Cover Story: Mick Jagger

I remember reading that you and Keith both liked "Jazz on a Summer's Day," which was filmed at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1958.
That was a big movie. That was the seminal movie for a lot of people, including filmmakers. We had a little chat about Jazz on a Summer's Day with Marty [Scorsese].
The thing about Jazz on a Summer's Day, it's very much one night. And it's got this very mellow feel, and you get these shots of the audience dancing, romantic and slightly tipsy. I think it's the first time I ever saw Chuck Berry perform. So I saw it several times just for that. It's so weird because he's kind of put down by the other musicians in the movie. Because he's not jazz, which is something we experienced a lot when we were starting out, being put down by jazz musicians.

What struck you about his actual performance?
I remember talking with Keith — I was amazed how big his hands were. You know, I was looking at my hands on the guitar, and, Jesus, it's so easy for him. I'm stretching, and he doesn't even bother. I was amazed at his fluidity.

I'll read another quote from you. . . .
God, you've been digging around. Get off of fucking Google [laughs].

You said at some point in the Sixties, "We're not comedians, we're not going to make Beatles movies." What did you think about the Beatles' movies — "A Hard Day's Night," "Help!"?
I just couldn't see the Rolling Stones doing anything like that. It did seem a bit too zany for my taste in movies. John was such a kind of serious person in a lot of ways. It was a little bit over the top, all the cuts and plots in the thing.

The Stones have made so many movies. Are you able to watch "Gimme Shelter," for instance?
I don't listen to anything, I never listen to any of [the Rolling Stones'] records, and I never watch any of their movies. Let's get it out of the way. You know, I don't go home at night and put on Gimme Shelter, believe it.

Any chance you'll finally release "Cocksucker Blues"?
Yeah, I wouldn't mind releasing it. It's fine.

How do you see the film now?
That's a good movie. It didn't come out — but that's a classic. I wanted to make one kind of movie, but the director fucks you over because he doesn't want to do the movie he's agreed to make. I said, "You could make this dark movie, but you got to have these other up moments because being on tour is all about going onstage, you know?"
What you have for breakfast is fascinating, and what drugs you're taking and what birds you're shagging, that's all very lovely. But then for you, the going out onstage is the important part, and you have to include that. And [Robert Frank] wouldn't include it. So I got really mad at him, as we fired him. That's the problem you can get into with hiring directors.

[From Issue 1050 — April 17, 2008]

Click here for Jack White's conversation with Keith Richards and here for Peter Travers' interview with Martin Scorsese.