Facts About The Rolling Stones

This is the 50th Anniversary of the Rolling Stones!  In honor of their 50th anniversary, here are 50 facts about the Stones.  Many of them are indeed strange but true!

1. Founded by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards in 1962, The Rolling Stones are the longest continuously performing band in the history of Rock n Roll
2. Mick Jagger was actually schooled at the London School of Economics.
3. Early on Jagger and Richards used the the pseudonym  "Nanker Phelge in songwriting.
4. The Stones signed with Decca Records in 1963 and within 6 months of their first release, they were big time.
5. In 1964, the Stones' Brian Jones wrote a jingle for, and the band appeared in a commercial for Kellogg's Rice Krispies, in England.
6. The Stones first toured the USA in 1964. Their first USA hit was "That Girl Belongs to Yesterday."
7. The Beatles and The Rolling Stones were actually good friends, although for marketing purposes, the Stones were portrayed as the "bad boys" and the "anti-Beatles"
8. The Stones first worldwide number one hit was in 1965, "Satisfaction."
9. The Stones started out playing exclusively American Blues cover songs, as they were big fans of the genre.  Their name comes from a Muddy Waters song.
10. Original Stones guitarist Brian Jones worked at Whitely's Dept Store in London but was fired for stealing.
11.  Although Jagger and Richards did a lot of drugs, and drugs ultimately killed Brian Jones, Bass player Bill Wyman and Drummer Charlie Watts did not like drugs and for the most part steered clear of them.
12. In 1969, at a free concert to promote the album "Let It Bleed" a fan, Meredith Hunter,  was stabbed to death by a Hell's Angel at Altamont Speedway, California as the band was playing "Under My Thumb."
13. Another fan died during the Alamont show by falling into and drowning in an irrigation ditch. That victim is not identified.
14. The cake featured on the cover of the Stones album "Let It Bleed" was baked by famed television chef Della Smith
15. As a child, Keith Richards dressed in cowboy outfits, complete with holsters and said he wanted to be like Roy Rogers, and play guitar.
16. Guitarist Brian Jones fathered 2 illegitimate children by he time was was 16 years old.
17. Brian Jones, who many attributed to introducing the band to American Blues, left the Stones in 1969 and a few weeks later was found dead in his swimming pool.  The coroner listed the cause of death to "death by misadventure."
18. The Stones' answer to The Beatles "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" was "Their Satanic Majesties Request."  It was the last album on which Brian Jones would play.
19. At the Beatles premier part for "A Hard Days Night," Brian Jones, Keith Richards and Charlie Watts were not invited, but crashed the party anyway!
20. Jagger made his acting debut in 1970, playing the lead in a film titled, Ned Kelly.  He played an outlaw.
21. Keith Richards named his child after actor Marlon Brando
22. The Stones are the highest earning band in Rock history, with the concerts grossing between 750 million and 1 billion dollars over the years.
23. Bill Wyman owns a restaurant in London, named "Sticky Fingers"
24. The Stones song "Midnight Rambler" is actually based on Albert DeSalvo, AKA The Boston Strangler.
25. Mick Jagger's middle name is Philip
26. The Rolling Stones have sold more than 200 million albums worldwide.
27. During a 1965 tour, Wyman coined the phrase "groupie."
28. The "Sticky Fingers" album cover was designed by Andy Warhol
29. The producers of the 1971 film "Clockwork Orange" initially wanted the lead role to be played by Jagger, but later decided upon Malcolm McDowell.
30. The Stones formed their own label, Rolling Stones Records, in 1971, becoming one of the first groups to form their own record label.
31. In 1975, when guitarist Mick Taylor left The Stones, one of the possible replacements named was Peter Frampton, although the Stones eventually went with Wood.
32. The 2002, Texas billionaire David Bonderman hired The Rolling Stones for his 60th birthday party, for 7 million dollars.
33. Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page plays guitar on the Stones hit "One Hit To The Body."
34. The famous "tongue" logo was designed by  John Pasche, and inspired by the Hindu Goddess, Kali The Destroyer
35. Guitarist Mick Taylor replaced Brian Jones in The Stones.  Later, he was replaced by Ron Wood.
36. Former bassist Bill Wyman's hobby is metal detecting....
37. On the 1967 Stones song, "We Love You," Beatles Paul McCartney and John Lennon sang back up.
38. Four different films directed by famed director Martin Scorsese used the Stones song "Gimme Shelter.
39.   Mick Jagger was knigted in 2002.  Richards thought it was hypocritical
40. Upon Bassist Bill Wyman's "retirement," he was replaced by bass player Darryl Jones, a one time bar band veteran in Carbondale, Illinois, the home of Southern Illinois University.  Jones has played with the Stones since 1994 although he is NOT listed as an official band member.
41. Originally, The Stones album "Exile On Main Street" had the working title of "Tropical Disease."
42. The Stones drummer for their first show, Mich Avory, went on to be the drummer for The Kinks.
43. Mick Jagger and Keith Richards are also known as the "Glimmer Twins"
44. After a drug bust in Toronto, Keith Richards said, "Drugs were never a problem. Policemen, were a problem."
45. "Get Yer Ya Ya's Out" is the only Stones Album cover featuring drummer Charlie Watts.
46. Almost all Stones songwriting cresits are Jagger/Richards.  This does not sit well with Watts and Wyman
47. One of Creedence Clearwater Revival's biggest hits, "Suzie Q," was actually a cover of a Rolling Stones song. 
48. Mick Jagger has fathered SEVEN children, four with longtime girlfriend Jerry Hall.
49. For the opening leg of the Rolling Stones "Steel Wheels" tour, the opening band was Guns n Roses.
50. In 1989, The Rolling Stones were inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame.