1 00:00:00,720 --> 00:00:16,440 Speaker 1: Disgraceland as a production of Double Elvis. In the nineteen seventies, 2 00:00:16,760 --> 00:00:21,120 Speaker 1: The Rolling Stones were a mess that were busted countless 3 00:00:21,160 --> 00:00:27,280 Speaker 1: times for heroin, marijuana, a legal possession of guns. Keith 4 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:31,760 Speaker 1: Richards in particular, was a special kind of indestructible mess. 5 00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:35,080 Speaker 1: He drove his Bentley off the road too many times 6 00:00:35,080 --> 00:00:39,280 Speaker 1: to count while smoking heroin and cocaine. He'd lit multiple 7 00:00:39,280 --> 00:00:43,080 Speaker 1: homes on fire, including the Playboy Mansion, and he may 8 00:00:43,159 --> 00:00:45,080 Speaker 1: or may not have had something to do with stealing 9 00:00:45,120 --> 00:00:49,560 Speaker 1: the dead body of his friend and fellow musician, Graham Parsons. 10 00:00:49,880 --> 00:00:53,520 Speaker 1: But Keith Richards and his band, The Very Dangerous Rolling 11 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:58,480 Speaker 1: Stones made great music, especially in the seventies. That music 12 00:00:58,560 --> 00:01:00,160 Speaker 1: you were hearing at the top of the show, though, 13 00:01:00,560 --> 00:01:03,640 Speaker 1: that wasn't great music. That was a preset loop for 14 00:01:03,760 --> 00:01:10,160 Speaker 1: my melotron called Fox Trot Swinging Saxes MK Two. I 15 00:01:10,240 --> 00:01:13,039 Speaker 1: played you that loop because I can't afford the license 16 00:01:13,160 --> 00:01:16,440 Speaker 1: for New Kid in Town by the Eagles. And why 17 00:01:16,480 --> 00:01:19,000 Speaker 1: would I play you that awful piece of Johnny cum 18 00:01:19,080 --> 00:01:21,280 Speaker 1: Lately Peaceful Easy Cheese? 19 00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:22,160 Speaker 2: Could I afford it? 20 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:25,920 Speaker 3: Because that was the number one song in America On 21 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:30,399 Speaker 3: February twenty seventh, nineteen seventy seven, and that was the 22 00:01:30,440 --> 00:01:33,880 Speaker 3: day that Keith Richards was busted for heroin trafficking. Just 23 00:01:34,080 --> 00:01:37,559 Speaker 3: days before, members of his group, the most Dangerous band 24 00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:40,760 Speaker 3: on the planet, The Rolling Stones, would sleep with the 25 00:01:40,800 --> 00:01:43,240 Speaker 3: First Lady of Canada and set. 26 00:01:42,959 --> 00:01:44,960 Speaker 2: Off an international incident. 27 00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:50,920 Speaker 3: On this episode, Fox Trot swinging saxes, The Rolling Stones, 28 00:01:51,400 --> 00:01:53,480 Speaker 3: lots of sex, even more. 29 00:01:53,400 --> 00:01:55,600 Speaker 2: Drugs in Great rock and Roll. 30 00:01:56,320 --> 00:01:57,720 Speaker 3: I'm Jake Brennan and. 31 00:01:57,840 --> 00:01:59,960 Speaker 2: This is this Graceland. 32 00:02:20,680 --> 00:02:23,560 Speaker 3: The Rolling Stones, it should be noted for the purpose 33 00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:26,840 Speaker 3: of this podcast, are probably my favorite band of all time. 34 00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:29,840 Speaker 3: It's a toss up between them and the Bad Brains 35 00:02:30,080 --> 00:02:32,919 Speaker 3: and depends on my mood and how organized my record 36 00:02:32,960 --> 00:02:36,280 Speaker 3: collection is. When you ask me, but to me, the 37 00:02:36,360 --> 00:02:39,839 Speaker 3: Rolling Stones and body everything good and bad about rock 38 00:02:39,880 --> 00:02:42,880 Speaker 3: and roll. And by bad, I mean even when they 39 00:02:42,919 --> 00:02:47,160 Speaker 3: were bad, they were good. Let me rephrase that, even 40 00:02:47,160 --> 00:02:50,920 Speaker 3: when things were bad, they were fucking great, especially in 41 00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:55,840 Speaker 3: the seventies. Don't believe me, Okay, when they're founding member 42 00:02:56,000 --> 00:02:58,600 Speaker 3: Brian Jones got fucked up and drowned in a pool. 43 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:02,600 Speaker 3: A kid from John Mayo Blues Breakers, Mick Taylor overfilled 44 00:03:02,639 --> 00:03:05,680 Speaker 3: Brian's big shoes to help the Stones make their most 45 00:03:05,680 --> 00:03:10,079 Speaker 3: creatively consistent run of records, Let It Bleed, Sticky Fingers, 46 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:13,680 Speaker 3: and Exile on Main Street. When the band missed out 47 00:03:13,720 --> 00:03:15,600 Speaker 3: on playing in front of half a million people at 48 00:03:15,680 --> 00:03:19,320 Speaker 3: Woodstock because their singer, Mick Jagger was off in Australia 49 00:03:19,639 --> 00:03:22,560 Speaker 3: making a western nobody would ever see called ned Kelly, 50 00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:27,040 Speaker 3: the Stones created their own Woodstock up in northern California, 51 00:03:27,120 --> 00:03:30,120 Speaker 3: a free concert for their own fans at a speedway 52 00:03:30,440 --> 00:03:35,520 Speaker 3: called Altamont. Less universal, flower power and more Stones Centric. 53 00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:39,840 Speaker 3: When things went sideways at Altamont because the Hell's Angels, 54 00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:42,960 Speaker 3: the biker gang the band hired to run security, killed 55 00:03:42,960 --> 00:03:45,960 Speaker 3: a dude in the audience, the Stones found themselves at 56 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:50,280 Speaker 3: the center of a generation punctuating moment. The seventies were 57 00:03:50,280 --> 00:03:53,000 Speaker 3: about to begin, and the Stones got credit for putting 58 00:03:53,040 --> 00:03:56,240 Speaker 3: a dagger into the heart of the Flower children. Rock 59 00:03:56,280 --> 00:03:58,680 Speaker 3: and roll was meant to be dangerous, and the Stones 60 00:03:58,680 --> 00:04:02,240 Speaker 3: were now the most dangerous and on the planet. They 61 00:04:02,280 --> 00:04:04,880 Speaker 3: then hit the road with a circus of sex, drugs, 62 00:04:04,880 --> 00:04:08,120 Speaker 3: and rock and roll, a true traveling outlaw road show, 63 00:04:08,480 --> 00:04:12,600 Speaker 3: scared the shit out of Middle America cops, parents, Holy Rollers, 64 00:04:12,800 --> 00:04:16,200 Speaker 3: and left almost as many casualties as they claimed in converts. 65 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:20,159 Speaker 3: They sold countless records and sold out stadiums, and in 66 00:04:20,200 --> 00:04:23,719 Speaker 3: the process led the music industry into a new era 67 00:04:23,880 --> 00:04:27,760 Speaker 3: of bank making concert touring. And all of this it 68 00:04:27,839 --> 00:04:33,440 Speaker 3: happened before nineteen seventy four. Given what the Rolling Stones 69 00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:38,320 Speaker 3: have become a cultural institution, Dad rock that ban, Martin 70 00:04:38,360 --> 00:04:42,480 Speaker 3: Scorsese makes videos for an expensive night out with the wife, 71 00:04:43,000 --> 00:04:46,239 Speaker 3: one where your Instagram posts from their concert will engender 72 00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:50,560 Speaker 3: both envy and snark from your friends. Given all of this, 73 00:04:51,160 --> 00:04:54,520 Speaker 3: it's hard to imagine or remember if you were there, 74 00:04:54,560 --> 00:04:58,560 Speaker 3: just how dangerous the Stones actually were in the seventies. 75 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:03,600 Speaker 3: In nineteen seventy the band owed their record label Decca 76 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:06,760 Speaker 3: one more single, which they did not want to deliver. 77 00:05:07,400 --> 00:05:10,640 Speaker 3: The relationship had long since soured and the Stones were 78 00:05:10,720 --> 00:05:14,880 Speaker 3: eager to move on, but contracts being what they are, 79 00:05:15,279 --> 00:05:18,040 Speaker 3: the band had to give the label something. So they 80 00:05:18,080 --> 00:05:21,679 Speaker 3: went into the studio and recorded a simple mid temple blues, 81 00:05:22,040 --> 00:05:26,080 Speaker 3: but with lyrics referencing anal and oral sex and with 82 00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:32,159 Speaker 3: Mick Jagger gleefully singing, screaming and moaning from the receiving 83 00:05:32,320 --> 00:05:36,000 Speaker 3: end of both. Knowing the lyrical content would make the 84 00:05:36,080 --> 00:05:39,000 Speaker 3: song unsellable for the label. They took it a step 85 00:05:39,080 --> 00:05:41,680 Speaker 3: further and delivered the song to Decca with the title 86 00:05:42,120 --> 00:05:47,040 Speaker 3: Cocksucker's Blues in twenty eighteen. It's hard to imagine any 87 00:05:47,120 --> 00:05:51,120 Speaker 3: mainstream artists bucking their industry kingmakers with so much attitude, 88 00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:56,200 Speaker 3: but this happened in nineteen seventy. By the mid seventies, 89 00:05:56,360 --> 00:05:59,960 Speaker 3: guitarist Mick Taylor, despite being able to match Keith Richards 90 00:06:00,440 --> 00:06:03,680 Speaker 3: for lick a guitar, could not match Keith's drinking and 91 00:06:03,760 --> 00:06:07,159 Speaker 3: drugging and suddenly up and quit the band to save. 92 00:06:07,000 --> 00:06:08,400 Speaker 2: His own life. 93 00:06:08,480 --> 00:06:11,400 Speaker 3: He was replaced by Ron Wood, which is like replacing 94 00:06:11,440 --> 00:06:14,120 Speaker 3: a flickering out light bulb with a bolt of lightning. 95 00:06:14,920 --> 00:06:17,839 Speaker 3: Would he quickly fit into the Stone's way of doing things, 96 00:06:17,880 --> 00:06:23,640 Speaker 3: both on and off stage and off stage. In the seventies, 97 00:06:24,000 --> 00:06:28,120 Speaker 3: the Stones were a disaster. They were arrested almost too 98 00:06:28,160 --> 00:06:33,160 Speaker 3: many times to count for heroin, marijuana, a legal possession 99 00:06:33,160 --> 00:06:39,120 Speaker 3: of handguns rifles. Keith in particular was a special kind 100 00:06:39,160 --> 00:06:42,560 Speaker 3: of disaster. He regularly drove his cars off the road 101 00:06:42,800 --> 00:06:45,400 Speaker 3: too many times to count, to the point where Mick 102 00:06:45,480 --> 00:06:48,480 Speaker 3: Jagger was convinced that his guitar player's end was near 103 00:06:49,839 --> 00:06:53,880 Speaker 3: Keith and the Stone. Sacks player Bobby Keys almost burned 104 00:06:53,920 --> 00:06:57,080 Speaker 3: down the Playboy Mansion while getting high in Heff's bathroom. 105 00:06:57,839 --> 00:07:00,359 Speaker 3: To get through their live shows, the band were on 106 00:07:00,520 --> 00:07:05,080 Speaker 3: ultra pure pharmaceutical grade cocaine and an elaborate tunnel system 107 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:08,640 Speaker 3: behind beneath their stage, where they could quickly disappear in 108 00:07:08,680 --> 00:07:10,960 Speaker 3: the middle of a show, do a bump or two, 109 00:07:11,240 --> 00:07:15,280 Speaker 3: and get back to their marks. Another fire, this one 110 00:07:15,440 --> 00:07:18,880 Speaker 3: a rager, had Keith escaping out of a girlfriend's Laurel 111 00:07:18,960 --> 00:07:21,560 Speaker 3: Canyon home wearing only a T shirt and left of 112 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:25,840 Speaker 3: Pooh bearer to safety. He survived unscathed, as did his 113 00:07:25,880 --> 00:07:30,960 Speaker 3: friend his gun in five hundred rounds of ammunition. In 114 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:34,360 Speaker 3: the nineteen seventies, the world regarded the Rolling Stones as 115 00:07:34,400 --> 00:07:38,000 Speaker 3: an insular band of hedonistic but glamorous rock and roll 116 00:07:38,040 --> 00:07:42,920 Speaker 3: outlaws and dangerous pan sexual junkies. But all the trouble 117 00:07:42,960 --> 00:07:45,760 Speaker 3: they had stirred up to this point would be dwarfed 118 00:07:45,760 --> 00:07:48,520 Speaker 3: by the trouble they would find themselves in in Canada 119 00:07:48,760 --> 00:07:53,920 Speaker 3: in nineteen seventy seven. Up until that point, Keith's constitution, 120 00:07:54,400 --> 00:07:57,640 Speaker 3: the band's money, and their collective luck had fended off 121 00:07:57,720 --> 00:08:01,080 Speaker 3: death and destruction, but the scam they were about to 122 00:08:01,120 --> 00:08:04,880 Speaker 3: embroil themselves in would touch the highest levels of government 123 00:08:05,240 --> 00:08:08,200 Speaker 3: and threaten to destroy the band in their so far 124 00:08:08,600 --> 00:08:30,440 Speaker 3: indestructible guitar player. The current Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, 125 00:08:30,720 --> 00:08:34,240 Speaker 3: was five years old in nineteen seventy seven. His father, 126 00:08:34,400 --> 00:08:38,840 Speaker 3: Pierre Trudeau, was at the time Canada's Prime Minister, a popular, 127 00:08:39,000 --> 00:08:44,080 Speaker 3: respected liberal leader of a free western country. Pierre's wife, 128 00:08:44,280 --> 00:08:48,400 Speaker 3: Justin's mom, Margaret, was nearly thirty years younger than her husband. 129 00:08:49,600 --> 00:08:53,920 Speaker 3: In nineteen seventy seven, Margaret Trudeau, the first Lady of Canada, 130 00:08:54,280 --> 00:08:58,040 Speaker 3: was a beautiful and glamorous twenty nine year old. She 131 00:08:58,120 --> 00:09:01,839 Speaker 3: was also filled with intense rests lessness, the kind that 132 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:04,760 Speaker 3: only a glamorous woman in her twenties who has been 133 00:09:04,880 --> 00:09:08,440 Speaker 3: romantically involved with and married to a powerful man nearly 134 00:09:08,520 --> 00:09:11,920 Speaker 3: thirty years older than her since her late teens can feel. 135 00:09:13,120 --> 00:09:17,240 Speaker 3: After the Trudeau's married, they were content. Margaret gave birth 136 00:09:17,280 --> 00:09:19,680 Speaker 3: to three children and ran the home and took to 137 00:09:19,720 --> 00:09:23,120 Speaker 3: photography while Pierre ran the country, and for the most part, 138 00:09:23,440 --> 00:09:27,080 Speaker 3: Canadians loved their prime minister and his young flower child 139 00:09:27,160 --> 00:09:31,880 Speaker 3: wife and growing family. But for Margaret, any contentment she'd 140 00:09:31,920 --> 00:09:37,120 Speaker 3: felt would soon make way for that pesky restlessness. Domesticity 141 00:09:37,240 --> 00:09:40,480 Speaker 3: was no match for the waiting jet set. The First 142 00:09:40,559 --> 00:09:43,320 Speaker 3: Lady enraged Canadians when word got out that on the 143 00:09:43,360 --> 00:09:47,200 Speaker 3: eve of Canada's national elections, she was in London partying 144 00:09:47,280 --> 00:09:51,480 Speaker 3: at the Tramp Nightclub. The Tramp was no ordinary nightclub. 145 00:09:51,880 --> 00:09:54,800 Speaker 3: It was a private members only club that catered to 146 00:09:54,840 --> 00:09:58,800 Speaker 3: London's celebrity elite. Ringo Starr and Liza Minelli had their 147 00:09:58,840 --> 00:10:02,439 Speaker 3: wedding receptions there. It was where Shirley maclain felt comfortable 148 00:10:02,559 --> 00:10:04,440 Speaker 3: enough to pass out for the night on one of 149 00:10:04,440 --> 00:10:06,760 Speaker 3: the club's tables and wake up in the morning to 150 00:10:06,800 --> 00:10:09,800 Speaker 3: start drinking all over again. It's where the who is 151 00:10:09,880 --> 00:10:12,520 Speaker 3: Keith Moon would strip down to his birthday suit for 152 00:10:12,559 --> 00:10:15,160 Speaker 3: a quick laugh, and where mel Brooks would get on 153 00:10:15,240 --> 00:10:18,920 Speaker 3: all fours and howl at the Moon. My point, the 154 00:10:19,000 --> 00:10:22,880 Speaker 3: Tramp Nightclub wasn't exactly the environment one would expect the 155 00:10:22,920 --> 00:10:26,679 Speaker 3: First Lady to hang out in, but young Margaret Trudeau 156 00:10:26,960 --> 00:10:31,040 Speaker 3: would prove to be full of surprises. Her restless promiscuity 157 00:10:31,040 --> 00:10:35,520 Speaker 3: from this time is legend. She betted Prince Charles US 158 00:10:35,640 --> 00:10:40,400 Speaker 3: Senator Ted Kennedy, Jack Nicholson darker corners of the Internet 159 00:10:40,600 --> 00:10:43,160 Speaker 3: would have you believe that her rumored affair was Cuban 160 00:10:43,200 --> 00:10:47,000 Speaker 3: dictator Fidel Castro led to the illegitimate birth of her 161 00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:51,280 Speaker 3: first son, the current Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau. 162 00:10:52,400 --> 00:10:54,680 Speaker 3: Keep that in mind next time you read or hear 163 00:10:54,920 --> 00:10:58,800 Speaker 3: Justin Trudeau's fawning tribute to Fidel Castro after his death. 164 00:10:59,559 --> 00:11:02,679 Speaker 3: You might want to check the resemblance too, But I digress. 165 00:11:03,240 --> 00:11:06,840 Speaker 3: In March of nineteen seventy seven, Margaret and Pierre Trudeau 166 00:11:07,040 --> 00:11:10,600 Speaker 3: were about to celebrate their sixth wedding anniversary, and oh 167 00:11:10,760 --> 00:11:13,520 Speaker 3: Canada was all hell about to break loose. 168 00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:19,400 Speaker 2: We'll be right back after this word word word. 169 00:11:20,559 --> 00:11:23,280 Speaker 3: In the fall of nineteen seventy six, Mick Jagger and 170 00:11:23,360 --> 00:11:27,439 Speaker 3: Rolling Stones manager Peter Rudge began scouting for a small 171 00:11:27,559 --> 00:11:30,679 Speaker 3: venue to complete their double live album Love You Live. 172 00:11:31,480 --> 00:11:34,480 Speaker 3: It was decided that the intimate El Macambo nightclub in 173 00:11:34,480 --> 00:11:39,880 Speaker 3: Toronto would be the place. It was perfect, small, good sound, 174 00:11:40,360 --> 00:11:44,719 Speaker 3: and situated so the production logistics would be relatively uncomplicated. 175 00:11:45,520 --> 00:11:48,760 Speaker 3: If the Rolling Stones, the biggest and baddest band on 176 00:11:48,800 --> 00:11:52,120 Speaker 3: the planet, were to perform in a four hundred capacity club. 177 00:11:52,720 --> 00:11:56,960 Speaker 3: Secrecy was of the utmost importance. If word got out, 178 00:11:57,280 --> 00:12:00,160 Speaker 3: the ensuing shit show would prevent the gig from going off, 179 00:12:00,400 --> 00:12:02,360 Speaker 3: and the whole trip would be a waste of time 180 00:12:02,840 --> 00:12:07,800 Speaker 3: and money. In February nineteen seventy seven, band members, with 181 00:12:07,880 --> 00:12:11,360 Speaker 3: the exception of Keith, were already in Toronto under the 182 00:12:11,360 --> 00:12:15,680 Speaker 3: guise of rehearsing for their upcoming summer stadium tour. Keith 183 00:12:15,960 --> 00:12:20,000 Speaker 3: and his wife, Anita Pallenberg rolled into Canada late, as 184 00:12:20,080 --> 00:12:24,160 Speaker 3: junkies are wont to do. When their plane landed, authorities 185 00:12:24,200 --> 00:12:28,080 Speaker 3: were waiting for the notoriously drugged out rockstar. Keith had 186 00:12:28,080 --> 00:12:31,200 Speaker 3: fixed on the plane, but somehow the spoon ended up 187 00:12:31,240 --> 00:12:36,760 Speaker 3: in Anita's pocket. She got busted. Keith once again had 188 00:12:36,800 --> 00:12:39,600 Speaker 3: managed to escape, but the Canadian. 189 00:12:39,160 --> 00:12:40,480 Speaker 2: Mounties were now onto it. 190 00:12:41,760 --> 00:12:45,559 Speaker 3: While Missus Richards pondered her uncertain fate, Keith and the 191 00:12:45,600 --> 00:12:48,000 Speaker 3: rest of the rock and roll circus took over six 192 00:12:48,080 --> 00:12:52,319 Speaker 3: floors at the Harbor Castle Hilton in downtown Toronto. The 193 00:12:52,480 --> 00:13:05,520 Speaker 3: entourage was immense, management publicists, attorneys, aids, security, texts, wives, girlfriends, groupies, journalists, 194 00:13:05,720 --> 00:13:11,120 Speaker 3: local scenisters, and other assorted hangars on. The party was endless, 195 00:13:12,640 --> 00:13:15,240 Speaker 3: while Stone's management tended to the setup of the El 196 00:13:15,360 --> 00:13:18,960 Speaker 3: Macambo shows. The band rehearsed at night and fell back 197 00:13:19,040 --> 00:13:22,800 Speaker 3: afterward into the ongoing entourage party back at the hotel 198 00:13:23,160 --> 00:13:27,800 Speaker 3: into the morning. Meanwhile, the Mounties descended upon the hotel 199 00:13:27,840 --> 00:13:31,160 Speaker 3: with undercovered cops dressed as waiters to take in the 200 00:13:31,240 --> 00:13:35,160 Speaker 3: scene and scope out where amongst this madness Keith was 201 00:13:35,200 --> 00:13:39,080 Speaker 3: holed up with his stash. They soon determined which room 202 00:13:39,120 --> 00:13:41,800 Speaker 3: he was copping in and waited until he passed out 203 00:13:41,840 --> 00:13:50,600 Speaker 3: before beginning their raid. When they entered the room on 204 00:13:50,679 --> 00:13:54,840 Speaker 3: February twenty seventh, nineteen seventy seven, Keith was passed out. 205 00:13:55,280 --> 00:13:59,600 Speaker 3: He'd been awake for days rehearsing and partying. It took 206 00:13:59,679 --> 00:14:02,920 Speaker 3: some time for the Mounis to rouse. When they finally did, 207 00:14:03,280 --> 00:14:05,760 Speaker 3: Keith reminded them that he needed to be conscious in 208 00:14:05,840 --> 00:14:10,240 Speaker 3: order to be arrested. The joke didn't land. The Mounis 209 00:14:10,240 --> 00:14:13,800 Speaker 3: found Keith's entire stash, some cope, a bit of wheat, 210 00:14:14,080 --> 00:14:18,200 Speaker 3: and the mother load twenty two grams of heroin. The 211 00:14:18,240 --> 00:14:21,920 Speaker 3: Moundis knew their stuff too. This wasn't low grade local shwag. 212 00:14:22,240 --> 00:14:25,840 Speaker 3: This was grade a smack, the kind the Royal Canadian 213 00:14:25,920 --> 00:14:29,040 Speaker 3: Mounted Police took pride in keeping off of their streets. 214 00:14:29,840 --> 00:14:34,680 Speaker 3: The quantity in origin meant one thing, intent to distribute. 215 00:14:35,520 --> 00:14:39,720 Speaker 3: They had Keith on trafficking. This meant a minimum of 216 00:14:39,840 --> 00:14:44,120 Speaker 3: seven years. And this wasn't some back county local sheriff 217 00:14:44,160 --> 00:14:46,960 Speaker 3: who could be bought off, or some local constable who 218 00:14:47,040 --> 00:14:50,440 Speaker 3: owed the band's high powered attorney in favor. This was 219 00:14:50,520 --> 00:14:54,680 Speaker 3: pissed off police FEDS, who felt they'd been embarrassed at 220 00:14:54,720 --> 00:14:57,520 Speaker 3: the airport, made to look like fools for allowing this 221 00:14:57,640 --> 00:15:01,080 Speaker 3: traveling shit show to establish its own own private Gomorrah 222 00:15:01,320 --> 00:15:05,120 Speaker 3: in the middle of downtown Toronto. Fuck this, bring the 223 00:15:05,160 --> 00:15:07,960 Speaker 3: scarny prick in, throw the book at him, send them 224 00:15:07,960 --> 00:15:10,280 Speaker 3: away for seven years, and teach the rest of the 225 00:15:10,320 --> 00:15:13,960 Speaker 3: world not to fuck with the Mounies. But the Mounies 226 00:15:14,200 --> 00:15:18,280 Speaker 3: themselves fucked up. They booked Keith in a police station 227 00:15:18,480 --> 00:15:22,360 Speaker 3: out of their jurisdiction, and because of this technicality, Keith 228 00:15:22,440 --> 00:15:25,440 Speaker 3: bounced after paying a next to nothing no deposit bail, 229 00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:29,680 Speaker 3: But the pending trial and looming seven year prison stent 230 00:15:30,000 --> 00:15:32,760 Speaker 3: hung heavy on the mines of the band and their handlers. 231 00:15:33,600 --> 00:15:36,000 Speaker 3: This could very well mean the end of the Rolling Stones, 232 00:15:36,760 --> 00:15:39,840 Speaker 3: but the band pressed on. They continued to prep for 233 00:15:39,880 --> 00:15:44,160 Speaker 3: their secret shows that somehow still remained a secret rehearse 234 00:15:44,600 --> 00:15:48,600 Speaker 3: and of course party, even with an increased Moundi presence 235 00:15:48,600 --> 00:15:51,160 Speaker 3: hanging out in the hotel lobby. The date of the 236 00:15:51,160 --> 00:15:57,440 Speaker 3: shows couldn't come soon enough. On March fourth, nineteen seventy seven, 237 00:15:57,600 --> 00:16:01,360 Speaker 3: pedestrians passing by the Elma Combo heard what they thought 238 00:16:01,400 --> 00:16:05,120 Speaker 3: was a Rolling Stone's tribute band rehearsing in preparation for 239 00:16:05,200 --> 00:16:10,440 Speaker 3: that evening show with Canadian rock band April Wine. But 240 00:16:10,560 --> 00:16:14,440 Speaker 3: later that evening, when the first Lady of Canada, Margaret Trudeau, 241 00:16:14,640 --> 00:16:17,920 Speaker 3: was spotted backstage, it was clear that this was no 242 00:16:18,040 --> 00:16:22,880 Speaker 3: tribute band, Ladies and gentlemen. This was the Rolling Stones, 243 00:16:23,560 --> 00:16:27,520 Speaker 3: burning through an intimate club show, their first in thirteen years, 244 00:16:27,760 --> 00:16:31,320 Speaker 3: and there were no flies on Keith. Inspired by Ronnie's 245 00:16:31,360 --> 00:16:34,520 Speaker 3: new take on early Stones covers of blues classics like 246 00:16:34,600 --> 00:16:38,480 Speaker 3: Chuck Berry's Around and Around, Holland Wolfe's Little Red Rooster 247 00:16:38,840 --> 00:16:42,560 Speaker 3: and hell bent originals like Brown Sugar and Jumpin' Jack Flash, 248 00:16:42,960 --> 00:16:48,320 Speaker 3: the Stones laid waste to the tiny elm Copo Sweat Sex, 249 00:16:49,120 --> 00:16:53,800 Speaker 3: Pure rock, and roll. The crowd was mesmerized for a minute, 250 00:16:54,000 --> 00:16:56,240 Speaker 3: they'd forgotten that the first Lady was in the house. 251 00:16:58,480 --> 00:17:01,480 Speaker 3: But when the show ended and Margaret Trudeau was spotted 252 00:17:01,480 --> 00:17:04,480 Speaker 3: hopping into a limo with Mick and Ronnie, things took 253 00:17:04,480 --> 00:17:07,879 Speaker 3: a turn. The press noted that this was the sixth 254 00:17:07,920 --> 00:17:11,640 Speaker 3: anniversary of her marriage to the country's prime minister. What 255 00:17:11,760 --> 00:17:14,320 Speaker 3: was she doing out alone with the most dangerous rock 256 00:17:14,359 --> 00:17:17,960 Speaker 3: and roll band in the world. Rumors started to circulate 257 00:17:18,080 --> 00:17:21,119 Speaker 3: that back at the hotel, Missus Trudeau was seen running 258 00:17:21,160 --> 00:17:25,080 Speaker 3: through the halls wearing only a bathrobe. The press, as 259 00:17:25,080 --> 00:17:28,600 Speaker 3: the cliche goes, had a field day, but that didn't 260 00:17:28,600 --> 00:17:31,280 Speaker 3: stop Maggie from hanging out while the band remained in 261 00:17:31,320 --> 00:17:34,760 Speaker 3: Toronto for their last show at Elma Combo. She hung 262 00:17:34,800 --> 00:17:38,200 Speaker 3: out at the hotel, looked after Keith's young son, Marlin, 263 00:17:38,560 --> 00:17:41,439 Speaker 3: and in her own words, it was innocent. All she 264 00:17:41,560 --> 00:17:44,520 Speaker 3: did was quote, smoke a little hash, play dice and 265 00:17:44,680 --> 00:17:48,360 Speaker 3: drink a little wine. Keith later claimed that she did, 266 00:17:48,400 --> 00:17:52,040 Speaker 3: in fact do a bit more than that. To be blunt, 267 00:17:52,280 --> 00:17:56,080 Speaker 3: Keith claimed she'd slept with both Mick and Ronnie at 268 00:17:56,119 --> 00:17:59,840 Speaker 3: the same time. Maggie hit the second show in the 269 00:17:59,840 --> 00:18:03,879 Speaker 3: company of both men. The press could not believe what 270 00:18:03,920 --> 00:18:07,320 Speaker 3: they were seeing. Asked for a comment. While posing for 271 00:18:07,400 --> 00:18:10,520 Speaker 3: a picture with the first Lady, The Rolling Stones drummer 272 00:18:10,760 --> 00:18:30,200 Speaker 3: Charlie Watts claimed, I wouldn't want my wife associating with us. 273 00:18:31,720 --> 00:18:35,080 Speaker 3: The whole thing turned into an international incident. The New 274 00:18:35,160 --> 00:18:38,920 Speaker 3: York Daily News proclaimed ron Wood is Missus Trudeau's very 275 00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:42,840 Speaker 3: special stone. Mick Jagger, who was married to Bianca at 276 00:18:42,880 --> 00:18:45,240 Speaker 3: the time, issued a press release in The New York 277 00:18:45,320 --> 00:18:48,760 Speaker 3: Post saying that he and Margaret Trudeau had no romantic ties, 278 00:18:49,240 --> 00:18:53,240 Speaker 3: just to quote, passing acquaintance for two nights unquote. And 279 00:18:53,280 --> 00:18:56,240 Speaker 3: the Prime Minister himself weighed in with dry wit, saying 280 00:18:56,240 --> 00:18:59,160 Speaker 3: of his wild flower wife, I hope she doesn't start 281 00:18:59,200 --> 00:19:02,560 Speaker 3: to see the Beatle. It wouldn't be the Beatles. It 282 00:19:02,600 --> 00:19:06,919 Speaker 3: would first be the famous dancer Mikhil Bishnikoff, then the 283 00:19:06,920 --> 00:19:11,600 Speaker 3: famous photographer Richard Avedon. After arriving in New York with 284 00:19:11,760 --> 00:19:16,600 Speaker 3: the Stones after the Almacambo mess, but not all of 285 00:19:16,600 --> 00:19:19,840 Speaker 3: the Stones would make the trip out of Canada. Left 286 00:19:19,880 --> 00:19:24,160 Speaker 3: behind in the wreckage, was illegally vulnerable, strung out Keith 287 00:19:24,280 --> 00:19:27,320 Speaker 3: Richards hold up in a hotel with his wife and 288 00:19:27,400 --> 00:19:31,120 Speaker 3: young son, alone and afraid in a country he had 289 00:19:31,160 --> 00:19:33,880 Speaker 3: just made a mockery of and that had lost its 290 00:19:33,920 --> 00:19:38,040 Speaker 3: patience with him. Awaiting trial for a sentence that was 291 00:19:38,200 --> 00:19:40,359 Speaker 3: likely to lock him up and break up his band. 292 00:19:41,800 --> 00:19:44,760 Speaker 3: Keith's fate, and ultimately the fate of the band, would 293 00:19:44,800 --> 00:19:48,320 Speaker 3: be decided in court soon. It was tough to gauge 294 00:19:48,320 --> 00:19:51,159 Speaker 3: public opinion one way or the other. The Stones had 295 00:19:51,200 --> 00:19:54,240 Speaker 3: their fans, for sure, but a good portion of Canadians 296 00:19:54,240 --> 00:19:57,280 Speaker 3: were pissed the band had blown through their town and 297 00:19:57,359 --> 00:20:01,040 Speaker 3: disrespected their laws and their leader. In the months before 298 00:20:01,080 --> 00:20:04,040 Speaker 3: the trial, Keith publicly sweated the end of his band, 299 00:20:04,480 --> 00:20:06,200 Speaker 3: putting it out to the press that if he were 300 00:20:06,240 --> 00:20:09,960 Speaker 3: to go to jail, the band wouldn't continue. Mick sang 301 00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:14,000 Speaker 3: a different tune, claiming the show must go on. In 302 00:20:14,080 --> 00:20:17,720 Speaker 3: nineteen seventy eight, who could have possibly replaced Keith Richards 303 00:20:17,720 --> 00:20:22,320 Speaker 3: in a band made in his image Eric Clapton, George Harrison, 304 00:20:23,040 --> 00:20:26,480 Speaker 3: Jeff Beck Or they go with a relative unknown, someone 305 00:20:26,560 --> 00:20:30,080 Speaker 3: like Johnny Thunders. Perhaps I'm guessing Mick had a plan 306 00:20:30,160 --> 00:20:33,840 Speaker 3: to talk Mick Taylor out of retirement, or was this 307 00:20:33,960 --> 00:20:36,800 Speaker 3: hit for the Rolling Stones? Who was going to carry 308 00:20:36,800 --> 00:20:40,040 Speaker 3: the weight for rock and roll. The Beatles were gone. 309 00:20:40,320 --> 00:20:45,760 Speaker 3: The Eagles were huge, but come on, the Eagles led Zeppelin. Maybe, 310 00:20:45,880 --> 00:20:47,920 Speaker 3: I mean, maybe this was it for rock and roll. 311 00:20:48,400 --> 00:20:51,600 Speaker 3: Disco had taken over the charts. Punk was making waves 312 00:20:51,640 --> 00:20:53,760 Speaker 3: on both sides of the Atlantic, and up in the 313 00:20:53,760 --> 00:20:55,920 Speaker 3: Bronx a bunch of kids were starting to rhyme over 314 00:20:56,000 --> 00:20:59,359 Speaker 3: mixtapes from local DJs and producers, and what the hell 315 00:20:59,400 --> 00:21:02,800 Speaker 3: was that all about? The what IFFs weighed on everyone, 316 00:21:03,280 --> 00:21:06,800 Speaker 3: especially Keith. The day of the trial finally arrived on 317 00:21:06,840 --> 00:21:11,120 Speaker 3: October twenty third. By now, Keith had kicked smack and rehab, 318 00:21:11,200 --> 00:21:14,359 Speaker 3: but always the renegade. He faced the judge wearing white 319 00:21:14,480 --> 00:21:17,360 Speaker 3: socks and a three piece tann suit with shoes more 320 00:21:17,400 --> 00:21:22,080 Speaker 3: scuffed than buffed. Keith lawyers flew in Toronto Natives Saturday 321 00:21:22,160 --> 00:21:26,080 Speaker 3: Night Live producer Lauren Michaels to testify on Keith's behalf. 322 00:21:27,080 --> 00:21:32,159 Speaker 3: Prosecutors were not impressed. They sought the maximum penalty life 323 00:21:32,480 --> 00:21:38,240 Speaker 3: imprisonment for trafficking. Keith pled guilty to possession of heroin, 324 00:21:38,359 --> 00:21:42,240 Speaker 3: but not to drug trafficking. Then, in a stunning development, 325 00:21:42,640 --> 00:21:47,160 Speaker 3: the judge dropped the trafficking charges altogether. And accepted Keith's plea. 326 00:21:48,280 --> 00:21:52,400 Speaker 3: What just happened a guardian angel, That's what just happened. 327 00:21:53,400 --> 00:21:55,879 Speaker 3: The judge had been prevailed upon by a young blind 328 00:21:55,920 --> 00:21:58,720 Speaker 3: girl who was a fan of Keith's. She wrote the 329 00:21:58,800 --> 00:22:03,359 Speaker 3: judge countless letters detailing Keith's kindness toward her. When they 330 00:22:03,400 --> 00:22:05,920 Speaker 3: went unanswered, she went to the judge's house to make 331 00:22:05,920 --> 00:22:09,320 Speaker 3: her case in person. She claimed, whenever the band had 332 00:22:09,359 --> 00:22:12,160 Speaker 3: come to town, Keith had sought her out, made sure 333 00:22:12,240 --> 00:22:14,840 Speaker 3: she had a great time, and made it home safely, 334 00:22:15,200 --> 00:22:18,600 Speaker 3: instructing his road crew to see to it. A kindness 335 00:22:18,640 --> 00:22:21,440 Speaker 3: the rock star took upon himself to see to was 336 00:22:21,480 --> 00:22:24,639 Speaker 3: a kindness the judge would see to repaying with leniency. 337 00:22:25,600 --> 00:22:29,080 Speaker 3: He sentenced Keith to probation and mandated the Stones perform 338 00:22:29,119 --> 00:22:33,440 Speaker 3: a benefit for the blind within six months. Keith later 339 00:22:33,480 --> 00:22:36,240 Speaker 3: claimed that this chick went to the judge's house in 340 00:22:36,280 --> 00:22:40,000 Speaker 3: Toronto personally, and she told him this simple story, you know, 341 00:22:40,520 --> 00:22:42,400 Speaker 3: And from there I think he figured out the way 342 00:22:42,440 --> 00:22:45,760 Speaker 3: to get Canada himself and myself off of the hook. 343 00:22:46,359 --> 00:22:48,880 Speaker 3: And so I was sentenced to a concert for the blind, 344 00:22:48,960 --> 00:22:50,520 Speaker 3: which I gladly performed. 345 00:22:50,520 --> 00:22:50,720 Speaker 1: You know. 346 00:22:51,320 --> 00:22:57,760 Speaker 3: In my blind angel came through bless Her Heart. After 347 00:22:57,800 --> 00:23:00,600 Speaker 3: the incident with Keith, free from the grips of Heroin, 348 00:23:01,080 --> 00:23:03,280 Speaker 3: the Rolling Stones went on to become a bigger forest 349 00:23:03,359 --> 00:23:08,200 Speaker 3: than ever. Their next album, Some Girls, became an instant masterpiece. 350 00:23:08,640 --> 00:23:12,159 Speaker 3: Their nineteen eighty release Tattoo You Would Rock At the 351 00:23:12,200 --> 00:23:15,200 Speaker 3: band to a level of superstardom that even they would 352 00:23:15,200 --> 00:23:18,800 Speaker 3: have been unable to imagine. In the seventies, they embarked 353 00:23:18,840 --> 00:23:21,480 Speaker 3: upon the biggest tour in the history of the music 354 00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:25,080 Speaker 3: business and were on their way to becoming a cultural institution. 355 00:23:25,960 --> 00:23:28,960 Speaker 3: No band in the history of music has been able 356 00:23:29,000 --> 00:23:32,399 Speaker 3: to achieve and sustain the level of success that the 357 00:23:32,480 --> 00:23:36,400 Speaker 3: Rolling Stones have. Would that have happened without the intervention 358 00:23:36,520 --> 00:23:41,200 Speaker 3: of a blind guardian angel, probably not, And judging from 359 00:23:41,240 --> 00:23:44,240 Speaker 3: the Honky Tonks send up on side two of Some Girls, 360 00:23:44,560 --> 00:23:48,520 Speaker 3: aptly titled far Away Eyes, Mick and Keith seem to 361 00:23:48,560 --> 00:23:49,119 Speaker 3: agree with me. 362 00:23:50,680 --> 00:24:15,160 Speaker 2: I'm Jake Brennan in this this Disgraceland. 363 00:24:15,760 --> 00:24:18,520 Speaker 3: Disgraceland was created by Yours Truly and is produced in 364 00:24:18,600 --> 00:24:22,000 Speaker 3: partnership with Double Elvis. Credits for this episode can be 365 00:24:22,000 --> 00:24:25,400 Speaker 3: found on the show notes page at disgracelampod dot com. 366 00:24:25,720 --> 00:24:28,800 Speaker 3: If you're listening as a Disgraceland All Access member. 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Visit disgracelampod dot com slash Membership 374 00:24:54,760 --> 00:24:57,320 Speaker 4: for details, rate and review the show, and follow us 375 00:24:57,359 --> 00:25:00,760 Speaker 4: on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and Facebook at disc grace lamppod 376 00:25:01,040 --> 00:25:05,440 Speaker 4: and on YouTube at YouTube dot com slash at Disgrace Lampod. 377 00:25:05,960 --> 00:25:06,600 Speaker 2: Rock a Roller. 378 00:25:09,000 --> 00:25:10,600 Speaker 1: He's a bad, bad man.