ROCKS OFF
IAN STEWART
b. July 18, 1938 - d.
December 12, 1985
STU ON
THE ROAD
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Ian during his last days as a
member of the Rolling Stones. Marquee Club January 17, 1963 There are many sources affirming that when he was a former member of
the Rolling Stones, he was fired by Andrew Loog Oldham because he didn't "have the right look", however; we
recently asked directly to Andrew Loog Oldham about that and this is word by
word the answer he gave us: “Gerardo, I did not fire Stu, that
was not within my power to do. I just told the Stones that I did not think
the English public, because that's all we were dealing with at the time, were
capable of being sold an image factor that contained six people. If the band
had said, "Andrew, you can't do that" then Stu would have stayed in
the band. This would have made a great difference as to what their future
would have been and raises the question of whether you'd have been writing me
a letter today on any issue on the Stones, had Stu stayed. "I don't know but I was right
at the time. How do I feel as a man in his mid-fifties with knowledge now
about decisions that cause pain to others? Obviously different, but we were
teenagers or in our early twenties, well, all except Bill, and at that age
youth is invincible and does not know the meaning of hurt, except in matters
of the teenage heart. It remains a good decision. If you saw a member of
Supertramp or Los Lobos down on the corner I doubt you'd recognise
more than one or two members. Life's got a short attention span when you work
from nine to five and need to be entertained. Pop music is not a memory test,
it's an escape and an entertainment. Over the years the Stones have got away
with "Andrew fired Stu" - life is not as simple as they'd like that
statement to be." Andrew Loog Oldham June 2001 (Read the whole interview: intro and part 1) So the facts are he was not fired, he had a small a role change as he
remained as the only pianist live and performing in the studio when he was
invited… and he wanted as sometimes he used to say “I’m not going to play
that shit” or something like that. He was their road manager.
Stu with the van, September 1964. Bill Wyman's Stone
Alone
Ian “Stu” Stewart, Louisville, Ky, November 14, 1964 In this photo, Stu is playing live with the Rolling Stones This day the Stones played without Brian Jones! “I was backstage between
shows in Louisville, Kentucky, and had just gone up to him and
introduced myself, and asked how his name was pronounced, because I truly
didn't know. When police began clearing everybody out of the backstage area
and I began to leave he told them I could stay.The
policeman said he'd have to be responsible for me, and he said o.k. It is
always the kindness that doesn't have to be that one remembers in this life.”
Jeri Holloway He plays in several Rolling Stones sessions and then appears in many albums(Check our STU IN THE STUDIO research). He toured with the Stones for years. Stu played piano on every Stones
show/tour from the beginning in 1962 up to and including the 1971 British tour.
November 21, 1965 – Ft. Worth, Texas
The first tour where he did NOT play onstage was the 1972 North American Tour, only Nicky
Hopkins plays on that tour. On the 1975 - 1976 tours, he plays occasionally and on just some songs.
Stu in Jeri Holloway’s Apartment in Hollywood. July
14, 1975
He plays at the El Mocambo Club shows in 1977 and CNIB
Benefits (Canadian National
Institute For the Blind) in 1979. He plays the tours of 1978 and 1981 with Ian McLagan as
second piano.
Dallas, Texas – October 31, 1981
He was the pianist for the 1982 European tour,
Chuck Leavell was the other keyboard player. His last concert with the Rolling Stones was at Roundhay Park, Leeds,
England on 25th July 1982; 20 years and 13 days after his first
one. He also worked for the Stones booking studio sessions, overseeing
equipment, running the infamous "Rolling Stones Mobile", helping
here, there and everywhere. He is also known as the "Company
Secretary"! LOL He was a High-Class session musician, just check our STU IN THE STUDIO research. He passed away in London on 12th December1985 due to a
heart attack in the doctor's waiting room. The Stones dedicated Dirty Work to him and made a non-tour memorial
gig in his memory. The gig was performed in the 100 Club in London, playing
non-Stones songs only on 23rd February 1986. Simon Kirke played drums on the
first 5 tracks as Charlie was late. Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Pete
Townshend jammed. See our Miscellaneous
Non-Tour Concerts for the setlist,
songs played by guests and more details. |
Words from his friends
and fans
Stu on the Road
Anecdotes,
biography and Photo Gallery