Exhibition Rolling Stones in Groningen reopens on Friday. According to Stonesfan Jelle (69) from Meppel, you should not miss these special items (and their story).

Jelle Tadema (69) from Meppel – a diehard Stones fan for over fifty years, with just as many Stones concerts visited – took a look at the exhibition two years ago, just before it closed prematurely due to corona. Now he chooses five striking items and explains why they are so special.

Replica of 102 Edith Grove

“When you walk into the exhibition, you are immediately confronted with the early beginnings of the band. The recreated one-room apartment at 102 Edith Grove in Chelsea, London, where Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Brian Jones lived in 1962 and 1963. Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts occasionally came to visit. This is still a long way from the success years of the group. No luxury, a terrible mess: piled up dishes in the sink and food scraps, empty beer bottles and full ashtrays, while they had coins for gas and electricity. When they ran out, they were literally out in the cold. They were poor wretches who had nothing. Only the blues. Very fascinating to start an exhibition like this.”

In 2019, the British newspaper The Telegraph reported that 102 Edith Grove is now worth more than 1 million pounds sterling.

Charlie’s drum kit

,,A beautiful, shiny drum set from the Ludwig brand, on which Charlie played in 1965. He originally came from jazz. A very characteristic drummer who needed a simple drum kit to indicate the rhythm. I think he was both the driving force and the most stable factor of the Stones. I’ve always had a thing for Charlie. I once met him prior to a concert in Orlando. As a VIP I was able to get backstage, when he suddenly came running. I thought, ‘what should I ask him?’ You’re just perplexed. I talked to him briefly, it was over before I knew it. Fortunately we still have the pictures. Charlie passed away two years ago. On August 24, the anniversary of his death, I visit the exhibition in Groningen. As a tribute. When I see that beautifully lit drum kit, I see Charlie.”

Madurodam-sized city park

,, There is a miniature Stadspark in a display case, in memory of the concert that the Stones gave on June 2, 1999 in Groningen. To date, the largest concert in the city ever: 75,000 people. ‘On a bicycle to the Stones’, people said. “We slam the bikes against the fence and go inside.” The Stones themselves came in four white limos. Initially they wanted to fly from Schiphol to Eelde, but that was not possible due to the bad weather. I saw the fact that such a big band performed with us as a huge appreciation for Groningen. That is why, to be honest, I think the attention for Groningen in the exhibition is very scanty. Since then, such a large concert has never been given in the city. I still have a vest that the attendants wore. Truly a collector’s item. I asked museum director Andreas Blühm if that vest could be hung near the display case about Groningen. “No, you can’t,” he said. “The Stones rule everything.” My old pickup with the first single, Come on joined two years ago Unzipped alone in the hall. There is no room for that now.”

The tongue

“The Stones logo is the leitmotif of the exhibition and was designed by John Pasche. In April 1970 he was asked by Mick Jagger to design a simple and recognizable brand image for the group. The tongue stands for protest, for being different, for giving a shit to everyone. It’s a strong brand; people all over the world associate the tongue with the Stones. A huge eye-catcher. During the exhibition it appears in many guises, such as the flags of countries. The Stones were the epitome of mischievousness, long hair and screaming girls. More freedom, less authority: look how topical that tongue is today. Incidentally, Jagger has always denied that he is the one sticking out the tongue.”

Converted to today’s standards, the then 24-year-old Pasche was paid about a thousand English pounds for his design in 1971. Because of the success, he was given 200 pounds as an extra reward a year later. In the following years, Pasche regularly received royalties. The Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A) in London bought his original design in 2008 for £50,000.

Mick’s butterfly suit

“The exhibition has a separate room with a lot of clothing. Please take the time to view it. How extreme their outfits were, from fancy suits to almost nothing. Those Mick and Keith costumes mean something. Also how their fashion changed over the years. That’s the beauty of this exhibition. In addition to music, art, such as by Andy Warhol, and fashion are also discussed. I particularly like the white butterfly suit that Jagger wore during the concert in London’s Hyde Park on July 5, 1969. A famous concert, played for an estimated half a million people and two days after the sudden death of Brian Jones. The suit, designed by Michael Fish, resembles a skirt. Closed quite high, with long sleeves and those fringes at the ends. Some kind of angel’s robe. Before they started playing, Mick wore the poem Adonais from Shelley. In relation to reflecting on the death of Brian Jones, I see a piece of symbolism in that butterfly suit. The concert itself was not very good, the group had not played for two years and practiced little. In 2013 the Stones were back in Hyde Park and I was there. A fantastic concert that is high on my list of favourites.”

The butterfly suit is the only non-authentic object in the exhibition. Since the original has been lost, the creation has been counterfeited.