TV Pop Diaries
Pop Music on British Television 1955 - 1999

With a new album, Beggars Banquet, completed Mick Jagger discussed the idea of a TV special to promote the record with former Ready Steady Go director Michael Lindsay-Hogg. Despite the demise of the show in late 1966 Lindsay-Hogg had continued to work with The Stones, directing promo clips for and A and B sides, Jumping Jack Flash and Child of The Moon in 1968. Mick had seen The Beatles ill-fated Magical Mystery Tour, and asked Lindsay-Hogg if he had any ideas about what form it could take, but hopefully more cohesive than The Beatles' effort. Contemplating past shows like Around The Beatles he came up with the idea of a circus after doodling circles on paper, and after putting the idea to Mick he got the go ahead. On the 2004 DVD of the show Pete Townshend talked of a plan, presumably to be put into action some time later, where The Rolling Stones, The Who and The Faces would tour America on a train with a circus. The plan was a suggested by The Faces' Ronnie Lane, an idea he would later fulfill with his own Passing Show in the mid-seventies.

The show was filmed on the 11th (into the 12th) December 1968 at Intertel's studios, Stonebridge Park, Wembley, featuring hosts The Rolling Stones, plus guests Taj Mahal, The Who, John and Yoko with Eric Clapton and newcomers Jethro Tull, although it was at one time also due to include Traffic and Dr John. The Stones' publicist David Sandison said in regards to the intended inclusion of Brigitte Bardot (possibly as the ringmaster), Jane Fonda and Candice Bergen "There will be a lot of sexual interest in the spectacular. Hence the choice of leading ladies. I shouldn't be surprised if the whole thing didn't come as a great shock to most viewers." Discussing the idea in Paris with the director Bardot had suggested that she enter the ring on an elephant. Veteran circus performers, clowns, aerialists, fire eaters etc were also hired for the special. Boxing kangaroos were also planned, but Yoko Ono objected on the grounds of animal cruelty, while a classical pianist, Julius Katchen was recorded at the circus, then dropped in the final edit.

After Stevie Winwood from Traffic dropped out Lindsay-Hogg and Jagger went after a Beatle. Paul was the first choice, but it was John that got the call. He agreed to the idea of some kind of supergroup, with Eric Clapton, Mitch Mitchell and Keith on bass. John came up with the name, The Dirty Mac. Lindsay-Hogg had not only worked on a few Beatles promo clips, but also those by The Who, so they were also invited. It was thought that giving time to a new band would be a good idea and having turned down Led Zeppelin Jethro Tull were brought in, albeit with guest guitarist Tony Iommi. Marianne Faithfull was in a relationship with Mick at the time, so she also appeared. Inviting Taj Mahal was Keith's idea, but he had to be recorded before everyone else due to potential deportation issues regarding his visa.

Rehearsals began in a hotel ballroom a few days before filming began with most of the acts present, the exception being John Lennon. According to a report in the Melody Maker during the supergroup rehearsals on the circus stage Peggy Sue and Sweet Little Sixteen were played, and they discouraged anyone from watching. "I don't think they want anyone in with them" claimed Mick Jagger, talking to a Melody Maker reporter. A journalist seen using a tape recorder was ousted from the rehearsal.

Filming began at 11.30 am on the 11th December with all the required artists actually turning up on time. Members of the Stones' fan club gained access as did some Hell's Angels and author Ken Kesey. The audience was issued with bright coloured plastic ponchos to wear throughout the recording. Lindsay-Hogg wanted to shoot it like a live TV show, so he recruited the same camera crew that he had used on Ready Steady Go two years' previously, with the Circus itself being filmed just down the road from RSG's old studios in Wembley.

The Rolling Stones live set was the last to be recorded, somewhere between 2 to 6 the following morning, despite Brian Jones threatening not to be there, claiming that the band were marginalising him. No one knew it at the time, but this would be his last public appearance with the band. Pete Townshend later said that Jones was in tears much of the day, but he seemed enthusiastic on the resulting film.

Melody Maker suggested "The Circus, when it is completed, bought and screened by the lucky purchaser, will be an hour of group hi-jinks and music, carrying on the spirit of the old Ready, Steady Go show."

Mick was shown a rough cut in January 1969, but it was Keith, realising that that The Who were a better band on the night, suggested that maybe the show should be abandoned. There was the opportunity to re-shoot The Rolling Stones in Rome, but permissions by the Italian authorities made it impossible. Despite their reservations an introduction to The Rolling Stones' set was filmed by John a few weeks' after the show, during the Twickenham film studio sessions for the Let It Be/Get Back movie, also directed by Lindsay-Hogg.

A proposal that the soundtrack should be released as a charity fund-raising LP came in January 1969. A spokesman from Les Perrin's office told Melody Maker "It is hoped that an album can be made and sold for charity but nothing has been finalised."

In February 1969 Rave! magazine offered pictures from the "Stones Soul Circus in pictures and words" saying it "previews the Jagger-Lennon TV spectacular."

Disc report in August 1969 "The long-awaited Stones' "Rock And Roll TV Circus" which also starred John and Yoko Lennon, Eric Clapton and the Who, has still to be seen by TV companies in Britain. But it was revealed this week that scenes including the late Brian Jones will NOT be cut from the final production. "It was Brian's last TV show and we feel it would be nice to see him," said Jo Bergman of the Stones office". It was suggested at one point that London Weekend TV would show it, but it never went ahead.

The Stones' Ian Stewart took all the cans of film from the band's office in Maddox Street to his home in the country where they remained in his barn for decades, only being re-discovered by his widow in the early nineties.

Although some of The Who footage surfaced in The Kids Are Alright documentary in the late seventies, the show, in a sixty-three minute edit, was finally released on home video in the mid-nineties, while extras in the shape of out-takes were added to the DVD release in 2004.

It was finally given a UK TV airing by BBC2 on the 31st December 1996.

THE ROLLING STONES ROCK AND ROLL CIRCUS

The Rolling Stones

December 1968