Winter 2020 Catalog Auction Ending Feb 22

Lot #119: 1964 Rolling Stones UK Tour Program Signed by All Five Original Band Members Including Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, Brian Jones, Charlie Watts, and Bill Wyman (JSA)

Description

While a small British rock band called “The Beatles” was taking America by storm in 1964, a soon-to-be legendary counterpart, the Rolling Stones, was in the midst of their first-ever tour of their homeland. The band formed in 1962, with bandleader Brian Jones on guitar, harmonica and keyboards, lead singer Mick Jagger, guitarist and vocalist Keith Richards, Bill Wyman on bass guitar, Charlie Watts on drums, and Ian Stewart on piano. Stewart would leave the lineup in 1963 but continue behind the scenes to his death in 1985.

When asked by a journalist for the band's name in the spring of 1962, Jones saw a Muddy Waters record lying on the floor; one of the tracks was “Rollin’ Stone". Jones, Jagger, Richards, Stewart, and Taylor played a gig billed as "the Rollin' Stones" on July 12, 1962 at the Marquee Club in London. Shortly afterwards, the band went on their first tour of the United Kingdom which they called a "training ground" tour, because it was a new experience for all of them. Their material included Chicago blues as well as Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley songs. The band's name was changed shortly after their first gig to "The Rolling Stones". The group's then acting manager, Giorgio Gomelsky, secured a Sunday afternoon residency at the Crawdaddy Club in Richmond, London, in February 1963. He claimed this triggered an "international renaissance for the blues". In May 1963, the Rolling Stones signed Andrew Loog Oldham as their manager. His previous clients, The Beatles, directed the former publicist to the band.  He promoted the Rolling Stones as the nasty counterpoint to the Beatles by having the band pose unsmiling on the cover of their first album. Oldham also encouraged the press to use provocative headlines such as: "Would you let your daughter marry a Rolling Stone?"

A cover version of Chuck Berry's "Come On" was the Rolling Stones' first single, released on June 7, 1963. The band refused to play it at live gigs, and Decca bought only one ad to promote the record. With Oldham's direction, fan-club members bought copies at record shops polled by the charts, helping "Come On" rise to No. 21 on the UK Singles chart. Having a charting single gave the band entree to play outside London, starting with a booking at the Outlook Club in Middlesbrough on July 13th, sharing the billing with the Hollies. Later in 1963 Oldham arranged the band's first big UK concert tour as a supporting act for American stars including Bo Diddley, Little Richard and the Everly Brothers. By 1964, the Rolling Stones were headliners, playing their fifth tour of the UK and first tour of the United States.

Offered is a 1964 Rolling Stones United Kingdom tour program, signed by Jagger, Wyman, Richards, Jones and Watts. There are 14 signatures total and the 8½ x 11-inch white paper program book is 12 pages including cover, printed in black type. There is a yellow block on the front cover with the headline “Robert Stigwood Associates Ltd. Presents the Sensational Rolling Stones Souvenir Programme”. The five original band members are depicted on the right margin of the front cover with individual black and white photographs of their heads. This tour ran from September 5 to October 11, 1964, and the Stones were supported by musical acts including Mike Berry, The Innocents, The Mojos, The Le Roys, Simon Scott and Inez & Charlie Foxx.  Each member of the Rolling Stones is represented with a full page in the booklet with a black and white photograph and a biographical sketch. Bill Wyman has signed his page, the inside front cover, in blue pen as has Mick Jagger on the first interior page.  Keith Richards has signed his name in red pen, while Brian Jones and Charlie Watts have signed their respective names in blue pen. The supporting acts have signed their names over their respective images in the back of the program.

This program book is in good condition, with some creases, folds and general wear on the interior pages. The signatures of the Rolling Stones are crisp and clear and are contemporary for the period of their 1964 United Kingdom tour. The back cover features a Decca Records advertisement for the latest single by the Rolling Stones, “It’s All Over Now,” as well as two “EP’s” and their first LP. This comes with a LOA from JSA (BB36630).

Final Bid (Includes Buyers Premium):$4,612.5
Minimum Bid:$1,000
Number of Bids:15