I got satisfaction rocking with Mick and Keith
Singing with the Rolling Stones was unforgettable, says Jane Macarthur


Check out the link for a picture of the choir, article below....

[www.independent.co.uk]

I’m shaking and sweating as I descend the stairs into backstage blackness. Somewhere a few metres behind me, Mick Jagger shouts, “Thanks to Voce Chamber Choir and the London Youth Choir!” and a few metres beyond that, some people yell their approval. Twenty thousand people. In 50 years, the Rolling Stones have never performed “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” with a live choir: we’ve just made rock ‘n’ roll history.

By we, I mean Voce, a London chamber choir with around 25 members that was founded by Suzi Digby OBE in 2003. Our last concert was at St Peter’s Eaton Square, to an audience of a few hundred classical-music lovers who clapped politely when we finished Duruflé’s Requiem. Gareth Malone, presenter of The Choir, carolled with us not long ago, and we’ve sung for Rod Stewart and Russian royalty. But the Rolling Stones? This is new.

At the start of November, we performed for Matt Clifford, the Stones’ musical director. We had to prove we were good enough for the job, that our consonants were crisp and that our sopranos could manage to hold five bars of top C . “It’s going to be loud,” he told us repeatedly. “You’re used to the acoustics of a nice church. When the O2 is full of screaming people, and Charlie’s on his drums, and you’ve got the keyboards, and the backing vocalists, and Keith, Ronnie and Mick all blasting out… There ain’t no acoustics. You’ll have your headset and it’ll help but really, nothing can prepare you. Nothing.”

Our next rehearsal was at Wembley. In the semi-darkness, the band ambled on stage. Cool as you like, in tracksuit bottoms and a collared shirt, Mick took control. Keith, Charlie and Ronnie chatted quietly, fags dangling from their lips. We began our unaccompanied intro: “I saw her today at the reception…” A minute later, the band kicked in and my tears welled up. Even in rehearsal, Mick gave everything to his performance, mirroring the suggestions of the choreographer who stood in the pit in front. Towards the back of the stage he had two items on a metal stand: a bottle of hand sanitiser and a box of tissues, covered with images of provocatively dressed women. Was the box decorated by a dedicated intern or does Kleenex make a saucy tissue holder just for Sir Mick? I wasn’t close enough to tell. It was later that afternoon we were told the Stones had never performed the song with a live choir before. Keith’s verdict? “Damn cool.”

I feel far from cool as I arrive at The O2 a week later and discover that Mick has sent us all T-shirts – tour logo on the front and a unique message on the back: “You can’t always get to sing with The Stones – but I did.” We get into our black evening wear and wait to be called.

The band finish their main set on schedule and, after a few minutes huddling in the wings, we ascend the stairs and take our places for the encore. In the pit beneath us I see a few of the Stones’ children, smiling and waiting expectantly. The stage lights go up, and then it comes, the roar, as the fans instantly recognise the famous melody. We’re probably meant to be looking demure and choral but when Ronnie blows me a kiss, I enthusiastically return it.

Meanwhile, Mick handles the crowd with practised energy, looking wonderfully nonplussed when a black bra lands at his feet. And then we’re singing again, joining with the band for the song’s glorious, climbing finale. In total, we’re onstage for around six minutes. It seems like six seconds, and I imagine I’ll be talking about it for the next six decades.

Voce’s ‘Carols by Candlelight’ is on 16 December (vocechamberchoir.org.uk)

Wow, chilling !

Oh and I hope that Matt Clifford haters don't blow a gasket when they read this :

Quote

At the start of November, we performed for Matt Clifford, the Stones’ musical director

Here's the pic :





Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2012-12-03 19:54 by gotdablouse.

thanks for the article
nice to read

"we performed for Matt Clifford, the Stones’ musical director."
Chuck L. gonna be jealous ...

Quote
Manofwealthandtaste
We’re probably meant to be looking demure and choral but when Ronnie blows me a kiss, I enthusiastically return it.

You can see that moment at 6:48:

Good catch, is it the tall one on the left of the picture above, i.e.

funny
good read, thanks
jeroen

she write marvelously - fresh and honest

this line depressed me though : "Mick gave everything to his performance, mirroring the suggestions of the choreographer who stood in the pit in front."

can't he just move and do his thing like in 66, 69, 72 etc? whatever his thing is?

Quote
hbwriter
she write marvelously - fresh and honest

this line depressed me though : "Mick gave everything to his performance, mirroring the suggestions of the choreographer who stood in the pit in front."

can't he just move and do his thing like in 66, 69, 72 etc? whatever his thing is?

He's a musician not a magician...this is the age of the teleprompter and choreopromter and waterprompter and the casualcommentprompter

Well is it a choreographer or his assistant helping him find his bearings on the stage? You can see a guy on some videos (saw him from the pit on Sunday too) who's never very far from where Mick is and seems to be there in case of a problem. At one point I saw him use his flashlight when Mick seemed a bit lost, trying to adjust his wireless box.

Honestly guys, he's Mick Jagger but it must still be mind-boggling to face these thousands of people. I was right in the front of the pit and at times I turned around and could only imagine what it must be like to be up there being the center of attention. You have to wonder what goes through Mick's mind and I certainly wouldn't fault him for getting all the help he needs.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012-12-03 20:58 by gotdablouse.

Great read.........I'm curious listing to the demos.......

__________________________

Cool story..Thanx for posting

Cool story and that must rank as the best Stones T-shirt anyone could hope to have!

@gotdablouse - if you mean the shortish stocky guy, that's Mick's bodyguard.

Great interview. I would kill for one of those t shirts!

Quote
Beast
Cool story and that must rank as the best Stones T-shirt anyone could hope to have!

@gotdablouse - if you mean the shortish stocky guy, that's Mick's bodyguard.

Yeah I saw him up close in Paris and he's on many pictures with Mick (World Cup, etc...), and based on the videos he was between the tongue and BKA2 at the O2, while Keith's bodyguard wast between the stage and the pit just in front of us. No, this guy following Mick everywhere and giving him pointers with his flashlight is quite lean.

Quote
Lady Jayne
Great interview. I would kill for one of those t shirts!

Wouldn't we all !

[ I want to shout, but I can hardly speak ]

Quote
paulywaul

Quote
Lady Jayne
Great interview. I would kill for one of those t shirts!

Wouldn't we all !

No.. because I don't think killing for t-shirts is legal in some countries.

I really thought this was fabtastic and I hope they have a choir for the PPV show too.

Quote
Lynd8
I really thought this was fabtastic and I hope they have a choir for the PPV show too.

why not a barbershop quartet? think they could cut it?

Great story, one more thing to remember this great evening!!!

"Nothing can prepare you. Nothing."

We were close enough to watch the choir assemble on stage in the darkness and to realise what was going to happen - but when the lights went up and the rest of the O2 found out, the roar was deafening. They waited a bit for it to die down, but it didn't, not until several bars into the song. Being there and trying to sing against that, cold, first time on a stage that big, must have been overwhelming, and they did it brilliantly.

Thanks for the article, ManofWealthandTaste. Sorry you missed out on Thursday.

Quote
gotdablouse
Well is it a choreographer or his assistant helping him find his bearings on the stage? You can see a guy on some videos (saw him from the pit on Sunday too) who's never very far from where Mick is and seems to be there in case of a problem. At one point I saw him use his flashlight when Mick seemed a bit lost, trying to adjust his wireless box.

Honestly guys, he's Mick Jagger but it must still be mind-boggling to face these thousands of people. I was right in the front of the pit and at times I turned around and could only imagine what it must be like to be up there being the center of attention. You have to wonder what goes through Mick's mind and I certainly wouldn't fault him for getting all the help he needs.

Additionally, Mick is in his 70's! Amazing he is so active and fresh on stage. Yes, I think he runs around too much, but these shows at 02 he was more focused on his singing and didn't seem to need to arobicize so much. Great article, thanks for sharing!

Quote
Manofwealthandtaste
I got satisfaction rocking with Mick and Keith
Singing with the Rolling Stones was unforgettable, says Jane Macarthur


Check out the link for a picture of the choir, article below....

[www.independent.co.uk]

I’m shaking and sweating as I descend the stairs into backstage blackness. Somewhere a few metres behind me, Mick Jagger shouts, “Thanks to Voce Chamber Choir and the London Youth Choir!” and a few metres beyond that, some people yell their approval. Twenty thousand people. In 50 years, the Rolling Stones have never performed “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” with a live choir: we’ve just made rock ‘n’ roll history.

By we, I mean Voce, a London chamber choir with around 25 members that was founded by Suzi Digby OBE in 2003. Our last concert was at St Peter’s Eaton Square, to an audience of a few hundred classical-music lovers who clapped politely when we finished Duruflé’s Requiem. Gareth Malone, presenter of The Choir, carolled with us not long ago, and we’ve sung for Rod Stewart and Russian royalty. But the Rolling Stones? This is new.

At the start of November, we performed for Matt Clifford, the Stones’ musical director. We had to prove we were good enough for the job, that our consonants were crisp and that our sopranos could manage to hold five bars of top C . “It’s going to be loud,” he told us repeatedly. “You’re used to the acoustics of a nice church. When the O2 is full of screaming people, and Charlie’s on his drums, and you’ve got the keyboards, and the backing vocalists, and Keith, Ronnie and Mick all blasting out… There ain’t no acoustics. You’ll have your headset and it’ll help but really, nothing can prepare you. Nothing.”

Our next rehearsal was at Wembley. In the semi-darkness, the band ambled on stage. Cool as you like, in tracksuit bottoms and a collared shirt, Mick took control. Keith, Charlie and Ronnie chatted quietly, fags dangling from their lips. We began our unaccompanied intro: “I saw her today at the reception…” A minute later, the band kicked in and my tears welled up. Even in rehearsal, Mick gave everything to his performance, mirroring the suggestions of the choreographer who stood in the pit in front. Towards the back of the stage he had two items on a metal stand: a bottle of hand sanitiser and a box of tissues, covered with images of provocatively dressed women. Was the box decorated by a dedicated intern or does Kleenex make a saucy tissue holder just for Sir Mick? I wasn’t close enough to tell. It was later that afternoon we were told the Stones had never performed the song with a live choir before. Keith’s verdict? “Damn cool.”

I feel far from cool as I arrive at The O2 a week later and discover that Mick has sent us all T-shirts – tour logo on the front and a unique message on the back: “You can’t always get to sing with The Stones – but I did.” We get into our black evening wear and wait to be called.

The band finish their main set on schedule and, after a few minutes huddling in the wings, we ascend the stairs and take our places for the encore. In the pit beneath us I see a few of the Stones’ children, smiling and waiting expectantly. The stage lights go up, and then it comes, the roar, as the fans instantly recognise the famous melody. We’re probably meant to be looking demure and choral but when Ronnie blows me a kiss, I enthusiastically return it.

Meanwhile, Mick handles the crowd with practised energy, looking wonderfully nonplussed when a black bra lands at his feet. And then we’re singing again, joining with the band for the song’s glorious, climbing finale. In total, we’re onstage for around six minutes. It seems like six seconds, and I imagine I’ll be talking about it for the next six decades.

Voce’s ‘Carols by Candlelight’ is on 16 December (vocechamberchoir.org.uk)

Thanks man, very nice find... thank you for sharing... and good eye on the video Justin.


This whole concept.... from the idea... to learning/reading how it was tested... to Ronnie blowing the kiss... to the singing... to her excellent description... to Mick (or someone) making/sending the shirts... to ALL OF IT!.... IT ALL makes me smile.... Awesome... just awesome!

Cheers Manofwealthandtaste and
Triple cheers to Jane Macarthur and all of the members of the choir



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012-12-04 08:09 by Max'sKansasCity.

great story !
for a lifetime....

I would have just loved to have seen them perform this , a while ago I started a thread suggesting the Stones did this but I got a mainly negative response from most people on here which I found very strange.

When Honky tonk women I played this non stop, it was a double A side, I can remember my local chip shop having a juke box and my friend and I would go in there constantly and play it. Whenever I have seen the Stones I have always wished they would play this with the choir, and now......well wow!

I am in a very deppressed state as I did not get to see them this time due to costs, I sat on this forum both nights and watched all the activity (sad that I am) them when they did YCAGWYW with the choir I could not believe it, Brilliant!

I really really hope they play next year so I can get to see them but alas I don't suppose the choir will be there, I think I have missed my chance.

Just on a more positive note my Grandson who is 10 loves this track, whenever he gets in my car we always have to play it, he like the choir especially.

"we performed for Matt Clifford, the Stones’ musical director."

Whaaaaaat?

Quote
whitem8
Additionally, Mick is in his 70's!...

Is he?

Very nice article.
In all these years I had the wish, that they would perform this song with a choir in its original LP version. Finally after seeing them since 36 years on stage I felt deeply moved that they finally hat the guts to perform it like this.

Quote
pgarof
I would have just loved to have seen them perform this , a while ago I started a thread suggesting the Stones did this but I got a mainly negative response from most people on here which I found very strange.

When Honky tonk women I played this non stop, it was a double A side, I can remember my local chip shop having a juke box and my friend and I would go in there constantly and play it. Whenever I have seen the Stones I have always wished they would play this with the choir, and now......well wow!

I am in a very deppressed state as I did not get to see them this time due to costs, I sat on this forum both nights and watched all the activity (sad that I am) them when they did YCAGWYW with the choir I could not believe it, Brilliant!

I really really hope they play next year so I can get to see them but alas I don't suppose the choir will be there, I think I have missed my chance.

Just on a more positive note my Grandson who is 10 loves this track, whenever he gets in my car we always have to play it, he like the choir especially.

I had a look back and a lot of people thought the choir on YCAGWYW was the tackiest idea going (I won't name names).

So if somebody had said six months ago:

The stage will be shaped like a giant tongue and lips...
There will be dozens of drummers dressed as gorillas...
They'll play some sixties hits with Mick J dressed like those awful stage suits ALO bought them - with a Michael Jackson style hat...
They will have a couple of girl singers guesting on Gimme Shelter...
They'll do YCAGWYW with a real live choir...
Mick will sing Sympathy dressed in a Redlands-bust-style fur rug....

Doesn't it sound like the tackiest Vegas show ever invented?

Does anybody on the board know if a choir will be there for the NY/NJ shows?

Quote
Braincapers

Quote
whitem8
Additionally, Mick is in his 70's!...

Is he?

This is a projected outcome.