The final touches were being put on the Boeing 737-400 that will take the Stones on their 2015 “Zip Code” tour beginning this week.
Back in the day, we heard stories and saw photos of their outratgeous mid-air parties. You can’t imagine the Rolling Stones jet without lush couches, a bar, mirrors on the ceiling and bedrooms in the back. But those days are long gone and the plane resonated with one stark message: We’re all a lot older. The only 70’s that apply to the Stones now are their ages: Mick Jagger and Keith Richards are both 71.
The plane was filled with comfortable brown, leather seats suitable for a board of directors. It was a relief to see the white exterior plastered with the 10-foot crimson lips and tongue logo that has defined the Stones for 45 years.
No more wandering the aisle drinking from Jack Daniel’s bottles. This plane is a good place to soothe the band’s sore joints as they tour the country.
Mick’s favorite seat has comfortable memory foam!
The four band members sit in the cozy compartment in the front of the plane — more like the first-class cabin of an airliner — with big, soft seats and attentive service.
The support musicians and roadies sit behind the partition.
On the outside, it looked like the glory days of rock ‘n’ roll excess. On the inside, those leather chairs looked very appealing. Well, arthritis takes its toll, I guess.
And there was one more thing. A table sat in front of me. “They like that table for all their paperwork,” said the plane’s flight mechanic.
Paperwork? That’s not how I pictured Mick Jagger unwinding!
