Blog » Bill’s blog – June 24-27, 2010
Thursday 22nd July 2010
Thursday, June 24, and Bill welcomed Micki Free, along with his singer Shea, and Henry Smith and two friends to dinner in the evening, which Bill says was great. The evening was a riot, with loads of laughter and stories – and it was also a chance for Bill to discuss the set for Saturday’s show in Hyde Park. Micki asked Bill to play Red House and Jumpin’ Jack Flash, which Bill agreed, before everyone left at midnight.
Bill spent Friday working and taking a few breaks to watch the World Cup 2010 matches – and also battling a lack of sleep thanks to the new puppy howling through the night in the kitchen.
Saturday, and Bill is set to play at the Hard Rock Calling concert in Hyde Park in London with the Micki Free American Horse band, with Bill and Suzanne arriving at after lunch. Bill and Suzanne walked through the park to Micki’s caravan, where Micki presented Suzanne with a beautiful oval turquoise bracelet. Micki also gave Bill a similar bracelet, as well as a ring and Zippo lighter that was inscribed to Bill on the back and declared Bill as part of the family.
The band then headed on stage, with Micki Free (vocals/guitar), Cindy Blackman (drums), David Santos (bass) and Shea (vocals/percussion) performing a 45 minute set. They started with Hear My Train A Comin’, and the Wounded Knee, before calling Bill onstage. With an audience of several thousand people, Bill and the band performed Red House and Jumpin’ Jack Flash, both of which the crowd loved. Bill then left the stage, while the band continued with Voodoo Chile and Wild Thing, being joined on stage by Indian dancers.
With the set complete, Bill grabbed from food from the all areas section, as well as did a few interviews for TV, radio and Press journalists. Micki and Bill also did an interview for Absolute Radio.
See the Bill Wyman and Micki Free interview for Absolute Radio
Bill the spent a great afternoon with Micki, joking and having a laugh, as well as posing for photos and signing autographs. Bill also met up with the American band More Than Me, with Bill posing for photos with them. Later in the evening, Suzanne joined Bill stageside to watch the show as Stevie Wonder performed, before they all headed home after a successful gig.
Sunday, and Bill got up to the papers, with a sizable interview in Contact Music headed Bill Wyman – Bill Wyman’s Mad Memories.
Contact Music (27.6.10) said: “Bill Wyman has admitted the re-release of The Rolling Stones' 'Exile on Main St.' album last month brought back "mad memories" of a "very bizarre time".
Bill Wyman has "mad memories" of his time with the Rolling Stones. The bassist - who quit the group in 1992 - is pleased the 'Gimme Shelter' hitmakers' iconic 1972 album 'Exile on Main St.' has recently been reissued because it can attract a new generation of fans to the band.
He told BANG Showbiz: "It brought back some mad memories. It was a very bizarre time and a very bizarre way of making a record. It was a great album and there's that whole new generation who don't know about it so it's good."
The group - who were famously at the height of their drink and drug excesses when they recorded the LP - are the subject of rumours they will tour next year, but 73-year-old Bill is adamant he wouldn't get on stage with them again.
He said: "I don't care if they tour. Maybe they will maybe they won't, I'm not involved. I'm very close to Charlie Watts, the drummer and he never wants to go on tour anyway! He hasn't wanted to since 1965 but he still goes."
Bill spent the morning working on his photos from the gig, as well as watching YouTube videos from the show. Micki Free and others then arrived in the afternoon for a barbeque lunch with Bill, before Bill was increasingly depressed by the awful England performance in the World Cup that saw the squad knocked out. With the afternoon mood dampened by the loss, Bill, Suzanne and Jessie headed back to the Hard Rock Calling concert in Hyde Park, with Bill going backstage and meeting Elvis Costello for a chat. Bill also hooked up with Steve Still, Dave Crosby and Graham Nash, stopping for photos. Bill then bumped into Led Zeppelin bass player John Paul Jones and spent some time catching up.
With the gig winding down, Bill and family headed home – only to be faced with a lack of taxies. Initially heading back on foot, they called over a passing rickshaw, jumped in and returned home under pedal power, arriving just before 11pm.
Bill spent Friday working and taking a few breaks to watch the World Cup 2010 matches – and also battling a lack of sleep thanks to the new puppy howling through the night in the kitchen.
Saturday, and Bill is set to play at the Hard Rock Calling concert in Hyde Park in London with the Micki Free American Horse band, with Bill and Suzanne arriving at after lunch. Bill and Suzanne walked through the park to Micki’s caravan, where Micki presented Suzanne with a beautiful oval turquoise bracelet. Micki also gave Bill a similar bracelet, as well as a ring and Zippo lighter that was inscribed to Bill on the back and declared Bill as part of the family.
The band then headed on stage, with Micki Free (vocals/guitar), Cindy Blackman (drums), David Santos (bass) and Shea (vocals/percussion) performing a 45 minute set. They started with Hear My Train A Comin’, and the Wounded Knee, before calling Bill onstage. With an audience of several thousand people, Bill and the band performed Red House and Jumpin’ Jack Flash, both of which the crowd loved. Bill then left the stage, while the band continued with Voodoo Chile and Wild Thing, being joined on stage by Indian dancers.
With the set complete, Bill grabbed from food from the all areas section, as well as did a few interviews for TV, radio and Press journalists. Micki and Bill also did an interview for Absolute Radio.
See the Bill Wyman and Micki Free interview for Absolute Radio
Bill the spent a great afternoon with Micki, joking and having a laugh, as well as posing for photos and signing autographs. Bill also met up with the American band More Than Me, with Bill posing for photos with them. Later in the evening, Suzanne joined Bill stageside to watch the show as Stevie Wonder performed, before they all headed home after a successful gig.
Sunday, and Bill got up to the papers, with a sizable interview in Contact Music headed Bill Wyman – Bill Wyman’s Mad Memories.
Contact Music (27.6.10) said: “Bill Wyman has admitted the re-release of The Rolling Stones' 'Exile on Main St.' album last month brought back "mad memories" of a "very bizarre time".
Bill Wyman has "mad memories" of his time with the Rolling Stones. The bassist - who quit the group in 1992 - is pleased the 'Gimme Shelter' hitmakers' iconic 1972 album 'Exile on Main St.' has recently been reissued because it can attract a new generation of fans to the band.
He told BANG Showbiz: "It brought back some mad memories. It was a very bizarre time and a very bizarre way of making a record. It was a great album and there's that whole new generation who don't know about it so it's good."
The group - who were famously at the height of their drink and drug excesses when they recorded the LP - are the subject of rumours they will tour next year, but 73-year-old Bill is adamant he wouldn't get on stage with them again.
He said: "I don't care if they tour. Maybe they will maybe they won't, I'm not involved. I'm very close to Charlie Watts, the drummer and he never wants to go on tour anyway! He hasn't wanted to since 1965 but he still goes."
Bill spent the morning working on his photos from the gig, as well as watching YouTube videos from the show. Micki Free and others then arrived in the afternoon for a barbeque lunch with Bill, before Bill was increasingly depressed by the awful England performance in the World Cup that saw the squad knocked out. With the afternoon mood dampened by the loss, Bill, Suzanne and Jessie headed back to the Hard Rock Calling concert in Hyde Park, with Bill going backstage and meeting Elvis Costello for a chat. Bill also hooked up with Steve Still, Dave Crosby and Graham Nash, stopping for photos. Bill then bumped into Led Zeppelin bass player John Paul Jones and spent some time catching up.
With the gig winding down, Bill and family headed home – only to be faced with a lack of taxies. Initially heading back on foot, they called over a passing rickshaw, jumped in and returned home under pedal power, arriving just before 11pm.
