A new biography of The Rolling Stones has revealed that the band narrowly escaped death on multiple occasions during the 1960s, with one incident leading to a 44-year ban from the seaside town of Blackpool.
The Blackpool Riot
On July 23, 1964, the Stones performed before 7,000 fans in Blackpool. The band's road manager at the time, Ian Stewart, recalled: "We get into town and it's full of these ravers from Glasgow." After a rowdy first set, hundreds of fans attempted to grab the band members during the evening show. When the crowd began booing each song, guitarist Keith Richards told them to "shut the f*** up" and then kicked a fan in the face after being spat on. Chaos ensued. Stewart pushed Richards and said, "For f***'s sake get out of here while you're still alive." Backstage, the band heard the crowd destroying equipment. Singer Mick Jagger said: "We were scared stiff, nothing like this has happened before." Police called for the Stones to be banned from Blackpool, and the town council's injunction lasted 44 years.
Near-Death in California
A year later, the band faced another life-threatening situation in Long Beach, California. After their set at the Civic Auditorium, they attempted a "London Exit"—dropping their instruments and running to a waiting car. However, a swarm of teenagers surrounded the limousine and climbed onto its roof. Bassist Bill Wyman recalled: "We lay on the floor and pushed the roof with our feet with all our strength to stop it caving in." It took police with batons 45 minutes to rescue the band.
Brian Jones and the Breaking Point
By the late 1960s, founder Brian Jones was struggling with drug addiction and emotional instability. Author Bob Spitz writes: "He was too fragile, his confidence undermined, his emotional stabilising eroding." By 1969, the band reached a breaking point, and Jones was not involved in recording hits like "Gimme Shelter" and "Honky Tonk Women." Drummer Charlie Watts recalled: "Everybody made the decision, but it was almost made by itself." Mick Taylor replaced Jones, and a free concert was planned for July 5, 1969, in Hyde Park. Two days before the show, Jones was found dead in his pool at his Sussex home. The book notes that the "timeline of events didn't add up" and rumours of foul play persist. The band released thousands of butterflies in tribute to Jones at the concert.
Enduring Legacy
Despite the turmoil, the band's core continued, mixing success with excess. Before each tour, Watts—who died in 2021—would ask: "Why do people keep showing up?" The answer, according to Spitz, is: "They were people who were ageing but still entertained fantasies of rebellion and eternal youth. A bit like the band themselves."
Adapted from The Rolling Stones by Bob Spitz, out on May 28, and published by Michael Joseph.
