Mar 18, 2016
It was 1989, and The Rolling Stones’ were on a tour of Europe and North America, playing 115 spectacular shows to fans across the two continents. The American tour, which began in Philadelphia and ended at the Boardwalk Hall (formerly the Historic Atlantic City Convention Hall) in Atlantic City, was sponsored by Donald’s Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino.
The Stones, who at the time were not happy to be associated with the billionaire, agreed to cut a deal with him to air the final show on pay-per-view on the grounds that he would not be attending the show himself, and would not be involved in any promotional activity for the show outside of Atlantic City.
However, on the night, the tour’s promoter Michael Cohl told sources at Pollstar, “I get word that I have come to the press room in the next building. I run to the pressroom in the next building and what do you think is happening? There’s Donald Trump giving a press conference in our room!”
After several attempts by Cohl to get Trump off the mic, guitarist Keith Richards steps in to offer a helping hand. “Keith pulls out his knife and slams it on the tables and says, ‘What the hell do I have you for? Do I have to go over there and fire him myself? One of us is leaving the building – either him, or us.’”
Cohl then heads back to the pressroom with Keith’s stern message. “One of two things is going to happen,” He says. “You’re going to leave the building and at 6:40, The Rolling Stones are going to speak on CBS News, or you’re not going to leave the building and I’m going to on and do an interview to explain to the world why the pay-per-view was canceled."
Meanwhile Cohl notices Trump’s “three shtarkers he’s with in trench coats, two of them are putting on gloves and the other one is putting on brass knuckles.” Shit was truly about to go down. In response, Cohl’s head of security, “got 40 of the crew with tire irons and hockey sticks and screwdrivers,” sending Trump and his gang of thugs on there merry way. Tense.
Image: New York Times