Mick Jagger regrets listening to John Lennon's advice about Elvis Presley
Los Angeles, July 15
The Rolling Stones legend Sir Mick Jagger has expressed his regret about taking advice from singer-songwriter John Lennon.
The Rolling Stones frontman recently revealed that he was advised by The Beatles legend to not to meet Elvis Presley.
John Lennon was left disappointed by his own interaction with The King, but decades after the deaths of both Elvis and John, Mick said that he wished he'd grasped the opportunity when he could.
Mick Jagger graced the recent episode of the Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend podcast. He said, "I remember John telling me, 'You should never meet your heroes. I would never meet Elvis, Mick, if I were you. And so, I didn't. I took John's advice. It was really stupid of me, really. I'd love to have met Elvis. "I wanted to keep my Elvis to myself, my version of Elvis. And so, I didn't want my version of Elvis shattered like John's was, but maybe my Elvis version would have been different".
Elsewhere during the conversation, the 82-year-old singer said that the Rolling Stones were initially viewed as "bad", "dirty", and "scary" and vilified by the media when they started out.
He said, "People were really welcoming in most places. But there was a group that were really not welcoming. But maybe they didn't know who you were, but they would just shout names at you. So it was very polarised in a kind of modern way".
He also spoke about the looks of his band members, and how their fashion wasn't well received by the people of that generation.
"Especially in the US, when we first went there, I'd say 64, outside of New York and LA, we were like freaks for them", he shared.
"It was a hostile environment, particularly in America, but not only in America. I'm not blaming America for being the only (hostile place), they were hostile in England, there was a lot of hostility, but America was not ready for this stuff. Really, they weren't"", he added.
— IANS
Reader Comments
I love how this story shows that even rock stars are human! Lennon's advice came from a place of disappointment, but Jagger's curiosity about Elvis is so relatable. As an Indian music fan, I've always wondered how different Western rock history might have been if these icons had connected. Also, the bit about them being seen as 'dirty' and 'scary' in the 60s is hilarious given how they're revered now - reminds me of how our own Kishore Kumar or RD Burman were initially criticized for experimenting!
Respectfully, I think Jagger was right to trust his instinct initially but also correct to regret it later. In India, we have a saying - 'Guru ko bhi shak karna chahiye' (even a guru should be questioned). Lennon was great, but his experience with Elvis shouldn't have dictated Jagger's. Each artist has their own journey. That said, at 82, Jagger is still reflecting and growing - that's truly inspiring. 🇮🇳
The part about Rolling Stones being vilified as 'freaks' really resonates. In India, during the 70s and 80s, rock music was seen as a bad influence by many parents. I remember my uncle hiding his Beatles records from his father! Jagger's reflection on how perceptions change over time is spot on - what's scary becomes cool, what's bad becomes iconic. And meeting Elvis would have been epic, no doubt! 🤘
This makes me think about how we build up these larger-than-life images of celebrities. Jagger's 'version of Elvis' is fascinating - it's like when we imagine meeting Amitabh Bachchan or Lata Mangeshkar. But honestly, I think Jagger made a wise choice at the time. Lennon's story about being disappointed by Elvis is a cautionary tale. The regret is valid, but preserving one's own image of a hero isn't always a bad thing. Just my two paise!
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.