy”image that resonated with wanna-be musicians like me.

Most of the above mentioned bands didn’t last that long: a few hit singles, a couple years in the spotlight and then they just faded away or broke up.

But not the Stones. Despite losing original member Brian Jones in 1969 when he unsuccessfully tried swimming on LSD and two other members leaving over the years, Jagger and two other originals — Keith Richards and Charlie Watts — are still cranking out the tunes.

Next month, the Stones will embark on a 13-city American tour marking 59 years together.

Let me repeat that: FIFTY-NINE YEARS in a rock band.

How do they do it? Good genes, I guess. I mean, Jagger is 78, Richards is 77 and Watts is 80.

(STEVE's NOTE: Charlie Watts died Aug. 24 after dropping out of the 2021 tour on Aug. 5, citing a medical issue. RIP, Charlie.)

But why do they do it? Well, the adulation has to be a big factor. But let’s not forget The Money.

Tickets for the upcoming tour range from around $150 for the nosebleed seats to nearly $1,600 for those nearest the stage.

And every venue is expected to sell out, as fans of all ages gather to watch these geriatrics do their thing one more time.

And the Stones? They have to be smiling all the way to the bank.

According to celebritynetworth.com, Jagger and Richards are each worth (pre-tour) an estimated $500 million while lowly drummer Watts is estimated to have only about $250 million in his retirement account.

Now that’s SATISFACTION.