rollingstone: Later, I try one more roundabout question about Jagger’s relationship to Richards. Talking about the band’s emotional ups and downs, [Charlie] Watts told me, “The two big offenders of that virtually lived together when they were kids, didn’t they? They lived down the road from each other. It comes from all that. They’re like brothers, arguing about the rent, and then if you get between it, forget it.” This has been echoed by [Keith] Richards himself, who told another magazine recently that he and [Mick] Jagger were like “two very volatile brothers – when they clash, they really clash, but when it’s over …” Does Jagger see it that way? “People always say things like that,” Jagger replies. “But I have a brother [Chris Jagger], you know? My relationship with my brother is a brotherly relationship, and it’s nothing at all like my relationship with Keith, which is more like someone you work with, completely different. With a brother, you have parents in common. You have families in common. We don’t have that, Keith and I. We work together. It’s nothing to do with it being a brotherly relationship. I suppose if you didn’t have a brother you might say that it was like being a brother. But being in a band is another kind of relationship.” Click through to read our full cover story on how the Rolling Stones endured drugs, booze, tragedy and each other to bring back the greatest show on earth.
Pop-upView Separately

rollingstone:

Later, I try one more roundabout question about Jagger’s relationship to Richards. Talking about the band’s emotional ups and downs, [Charlie] Watts told me, “The two big offenders of that virtually lived together when they were kids, didn’t they? They lived down the road from each other. It comes from all that. They’re like brothers, arguing about the rent, and then if you get between it, forget it.” This has been echoed by [Keith] Richards himself, who told another magazine recently that he and [Mick] Jagger were like “two very volatile brothers – when they clash, they really clash, but when it’s over …”

Does Jagger see it that way?

“People always say things like that,” Jagger replies. “But I have a brother [Chris Jagger], you know? My relationship with my brother is a brotherly relationship, and it’s nothing at all like my relationship with Keith, which is more like someone you work with, completely different. With a brother, you have parents in common. You have families in common. We don’t have that, Keith and I. We work together. It’s nothing to do with it being a brotherly relationship. I suppose if you didn’t have a brother you might say that it was like being a brother. But being in a band is another kind of relationship.”

Click through to read our full cover story on how the Rolling Stones endured drugs, booze, tragedy and each other to bring back the greatest show on earth.


Top