IF YOU TRY SOMETIMES...THE ROLLING STONES
Hanging Around Books' twelfth release (HA012), "If You Try Sometimes: The Rolling Stones", features rare and previously unseen photographs of the band taken at an intimate secret show in front of an audience of only 250 lucky people at The 100 Club in London in 1982.
As photographer Justin Thomas writes in his introduction :
On the fateful day, rumour of a “secret” gig in London was spreading, but this was long before the days of internet and mobiles, so I jumped on the tube and hit all the small clubs where I thought they might play; The Nashville, Dingwalls, The Marquee, The Rock Garden, etc, etc. The last port of call was The 100 Club where there was a girl standing outside on her own. I asked her if she was hoping to see The Stones, she replied “I think so”. I was tired of roaming the city, so I thought this was as good a place as any to have a breather.
Over the next hour, people started arriving in two’s and three’s. No-one knew for certain ‘cos the band booked to play that night were ‘Diz and the Doormen.’ After about two hours, a guy turned up and said we should all head for HMV on the corner of Tottenham Court Road where we’d be given a wristband for entry. Once that was secured, it was straight to a payphone to tell as many mates as possible.
It was a bank holiday weekend, so most people were away or it was just too short notice. I heard later that bemused tourists had been beckoned in off a deserted Oxford Street to what would turn out to be the greatest gig they’d ever witness. That was certainly the case for me.
My flashgun popping off all the time five yards from Mick’s face annoyed him so much he threw a bucket of water at me! There were a few onstage ‘cos it was like an oven in there. Luckily, I saw it coming and ducked. It hit my girlfriend full in the face, knocking her glasses off, flattening her 80’s ‘big hair’ and making her mascara run down her cheeks. SHE went home; I stayed and enjoyed a masterclass.
Photography by Justin Thomas
© 2018 Justin Thomas & Hanging Around Books
An edition of 250 copies.
A5 paperback photozine. 36 pages. Digitally printed on recycled paper.
For EU customers, please be aware before purchasing that you will now be liable to pay local VAT charges when your order arrives in your country. Any import charges are the responsibility of the customer.
Please note: the images throughout this website are watermarked "Hanging Around Books" for the photographers' copyright protection. Purchased copies do not have these watermarks.
