Mick Jagger embraces local languages
Sir Mick Jagger tries to learn the native languages of the countries he performs in.
The Rolling Stones frontman thinks it is important to make the "effort" to speak to fans, even if his attempts are not always perfect.
Discussing how he spoke a lot of Spanish to the crowd at the group’s first-ever show in Cuba in March this year, he said: "[Do I speak Spanish?] Not really but I find it quite easy. If I prep it, I can get by.
"I’d just been doing Spanish for almost the whole tour, apart from the whole Brazil part, which is Portuguese and more difficult. So I was kind of OK.
"Even my daughter Jade gave me a grudging compliment. Her Spanish is quite good and she said, ‘Your Spanish wasn’t bad’. I said, ‘Well, I’ve been doing it for three months or so.’
"I think you’ve got to make the effort to talk to people in their own language. Even if you make a mess of it, it doesn’t matter. I think people appreciate you trying.
"A lot of people speak English, but not everywhere, so it’s good to do phrases.
"The thing about Spanish is that it’s different in each country, they have different words and slang and ways of pronouncing it. Someone said, ‘You can’t pronounce it like that, you’re speaking like a Chilean’, I was like, ‘What’s wrong with that?!’ "
The Cuban show – which will be screened in cinemas around the world on September 23 – saw the rockers joined by local choir Entrevoces for the encore of ‘You Can’t Always Get What You Want’ and Mick, 73, revealed the band have a "network" of similar musical backing that they call on for their shows around the world.
He told The Sun newspaper: "The Cuban choir were very good. We have a network of choirs all over the world. We do a practice with them the day before and then, if we can, we do one on the day, backstage or on stage."
The gig came after an eight-day break in the ‘Ruby Tuesday’ hitmakers’ tour, so for Mick it was important he kept singing on his days off.
He said: "It’s a bit of a gap, but you’ve got to keep going. You have to do all your vocal practices and exercises. I think I went to the West Indies and everyone else went to Miami. I had to get good for that show. I didn’t want to disappoint the Cubans."
‘Havana Moon – The Rolling Stones Live in Cuba’ will be premiered at cinemas globally for one night only on Friday, September 23. See stonesincuba.com for more information.
