Tour Of The Americas

The Rolling Stones launch in Baton Rouge

- Randy Savoie

It’s the night before the Rolling Stones launch the biggest rock event of 1975— the Tour of the Americas ’75 at LSU in Baton Rouge—and Keith Richards goes down to Rock ’n’ Bowl back when it was upstairs on Carrollton to meet a friend. He’s expecting to get in for free but the woman at the front door is not obliging.

I’m not letting you in for free. It’s five dollars.

I’m Keith Richards!

Alright, will you let me in free to your show tomorrow night in Baton Rouge?

Richards pulls out his wallet and hands over the five bucks.

A few hours later, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards are warming up onstage at LSU Assembly Center—the first of 58 days on the road.

It’s the honky tonk women, yeah

And give me, give me, give me  the honky tonk blues (my my)

It’s the honky tonk women, yeah And give me, give me, give me the honky tonk blues

National media is in town, including Geraldo Rivera with his show Good Night America. Rivera is doing a stand-up report on the arena floor as the Stones practice. Afterwards, Jagger sits down for an interview with Geraldo and plays Cosell to Jagger’s Ali.

Jagger: “I’d just like to say Geraldo has makeup on his eyes and I haven’t [giggles]. He has gloss on his lips. I don’t have any gloss on my lips [laughter].”

Rivera: “Jagger lies—he’s rude.” Ha ha ha ha.

Geraldo asks Mick if he sees himself still doing this 10 years from now and Jagger says he can’t see that far ahead—3 years, maybe 5 years or maybe he’ll consult a fortune teller. He says he has no desire to be one of those fossilized lounge singers doing it just to get paid.