Weekly Homework Assignment

It's time once again for Mama Kat's weekly homework assignment! This week, I chose the following prompt: Describe a happy reunion. This one has nothing to do with me ... directly.

I became a Rolling Stones fan in the mid 1980's ... right around the time they released their Dirty Work album. Shortly after this album, the band broke up, and it seemed as if they might not ever get back together. Mick was more interested in his solo career. Keith was so pissed that Mick would leave "The World's Greatest Rock and Roll Band," that he vowed never to talk to Mick again.

I remember sometime my freshman year of high school wishing that I was born earlier, so I could experience a Stones concert ... something that was probably never going to happen again. Oh well, at least I had their music, right?

However, things began to happen around 1988. Mick's second solo album, Primitive Cool, was a flop. The Stones were being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and they actually all agreed to be on stage together. During the ceremony, Mick and Keith actually hit it off again, and ... well, they decided it was time to get the band together, make another album, and put on a monstrous world tour (probably all for me I'm guessing).

The tour was Steel Wheels ... I remember hearing that tickets for the concert in Philly were going on sale the week I was on vacation with my parents in Myrtle Beach. I was pissed and sad! There was no way I'd ever get to see them live again, because obviously, this would be their last world tour (I've seen them 7 more times since, by the way).

As luck would have it, my good friend Johnnay slept out for tickets (remember when we had to do that?), and was able to get me one. It was an historical moment for me .... that summer I got to see the Who AND the Stones! I remember being in line at Veteran's Stadium for the concert (The Stones opened in Philly because their original venue, JFK Stadium was condemned after a Grateful Dead show ... weird) and getting a picture taken by a photographer from Life Magazine ... sadly, the picture never made it to the mag, but that's OK, it was a fantastic show!

I remember the opening band, Living Color - a pretty popular band at the time (it makes sense that they opened, because Mick produced their first album). They were great, but they couldn't hold a candle to the Stones. Mick, Keith, Charlie, Ron, and Bill rocked out - I remember hearing the intro "musical" part of the song Continental Drift ... it kept getting louder and louder, until a loud "Boom!" And, that's when the Stones hit the stage with "Start Me Up!" The rest of the concert is a blur to me, but man did I have a great time!