Tuesday, August 27, 2024. More of that nice weather we’ve been having – with temps in the high 70s and 80s; mostly sunny, warm but not humid.
A friend sent me a page from last week’s Post with a big photo of Mick Jagger and his longtime girlfriend of ten years, a former ballerina and now novelist Melanie Hamrick. The headline, big and bold, read: Jagger’s Sexy Scribe. With the sub: (she)“writes ballet erotica.”
And then there is their photo which takes up almost a half page, just the two of them. Mick looks like Mick; he looks young for his age, a star, and obviously still has the energy to work. I don’t know him, have never met him, but I’ve always been a fan and a long time ago I learned we share the same birthday. Along with George Bernard Shaw, Aldous Huxley, Sandra Bullock, Helen Mirren, etc., etc., and so forth.
Ms. Hamrick in the photograph is an elegant looking young woman. No surprise she’s a former ballerina, with a natural presence. Mick looks like he’s well aware of how lucky he is to have her by his side. And he doesn’t look a day older than he looked thirty years ago. There is still the sign of youth in his face.
It also turns out that Mrs. H is Mother of his child. The boy is now seven, and it has been written that he idolizes his father and already can do all of his father’s famous movements when performing. Beautiful or what!
The reason for the article was obviously to plug Ms. Hamrick’s new book, a novel about a danseur debauchery. Now that she’s retired from performing, she can tell us what it was like backstage. Uh-huh. It’s called The Unraveling. You can buy it now and find out just what it was like. Ms. Hamrick explained in the Post piece that dancers — professionals — are young and in their youthful maturity they are also sexually relatable. And often active, as in very.
Aside from his famous work, I’ve never known much about Jagger’s life. The girls, yes; the movies, tv, concerts, yes; and albums; couldn’t resist. I do know of his financial studies background which interests me most, and it wouldn’t surprise me to know he has an extensive portfolio of investments making him at this late point, a very rich man. Although, if so, he definitely has earned it.
What impressed me emotionally was their kid — Mick has been a father for quite some time. This boy at age seven can do all of his dad’s dance moves. Not only does he have the creative physical reference, but also the motivation at this young age. It’s a tribute to his father and his mother. Somewhere in that motivation is the “genius” gene.
What fascinates me about the story is the cast of characters. Mick Jagger came on the scene in the late 1960s with the Rolling Stones. Their image was, for that time, kind of wild and crazy. Not that it was. Their sound had a heaviness to it. The listener was caught up in it. It was only rock and roll but it was powerful.
Its effect was everywhere including in the performers in the world of Rock and Roll – which is what that world was then. Jagger’s public image was that of one of them. But in reality that was his costume for his work. Like a banker wears a well tailored suit. Jagger, like a natural pro, was always ready “in costume” but the man was 21st century tycoon of Rock ‘n Roll. He the father of a seven-year-old who can match step for step in his dances. A pleasure to consider in a world of mixed messages.
