MEMO FROM TURNER

Here is a clip from "Performance" (1970), a strange film by Nicholas Roeg starring Mick Jagger and James Fox. Fox is a thug on the lam hiding out with a dissolute rock star named Turner, played by Mick in extremis. Identities shift in this X-shaped plot, and a drug-addled Fox loses his mind and starts to believe he's Turner, while Turner tries out the thug life. Here, a gangster of wealth and taste gives Fox the news. A memo from Turner.

A head trip in classic sixties style, with slide guitar played by Ry Cooder. Rent the movie.

HELL'S ANGELS PLOT TO KILL MICK JAGGER

Oh, a storm is threat'ning
My very life today
If I don't get some shelter
Oh yeah, I'm gonna fade away

According to a new BBC documentary, the Hells Angels planned to murder Mick Jagger in 1969. The motorcycle gang was furious over the Stones' infamous concert at Altamont, when Jagger hired them as security, resulting in the death of a young fan. The gang went so far as to attempt an attack on Jagger's home on Long Island, New York, by sea. Fortunately, en route, a storm capsized their boat.


"The Hells Angels were so angered by Jagger's treatment of them that they decided to kill him," said Tom Mangold, who is presenting the BBC documentary, in an interview with Britain's Sunday Telegraph newspaper.

"They planned the attack from the sea so they could enter his property from the garden and avoid security at the front. The boat was hit by a storm and all of the men were thrown overboard. All survived and there was not said to have been any further attempt on Jagger's life."

Stones at Altamont Speedway, 1969

More story here and here.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KEITH

I can't believe we missed Keith Richards' birthday yesterday! The old geezer rhythm guitar player for the Stones is 64, which is about 164 of anyone else's years. Insert your own joke here about Keith's drug-fueled longevity. To celebrate, let's show an "unreleased" clip of Keith and the Rolling Stones performing on the 1972 tour, just after the release of Exile on Main Street, arguably one of the greatest rock records of all time. Keith plays with the best Stones' line-up ever. A very young and brilliant Mick Taylor plays lead guitar over a rock solid rhythm section of Bill Wyman on bass, and Charlie Watts on drums. The horns are played by Bobby Keys and Jim Horn. Oh, and the singer is Mick Jagger. 1972 tour, yeah. This is the Stones at their best.