Rolling Stones Celebrating 50th Anniversary Today

It’s hard to believe but the Rolling Stones first performed together 50 years ago today at London’s Marquee Jazz Club. Of course, being the young, struggling musicians that they were, they didn’t even have all that they needed for the gig and they had to go to Jagger’s father for help so that they could rent some equipment.

Aside from being unprepared in some ways, the band also lacked real support.  Jagger recalls: "My parents were extremely disapproving of it all.  Because it was just not done. It was for very low-class people, remember. Rock 'n' roll singers weren't educated people."

In his memoir, Keith Richards recalled some of the songs they played during that first set - "Dust My Broom," "Got My Mojo Working" and "Confessin' the Blues." were all on The Stones' first set. He wrote: "you're sitting with some guys, and you're playing and you go, 'Ooh yeah!' That feeling is worth more than anything."

Today, the band - Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ron Wood and Charlie Watts – attended a photo exhibition chronicling their career which was hosted by London’s Somerset House.  It must have been quite an experience to see all of those years representing in pictures. 

The nostalgia seems to be making the Stones consider working together again. Richards told BBC: "There's things in the works, there's so nothing final that I can say.  We're playing around with the idea and had a couple of rehearsals - we've got together lately and it feels so good. I think, soon! I think it's definitely happening. But when? I can't say yet. There might be life in the old dog yet -- we'll die gracefully, elegantly wasted."

The last time the band toured together was back in 2005. The “A Bigger Bang” tour was the highest-grossing tour in history until U2 topped them with their 360 tour in 2009-2011.  No tour or official celebration to commemorate the milestone anniversary has been announced.