In a recent appearance on the podcast ‘Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend’, Mick Jagger, lead singer of the Rolling Stones, candidly discussed a piece of advice he received from John Lennon that impacted his life choices. The episode, which aired on 13 July, shed light on the fascinating dynamics between two of rock and roll’s most iconic figures.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/mick-jagger-elvis-071426-86b7476f94fa464ea0754459d689c830.jpg)
During the conversation, Jagger recalled how Lennon had once cautioned him against meeting his heroes, specifically advising him not to meet Elvis Presley. “I remember John telling me, ‘You should never meet your heroes,'” Jagger recalled. The 82-year-old musician recognised the weight of Lennon’s words, stating, “He even said, ‘I would never meet Elvis, Mick, if I were you.’ And so I didn’t. I took John’s advice.”
Reflecting on this decision, Jagger expressed a sense of regret, calling it “really stupid” in hindsight. He articulated that he would have loved the opportunity to meet Presley, admitting, “Why’d I take John’s advice? It seemed to ring true at the time.” The thought of meeting Elvis became something of a painful what-if for Jagger, who mused about how his perception of the King of Rock and Roll could have been different.
Lennon, who was renowned for his sharp wit and insightful perspectives, shared personal experiences that influenced Jagger’s decision not to pursue a meeting with Presley. “He told me all this story more than once. So it put me off,” Jagger explained. He had initially wanted to keep his own idealised version of Elvis intact, pondering whether his interpretation of the legendary musician would have resisted any potential disillusionment.
Their friendship was marked by a certain competitive spirit, as Jagger noted. He described their rivalry as mainly stemming from a “verbal competitiveness,” particularly when it came to humour and sarcasm. “We’re more competitive in being sarcastic,” he joked, illustrating the playful dynamics between the two legends.
Jagger elaborated on Lennon’s competitive nature, highlighting how the former Beatle had a knack for calling out moments of folly in conversation. “He’s one of these people that if you said something stupid, he’d pick you up. You know, he’d clock it right away,” Jagger recounted, providing a glimpse of their intellectual exchanges.
On a different note, Jagger also hinted at his creative process regarding music. Following the release of the Rolling Stones’ 25th studio album, ‘Foreign Tongues’, on 10 July, Jagger revealed that he is already working on new tracks. “I’ve started writing songs,” he said. Although he noted that some of these songs might not be intended for him, he recognised a broader creative impulse. “When you write a song, you sometimes decide, ‘That’s not for me, but it could be for the Chili Peppers’ or whatever,” he added.
As the conversation unfolded, it became clear that Jagger holds a deep sense of nostalgia and respect for the musical icons who preceded him, like Elvis. His reflections on Lennon’s advice reveal a layer of introspection and contemplation about fame, artistic admiration, and the complexities of celebrity culture.
In “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend”, Mick Jagger’s candid storytelling offered a fascinating insight into not just his career, but also the dynamics of friendship and rivalry in the music industry. As fans continue to celebrate the legacy of both Jagger and Lennon, their stories reflect the intertwined destinies of two generations of rock and roll.