Wild Rolling Stones days saw them with 'endless' supply of drugs, says rock promoter

A top rock promoter has revealed secrets about during their wild days - comparing sharing a private jet with Keith Richards and to a chemical factory with an "endless" supply of drugs.

Paul Rappaport was senior vice-president of rock promotion at Columbia Records, and during his thirty-three-year career he played a big role in the careers of some of the biggest stars in the business.

He first crossed paths with Wood and when they were working on a side project to the Stones, a Wood solo album and tour in 1979.

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Rappaport recalls doing lines of cocaine with Richards within minutes of meeting him, but things went up a notch when he flew on their private jet.

"I was no stranger to drug culture, but the quantity of consumption blew my mind. When you travelled on Barbarian Airlines, as you walked through the cabin, you’d find Stanley Clarke(Bassist) and his crew upfront with their health food bars, fresh juices, and all kinds of nuts and berries.

"Stanley was not only new to rock’n’roll music but also new to the rock’n’roll lifestyle, and he wanted no part of it. But as soon as you walked through the curtain to the rest of the plane, it was total debauchery.

"The first thing that came to mind was the Dupont Chemical company slogan, ‘Better living through chemistry.’ There were roadies at the back of the plane, mining giant cocaine rocks as big as your fist.

"They would take these large chunks of coke, put them into professional green plastic laboratory grinders, and crush the stuff into extremely fine powder. A couple of tray tables could be seen piled high with weed, blow, and all kinds of liquor.

"Keith’s favourite was something called Rebel Yell — one hundred percent proof alcohol, available only in the South. It tasted like lighter fluid to me. I hope the pilots are more like Stanley’s crew, I remember thinking.

"On one trip, I was sitting across from Woody, who kept offering me more coke. Wanting to be polite and respectful, I told him, ‘Hey, Woody, you’re being quite a generous host on this tour, but I want you to know that I am here to work and not to do all your blow.’ ‘Rap,’ he chuckled, ‘it’s fine. It’s endless, don’t worry.’

"And it was endless, so I ceased to care. I also didn’t sleep much for seven days and nights straight."

During his friendship with Richards, promoter Rappaport also discussed mortality with him after he confessed he idolised the Stones guitarist. Richards told him he felt his guitar playing with the Stones was a skill he had learned from others and he had to pass onto the next generation. Richards added: "It was passed down to me from guys like Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters. I am a disciple of Chuck Berry. When I am buried, on my gravestone, all I want them to put is, 'He passed it on'. That’s what will make me happy."

In another anecdote Rappaport recalled calling a fellow record company boss after the Stones signed to Columbia to get advice on how to look after them.

The rival at Atlantic claimed the band were "big fun and big problems". The promoter then told how Mick Jagger once "wanted the girl to travel with him and the band for a while" whilst they were in the Middle East but her Saudi prince father was less keen. This meant "being chased down by the prince’s men wielding big guns and long curved swords as they ran for the Stones’ private jet across the airport tarmac". Thankfully both men lived to tell the tale.

The Stones began touring in 1963 and played 20 shows in 2024 as part of their latest Hackney Diamonds tour which promoted their new material.
The band have scored eight Number 1 singles and twelve Number 1 albums.

Wood ditched booze and drugs in 2010, Richards said in an interview in 2023 his only vice these days is the odd drink having given up heroin in 1978 and cocaine in 2006. He quit cigarettes in 2019.

* Gliders Over Hollywood: Airships, Airplay, And The Art Of Rock Promotion by Paul Rappaport is out now, published by Jawbone.

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