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The Stones roll into town like a tsunami By Courtney Powell Staff Writer, The Prague Post (July 24, 2003) Shortly after the 1989 revolution -- on Aug. 18, 1990, to be exact -- then-President Vaclav Havel forged a friendship at Prague Castle with the poster boys for sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll. Later that evening the Rolling Stones, the first big rock band ever to visit post-communist Czechoslovakia, descended on Strahov stadium.
Despite only one of their albums (Black and Blue) ever having been released here, a crowd of more than 100,000 showed up. Havel was in the crowd, sporting a Stones T-shirt and jeans. Freedom and democracy had arrived. At the time, the Stones' frontman and business mastermind Michael Phillip Jagger was a youthful 47-year-old. The day before his upcoming "Licks" World Tour concert in Prague, Sir Mick will turn 60. His London-based publicist says he'll celebrate with a private party here. Like most rock stars who pass through town, the Stones are staying at the Four Seasons. Unlike most rock stars, they've been known to book entire five-star hotels. On the night of July 26, Jagger's birthday, all of the 141 rooms and 20 suites at the Prague Four Seasons are reserved. Jagger has slowed down over the past few decades in some respects; he has seven children whose ages span three decades, along with a few grandkids for good measure. But the bad boy formerly known for maintaining his wiry physique with potent chemical cocktails has a new regimen these days: workout sessions every other day with a personal trainer, and little to no alcohol. Drugs seem to be out of the picture, but Jagger is still going strong on the sex and rock 'n' roll fronts. The newest addition to the family is the 3-year-old son of a Brazilian model with whom he had a three-month fling, and the Stones have recently set off on a yearlong world tour to promote yet another greatest-hits album. Wherever they go, the Rolling Stones arrive like a force of nature. Along with four dressing rooms (for which they supply their own furniture), the Stones demand a workout room and a lounge complete with games: "one full-size snooker table (not a pool table) with a full set of cues, bridges, chalk and racks, five video type games to include: a motor or driving type game, a pinball machine, a virtual reality game, a combat game and one game suitable for families and children." The band's personal entourage of family members, makeup artists, personal trainers and other staff numbers 55; there are 100 people on the production crew; and the entire touring party totals 300. The Licks tour, which includes three different shows, each with a different set list, stage and lighting design, is rumored to be the most elaborate production the Stones have ever put on. Past tours have been criticized for relying too heavily on the band's '80s output; there's little danger of that this time around. The Licks world tour is supporting a greatest-hits double CD -- which means crowds won't leave the stadium wondering why they had to hear "Saint of Me" instead of "Paint It Black."
Courtney Powell can be reached at
cpowell@praguepost.com
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