http://www.zimbio.com/photos/Mick+Jagger/Rolling+Stones+Stills/aPNUK-mc1eN?pa=1&...

Mick Jagger says that he refused to get ill throughout his 50 years fronting the hardest working band in rock.And the singer insists that the flu is banned.Legend Mick tells his band that getting ill and breaking down is not an option if you play in The Rolling Stones.And dedicated pal and guitarist Keith Richards reckons he could carry on if he went deaf.Consummate professional Mick refuses to postpone gigs if he or pals Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood.The Stones are preparing to hit the road later this year with likely major gigs at Glastonbury.Mick said: "You do discipline yourself if you are in the band."A good example of that is when you are ill."And you can't go for 18 months without being ill; normally it is just a cold or something." But it really affects me a lot. You might take a day off work if you are in a regular job, but if you are a singer it is nightmare having a cold because you are up there blowing wheezing into a handkerchief and voice sort of goes and you feel terrible. ."But you have to psych yourself up to say:' These people have paid out there and you have to be doing the best you can'."And you don't want to be going for sympathy going 'I have a cold, please forgive me.' You have to have go out there and do it and hope nobody notices."You set the standard which includes being ill.".Keith feels he could continue playing guitar in even if he went deaf.Wildman Keith, 68, feels he has has such an intuitive connection to drummer Charlie Watts he could still play the group's hits.The axeman learned how to link into Watts' mindset during the group's early gigs in the 1960s, where they couldn't hear each other over the screams of fans.Keith said: "If I was stone deaf I could still actually play as long as I could see Charlie Watts’ left hand. ."At the start English theaters were too much. They had two speakers and one would never work."So the other would be the voice and we got used to working even when we couldn't hear each other.
(February 18, 2013 - Source: Rehab/Bauer Griffin)

I dont think the Stones ever postponed a show due to illness until 1990 when Keith perforated his finger and they had to reschedule two shows at Wembley Stadium and one in Cardiff.

There have been quite a few since then, including several high profile shows.  Always due to Keith having a self-inflicted injury or Mick having an illness which affected his ability to sing (flu, laryngitis etc)

It's still a pretty good record for a band of their advanced years.

Cancelling shows for 'strategic' or logistical reasons of dubious validity is another matter, though!

I almost died laughing just reading the "hardest working band in rock" line......

Well there ya go...

Bitch wrote on Feb 20^th, 2013 at 10:06am:

I dont, cant excuse him about theABB Atlantic City.. but he was very caring for his fans just for a time instead to fly back to London..  Usually he's interested at the money you might give him..
Biggest ego, always been ambitous, since the early days he just wanted easy songs to sell.
Iliked him so much when I was a teen. But today I just cant.  He's the best performer ever and plus singer.. but as a person.. well no