InLet It Bleed, a lavishly illustrated new book, photographer Ethan Russell tells the epic tale of how the World’s Greatest Rock and Roll Band conquered America, invented the modern tour, and met with tragedy at Altamont.
Is It Only Rock ‘n’ Roll?
By the time the Stones opened their tour in November, more than three years had passed since their last American concert. Because of a conviction on a drug charge, guitarist Brian Jones had been unable to get a U.S. visa, thereby preventing the band from coming to America. Jones' untimely death in July, 1969 paved the way for the arrival of a new band member, Mick Taylor, and the opportunity to tour once again.
Get Yer Ya Ya’s Out
Bill Wyman and Mick Jagger head for the stage in L.A. The tour gave rise to a live concert album as well as a Maysles' Brothers documentary.
Performance
Jagger preens at the show in Ft. Collins, Colorado.
Madison Square Garden
Said bassist Wyman: "I felt great about the '69 tour right from the beginning. The audience were fantastic...We got great reviews. The records were selling really well...We did what? Twenty shows? They were all great up until Altamont."
It’s a Gas, Gas, Gas
The audience surges toward the stage in Los Angeles. This was a regular occurrence that often made the venue security nervous. When Manager Allen Klein was asked what he would do when 20,000 kids rushed the stage, he replied, "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."
Rock Idol
Keith Richards gazes at American rock legend Chuck Berry. When Berry appeared backstage, writer Stanley Booth remarked, Richards "reverted to what (he) was when he first heard Chuck Berry: a little English schoolboy in his uniform and cap."
Some Girls
Writer Booth overhead one groupie say, "You can have Mick Taylor. It doesn't matter. I'm not choosy."
Jam Session
Jagger and Richards play for legendary bluesman Bukka White (left) and singer-songwriter Gram Parsons (lower right, in hat).
Midnight Rambler
Of Richards' performances, Booth writes, "Keith, his eyes closed, was controlling with nods and shakes the rhythm of the entire building."
Mighty Close For Comfort
A fan rushes on stage. Unlike modern shows, the 1969 tour stage was low to the ground, and more than a few fans tried to climb up.
Altamont
The cars of concertgoers litter the freeway leading to the concert-ground. The Stones added the show in the belief that they could recreate the magic of Woodstock, which had taken place three months earlier. But free tickets, out-of-control crowds and poor security combined to create a disastrous result.
Maestro Mick Jagger
Says photographer Ethan Russell, "Mick Jagger was one of the first to understand that they were making more than music. This was performance and entertainment." The band accordingly took control of every aspect of their tour. They brought their own lights and hired the opening acts. Up until that point, those responsibilities would have fallen to a promoter.
Bad Scene
Of the show at Altamont, photographer Russell says, "It was chaotic beyond belief. The stage was bowed from all the people who were on it. Sixty or seventy people, lots of Hells Angels, lots of hangers on. All I wanted from the minute I got there was to get out."
Tragedy Strikes
All of the good vibes on the 1969 tour crumbled in one horrifying moment, when concertgoer Meredith Hunter (in green, staring up at the man in black leather) got into an altercation with a member of the Hell's Angels, whom the band had been hired to provide additional security. When Hunter drew a gun, one of the Angels pulled a knife and stabbed him to death.
Shattered
Of Altamont, Jagger said, "I thought the scene in San Francisco was supposed to be so groovy. I don't know what happened; it was terrible. If Jesus had been there, he would have been crucified."All photographs (c) Ethan Russell. All Rights Reserved. www.ethanrussell.com
Press Conference
The original schedule called for 16 concerts over a period of 23 days. A final show - to be performed at the International Speedway near Altamont California - was announced at Rockefeller Center in New York (above) toward the end of the tour.
No Expectactions
Much of the music on the 1969 tour was drawn from the classic Beggar's Banquet album and the yet-to-be-released Let It Bleed. In this photo, taken at the pool behind Stephen Stills' house in Los Angeles, Jagger and guitarist Keith Richards examine the upcoming album's cover art.
Gimme Shelter
Mick Taylor and Keith Richards relax in the kitchen at Stephen Stills' house. The touring party consisted of only 16 people.
Rehearsal
Richards works through some chord progressions in the basement practice space at Stephen Stills' house. Says bass player Bill Wyman, "We did some rehearsals. We didn't do a lot. You know what the Stones are like. It was mostly party time."
Negotiation
The band was torn about which American television show to appear on. The Smothers Brothers were regarded as much hipper, but Ed Sullivan reached a wider audience. Despite a face-to-face meeting with Tommy Smothers (above, second from right), the band opted for Sullivan.
A Really Big Show
On November 18, the band "plays" for the Sullivan show. The band mimed while Jagger sang, and audience screams were added afterwards.
Backstage in L.A.
Keith Richards relaxes on the floor before the concert at the Forum in Los Angeles.
