May 6, 1965: Rolling Stones play Clearwater, write "Satisfaction" riff
A Rolling Stones appearance in Clearwater has become legendary in the annals of rock and roll. The band shared the bill with several local bands in a show at Jack Russell Stadium sponsored by the city's recreation department. The Stones' set was halted after a group of "screaming teenagers" staged a near-riot by climbing out of the bleachers and trying to rush the stage. The five band members jumped into a white station wagon and were quickly driven away, chased by "scores of shouting, waving young people," the St. Petersburg Times reported. Although the "lunatic fringe" comprised a minority of the estimated 3,000 to 4,000 fans, they drove the recreation director to declare, "This is it! There will never be another show like this as long as I am here."
But that's not the legendary part. Later that night in his room at the Jack Tar Harrison Hotel, Keith Richards woke up with a guitar riff playing in his head. He turned on his tape recorder and played the riff until he fell asleep. The next morning, he played the tape containing the sounds of the riff, followed by snoring. It became the opening riff to "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction." Some versions of this story say that Richards and Mick Jagger wrote the song at the hotel the next day. They took the song into the Chess studio in Chicago three days later and finished it on May 12 in Los Angeles. It was released in June. Forty years later, Rolling Stone magazine named it #2 on its list of 500 all-time greatest rock songs. The riff is instantly recognizable and "Satisfaction" remains the band's signature song.
But that's not the legendary part. Later that night in his room at the Jack Tar Harrison Hotel, Keith Richards woke up with a guitar riff playing in his head. He turned on his tape recorder and played the riff until he fell asleep. The next morning, he played the tape containing the sounds of the riff, followed by snoring. It became the opening riff to "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction." Some versions of this story say that Richards and Mick Jagger wrote the song at the hotel the next day. They took the song into the Chess studio in Chicago three days later and finished it on May 12 in Los Angeles. It was released in June. Forty years later, Rolling Stone magazine named it #2 on its list of 500 all-time greatest rock songs. The riff is instantly recognizable and "Satisfaction" remains the band's signature song.
Then in 2013, a collection of 23 photos from the Stones' trip through Savannah, Ga. and Clearwater turned up at Southern California flea market. The photos, reposted across the web, showed the five band members relaxing around swimming pools at hotels in the two cities. The photographer remains unknown, but the "Lost Rolling Stones" photo collection got the full-fledged art gallery treatment, complete with a premiere attended by Hollywood hipsters.
Read history.com's entry: "Satisfaction" comes to Keith Richards • Read more in the St. Petersburg Times: Near-Riot Halts The Rolling Stones • See photos of Hollywood hipsters attending an exhibit of the lost Rolling Stones photos
Read history.com's entry: "Satisfaction" comes to Keith Richards • Read more in the St. Petersburg Times: Near-Riot Halts The Rolling Stones • See photos of Hollywood hipsters attending an exhibit of the lost Rolling Stones photos