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| Joey |
" Omaha , NE visit in 1964 wasn't fun for Stones
BY RICK GALUSHA "
" The writer, of Omaha, is president of Homer's Music Stores. "
" Forty-one years ago, Omaha earned a dubious place in rock music history. In his column on the May 17 More Commentary page, Bob Herbert of the New York Times recently reminded the world of Omaha's crimson letter.
As Rolling Stones leader Mick Jagger commented while the band was inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame, "Here we are on our best behavior being rewarded for 30 years of bad behavior."
Part of that bad behavior, as it turns out, occurred in Omaha on June 13, 1964.
Herbert's column quoted Keith Richards' account: "We were just sitting around drinking whiskey and Coke out of little cups before we went on, and the cops walked in and said, 'What's in that cup?'
"Richards replied, 'Whiskey, sir.' A cop said, 'You can't drink that here; it's a public place. Throw it down the drain.' Richards said, 'No.' When he looked up, Richards recalled, a loaded pistol was pointed at his head."
As a fan of the band, I recall seeing them in October 1994 in Ames, Iowa. Jagger began to thank fans from the area, including Bellevue, Fremont and Council Bluffs. Clearly, he had not forgotten what happened in Omaha 30 years earlier.
The Rolling Stones came together about two years prior to their concert in Omaha. By the time the Stones arrived in America, Beatlemania already had swept the country.
Frequently, the Stones did not receive the reception they had come to expect in their native England. As former Stones bassist Bill Wyman said, "All we had was British accents" and no hit records.
According to Philip Norman's book, "Symphony for the Devil," Sonny Bono, before Sonny and Cher, was their West Coast promotion man on that first tour, which the Stones later wrote a song about. On June 10 and 11, the band flew to Chicago to record four songs at the legendary Chess Records recording studio. There they met Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon and Buddy Guy.
Depending on which Stones member is speaking, Muddy Waters, Chess Records' biggest star, either helped carry in the band's equipment or was painting the studio ceiling when the band arrived. Considering Waters' disposition and star status, both stories are likely inaccurate.
After recording four songs in Chicago at the legendary Chess Records studio, where they met Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon and Buddy Guy, the band wound around to Omaha. In his autobiography, "Stone Alone," Wyman wrote, "A crowd of about 200 fans greeted us, and police escorted us to the press conference."
Richards said, "We really felt like a sore pimple in Omaha. We did a local TV show before our concert at the Music Hall in the City Auditorium."
Omahan Jim Thibodeaux was their driver during their 1964 stay in Omaha. He told me the band was drinking and belligerent - so much so that he pulled over at the then-Omaha University and threatened to leave them if they didn't behave.
Wyman's 69-year-old memory is foggy on the Omaha show. His autobiography indicates that 1,500 fans showed up. But in his 2002 book, "Rolling With the Stones," where the notorious Omaha show is highlighted, he says, "Omaha was not ready for the Stones - just 650 people turned up at a gig that could accommodate 15,000, and the press was scathing."
Then-World-Herald columnist Robert McMorris wrote, "They clumped with stony-eyed nonchalance down the ramp of a Braniff plane that had carried them. . . .
"The scraggly-haired performers, surrounded by a cordon of Omaha police, waded stoically through squeals of welcome emanating from some 200 youthful greeters. Fans stormed the police barricade to run a hand in unkempt hair or to touch a cheek. Said one girl, 'They're so ugly, they're cute.'"
Wyman went on to quote a second World-Herald writer, Denman Kountze Jr., who wrote: "These characters wear their hair long and uncombed; their clothes are dirty, and they appear to be strangers to a bathtub."
After the show, the band's troubles got worse. The Stones had recorded an appearance on the "Dean Martin Show" that, according to some sources, aired the evening of the Omaha show. Wyman says "Dean Martin, who appeared to be drunk throughout the show, persistently tried to get cheap laughs at our expense."
Martin told his viewing audience, Their hair isn't long, it's just smaller foreheads and higher eyebrows." Martin also cut one of the band's performances to only 45 seconds. There was also a tumbling act on the show giving Martin fodder for the joke that "the tumbler was the father of the Rolling Stones and he'd been trying to kill himself ever since."
The final straw came after the show. According to a former Homer's employee, her mother, a teenager at the time, and friends met up with the band and went back to their hotel: In the early '60s, bands would customarily rent a suite for a "meet-and-greet" with their fans.
The boyfriend - and eventual husband and father - and his friends took offense, and fisticuffs reportedly broke out.
Author Victor Bockris quoted Richards in 1992, "We noticed a distinct lack of crumpet, as we put it in those days. In New York or L.A., you can always find (a date). But when you're in Omaha in 1964 and you're suddenly (lonely), you might as well forget it."
In 1984, Stones biographer Philip Norman quoted Richards as saying, "I've never been hated by so many people I've never met as in Nebraska in the mid-'60s. Everyone looked at you with a look that could kill. You could tell they just wanted to beat the (dickens) out of you."
The Rolling Stones soon will announce the second leg of their current American tour. Hope springs eternal that Omaha will be included for a January-February 2006 date.
It would be poetic if, on the 40th anniversary of the last time they played Nebraska (July 15, 1966), they would return on what some predict, once again, to be their final American tour.
But, as one of their old songs goes, "It may be the last time, I don't know."
http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=609&u_sid=1419899
Developing .........................................
Shiver ..................................
J. |
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| Joey |
< ------- Thanks Joey
You're Welcome little fella |
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| voodoopug |
quote:
Joey wrote:
< ------- Thanks Joey
You're Welcome little fella
thanks joey, a great article, with fine local flavor...you are truly going to be an assett to "The New Rocks Off"
your reward:
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| Joey |
quote:
voodoopug wrote:
thanks joey, a great article, with fine local flavor...you are truly going to be an assett to "The New Rocks Off"
your reward:
Pugster ....................................
You are much loved by The Joey .
Enjoy :
Your pal ,
The Joey ! 
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| voodoopug |
once proud joey no longer humble! |
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| glencar |
This all gives me a creeping sense of deja vu... |
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| Joey |
quote:
glencar wrote:
This all gives me a creeping sense of deja vu...
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| glencar |
She's got that "just been fucking all night & got out of bed" look. She's hired! |
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| Joey |
quote:
glencar wrote:
She's got that "just been fucking all night & got out of bed" look. She's hired!
W- W- W- What ?!?!
 !!!!!!!!!!
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| glencar |
That's from that ad! |
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| Joey |
quote:
glencar wrote:
That's from that ad!
{{{{{{{{ You Make Joey say , ..... huh ?!?! }}}}}}}}
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| glencar |
The ad that people want to ban. It's too salacious, some are saying. |
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| Joey |
quote:
glencar wrote:
The ad that people want to ban. It's too salacious, some are saying.
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| glencar |
rowr... |
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| Joey |
quote:
glencar wrote:
rowr...
Amen My Stonesian Brother ....... Paris is VERY sexual .
W- W- W- W- What ?!?! .....oh , sure ! :
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[ Edited by Baby Steel Magnolia ]
[Edited by Joey] |
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| FPM C10 |
Paris is a skanky publicity-whore, famous for being famous, and a symptom of the deep sickness of America.
And any discussion of the hoopla over the stupid hamburger ad could lead to unpleasant political arguments, so Assistant Vice Principal Pug and I will have to ask you two to step away from the thread and put your hands up.
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| voodoopug |
quote:
FPM C10 wrote:
Paris is a skanky publicity-whore, famous for being famous, and a symptom of the deep sickness of America.
And any discussion of the hoopla over the stupid hamburger ad could lead to unpleasant political arguments, so Assistant Vice Principal Pug and I will have to ask you two to step away from the thread and put your hands up.
FPM Gets it...the New and Improved Rocks Off will be a stop for Stones information, not what some perceive as mindless politcal banter. |
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| Joey |
" Paris is a skanky publicity-whore, famous for being famous, and a symptom of the deep sickness of America."
Paris Hilton is a National Icon and really is the History of this great country --- with all of it's turmoil , bombast , emotion , trends , contradictions and passions . When Paris succeeds , it is America that succeeds .... and when Paris fails , it is America that fails .
" Stones Rule You Friggin Bastards ! "
JJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJACKY ! ™
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| Lil Brian |
quote:
In his column on the May 17 More Commentary page, Bob Herbert of the New York Times recently reminded the world of Omaha's crimson letter.
Developing .........................................
Shiver ..................................
What the hell is a 'crimson letter'? It can't be good.  |
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| Joey |
quote:
Lil Brian wrote:
What the hell is a 'crimson letter'? It can't be good.
It's a reference to that BOOK !!!! |
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| Lil Brian |
quote:
" The writer, of Omaha, is president of Homer's Music Stores. "
Galusha contines a fine tradition of good record stores in Nebraska. That list would also have to include the original Dirt Cheap Records and Tapes. What a great store. I can't wait for the reunion this summer too! I heard they saved everything.
"I'd like one of those LET IT BLEED posters and a couple of those EXILE ON MAIN ST standup thingys. I'd also like a STICKY FINGERS a..." |
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| Joey |
" Dirt Cheap Records and Tapes. What a great store. I can't wait for the reunion this summer too! I heard they saved everything. "
Amen My Stonesian Brother ......
Amen !!!!!!
J. Fly !
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| Lil Brian |
quote:
Wyman: - "just 650 people turned up at a gig that could accommodate 15,000, and the press was scathing."
That doesn't sound right. The '64 show was in the Music Hall wasn't it? Their capacity wouldn't be anywhere near 15,000. Maybe 2,000. It's very small. He must be remembering 1966.
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| Joey |
quote:
Lil Brian wrote:
That doesn't sound right. The '64 show was in the Music Hall wasn't it? Their capacity wouldn't be anywhere near 15,000. Maybe 2,000. It's very small. He must be remembering 1966.
Yes , the old Music Hall only holds 2,000 humans . |
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| Mr Jimmy |
quote:
Joey wrote:
Author Victor Bockris quoted Richards in 1992, "We noticed a distinct lack of crumpet, as we put it in those days. In New York or L.A., you can always find (a date). But when you're in Omaha in 1964 and you're suddenly (lonely), you might as well forget it."
Joey... What would be your assessment of the 2005 Nebraskan crumpet situation? |
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| Joey |
quote:
Mr Jimmy wrote:
Joey... What would be your assessment of the 2005 Nebraskan crumpet situation?
THIS !!!!!
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| Mr Jimmy |
I like my crumpets well cooked... as in brunnette. |
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| Lil Brian |
quote:
" Dirt Cheap Records and Tapes. What a great store.
I nearly failed to recognize the neighboring Dirt Cheap Head Shop. |
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| Joey |
quote:
Mr Jimmy wrote:
I like my crumpets well cooked... as in brunnette.
W- W- W- What ?!?!
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| glencar |
Joey, I just heard that an Omaha show is increasingly likely! |
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