for sure. but there was a real danger, in the current climate, that the mob was going
to pick up this torch and run with it.  in fact, given how wired-in the stones are,
they might have even gotten wind of something...

i mean, they get sent questions all the time by the media, so who knows how many
of those questions were suddenly about "brown sugar"

dropping the song (for now) has been only a slight distraction for a few

not dropping it (for now) could have possibly been used by mass and social media
to polarize many and ruin the overwhelmingly positive vibe of this tour

thinking about it some more, its quite similar to how they've handled the
vax-mask thing. give it your verbal support but enforce nothing.
don't alienate half your audience

they're always laying traps for our troubadours.
but the Stones keep refusing to fall into them

I just googled it. Unbelievable that nobody's done this parody yet. So...

C'mon clap your little hearts out !

In a new interview with Spin, backing singer Lennear – who was dating frontman
Mick Jagger around the time “Brown Sugar” was written – said audiences were
“missing out on a great part of rock ’n’ roll history” via its absence. “When do
we learn to understand history without getting upset? Right now we’re not really
in that space,” she added. “I’m sensitive, but when it comes to poetic license,
I let go. It’s just a great riff. It’s a great hook. Keith Richards plays those first
two notes, everyone is on their feet, everybody’s clapping, dancing, singing.
When I hear it, my first thought is, ‘Long live the Rolling Stones.’”

She only appeared on one Stones song herself, 1973’s “Star Star,” and admitted
she didn’t like the lyrics, which explored the relationship between rock musicians
and groupies. She explained that she’d delivered her vocals “from a professional
standpoint.”

Lennear also discussed the fact that David Bowie wrote his 1973 song “Lady Grinning
Soul” about her during a period when the pair were dating. “You know, David will not
be outdone by a Rolling Stone,” she commented. “If a Rolling Stone says that they
wrote a song about me, he’s not to be left behind. He’s too competitive.”

p.s. LOVE this track from her solo album

The Ikettes existed in one form or another for over 40 years, with over
50 women* filling those stilettos...



Claudia was an Ikette from 1968-70 including on the US Stones tour
which is where she met Mick. Here's a longer taste of that iteration of
the Ikettes from the Hollywood Palace TV show...



Claudia is considered to be one of the most successful ex-Ikettes
because of her work with Joe Cocker, Leon Russel, Humble Pie,
Delaney and Bonnie, Dave Mason etc. Her solo album Phew!
was not a big hit but some cuts off it certainly got a lot of play
in my house, with contributions from Ry Cooder, Jim Keltner, and
Allan Toussaint



*the only white Ikette was Bonnie Bramlett, for 3 days in 1966,
and yes, she did perform in a black wig with makeup-darkened skin

Tina: