IN A time before egos, minders, agents and backstage passes, James Hurst - a rather dapper Mod - simply strutted into Birmingham’s Alpha TV studio and forged a friendship with one of the most iconic bands in history – The Rolling Stones.
“I moved to England in 1960 and I first met the Stones in 1963, when they were appearing on a programme called Thank Your Lucky Stars,” James (80) recalls.
Just a few years younger than the now household names of Charlie Watts, Keith Richards, Bill Wyman, Brian Jones and of course Mick Jagger, James explains how he and the boys quickly “hit it off” due to their similar tastes in music and fashion.
“It was a case of how you looked in those days – if you looked presentable and you could talk to people, there wasn’t much stopping you.
“I got on very well with Bill Wyman because we were about the same size and I used to swap clothes with him, and that really formed the foundation of the relationship I had with the band.”
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After this meeting of Mod minds, James glided effortlessly into the Stones entourage, hitch-hiking to gigs and unwinding with Jones and Wyman, with whom he was particularly close, at trendy venues up and down the UK.
“There was no security, no management - there was just me and the Stones.
“So, from 1963 on, I would meet them in various dance halls, theatres, cinemas, on their tours and just sort of drop in and drop out.”
However, it was fate that brought James and the Stones together on July 31 1964 for their Irish debut at Belfast’s Ulster Hall, six months after the fast-rising group had enjoyed their first ever Top 10 single and just three since the release of their chart-topping eponymous debut album.
“It was a sheer coincidence that I happened to be on holiday in Northern Ireland when the band came to Belfast in 1964 – I wasn’t expecting it,” confesses James, who lived in Birmingham for many years and is now based in Weston-Super-Mare.
“By complete chance, I encountered their limo driver’s mate, and after I convinced him of my genuine friendship with the Stones, he gave me their whole itinerary.
“So, I made my way to Belfast and dropped my luggage off at the Grand Central Hotel where they were staying, and then I headed to the Ulster Television studios where I knew they were going to be thanks to the chauffeur.”
James recalls originally being asked to leave the TV studio, as staff didn’t believe his claims of being friendly with the rock ‘n’ roll stars.
“Luckily the boys came out of the lift and welcomed me immediately.
“Then Brian invited me to accompany them back to the hotel in their limo with a full police escort.
“Keith Richards had missed the plane, so he hadn’t actually arrived in Belfast yet, but I was treated like an integral member of the band for most of that weekend - even after Keith turned up,” he laughs.
James spent the whole evening with band before they left to play their gig at the Ulster Hall, which he says was the only show the band had anticipated playing that night.
“They didn’t seem to be aware that they were expected to play Ballymena as well on the same night.”
However, it’s maybe just as well the band were booked to play a second show at The Flamingo Ballroom, as the Ulster Hall gig only lasted 13 minutes after a riot broke out.
“Several girls rushed the stage when the riot started, and the Stones had to run for their lives,” recalls James.
“Thankfully, I was on hand to rescue Mick Jagger from three or four girls who had followed him to the dressing room and pinned him to the floor.”
After the Ulster Hall chaos, James followed the band to Ballymena, where he managed to inadvertently share the stage with them.
“I was born in Ballymena and some of my family still lived there at the time. My uncle, Hugh McKendry was a publican, so I grabbed him and my cousin James and my friend Joe McManus and we all watched the gig from behind the group on the stage.”
Although the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle of parties, booze and beauties is fairly synonymous with the Stones, James admits that - much to his and the band’s disappointment - their first night in Belfast was a bit of a bust.
“When I got back to the hotel, the Stones were lying on the bed and said ‘Where’s all the action Jimmy? What’s happening?’
“From recollection, a university girl had invited the boys to a party, but it never materialised. It was the dullest night I ever spent in their company.”
However, a rare night of rest and relaxation must have done the band some good, as the next day they woke up in a very generous mood.
“When I went to pay my hotel bill, I found that the Stones had settled it. Bill was right when he said it was cheap at £2 and 16 shillings, but it still meant an awful lot to me.
“I still have a signed photo of the five of them from that night which was taken outside my room that Keith gave to me.
“I really treasure the memories from that weekend because it was special for me – it was a one off.
“Before they left, they grabbed a copy of a daily newspaper which had ran the headline ‘Night out with the Rolling Stones’ and I got Bill, Brian and Charlie to sign a copy for me which read ‘Jimmy’s night out with the Rolling Stones’.”
James continued to drop in on the Stones regularly until 1966, when he met his wife.
“I could turn up at any gig and literally be welcomed, side-stage, backstage or in their van.
“But I stopped going out of my way to meet the Stones after I took my then girlfriend, now wife, to go and see them at Liverpool Empire – she wasn’t very impressed,” he admits.
“Up until I met her, every penny I had was spent on clothes - I used to try and compete with the Stones, but the fact I was taken with my wife meant that, instead of doing that, we were saving to get married. And we wed in 1969.”
But this didn’t stop James from going on to meet plenty more famous faces.
“I was a gatecrasher - you name them, I met them,” he laughs.
Some of his favourites besides the Stones include; The Beatles, Dusty Springfield, Stevie Wonder and Jimi Hendrix.
Now 80, James reflects on his memories from the Swinging Sixties fondly, remembering a time which was truly rock ‘n’ roll.
“The secret was not to outstay your welcome,” he says, “to leave when you felt it was prudent, and cool.”
