July 11, 1986 The New Paper (Rhode Island's alternate paper)

Waylaid in Warwick

Some background: The Rolling Stones made two visits to Rhode Island. When they played Loew's Theatre (now the Providence Performing Arts Center) in 1965, the band got through fewer than 15 minutes of music when hordes of young Rhode Islanders charged the stage. Mick and the boy fled to the wings as their equipment was thrashed by the throng. Seven years later a tempest cast the frightened Stones again upon our quahogged shores. Flying from a concert in Montreal, where Quebec-seperatists bombed their equipment truck, to a concert at Boston Garden in the middle of what may have been the most heavily hyped rock tour of all time, bad weather forced the Stones' plane down at T.F. Green Airport in Warwick (PVD to the dumbass airlines, although its 10 miles from Providence). While the Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Band waited in what was alleged to be a "V.I.P. lounge" for transport to the Hub, Andy Dickerman, a Providence Journal photographer, appeared and pestered them for pictures. After posing for a while, the Rolling Stones told the fellow to get lost. Apparently the Glimmer Twins wished to some toking and did not need photographic evidence from some pestering jerk.  He persisted and a scuffle ensued. Another battle in the ancient war between singers and papparazi (from Sinatra to Lennon, blackening a shutterbug's eye has been a rite of manhood for musicians) was waged that evening. Whatever really happened, the cameraman ran for the local police, who arrested Mick and Keith for assault and dragged them off to the Apponaug jail. When Keith Richards sat down with Bill Flanagan for an interview, he broke into a smile at the very mention of the Ocean State.


The NewPaper: I'm from Warwick, Rhode Island.

Keith Richards: I remember the tank in that town! That all came about 'cause I was sleeping on a fire truck, waiting to go through this temporary customs area after we'd been diverted because of fog. Some photographer lit off a flash right in front of my face and I thought a bomb had gone off! I jumped up and grabbed his shoulder bag and immediately we were under arrest, thrown in the wagon. If the cops are lookin' to arrest you, you're arrested.

It's a funny little tank in that town, too. They've got all the cells angled so you can't see. Knock-knock. Hey, Mick, you still there?" "Yeah, man, I'm still here. (Note:Keith has not yet inspected Warwick's new police station.)

You do have a long history of tangles with policemen.

But I mean, it's been 10 years and we're treated a lot differently by authority now. Most of those old cats have been retired and put out to pasture. If I go to an airport now it's like, how many autographs will I have to sign, or, "Come this way and we'll get you out." I can't say that I don't enjoy it sometimes.