What can a poor boy do?
December 16, 2010 1:46 PM   Subscribe

More, perhaps, than any other rock star of his generation, Jagger has made it his business to understand and control the mechanics of his own stardom.
posted by Joe Beese (22 comments total) 5 users marked this as a favorite
 
finished Keith's bio a few weeks back. hilarious stories about Mick--esp. his wedding to Bianca, which he wanted to be "low key." Keith remarks "which to him meant San Tropez at the height of the season."
posted by Ironmouth at 1:56 PM on December 16, 2010


One time I took a photography class which mostly consisted of the teacher showing photos and criticizing each one. He showed very few fashion shots and very few celebrity shots. The only celebrity shot I recall clearly was a photograph of Jagger, young, centered on his wrists. He had huge scars from knife wounds on each wrist from suicide attempts. Or so our teacher explained. I wonder what I get if go to google image and search on Jagger wrist scars.

Not there. Perhaps it's bunk.
posted by bukvich at 2:57 PM on December 16, 2010


This seems rather to be in the shadow of that great faux-Jagger essay by Bill "the journalist, not the musician" Wyman that Slate published (prev on blu). The most interesting thing about the first link is the appearance of L'Wren Scott; I was unfamiliar with her, but intrigued, and I did a GIS and my goodness. (The woman on the left is someone named Daphne Guinness.)
posted by Halloween Jack at 3:15 PM on December 16, 2010 [1 favorite]


Mick put his hand through a door on Long Island in the 70s. Thus the scars.
posted by punkfloyd at 3:26 PM on December 16, 2010


...a photograph of Jagger, young, centered on his wrists. He had huge scars from knife wounds on each wrist from suicide attempts.

Jagger Daggers
posted by mmrtnt at 3:42 PM on December 16, 2010


Mick put his hand through a door on Long Island in the 70s. Thus the scars.

A steel-plate.door
posted by mmrtnt at 3:46 PM on December 16, 2010


If John Lennon hadn't let Yoko Ono turn him into the world's biggest jackass, the Beatles could be making this kind of money and more. And I don't they would have let the music run to crap, like the Stones did.
posted by Faze at 3:58 PM on December 16, 2010


Mick put his hand through a door on Long Island in the 70s.

I saw those. IIRC, Leibovitz was shooting the band for Rolling Stone at the time and grabbed a camera to meet him at the hospital. You might have seen her black and white shots looking down at his sutured wrists. Jagger was uncomfortable with Annie shooting but after he relaxed a bit he got pissed that she didn't shoot in color.
posted by hal9k at 4:00 PM on December 16, 2010


If John Lennon hadn't let Yoko Ono turn him into the world's biggest jackass, the Beatles could be making this kind of money and more.

A, that's a rather gratuitous derail; B, the Beatles are making and always have made money hand over fist; C, John Lennon has been dead for 30 years, give the Yoko-resentment crap a rest already.
posted by blucevalo at 5:14 PM on December 16, 2010 [6 favorites]


Seriously, WTF does Lennon (or Ono) have to do with this? I would be willing to bet the Beatles have made an order of magnitude more money, overall, than the Stones anyway.

And John loved Yoko. What is your problem with that?
posted by spitbull at 5:20 PM on December 16, 2010 [2 favorites]


I'm reading Keef's book now and so far he's had nothing but good things to say about Sir Michael Philip ('Mick') Jagger. It's still early on in the Stones' career (in the book) so I'm assuming Mick turns into a raging asshole at some point (unlike Brian Jones who appears to have been a raging asshole from Day Zero).
posted by MikeMc at 5:20 PM on December 16, 2010


understand and control the mechanics of his own stardom: walking around like a chicken onstage.
posted by ovvl at 5:34 PM on December 16, 2010 [4 favorites]


Great article by the Times, seems to me Rod Stewart's band should have been called the Tiny Todgers in lieu of the Small Faces.
posted by e1c at 7:08 PM on December 16, 2010


If John Lennon hadn't let Yoko Ono turn him into the world's biggest jackass, the Beatles could be making this kind of money and more.

Shine on, you crazy diamond.
posted by Astro Zombie at 8:58 PM on December 16, 2010


I'm reading Keef's book now and so far he's had nothing but good things to say about Sir Michael Philip ('Mick') Jagger.

heh - wait til you finish what king richard iv - that's eye-vee to you - has to say about him

short version - he loves and hates him like a brother
posted by pyramid termite at 9:08 PM on December 16, 2010


and for the record - ha - i've listened to a bit of yoko's stuff and i honestly think she was pretty fucking cool - in today's era of post-rock, she comes off like a prophet
posted by pyramid termite at 9:09 PM on December 16, 2010 [3 favorites]


faze: There is a great big internet out there to hate on Yoko Ono in. If you hate her on the blue, though, don't expect to share our sandwiches.
posted by You Can't Tip a Buick at 11:04 PM on December 16, 2010


The story about Yoko Ono ruining John Lennon derives back from the 70s - I thought her reputation had been somewhat rehabilitated since then?

In a similar vein, Linda McCartney was accused of leading Paul astray and on to making crap music with wings.

In summary: both Lennon and McCartney had colossal egos, and had come off the back of arguably the most intense pressure - barring perhaps what Michael Jackson or Elvis had - of any pop star before or since. A decade or so of winding down and doing anti-Beatle things isn't such a monstrous thing. Ono and Linda Mac unfairly carried the can for fans who couldn't accept that the Beatles had, for the time, run their course. I think it's pretty clear that if Lennon had not died, the Beatles would have collaborated again.
posted by MuffinMan at 1:18 AM on December 17, 2010 [1 favorite]


I can recommend Apathy for the Devil by Nick Kent for some truly great Stones stories.
posted by Myeral at 7:26 AM on December 17, 2010


Without the constant image manipulation, the Stones would be slightly less crazy-ass rich, but might be a bit more respected (and well-rested). Then again, who knows what the judgment of the future will bring; I've been surprised in recent years to discover that the Stones I still go back and listen to is the late 70s early 80s Disco Stones. Go figure.

And thanks for the derail, Faze! People saying "Yoko broke up the Beatles" or "Yoko ruined John" is really useful! It reminds me that they have no idea what they're talking about! Good day.
posted by jtron at 8:23 AM on December 17, 2010


If John Lennon hadn't let Yoko Ono turn him into the world's biggest jackass, the Beatles could be making this kind of money and more.

Riiiiight.
posted by Lexica at 10:04 PM on December 17, 2010


Yup, had to be a woman that broke up The Beatles. Couldn't have been due to the colossal egos, fighting, and divergence in interests.

Hmm, which one, though? The pretty blonde photographer? Nah. The pretty brunette groupie? Too inoffensive.

I know! Let's pick the weird, experimental-artist foreign one!

She's to blame, certainly. Without that Eve, that Pandora, surely they'd be touring today!
posted by IAmBroom at 1:19 AM on December 19, 2010 [1 favorite]


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