July

The Stones Leave Decca

After being with the label for years, the Stones declined to re-sign their contract with Decca, which expired in July 1970. At the same time, they officially announced that they would not be renewing their contract with the dubious business practices of manager Allen Klein, who they would later have to sue. Owing one more single to Decca, the group gave them ‘Cocksucker Blues’, which asked ‘Where do I get my ass f***ed? Where do I get my cock sucked?’ The label refused to release it, and Keith would later remark, ‘I’d rather the Mafia than Decca’.

August

European Tour Starts

The Stones started their first European tour in three years on 30 August. Notably, it would see their first shift towards the large-scale productions they would stage in later years: high ticket prices, grand production values, huge entourages – both crew and hangers-on – and an augmentation of the Stones’ sound with extra instrumentation, most notably saxophone players.

September

Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out!

While touring, Decca released Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out!, considered the group’s first live album proper. Partly released to combat a bootleg recording, LIVEr Than You’ll Ever Be – which even got a review in Rolling Stone magazine – Ya-Ya’s was mostly recorded on the Stones’ two Madison Square Garden shows in New York on their 1969 US tour, and it is notable for showcasing Mick Taylor and Keith Richards’ live guitar interplay.

Personalities | Introducing The Rolling Stones
Personalities | The Rolling Stones (1971) | Key Events