Journey With Parkinson’s: The Rolling Stones

“[joking about the length of the Rolling Stones’ career] You have the sun, you have the moon, you have the air that you breathe – and you have the Rolling Stones!” Keith Richards

“There are some Rolling Stones songs that are just stunners.” John Lydon

Introduction: We embarked on a musical journey to Atlanta, Georgia, to see the Rolling Stones concert last night. This journey was not just about the Rolling Stones, but about the culmination of a lifetime of musical experiences. I have been fortunate to see most of the groups and artists that I have admired the most over the years, including Led Zeppelin, the individual artists from the Beatles, the Who, Bruce Springsteen, Eagles, James Taylor, Sting, and more recently, Jon Batiste. These experiences have shaped my love for music over the last 50 years. However, the Rolling Stones remained a missing piece in this journey.

When AARP (yes, AARP, formerly known as the American Association of Retired Persons) announced they were sponsoring the Rolling Stones 2024 tour and were offering special discount prices and a first pass at buying tickets, I could not pass up the opportunity. The closest site was Atlanta; I even purchased the insurance for the tickets to cover a catastrophe, like an early hurricane storm or even an untimely illness of one of the band members. I cannot recall precisely how much the tickets were, but they were not cheap.

“I believe that the Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin are two of the greatest rock bands ever!” Jesse Ventura

Are the Rolling Stones Really Still a Band? According to Wikipedia, the Rolling Stones formed in London over seven decades ago, in 1962. The original band consisted of vocalist Mick Jagger, Keith Richards on guitar, multi-instrumentalist Brian Jones, Bill Wyman on the bass, and Charlie Watts on drums. Jones left first. He was eventually replaced by guitarist Ronnie Wood. Subsequently, Wyman left the band, leaving them a quartet for many decades. Recently, Charlie Watts died in 2021, leaving the group as a trio. They added Darryl Jones on bass and recently added Steve Jordan on drums. To gain an interest in their history, I refer you to the Wikipedia article on the Rolling Stones (click here).

“Too much is never enough.” Mick Jagger

Quotes, Comments, and Stories from the Rolling Stones: To say the remaining group members are survivors is an understatement. Mick is 80, Keith is also 80, and Ronnie is 77. Pictures below were taken from a recent interview with the show CBS Sunday Morning. Like most folks, their age, illness, and other events have entered their lives, but their fate and resolve have brought them longevity.

Here are some interesting quotes:
•On how he stays in shape at his age and performs on a live concert tour, Jagger said he credits exercise and good genes for keeping him in fighting shape; he can do two weekly dance rehearsals and several gym workouts.  Interestingly, his father was a fitness instructor who lived to be 93. 

•On turning 80, Jagger noted, “It’s a bit overblown. It’s not all it’s cracked up to be, being 80. There are no real options here. You’re either going to get there or not.”

•Likewise, Wood said he doesn’t believe that “time has taken that much of a toll on Jagger. He’s singing the best he’s ever sung, I think, now. That’s another reason we’ve got to keep going. When you’ve got it, flaunt it, you know?”

•From an LA Times (click here) article celebrating Jagger’s 80th birthday, Keith Richards wishes him a happy birthday by saying, ‘Long may we keep saying this.”

Here is the first 60 sec of their show, the Introduction to the Rolling Stones, Atlanta, GA (June 7, 2024):

“What I like about music is the songs you can remember the lines of in a single second. The Beatles, The Rolling Stones… You can remember every line of their songs. But how often do you remember any of the lines to songs today?” Karl Lagerfeld

The Rolling Stones and the Relationship to Our Parkinson’s: Besides being one of the mega-star rock bands of all time, this story has some context.

1. The concert was a spectacle. It was a special treat to witness these music giants in person, still delivering the hits from the 1960s that defined an era. Richards and Wood, with their exceptional guitar skills, traded the lead back and forth, their synergy palpable. With his unchanged approach, sound, and style since the 1960s, Jagger remains a unique talent, his blues and rock vocals still resonating with the same intensity.
2. Many life experiences come with high expectations and sometimes are a big letdown. This was not. From the first guitar riff of “Start Me Up” to the expected encore of “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction,” it was great. An important message was that if you do something appreciated, keep doing it because maybe 60 years on, you will continue making people happy. Consider your life has been whole and, hopefully, fulfilling and happy.
3. As we continue to age, the death of family, loved ones, colleagues, and friends will happen. These events are painful reminders of loss and sadness. After the healing has begun, review your life and re-commit your life down a happier path.
4. If music makes you smile, keep doing it. Substitute the word ‘music’ for any career or hobby; seek jobs, careers, and hobbies with a determined passion.
5. Parkinson’s ages with us, and it offers no protection from the usual disorders associated with age. We must acknowledge our dilemma and handle each crisis with this awareness. Still, we must try not to let one disease overwhelm our determination.
6. Strength and resilience are present in their relationship, partnership, friendship—whatever defines it—and in their concert performance. It’s almost magical.
7. Your health matters, and definitely, your life matters too. Live with positivity and persistence and see what it does for managing your Parkinson’s.
8. Finally, do something nice for you sometime in the future. Living with Parkinson’s is like an anchor on a boat at a dock. Being nice to you will lighten the load for a short time. For two hours last night, listening to the Rolling Stones live, I felt free of the disorder, unburdened from Parkinson’s.

“The Rolling Stones have been the best of all possible worlds: they have the lack of pretension and sentimentality associated with the blues, the rawness and toughness of hard rock, and the depth which always makes you feel that they are in the midst of saying something. They have never impressed me as being kitsch.” Jon Landau

Cover Photo Image by Dawn Rose from Pixabay