By this time he had started to turn to prescription drugs to keep himself going. He was on a relentless wheel of performance to travel, and you started to see the stress of that. ibid. Alan Light, writer
‘There was an aura around that man that made him huge.’ A Life in Ten Pictures: Freddie Mercury, personal assistant, BBC 2021
As an adult, Freddie Mercury rarely talked about his childhood even to close friends. But is first known photo offers some clues about his early years … Born in 1946 on the island of Zanzibar, a British protectorate off the east coast of Africa … Farroukh became known as Fred. ibid.
In 1964 the ruling Arab monarchy that had controlled Zanzibar for over a century was overthrown by a coalition of African parties. For many non-Africans, Zanzibar was no longer safe. Tens of thousands were forced to leave their homes. ibid.
Four years after arriving in Britain, at the age of 22 Freddie Bulsara enrolled at Ealing College of Art. ibid.
Rolling Stones: no-one was more clever with words, or sexier with music, or amusingly wasted on stage as they were. Matthew Collings, Hello Culture: Badness
The furore over the Napster/Metallica War boosted Napster’s popularity even more. Its user base was exploding. Download: The True Story of the Internet, Discovery 2008
Having sold over a million records in six weeks, they’re straight in at number nine, here’s Nirvana with Smells Like Teen Spirit. When Nirvana Came to Britain, BBC 2021, Top of the Pops
Nirvana brought to Britain the most existing time in music. They left an incredible legacy. ibid. Jo Whiley, Radio DJ
It was an amazing thrill to sing one of your songs played by this great band. ibid. The Vaselines dude
The Rolling Stones are the ultimate rock-n-roll band. A product of their time they have helped to define ours. And Mick Jagger has been out front for 60 years. They set the benchmark for what a rock band should sound like, look like, feel like. Mick Jagger: My Life as a Rolling Stone I, BBC 2022
It’s songwriting that turns the Stones into global superstars. ibid.
Reluctantly, Mick becomes the poster boy for a troubled era. ibid.
The sheer scale of their live performances grows ever larger. ibid.
Keith Richards has led a life wreathed in legend. His attitude and legacy underpin the whole idea of the guitar hero. More than just a musician, he’s a defiant hedonist and a poster boy for sheer survival. Keith Richards: My Life as a Rolling Stone II
Life in the spotlight has not always been easy for Keith. ibid.
‘The thing about the blues is that it felt like it was coming from some other place. It’s much more raucous, it’s much more heartfelt, it’s much more vivacious. It’s not been filtered through all these things.’ ibid. Mick Jagger
The Rolling Stones connect with a post-war generation eager for new music. But the key to their success is a reverence for a blues sound steeped in history. ibid.
‘The holy grail was to make records.’ ibid.
Keith’s talent drives the band’s success. But he’s a reluctant star. ibid.
I was lured just into the atmosphere. And that was it, it changed my life. Ronnie Wood: My Life as a Rolling Stone III
He watched them become the greatest rock-n-roll band in the world. ibid.
Ronnie is announced as the new guitarist at a press event in Manhattan, the launch of the Rolling Stones’ tour of the Americas. ibid.
Ronnie finally gets clean – aged 63. ibid.
In September 2021 the Rolling Stones did something they hadn’t done since 1963 – perform without their drummer Charlie Watts. Charlie Watts: My Life as a Rolling Stone IV
Charlie Watts was the driving force behind everything the Stones did – their heartbeat. ibid.
The best drummer England has ever produced. ibid. Keith Richards
Jazz is Charlie’s first and enduring love. ibid.
He remains the accidental rock star. ibid.
What we did for a living people did for fun. I loved looking at the audiences having an amazing time, knowing these people tonight are loving life based on us being them this. Mavericks: The Legendary Promoters of Rock, Irv Zuckerman, concert promoter, Sky Arts 2022
[Frank] Barsalona came up with an interesting concept: One promoter, one town. ibid.
Premier Talent Agency dominates: The first agency of its kind … that concentrated on pure rock. From day one it was successful. ibid. June Barsalona, music journalist
[surveys trainwreck]. Good God. Is this fucking Bosnia? Trainwreck: Woodstock ’99 I: How the Fuck Did This Happen?, Netflix 2022
I’m looking around at all this damage, carnage if you will, and I’m thinking, How the fuck did this happen? ibid.
There was this ominous feeling. There was no control. ibid.
It couldn’t be any further away from the original Woodstock. What the hell happened? ibid.
It poured with rain. The fence came down. The music was absolutely amazing. But we didn’t make any money. ibid.
It was so hot … There were fountains there but there was at least a 25 minute wait. ibid.
It just became this crazy human zoo. ibid.
Yesterday had been very beautiful. But today we’re living in filth. Trainwreck: Woodstock ’99 II: Kerosene. Match. Boom!
Saturday was the day everything started to fall apart. ibid.
Almost like a layer of trash that you had to shuffle through to get to the stage … They did nothing. ibid.
People were being brought out who were unconscious with the heatstroke. ibid.
I saw blood on the ground. I saw someone getting staples in their head … ibid.
Fucking hell, what a shambles. ibid. Fat Boy Slim
People didn’t realise it was shit-mud. Trainwreck: Woodstock ’99 III: You Can’t Stop a Riot in the 90s
By the time Jewel came on the tone had definitely changed. ibid.
They’re tearing the wall down, man … Woohoo! This is fucking history, folks! ibid.
They’re going to hand out 100,000 candles. ibid.
Fire has broken out here at the main stage. ibid. TV
It looks like a warzone. Trash and fires everywhere. ibid.
This is the sound. This is the group. Born and bred in the north-west, the rock group Nirvana is going to the top. Kurt Cobain: Moments that Shook Music, news, BBC 2024
Nirvana’s first album Bleach is released in 1989. ibid. caption
Nirvana’s second album Nevermind is released in 1991 and includes the smash hit Smells Like Teen Spirit. ibid.
Kurt becomes the voice of a generation who are the product of broken homes and high unemployment. ibid.
In 1993 Nirvana’s third album In Utero is released and reaches number one in the UK and US. ibid.
Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain and his wife Courtney Love talk openly about their heroin use. ibid. news
Police attend the Cobain residence after a disturbance is reported by Courtney … ‘weapons and medicated were taken in custody’ [rozzers’ report]. ibid.
Kurt’s mother files a missing person report for her son. ibid. caption