Sympathy For The Fangirl

After creating this blog, I’ve come to realize that Rolling Stones fans are not that hard to find. They may not be as overtly obvious about the fact that they exist like those of the ‘Belieber’ fandom but once they are drawn out of the wood work, it is easily realized that they are pretty much….everywhere. When I say everywhere I mean everywhere! Not only are the fans not that hard to find but also those they have inspired are also very clearly floating around the music industry today.

The band has influenced a long list of fellow musicians during it’s 52 years of existence and I’d like to take explore the long list of wonders the band has given birth to.

Aerosmith 

The band was formed in 1970 and consists of Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Tom Hamilton, Joey Kramer and Brad Whitford. You only have to get a quick glimpse of Steven Tyler to realize who he is inspired by. When you hear their music, the clever guitar riffs and intricate lyrics they will undoubtedly give you the familiar butterflies that easily come a floating when you listen to ‘Bitch’ by your favorite men. Wanna know my favorite Aerosmith song?

Of course you do! Well check it out here…

Lenny Kravitz

Ooh I love this man and you will too! Not only is he insanely beautiful but he has an air of chic that only a man of his attitude could pull off. Example,

Kravitz was heavily influenced by Mick’s tenacity above all else and it’s clear that Micholas gave a fine young Mr Kravitz the courage he needed to go out there and be his own outrageous self.

Kravitz is also an incredibly gifted musician. He has managed to incorporate elements of rock,blues,soul, R&B, funk, jazz,reggae etc.. the list goes on, into his music whilst not only singing both lead and back up vocals on his records, he also plays all guitar, bass, drums, keyboard and percussion when recording. If that doesn’t say talented then I don’t really know what does.. I’m even starting to feel a bit inadequate myself as I write. Damn you, Lenny Kravitz you incredibly gifted person you!!

Check out one of his tunes here to see for yourself!

The White Stripes 

A fantastic band without question. Their song ‘Seven Nation Army’ has received countless awards, critical fame and has become a signature calling for the band but it goes without saying that these young musicians were influenced by The Stones. Jack White himself has admitted it multiple times and even went out of his way to ensure he could perform with the band in the 2008 ‘Shine a Light’ concert film directed by the epic Martin Scorsese.

One song that is a must for this band is the one I have left below! Have a listen and you’ll soon hear some of the characteristics we know and love from The Stones intricately hidden in between both the melody and the lyrics.

One more I’d like to mention is a rather unconventional one but I don’t follow no rules!

The Strypes 

This is a band heavily influenced by the sixties mod movement, doctor feelgood and the likes but there is definitely a hint of The Stones in there somewhere. It can be seen in their image(not unlike the one created for The Stones by the wonderful Andrew Loog Oldham in the early days) and hints of The Stones are littered throughout their music. I was lucky enough to have been able to interview the young band at the end of 2014 so I’m going to post the interview here, have a listen and see why it is that I believe the band were influenced by my hero’s.

This is a really good documentary, if you can’t get your hands on the others I’ve recommended…then check this one out right here!

Sorry I couldn’t resist..it was too easy. Anyways,after deciding to dedicate my blog to The Stones it seems only right that I should help my fellow or future fellow Stones fans. It a tough thing to do, getting in to a new band. It’s hard to know where to start, what to research, what songs to listen to etc.. and when it comes to The Rolling Stones it’s particularly difficult because there’s over 52 years worth of material to check out. So I thought, being the kind soul that I am, I would do a bit of a ‘how to’ to show anyone who’s interested in becoming a Rolling Stones fangirl exactly where to start. Okay, so let’s being

1. MUSIC 

The absolute most important part of The Stones is their music. There is no way around it, that is just the truth. They are one of the best bands that there ever was and ever will be because of their immense song writing ability. The guitar riffs, the complex lyrics, Mick’s energetic approach to absolutely every song he does and the little quirks that brand their music. You must listen to ‘Satisfaction’ and ‘Paint it Black’ of course because they are undoubtedly legendary classics but they are not the songs that will make you fall in love. For me, it was ‘Miss You’ the disco inspired tune that Keith initially assumed Mick has plagiarized. I heard it and it was like all the lights in the room were turned on at once, like all the air had been sucked from the world, it was epic. After you have recovered from the brilliance that is ‘Miss You’ you need to listen to ‘Star Star’ this explicit tune initially entitled something rather different. I’ll give you a hint it’s rhymes with ‘Star Trucker’, chronicles the life of an ‘obscene’ groupie. It is fantastic, you will love it. Some other tunes that are a must include ‘Some Girls’, ‘Sitting On a Fence’, ‘Too Much Blood’ and of course one of my absolute favorites ‘You Got The Silver'(on this one we even hear Richards vocals and it’s positively glorious).

2. Live Shows 

The Stones are the best band in the world there is no doubting this but they are also the BEST live band ever. Grossing over 1 Billions dollars for their tours it’s clear I’m not the only one who thinks this. Jagger has always had an energy on stage that is indescribable. His moves are notorious, I’m sure you’ve heard that awful Maroon 5 song and his voice has the ability to do whatever he pleases with it while on stage. Keith’s casual but explosive approach to his guitar playing has always been a clever contrast between Mick’s energy whilst Ronnie’s child like delight matches easily with the pair. Charlie of course works it out. He bangs his drums with a grace that only he can. Daryl, well Darryl’s just Darryl I still find it hard to really consider him a member(that’s really mean I know) cause let’s face it no one can beat Bill Wyman’s stone-faced, almost bored on stage look. You have to check out one of their gigs whether it’s in person(EEEEEPPP I WOULD DIE) or on a concert DVD which is the only way I have seen them play live……

It’s okay, I’ll be okay I’ll see them one day but for now check one out! My advice is to watch either

‘Ladies and Gentleman’ filmed during their 1972 North American tour

or ‘Some Girls, Live in Texas’ filmed in 1978.

Both fantastic, both life changing.

3.Documentaries 

This may not be an incredibly enticing heading but I can promise you will not regret watching a documentary on The Rolling Stones.Their history is so rich. After 52 years of being the world’s most chaotic band you can only imagine what has happened. My Recommendations? ‘Crossfire Hurriance’ this is the perfect way to get your Stones history fill. It has absolutely everything you need to know. It covers everything from the beginning of the band to some of their most recent concerts and with it narrated by the band themselves it is a real experience. Mick Taylor even makes an appearance as a voice over. With touching tributes to Brian Jones and a plethora of footage that will set your heart alight this is definitely the one to watch. Highlights include learning that Mick doesn’t like milk because of a bad trip on acid and Keith telling a judge after the Redlands raid that he’s not worried about their “petty morals”. An absolute must watch!

‘Charlie Is My Darling’ is also a good one. This chronicles the early days of The Stones as they tour Ireland. It is not as informative as Crossfire Hurricane but makes an interesting watch. Andrew Loog Oldham features heavily, the man responsible for The Stones bad boy image. A vital catalyst in the success of the band. We also witness Mick and Keith pen what is now known as ‘Sitting On a Fence’ and Mick does a fantastic Elvis impression that is not to be missed!

4.Life

This is the autobiography penned by Keith Richards himself and you will love it even if you hate reading. Keith does not close any doors. He lays bare his soul, discussing his drug habits, love life and complex relationship with Jagger something that led to a lot of controversy between the two. We also learn how he first came to play guitar and can read diary entries from the beginning of the band along with letters to his Aunt about his growing friendship with Mick. This book is an essential part of being a Stones fan.

5. Women

After checking out all of the above you will undoubtedly be obsessed with the band but in order to really cement the obsession you must check out the women behind the notorious band members. Each woman involved in The Stones is strong-willed, confident and utterly flawless. They are complete powerhouses. Explore the likes of Marianne Faithfull,

Anita Pallenberg,

Bianca Jagger(an absolute hero),

Patti Hansen(my personal favourite),

Shirley Watts

and Jo Wood..

After 10 minutes of checking out these ladies you will be 112% hooked for life.

That’s it, that’s the quick and easy way to become a Stones fan…so enjoy!!

Okay so it’s coming to that time of year again where Summer is quite literally just around the corner.

As much as you want to start getting excited about all the procrastinating and not leaving the house that you’re going to do you must first consider the ever present, ever terrifying hurdle that is exams.

It’s a daunting thought. Some will be quaking in their boots at the idea of the mountainous amount of work that they have to do , others will be practically sleeping in the library. If you’re like myself on the other hand you’ll be slightly panicked for a moment only to get distracted by a picture of Harry Styles lookin’ “Hella fine”  and the moment of dread passes until the night before.

Admittedly, I take an overly calm approach to exam time. This may be due to the fact that I only have one exam, it may also be due to the fact that I have a very short attention span….

But whatever the reason may be I have not always been this way. Exam time in Secondary School was like the beginning of the apocalypse in my household. People would run around the house screaming prayers in terror whilst I cried hysterically in my room over English essays…I not even exaggerating..I’m really not. It was hectic. One day during the Leaving Cert just before my biology exam my mum came in to my room and played me a song (she didn’t sing or play a musical instrument of any kind because much to her own dismay she has no musical talent). The song was the fantastically cheesy ‘I Am Woman’ by Helen Reddy

Have a listen…

As much as I cringe at the memory, it was incredibly empowering. I went in to the exam the next morning with a song in my heart and a skip in my step only to come out of it having gotten an A!!

Sooooo basically what I’m saying is during exam time you have to find ways to keep you calm and music is the best way to do this. If you’re starting to feel a bit overwhelmed put on some T Swizzle, Drake, Pixies or maybe even Mozart and have a dance around in your underwear. Not only will you be cooling your stress levels but also you’ll be getting some much needed exercise after all the beer you consumed last week.

I have decided to compile a list of tracks that keep me going in times of need.. hopefully they’ll do the same for you!! Till next time, good luck and MAY THE ODDS BE EVER IN YOUR FAVOR!

And now for some super cheesy but equally amazing songs..

8. 

9. 

And of course the ultimate song…..

10. 

ENJOY

Giving somebody like myself free reigns to write about whatever they please is an incredibly dangerous thing to do as nine times out of ten it will result in an over zealous rant about my obsession of the day. Now I could have chosen to write about something ridiculous like my new found love for James Franco’s strangely addictive but oh so terrible poetry or the fact that I have just discovered the word ‘favorite’ is not in fact spelt ‘favourite’ as I have been spelling it for the past 16 years of my life but seeing as this blog post is a post that is meant to truly describe me then it only seems fitting to write about my biggest and most incessant infatuation…The Rolling Stones.

Obsessive.

If I were to give you one word,one word that would honestly and truly describe me as a person it would be the word obsessive. As completely sad as it sounds it pains me to say that it is the truth. Now my obsessions have come in many different forms over the years but in general they always seem to follow incredibly strange patterns ranging from Sarah Michelle Gellar(of Buffy The Vampire Slayer fame) to The Smiths to One Direction(or 1Dizzle as I like to call them). It was these random collection of figures who resided with me during the entirety of my childhood so you can imagine my surprise when I met the elderly men who were going to take me to adulthood.

I remember it like it was yesterday. The wind battled against my windows like an angry wave on the shore while the rain shot like bullets at my roof. The house was dark and I was alone. I flicked inattentively through channels on the t.v. waiting for something to jump out at me. A quick flash of light engulfed the house, followed by a violent growl of thunder and a shudder that ran all the way up the stairs and right through the ground floor boards. Amidst all of this chaos I sat in my nesting area (formerly known as ‘the couch’) in utter shock staring at the mystical object that had appeared in the middle of the floor.

It was a CD. A Rolling Stones CD, and this is how the biggest obsession of my life began.

Okay, so it didn’t quite happen like that but I thought you might appreciate something a little more interesting than my mom bought me the CD cause she thought I’d like it.

It was the brilliant and bold lyrics of the song ‘Some Girls’ that changed my idea of what good music was for good. The brash line”some girls give me children I never asked them for” had me hooked while the line “English girls are so pretty, I can’t stand them on the telephone” taught me that brutal honesty is the backbone to some of the most spine tingling music. The way Jagger so easily spoke of the many children he had acquired over years of promiscuity simply shocked and delighted me. I was thoroughly and devotedly infatuated by these magnificent creatures, but it was the moment when I first watched them perform live that I was captured for life.

Watching Mick shake his ‘sweet thang’ while Keith waltzed between Ronnie and Charlie did something to me that I will never understand and at this point I had only seen them as 70 year old men. My mother was seriously regretting what she had done.

I quickly became curious about the history of the band and my inner journalist kicked in as I commenced a mission to know as much as physically possible about these hypnotizing rock geniuses. Opperation ‘become biggest Rolling Stones fan in the world’ is a go.

Within months I had secured 12 out of the 25 legendary albums released by my idols, read as many informative books about the band as physically possible including the immensely successful ‘Life’ by Keith Richards, collected over 200 magazines devoted to my men and gained 10 documentary/ concert movies about my hero. I also succeeded in falling hopelessly in love with Keith Richards. Who needs gorgeous manufactured teen heartthrobs when you’ve got a rock god to worship.

This is one obsession that I feel will never leave me because like no other before this is a true love so deep it cannot be broken by the luscious curls of some delectable crooner sent forth from the womb of Simon Cowell to exploit me in to a vicious trap of catchy yet meaningless pop tunes. Why you ask? Because nothing says permanent like a band that has been around for 52 years, has only one loss and can remain the greatest rock and roll band in the world.