The Stones' love affair with Brazil

By Bruno Garcez
BBC Brazil

The Rolling Stones, who have been visiting Brazil since the 60s, performed to their biggest audience so far in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday.

"Their love affair with Brazil started with Mick Jagger, who came here as a tourist in 1968", says musical researcher Nelio Rodrigues, author of a book that details the Stones' experiences in the tropical country.

The Rolling Stones have been regular visitors to Brazil

Rodrigues said it was unusual for someone as famous as Jagger to be seen "hanging around with fishermen" in the state of Bahia, the Northeast of Brazil.

"Later on, he would say in interviews that the inspiration for the song Sympathy for the Devil came from the Afro-Brazilian rituals he saw in Bahia," Rodrigues said.

"In fact, he considered the song to be a samba."

Jagger was back by the end of the same year, this time bringing along his musical partner, Keith Richards, who would also claim later to have been influenced by the sounds of Brazil.

Richards would be particularly impressed with the highly efficient rural countryside of Sao Paulo state, a place that reminded him the south of the United States and inspired him the country-rock rhythm of Honky Tonk Women.

Mick Jagger first visited there during the 60s

According to Rodrigues, Jagger still has possession of a "hidden gem", a song called Scarlet that he recorded in Rio in 1976.

"According to those who took part in the recording, the track has a percussive beat that shows a strong Brazilian influence," said the writer.

"Unfortunately, Jagger took the master tape with him, for it never to be seen again."

But, in spite of their many visits, the Stones did not perform in Brazil until 1995, more than 30 years after their first album was released.

"Before the mega festival Rock in Rio, in 1985, few big rock names came to Brazil," said Rodrigues, who added that 10 years earlier, the band had announced tour dates for Brazil but later cancelled them.

Rolling Stones fans are getting geared up for Saturday

The band have many Brazilian fans

"Jagger had a standard answer whenever asked by the Brazilian press when the band would finally play over here. 'Next year', was the constant reply", he says.

Although the Stones are known for partying hard whenever in Brazil, they sometimes ran out of luck.

Running Out of Luck was in fact the title of the feature film by filmmaker Julien Temple, with Mick Jagger, in 1984.

The movie, shot in Rio, aimed to boost the singer's first solo album, but had disappointing international sales.

In the case of guitar player Ronnie Wood his unlucky streak was nearly a fatal one.

The band are to perform for their biggest crowd so far

In 1995, the guitarist was on a boat near an island off Rio when it caught fire.

Ironically, Wood was rescued by the same paparazzi with whom he had quarrelled a while earlier.

In Rio, the bon vivant Jagger also paid a high price for his lush life - in fact, quite literally.

He became romantically involved with a local model, Luciana Gimenez Morad, only to find out later on that she was expecting a son from him.

Jagger's partner of 20 years, actress Jerry Hall, filed for divorce in 1999 after it was confirmed Jagger had fathered Morad's son Lucas.

Keith Richards is said to be fond of Brazil's climate and national drink

Not all Stones are fond of the wild life though. Drummer Charlie Watts is famed for his manners. He was the first Stone to play a series of gigs in Brazil, in 1992, with his jazz band.

In Brazil, Watts, a horse collector, enjoys visiting stud farms and at least once his entourage included his aging mother.

Perhaps reflecting Brazil's tendency for extremes, Watts has always been the most applauded Stone during the band's performances in the country.

He is followed by Keith Richards, the band's legendary bad boy, who's believed not only to be fond of Brazil for its sun and music, but also for its national drink, the caipirinha.