An old but pretty cool interview with Mick. Sorry if it was posted before

Gordon Thomson
The Observer, Sunday 4 July 2004

What were your first experiences of sport?

My father Joe worked as a sports instructor at St Mary's College in Twickenham. Sport was his whole life. He passed on that love to me; I couldn't help but be a sports fan. He was pretty much my personal trainer when I was a boy. I played cricket and football but dad had me doing all sorts of strange outdoor pursuits too. I used to go canoeing and rock climbing down in Kent. Seriously.

What is your earliest sporting memory?

Dad took me to the Oval to watch England play Australia in the Ashes when I was about eight. I'm sure it was the match when Denis Compton made the winning runs.
I had loads of uncles and they all loved football. I would go to matches with them. I suppose I was an Arsenal fan - in south London at the time you either supported the Gunners or Charlton, and it was Arsenal in our house. My dad took me to Highbury quite a bit when I was kid. I follow them vaguely now - they're the team of the moment, aren't they? My other team is Kent CC. I follow them pretty closely.

Did you excel at sports at school?

I was a decent cricketer, a bit of an all-rounder. I loved playing. I was a solid batsman, a sound enough bowler, and even a bit of a specialist fielder for a while.

There was no football at Dartford Grammar, though, and still isn't as far as I know. There was rugby, which I don't mind watching but could never play. I never had the physique for it. I was always alarmed at the prospect of playing rugby, especially scrum-half. It's a nightmare position. What are your choices? Pass the ball or get squashed?

Did you watch much sport when you were touring with the Stones in the Sixties?

I lost interest, as most people do. When the Stones started happening I just didn't have the time so sport took a back seat for years. Most people know where they were when England won the World Cup in 1966, but I have no idea where I was or what I was doing. I could probably work it out if I tried, but I was just too busy with the band at the time.
I came back to watching cricket in the early Seventies. It had become pretty old-fashioned and unpopular, but it picked up again when Kerry Packer introduced the one-dayers with all those coloured strips. Some of my favourite cricket players emerged during that period too. I loved the fast bowlers. Dennis Lillee and Michael Holding were brilliant players, but also they weren't twerps. Do you know what I mean? They were part of the gang, pretty cool guys. They brought new excitement to the game, which had a bit of a stuffy image with players such as Geoff Boycott. He was a brilliant batsman but sometimes a bit dull to watch.

Is it fair to say that you're a bit of a cricket obsessive?

I wouldn't say that I'm a cricket fanatic but I am a big fan and I really enjoy watching the high-level matches. I think cricket appeals on a lot of levels. One-day cricket is a simple fix - you get to see the ball being hit hard. I suppose that's the same appeal of watching baseball or golf or tennis live. People hitting sixes or seeing a fantastic big first serve.
But possibly the biggest appeal for me is the aesthetic quality of cricket. Say England are playing Australia - the big difference is with the crowd. They watch the game and they applaud a piece of cricket, from the bowler delivering a great ball, then that ball being hit well by the opposing batsman and then a great piece of fielding - it's the whole package. The entire piece of play is admired and appreciated.
Cricket is an athletic endeavour as well as an aesthetic ideal. It transcends all the statistical stuff that comes with sport. It's also not too partisan. Obviously the fans want England to win; but they also want to see a great game, a game played on a knife-edge.

Did you ever play sport with the rest of the Stones?

Yeah, I did as it happens. Me and Ronnie [Wood] used to play a lot of tennis together in France. What were we like? Useless. We were both quite evenly matched in that respect. The other Stones are not huge on their sport. Charlie is a bit of a dark horse, though. Before he was in the band he was a fairly decent footballer. He had trials with one of the London sides.

Will you be watching the Olympics this summer?

Yeah. I've always loved the Olympics, especially track and field, and I was a good runner at school.I always watch the Olympics on telly. I don't know if I'll go to Greece, but I've been to a few in the past. Montreal in 1976,Moscow in 1980. I love the old stadiums, too. In fact, I'm a bit of a stadium specialist: I've played in so many of them with the Stones. We played in the Olympic stadium in Berlin that was used for the '36 games. The stadium where the Stockholm Olympics was held in 1912 is incredible. Then there's the LA Coliseum. That's an amazing building. I always used to read up about the history of the places we played our big gigs in. It wasn't all just endless hedonism you know.

Are there any sports you don't like?

I don't much like golf. I mean, I hate watching it, but I've tried playing it and I don't get much from it. There's no exercise, and you only get one good hit every now and then. I get bored. Sometimes they don't even let you walk. I was playing in Laguna beach in California once and this guy stopped me as I was walking up the fairway and made me get a trolley. I don't need that.

Do you take the kids to matches?

Yeah. I still like to take them to the big occasions. I took my son James with me when England played Argentina in 1998. That was a fantastic night, even though we lost. I'll always remember the goal that Michael Owen scored.

Is it sport that keeps you so fit?

Nah, man, that's all the dancing.

[www.guardian.co.uk]

Very cool, thanks! I'm very surprised to learn that Charlie is a good football player!



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2011-01-03 17:14 by Wild Slivovitz.

>>I used to go canoeing and rock climbing down in Kent. Seriously.<<

Nice interview.......thanks for posting proudmary

__________________________

It's all good,proudmary !

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28 Jun 2010

[www.sportscasualties.com]



Sir Mick Jagger was one of many British celebs on hand to witness Germany’s shocking 4-1 thrashing of the much scrutinized English soccer team. SC’s World Cup correspondent caught up with the Rolling Stone moments after the match.

Mick Jagger: Please allow me to introduce myself. I’m a man of wealth and taste. I’ve been around for a long, long ye (*cut off*)

SC: You need no introduction, sir. Do you have a few minutes to talk to Sports Casualties?

Mick: I’m in no hurry. I can take my time… (*sighing deeply*) Oh my.

SC: Well then tell me what you’re feeling after such a brutal loss to your German archrivals?

Mick: I want to shout, but I can hardly speak.

SC: I think much of England shares your frustration. It’s now been an astounding 44 years since (*interrupted*)

Mick: You’re a HEARTBREAKER with your “Forty-four!”

SC: It is hard to fathom. What were you doing the last time you took a loss this hard?

Mick: Making bets on Kentucky Derby day.

SC: This could be the last go round for many of the British stars, particularly Frank Lampard and John Terry who are 32 and 29, respectively. Your thoughts?

Mick: What a drag it is getting old.

SC: It looked like England had equalized at 2-2, but after the disallowed goal, they just couldn’t stop the bleeding. What was the mindset at that point?

Mick: Let it bleed.

GOOOOAAA… No.

SC: Describe those finals moments as the last seconds ticked off.

Mick: Well I felt so sad – so lonesome – that I could not help but cry.

SC: And in the press box rows?

Mick: Heard the wires a hummin’ all down the line. Hear women sighin’ all down the line.

SC: Must have been anguish. But anger, too. There are already reports of riots on the streets of London. I guess my question is… Why?

Mick: ‘Cuz summer’s here and the time is right for fighting in the streets, boy.

SC: I assume you found a safe place to wait out the chaos?

Mick: When the sh*t hits the fan, I’ll be sitting on the can.

SC: Very candid, sir… Just a day ago, the British tabloids speculated that this team could go all the way.

Mick: Who wants yesterday’s papers? Nobody in the world.

SC: Sir, you’re British royalty. Do you know how the queen’s taking this?

Mick: The queen is bravely shouting, “WHAT THE HELL IS GOIN’ ON?”

SC: And what do you make of that kind of behavior?

Mick: She’s educated. Doesn’t give a damn. She’s very complicated.

SC: Can you draw a connection between Wayne Rooney’s subpar play and the team’s overall performance?

Mick: Connection? I just can’t make no connection.

Street fighting man.

SC: Well alright then. But tell me… This loss is particularly painful given your repeated assertions that God would lead the English to victory. How did you get that notion?

Mick: I was driving home early Sunday morning… through Bakersfield… listening to gospel music on the college radio station. And the preacher said, “You know you ALWAYS have the Lord by your side.” And I was so pleased to be informed of this that I ran 20 red lights in his honor.

SC: And you took that to be a sign of victory. Now, take me back a couple weeks. U.S. against the heavily favored English. America unexpectedly managed two points. You said you thought you were dreaming?

Mick: Then I awoke! Was this some kind of joke?! Much to my surprise, I opened up my eyes…

SC: … And you realized that this team might not be as solid as you thought. I mean, really, is there anything worse than media hype?

Mick: When I’m watching my TV, and a man comes on and tells me how white my shirts could be.

SC: Well, yeah, that. So let’s talk about Beckham and his move to America. Words for him?

Mick: You don’t know what’s goin’ on. You’ve been away for far too long. You can’t come back and think you are still there.

SC: What about his wife, Victoria? Her celebrity’s managed to rub a lot of players the wrong way.

Mick: The way she powders her nose, her vanity shows and it shows. She’s the worst thing in this world.

SC: You heard it here first, Casualtists. Jagger: not a fan of the Beckhams… How are you enjoying yourself in Johannesburg?

Mick: I got no expectations to pass through here again.

SC: It must be difficult to keep a low profile.

Mick: I see people turn their heads and quickly look away. Like a newborn baby, it just happens every day.

SC: You spent some time with Bill Clinton this week. Television cameras caught the president looking quite sleepy while talking to an attractive young lady. Can you tell us, by chance, what she said to him?

Mick: She said “my breasts, they will always be open. You can rest your weary head right on me.”



Hillary HAS to know about this, right?

SC: Coach Fabio Capello’s been under more pressure than anybody these last few weeks. What would you say to him after such a dreadful loss?

Mick: You better stop and look around. Here it comes.

SC: What comes?

Mick: Here it comes…

SC: What comes, sir?

Mick: Here it comes…

SC: Sir?

Mick: Here it comes.

SC: Still don’t follow.

Mick: Here comes your 19th nervous breakdown!

SC: Hmm… I see where this is going… Any shoutouts you’d like to give our SC readers?

Mick: Candy and Cathy, hope you both are well. Please come see me in the Citadel.

SC: Thanks so much for your time, Mr. Jagger. Final thoughts?

Mick: You can’t always get what you want.

SC: Let me guess. But you get what you need?

Mick: What the hell is that supposed to mean?

- Robbie

[www.sportscasualties.com]



I am a Frenchie ,as Mick affectionately called them in the Old Grey Whistle Test in 1977 .

Quote
proudmary
What is your earliest sporting memory?

Dad took me to the Oval to watch England play Australia in the Ashes when I was about eight. I'm sure it was the match when Denis Compton made the winning runs.

Here ya go, Mick. 19th August 1953, when you were ten.

Happy to help!

[en.wikipedia.org]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011-01-03 18:32 by Gazza.

Gazza..I thought for sure you'd look this up.

MJ said "When the Stones started happening I just didn't have the time so sport took a back seat for years. Most people know where they were when England won the World Cup in 1966, but I have no idea where I was or what I was doing. I could probably work it out if I tried, but I was just too busy with the band at the time."


IORR............but I like it!

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sweet neo con
Gazza..I thought for sure you'd look this up.

MJ said "When the Stones started happening I just didn't have the time so sport took a back seat for years. Most people know where they were when England won the World Cup in 1966, but I have no idea where I was or what I was doing. I could probably work it out if I tried, but I was just too busy with the band at the time."

Didnt even need to look THIS one up.

England won the World Cup on 30th July 1966 (the day after Bob Dylan fell off his motorcycle, trivia fans). The Stones finished their US tour (their last with Brian) two days earlier in Honolulu (28/7/66).

The band were still in the States, and probably on the west coast taking a short break as they started recording 'Between the Buttons' at RCA in Hollywood in early August.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011-01-03 18:48 by Gazza.

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Gazza

Quote
sweet neo con
Gazza..I thought for sure you'd look this up.

MJ said "When the Stones started happening I just didn't have the time so sport took a back seat for years. Most people know where they were when England won the World Cup in 1966, but I have no idea where I was or what I was doing. I could probably work it out if I tried, but I was just too busy with the band at the time."

Didnt even need to look THIS one up.

England won the World Cup on 30th July 1966 (the day after Bob Dylan fell off his motorcycle, trivia fans). The Stones finished their US tour (their last with Brian) two days earlier in Honolulu (28/7/66).

The band were still in the States, and probably on the west coast taking a short break as they started recording 'Between the Buttons' at RCA in Hollywood in early August.

thanks. i'll let mick know.


IORR............but I like it!

But this one is more difficult

I've been to a few in the past. Montreal in 1976,Moscow in 1980.

I've no idea Mick was on the Moscow Olympic Games - but I was there for sure, 'couse I've lived in Moscow at this time.
I don't believe him, I think he lies

I remember seeing him interviewed on US TV at the Montreal Olympics. I think he also sponsored the British gymnastic team.

Never heard of him having been in Moscow, although its certainly possible he kept a low profile and you may have missed him. - he wasnt doing any work at that time anyway. No reason for him to lie about it.

Would it have been easy for him to get in and out of the USSR at that time?

edit :
from timeisonourside.com


Mid-July-August 1980: Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall holiday in Morocco, France (St. Tropez) and Brazil. Bill Wyman
and Astrid Lundstrom are back together in France.

(the Moscow Olympics took place from 19/7/80 - 3/8/80)

'Morocco' sounds like 'Moscow' I suppose - easy mistake for him to make as the two places are SO alike.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2011-01-03 20:13 by Gazza.

Mick and Charlie will both be happy for their England cricket team beating Australia..in Australia for the first time in 24 years in the Ashes Test last week

I know that Mick envied Bowie and Iggi Pop which have traveled incognito all Russia
To him Soviets never gave permission to get in
Even in 90-th when already there was a perestroika Gorbachev hasn't get the Rolling Stones to Russia. Instead of them there have arrived Scorpions (remember this awful song - The Wind Of The Changes) and Stones have performed in Prague
If Mick doesn't lie he has simply forgotten. It once again confirms that his memory is awful

'Morocco' sounds like 'Moscow' I suppose - easy mistake for him to make as the two places are SO alike.
><

Quote
proudmary
I know that Mick envied Bowie and Iggi Pop which have traveled incognito all Russia
To him Soviets never gave permission to get in
Even in 90-th when already there was a perestroika Gorbachev hasn't get the Rolling Stones to Russia. Instead of them there have arrived Scorpions (remember this awful song - The Wind Of The Changes) and Stones have performed in Prague
If Mick doesn't lie he has simply forgotten. It once again confirms that his memory is awful

Indeed. And yet some people want this guy to write a book to counter Keith's so he can 'set the record straight' ?

The Stones almost played Russia in 1990. When they announced the tour in March, it was planned to finish the tour with two shows in Moscow around 10-11 August or so, but they were never finalised. They did of course play in Prague and East Berlin that month, however.

Finally! A completely candid and forthcoming interview from Mick. Makes a nice change.

I remember I - silly me - has stayed all the summer long in Moscow in expectation of their concert.
Btw, I'm among these people who want Mick to write book, of couse not to counter Keith - it would be petty and simply silly, and not to "set the record straight" - Mick and straight are incompatible concepts. Jagger just is able to express his thoughts devilishly well when he wants.

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Bliss
Finally! A completely candid and forthcoming interview from Mick. Makes a nice change.

In the matter of fact there are lots of them. Jagger it seems doesn't like the journalists who have an agenda. That's why his interviews with rock writers or some British journalists are like they are. If he feels drawn instead of usual negativism he blossoms. On direct questions he usually gives direct answers.
On Rockman's great thread there are some Jagger's interviews with the "Musician" - check them out, that really makes change.

Anybody who can sing in tune while leaping, jumping, strutting, and sprinting for two hours is more than just a singer/performer! One hell of an amazing athlete that Michael Jagger.

According to Random Notes from 76, Mick attended the Montreal Games with his father and Bianca. There are a few pics of Mick and Bianca at the games...
Never heard about the Moscow games though.