When the Rolling Stones first hit the scene back in the 60s, they were sold as the anti-Beatles – guys who wore their long hair and everyday clothes and played stripped down simple blues with an attitude. After over 54 years together as a band, they’ve weathered inner turmoil and personnel changes to pen some of the best songs of all time.
With the band’s “Exhibitionism — The Rolling Stones” exhibit now in New York City, fans can check out a recreation of what the band’s first London apartment looked and smelled like, complete with empty beer bottles, dirty dishes, and records.
But what about some other notable places from the amazing career of The Stones that you can actually visit today? Here’s a list of places where you can get some satisfaction:
One Kew Road
(Opposite the railway station, TW9 2NQ)
Richmond Upon Thames
Free Live music this evening!!! @OneKewRoad @Visit_Richmond1 #Richmond #richmondtowncentrefestival pic.twitter.com/joFEbMJoME
— Richmond BID (@RichmondBID) September 22, 2016
It was at this restaurant and bar that the Crawdaddy Club once existed in the early 60s, serving as the first residency for a new fresh-faced band called The Rolling Stones. Many other musicians used to hang out at the club as well, notably the Beatles, who had come by to see The Stones perform in 1963. After The Stones made it big, the Yardbirds took over the residency, featuring a shy but talented guitarist named Eric Clapton.
Regent Sounds (formerly Regent Sounds Studio)
(4, Denmark Street)
London
When it was known as Regent Sounds Studio, The Stones recorded their first album here, titled – interestingly enough – The Rolling Stones. This paved the way for the studio to get quite popular, as artists like Elton John, Black Sabbath, and Jimi Hendrix also cut tracks here. Today, the ground floor is a guitar store called Regent Studios, while the downstairs has been converted into a bar/club.
Blues Heaven Foundation
(2120 S. Michigan Avenue)
Chicago
The original home of Chess Records, the Stones recorded an instrumental called “2120 South Michigan Avenue” while touring the US back in 1964 at this very location. Now housing a foundation dedicated to preserving the blues, helping musicians, and educating them on the music business, you can still get a tour of the facilities for a small fee.
Cotchford Farm
(Cotchford Lane, Hartfield TN7 4DN)
East Sussex
A bit of a morbid stop, but it was here in 1969 where band co-founder Brian Jones mysteriously drowned in his swimming pool. The home is also famous for another reason: it was the home of, and inspiration for, the writer behind the Winnie the Pooh stories — AA Milne! While the house was on sale earlier this year, it’s unclear who the current owner is and as it is a private residence, so you may not be able to see the inside.
Muscle Shoals Sound Studio
(3614 Jackson Highway, Sheffield)
Alabama
The Stones hit the famous Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, Alabama, in 1969 in between touring to record a few tracks. The results were legendary. They came out with hits like “Brown Sugar” and “Wild Horses.” The studio has currently shifted to a new location but the original space is run by the Muscle Shoals Music Foundation, which plans to turn the space into a music museum in the near future.
El Mocambo
(464 Spadina Avenue)
Toronto
A photo posted by The Rolling Stones (@cousin_cocaine) on
Facing drug charges in Canada didn’t prevent the Stones from performing two shows in Toronto in ’77. They also squeezed in an unplanned live recording at the El Mocambo club, cheekily billing themselves as “The Cockroaches.” A scandal ensued as one those partying with The Stones that night happened to be the prime minister’s wife, Margaret Trudeau, whose marriage was on the rocks. While you might not know much about good ol’ Margaret you might know her son — Justin Trudeau, Canada’s current prime minister!
The Beacon Theatre
2124 Broadway
New York City
If you ever in the Big Apple, try to catch a show at the classic Beacon Theatre, where the Stones played two shows (on 29 October and 1 November 2006) here that were filmed by Martin Scorsese for a documentary titled Shine a Light (released in 2008). The film and the accompanying soundtrack album were quite well received by critics. On a sadder side note, legendary 83-year-old music exec Ahmet Ertegun, responsible for nurturing talents like Ray Charles, took a fatal fall backstage at the same show.
[perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Are you a Stones fan? Have you visited any cool places from the band’s career? Put those “Sticky Fingers” to work and tell us about it in the comments below![/perfectpullquote]
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