JAPAN: The Rolling Stones talk to the press ahead of their five concerts in Japan

Record ID: 465441

  • Title: JAPAN: The Rolling Stones talk to the press ahead of their five concerts in Japan
  • Date: 23rd March 2006
  • Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (MARCH 20,2006) (REUTERS) THE ROLLING STONES ARRIVING AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE AND ONTO STAGE MICK JAGGER TALKING INTO MICROPHONE CLOSE UP OF KEITH RICHARDS WEARING TWO HATS CLOSE UP OF RON WOOD LAUGHING CLOSE UP OF CHARLIE WATTS THE BAND POSING FOR PHOTOS (SOUNDBITE) (English) MICK JAGGER SAYING: "We are really looking forward to it, to doing-- as Mike (Rolling Stones' tour manager) said. I can't believe we play to a million people in Japan this week, that's going to be exciting. The millionth person - I don't know what we're gonna get." WIDE OF PRESS CONFERENCE, BAND IN BACKGROUND (SOUNDBITE) (English) KEITH RICHARDS SAYING: "May be we are round long enough for cherry blossoms this time." (SOUNDBITE) (English) JAGGER SAYING: "Yes. This time we're actually going to see the cherry blossoms. The transient cherry blossoms " (SOUNDBITE) (English) RICHARDS SAYING: "Famous cherry blossoms." WIDE OF PRESS CONFERENCE, MEDIA PAN TO BAND IN BACKGROUND (SOUNDBITE) (English) JAGGER SAYING: "What's going to be interesting is, like, the two teams are really different. Japan is very professional team and Cuba is more like amateur team you know very, a bit scruffy really, you know, I'm not being mean to them but it is completely different style. So we're going to see what happen tomorrow, it should be really interesting." (SOUNDBITE) (English) RICHARDS SAYING: "Still don't get paid either." (SOUNDBITE) (English) JAGGER SAYING: "No they don't." REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) ENGLISH TRANSLATOR SAYING: "You know they love to see you smoking up on stage. She (reporter) just wondering if you are about to smoke on stage again at Tokyo Dome?" RICHARDS LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (English) RICHARDS SAYING: "Part of the show." RON WOOD AND CHARLIE WATTS POSING FOR PHOTOS WIDE OF ROLLING STONES ON STAGE, WAVING THE ROLLING STONES LEAVE THE STAGE
  • Embargoed: 7th April 2006 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Japan
  • Country: Japan
  • Topics: Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVADX075TLER89RKV95LX6DDJSBU
  • Story Text: Sixteen years after the Rolling Stones first toured in Japan, the venerable British rockers are set to play for the one-millionth fan to hear them in the cavernous Tokyo Dome this week.
    The band will kick off the Asian leg of their 'A Bigger Bang' world tour on Wednesday (March 22) at the 50,000-capacity venue, which has hosted more Rolling Stones concerts and drawn more fans than any other venue where they have ever performed.
    The concert will be the Stones' 23rd performance at the Tokyo Dome, home to baseball's Yomiuri Giants, since the band first toured in Japan in 1990.
    "We are really looking forward to it," flamboyant singer Mick Jagger told a news conference in Tokyo on Monday. "I can't believe we play to a million people in Japan this week, that's going to be exciting."
    Asked about whether he will smoke during the performance at the Tokyo Dome, where smoking is banned, guitarist Keith Richards replied it is a "part of the show."
    He is said to be the first performer who smoked during a concert at the Tokyo Dome.
    The group is scheduled to play a total of five concerts in Japan, including two at the Tokyo Dome.
    Jagger, known as a cricket fan, expressed interest in the World Baseball Classic, whose championship game this week pits Japan against Cuba.
    "The two teams are really different," Jagger said. "Japan is a very professional team and Cuba is an amateur team."
    Asked later to predict the outcome, Jagger diplomatically forecast a victory by Japan.
    The Rolling Stones, famous for chart-topping hits like 'Satisfaction' and 'Honky Tonk Woman' during a career spanning more than 40 years, are back in Japan for the first time since 2003, after earlier tours in 1995 and 1998.
    Jagger said he is excited about playing for the first time in Sapporo, on Japan's northern island of Hokkaido, and revisiting Nagoya in central Japan.
    Guitarist Keith Richards said he hoped see cherry blossoms.
    "Yes, this time we're going to actually see the cherry blossom -- the transient cherry blossom," Jagger added.
    After they tour Japan the band will make its mainland China debut in Shanghai on April 8. Two shows planned for China in spring 2003 were cancelled because of the SARS epidemic.
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