Earlier this week, McCartney amusingly commented that The Rolling Stones were more of a “blues cover band” than anything else. Well, Mick Jagger found no satisfaction in that.
During an interview with The New Yorker’s editor David Remnick, the two playfully joked about which British bands are the best. The “Let It Be” singer confesses that he believes that The Beatles drew from a more extensive selection of influences and successfully morphed those sonic landscapes into their musical tastings. McCartney says, “I’m not sure I should say it, but they’re a blues cover band; that’s sort of what The Stones are. I think our net was cast a bit wider than theirs.”
Now, fighting words are cast. Jagger and The Stones brought down the house at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium on Thursday night. When mentioning all the celebrities in the house such as Lady Gaga, Megan Fox, and Leonardo DiCaprio, Jagger jabbed back, “Paul McCartney is here. He’s gonna join us in the blues cover band.”
Perhaps just some playful fighting words or the spiciest beef in rock history today? That’s up for debate. Jagger let down a lot of fans who actually thought that Paul McCartney was going to play a few songs with the “cover band.”
Once upon a time, The Rolling Stones covered “I Wanna Be Your Man” written by McCartney and John Lennon. Their beginnings were marked by several covers, as many bands and artists do the same. But by the late 1960s, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, took over the nation by storm.
This Isn’t The First Banter Between Bands
This wasn’t the first comment that McCartney has shot at The Stones. The “friendly feud” between the two bands has been fueling since they both emerged. About a year ago, McCartney sat down with Howard Stern as the two discussed legendary bands. It seems like McCartney is always comparing bands with the press. Stern exclaims that The Beatles surpass, and McCartney declares, “There’s a lot of differences, and I love The Stones, but I’m with you. The Beatles are better.”
But, did you expect a different outcome? Jagger responds, “That’s so funny. He’s a sweetheart. There’s obviously no competition.”
During an interview with “The Zane Lowe Show,” Jagger states, “That’s the real difference between these two bands. One band in unbelievably luckily still playing in stadiums, and then the other band doesn’t exist.”
Jagger isn’t wrong there. The Beatles split up in 1970 when The Rolling Stones were garnering popularity by the day. Fortunately, there are enough living members in The Rolling Stones to continue playing, whereas John Lennon passed in 1980 and George Harrison passed in 2001. The Beatles never actually played a stadium tour as there were always difficulties and unlucky scenarios.
