5 Rough Roads

CHAPTER 5 Rough Roads After "Satisfaction" dominated the music charts in the summer of 1965, the Rolling Stones became a huge success. Their schedule was packed with tours, television appearances, and recording sessions. Ed Sullivan even broke his promise and invited the Stones back to perform on his show. They had no time to rest.

By July of that year, the Rolling Stones had sold about ten million singles and about five million albums. They were rich! They spent money on fancy cars, fancy clothes, and fancy houses. They had become rock stars. The Stones loved driving their fans wild, just like they had back at the Crawdaddy Club. But sometimes the audiences weren't just dancing to the music. They were out of control. Inside the theaters, fans threw things at the band, ripped up seats, and tried to grab them onstage. Outside, fans became violent, overturning cars and smashing windows. After many Stones shows, people often had to be rushed to the hospital. Their concerts were becoming unsafe.

The band members lived a dangerous life when they weren't performing, too. They held wild parties. They destroyed hotel rooms. Most of them drank alcohol and took drugs. In the fall of 1966, the Stones wanted a break from their year of nonstop work. They wanted to focus on writing new music. Keith had bought a lot of records during their trips to the United States, and he finally took time to listen to them. The band came into the recording studio with

the beginnings of ideas. Then they experimented with rhythm, lyrics, and instruments. They worked without a plan. Andrew Oldham, who had been the Stones manager since the days of the Crawdaddy Club, didn't like the band's new direction. He didn't think they were focused enough. So he decided to stop managing the band. And then drugs became a big problem for Keith and Mick. In February 1967, police searched Keith's house and found illegal drugs

there. Both Keith and Mick were arrested. Newspapers reported the news. Keith and Mick even spent a short time in jail. Their arrests didn't change the opinions of their fans, though. They still loved the Rolling Stones because the band sang about subjects that teenagers could relate to. They sang about being angry and frustrated. They sang about how hard it was to make choices. The Stones' songs dealt with problems that adults didn't like to discuss.

The 1960s and a Nation Ready for Change The 1950s was a prosperous time for many Americans. People had jobs and were earning enough money to buy houses, cars, and television sets. But many people, including minorities, poor people, and women, hadn't shared in the successes of the 1950s. During the 1960s, things began to change. President John F. Kennedy promised to help black Americans. Civil