Getting Primed for the Stones at Staples Center

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/posts/la-et-ms-review-the-rolling-stones-rock-staples-on-first-stop-of-tour-20130504,0,1829043.story

Why Stones Fans Pay

The Rolling Stones are driving me to bankruptcy. After buying two tickets to see them play at the Los Angles Staples Center, I had to lock away my credit card until I pay off the balance –  probably sometime in 2014. Much has been made about the excessive ticket prices for their upcoming tour (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/04/rolling-stones-ticket-price-hyde-park-london_n_3014678.html). The cost of a single ticket ranges from $150 to $600, while a staggering $1500 will get you into the Tongue Pit, a standing-only, general admission area right next to the stage.

I know what you’re thinking, and you’re right. It’s ridiculous to pay that much money for a concert ticket. By participating in this sort of price gouging, I’m only exacerbating the problem. Trust me, I’ve heard it all before.

I’ve even dabbled in joining rebel groups like The Rolling Stones Liberation Front, a non-violent guerrilla unit with simple demands: smaller venues and cheaper ticket prices. The organization proved no match against concert promoter AEG Live, and on April 4^th issued a statement: “the RSLF has officially commenced implementing counter-active measures.” The members were disappointed, and we commiserated with one another as we pulled out our credit cards in solidarity and purchased our Stones tickets.

The dignified thing probably would be to sit this one out and send a message that we’re not going to take it anymore. But let’s face it, as life-long Stones fans, shelling out half a month’s salary to watch a three-hour concert from the nosebleed section every time they tour, we’re used to shedding a little dignity here and there. Tapping into one’s savings for a concert is not for the casual fan. We are diehards, and yes, maybe even a bit foolish, but we’re loyal. No amount of money will keep us away.

We will pay, and this is why:

We Are A Devoted And Diverse Fan Base

The Rolling Stones are a phenomenon. The world greatest rock stars, they appeal not only to their generation but to their children and grandchildren. They have fans from all over the world, having sold an estimated 200 million records worldwide. They are ranked as one of the greatest artists of all time in Rolling Stone magazine and are the most successful and longest-living rock-and-roll bands in history. They’ve recorded hundreds of songs, over 35 albums, and their tours continue to be the highest grossing in history, selling out venues all over the world despite the high ticket prices. The Hyde Park concert sold out in less than five minutes – that’s 65,000 tickets!

Everybody Loves A Rock Star

When I was a teenager, I fell in love with Mick Jagger. I celebrated my new boyfriend, hung posters of the Stones on my walls and bragged that my rock star was hotter than yours. Even though he was older than my father, he was a symbol in which to pour all of my energy, the crazy pubescent hormones that seemed to be taking over. I know I’m not alone in my passion. The allure of the rock star is transcendent.

If you don’t want to be with one then you want to be one. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve caught grown men grinding air guitars and pounding imaginary drum sets when they thought nobody was looking. Just the other day I found my husband standing in front of the mirror, axe slung low over his body, right arm in the air, striking the perfect Pete Townsend pose.  

We Love Mick, Keith, Ronnie & Charlie

Mick Jagger is easily the greatest front man of all time. He brings enthusiasm and an unabashed sexual energy to the stage and puts younger wannabes to shame. He also plays a mean harp, and along with Keith Richards, is one of rock and roll’s most successful composers. The coolest cat in the world (and sometimes pirate), Keef continually tops the best-of-guitar lists. Charlie Watts is an accomplished jazz musician. Besides being another of rock’s great guitar players, Ronnie Wood’s paintings have been exhibited around the world.

We Love The Music

Yes, we love Mick and the boys, but in the end, it is simply about the music. It is the one, true thing in our lives. Capturing moments, concentrations of time, the music articulates everything that we feel, want to say or need to say but can’t find the words. The Rolling Stones express our souls, transport us to a moment of emotional purity. The music is capable of reaching down into our guts and pulling out what is authentic and real. Great songs purge you but they also energize with idealism and joy. They fuel your tank and propel your forward. We love the Rolling Stones because of the way their music makes us feel: like anything is possible.

It may only be rock and roll, but we like it, even if we have to pay an arm and a leg for it.

Satisfaction Coming Soon

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Exhibit: "50 Years of Satisfaction"

http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1550069/rock-hall-of-fame-to-host-rolling-stones-retrospective

New Stones Logo

I'm Not Ginny

I got caught up in my own fiction.

When the Rolling Stones announced four shows to celebrate their 50th anniversary, two in London and two in New Jersey, I knew I couldn't go. I live in California. I have a job. I can't just pick up and leave, even for the weekend. But there were the tweets and messages from adoring fans around the word. They were making the trek. Why couldn't I? Then reason kicked in. I’ve seen the Stones in concert many times, and besides, I’m not the type to pack my bag and pull out my credit card, like the characters in my novel, Satisfaction. When I began writing about two fictional women who follow the Rolling Stones on tour, I wondered what kind of person would put her life on hold, not to mention her finances in jeopardy, to follow the Rolling Stones. Certainly not someone like me. I am grounded, normal and responsible. I love the Stones but not in a destroy-my-life kind of way. Their music moves me, but it doesn't push me over the cliff.

So, I participated from the sidelines as the band and their fans prepared to recognize this grand achievement. I watched the new documentaries, Crossfire Hurricane and Charlie is My Darling, listened to their new songs and bought the new album, GRRR! Numerous events marked the momentous occasion; the Stones publicity machine was in full throttle, reminding fans of their greatness. I observed from an enthusiastic distance and figured this had to be great for my novel, currently on submission to publishers. One of the characters in Satisfaction racks up a hefty credit-card debt, buying Stones tickets for performances around the country. This was the very thing I was personally avoiding with the 50^th anniversary tour underway.

I can’t really say what came over me when the Stones announced an additional show at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. It was still on the opposite side of the country, and I have responsibilities in California. Perhaps this final addition to their tour pushed me over the edge, as I imagined endless concert seats waiting to be filled by the likes of me. I couldn’t resist the magnetic pull of the Rolling Stones. I found myself helpless as I typed in my credit card numbers and charged two tickets to see the Stones on December 8^th in New York City. The logical part of my brain said, “I could always resell the tickets,” but the emotional side, and let’s face it, the more powerful one, said “You’ve got to go!” I spent $1000 on two tickets to see the Rolling Stones in a venue nearly 3000 miles from home. I had no plane tickets and not a lot of extra cash to spare. But I had my undying love for the Stones, years of dedication to a band whose songs I’ve played over and over again. Wasn’t that enough?

When the tickets arrived, I wrestled with the idea of going to New York for the weekend. My husband, who usually supports my love for the Stones and the eccentricities and expense that goes along with it, couldn’t go. My best friend wanted to but didn’t have the money for the flight and hotel room. I even floated the idea of going solo, much like Ginny does in Satisfaction before meeting her new friend Bree. Too bad that I’m such a wimp and couldn’t work myself up to it. I suppose that’s why I created Ginny Martin, my alter ego, a woman both brave and foolish enough to pursue her dreams.

            I wish this tale ended with me at the concert in New York, shouting “I love you, Mick!” and having the time of my life. Sadly, it does not, and I wound up selling the tickets on eBay. I took a financial loss, but I’m happy to report that the buyer assured me that she was super excited to see the Stones in concert for the first time in her life. I avoided forfeiting the tickets to a soulless ticket agency and am content knowing that I gave a new fan the opportunity to see the Rolling Stones at their best, live and in full glory. Appreciating music is one thing, but sharing the experience, turning people on to the Rolling Stones, the greatest rock-and-roll band of all time, is what Satisfaction is all about.

The Greatest Rock & Roll Band in the World

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/16/rolling-stones-live-band-performs-bruce-springsteen-lady-gaga_n_2310772.html?utm_hp_ref=entertainment