I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
Album: #213
Album Title: Tattoo You
Artist: Rolling Stones
Genre: Rock, Blues Rock
Recorded: At various studios, from1972 - 1981
My age at release: 16
How familiar was I with it before this week: Quite
Sometimes, their changing and contradictory nature can be frustrating for adults. The once co-operative, up-tempo, responsible kid who always finished their work and volunteered in class can seemingly overnight, transform into a sullen, poorly-regulated teen who refuses to complete assignments. It's at times like this when I find it helpful to think back on my contrary teen-age years. After taking a reflective pause, I try to extend the same grace to my students that I would have wanted as a contumacious adolescent – unnecessarily obstinate and headstrong.
Me vs. Life in my teenage years - blissfully unaware that I was the jackass. |
Between The Buttons record cover from Rolling Stones |
Promotional poster for Rolling Stones 1981 American Tour. |
What other choice did I have but to respond with the less than clever retort: "The Stones suck". What followed was a terse exchange of insults about each other's taste in music, punctuated by erroneous condemnation of the talent possessed by the members of Rush and The Stones.
Images of vintage Rolling Stones and Rush Concert Shirts that match the ones we wore. (Found online). |
Back of The Stones 1981 Tour shirt. |
Cover and label for Start Me Up single from The Rolling Stones |
Sonny Rollins. |
"I had a lot of trepidation about working with Sonny Rollins. This guy's a giant of the saxophone. (When he arrived to play) Sonny said, 'You tell me where you want me to play and DANCE the part out.' So I did that. You don't have to do a whole ballet, but sometimes that movement of the shoulder tells the guy to kick in on the beat."
Album cover for Led Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti - St. Mark's Place Waiting For a Friend was shot on the steps to the left. |
My wife, white shirt, can be seen walking toward me with the building and steps behind her. |
The iconic steps from the Waiting For a Friend video easily identified by the garbage can stencil. |
It seems being a strong-willed, pigheaded teen is a rite of passage. If there’s one in your life, think back to your youth and maybe go easy on them.
Addendum
As an aside, Rush and The Rolling Stones didn’t share the animosity that my high-school classmate and I did. In fact, the members of Rush cite The Stones as a defining influence.
On July 30, 2002, a benefit event was held in Toronto to help revive the local economy following an outbreak of S.A.R.S. (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome). Initially called Molson Canadian Rocks For Toronto, it was soon referenced by the clever nickname, SARStock.The Stones were the SARStock headliner, with AC/DC, Rush, The Guess Who, Justin Timberlake and 9 additional (mainly Canadian) bands as the warm-up acts. Rush even performed a brief instrumental version of the Stones classic Paint It Black during their set, as a tribute to their rock heroes.Rush performing at SARStock. |
“He (Watts) asked if we were going on soon, and I said yes, any minute, and he said, with a twinkle, 'I'm going to watch you!'
"I suppose if I could have felt more pressured, that might have done it, but I was already at maximum intensity - there was no time to think of Charlie Watts and the Rolling Stones. I had watched them on The T.A.M.I Show or Ed Sullivan when I was twelve-and-a-half. I remember hearing Satisfaction snarling down the midway at Lakeside Park, seeing Gimme Shelter at the cinema in London, (England), listening to Charlie's beautiful solo album, Warm and Tender, so many times late at night in Quebec. I couldn’t be distracted by the other million times Charlie Watts and his band had been part of my life.”
A short video of that encounter can be seen here.
We said goodbye to both of these drumming legends recently. Peart passed in January, 2020 and Watts in August, 2021. Rest In Peace.