Mick Jagger is opening up about what he thinks his job is as an entertainer.
During an interview with the New York Times podcast, “The Interview,” the 82-year-old Rolling Stones frontman shared he believes his job as a musician is to make sure audiences “have the best time they possibly have” at his shows.
“I mean, the bottom line of my thing is really that my job in the live music world is just those people that come to have the best time they possibly can, and for two hours or whatever it is to forget all their problems and the problems of the world and their mortgages and their whatever,” he said.
“They can have just the best time. It’s similar to going to a sports event, really, because everything else is shouted out,” he continued. “You’re just watching who’s going to win. You’re not worrying about everything else.”
Jagger made it clear he is more concerned with making sure his fans walk away at the end of his concert feeling good, emphasizing that he doesn’t “want to lecture them” about anything.
While he doesn’t feel the need to “lecture” his fans at his concerts, he isn’t above inserting his opinion and providing social commentary in his song lyrics.
“I’ve also got into this habit of doing songs that are about personal relationships, and then I throw a verse about politics in there,” he explained. “I think that’s a trick that I’ve learned from other songwriters, or I’ve listened to others, because nobody wants to hear a whole song about politics or… social comment, of any kind.”
Although the musician told interviewer David Marchese his main goal when performing is to entertain, he did ignite a small feud with the governor of Louisiana while performing in New Orleans in May 2024.
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While performing at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Jagger called out Gov. Jeff Landry by name.
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“We’re a welcoming crowd, aren’t we?” Jagger asked. “I hope Mr. Landry is enjoying the show. He’s real inclusive you know. He’s trying to take us back to the Stone Age.”
Shortly after the comment, the Republican governor responded on social media, appearing to mock the singer as well.
“You can’t always get what you want,” he posted on X. “The only person who might remember the Stone Age is Mick Jagger. Love you buddy, you’re always welcome in Louisiana! #LoveMyCountryMusic.”
