Page 75 - FOYER_Cannes 2001

DIARY BERLIN • LOSANGELES • MILAN • FOYER • CANNES • TOKYO • LONDON PAGE73
EVENWHENITWASBAD... ITWASGOOD
the Rolling Stones. Would that be of interest to you?”
“Let me say this. You haven’t met me yet, but that job was invent- ed for me.”
She let out a screech of laugh- ter. “I’d like to meet you. Where are you calling from?”
“Mougins. It’s about 15 minutes from your hotel.”
“When would be a good time to meet?”
“How about in fifteen minutes?”
She let out another screech of laughter. “Okay.”
Fifteen minutes later I was meet- ing Jo Bergman, a short plump woman with a beautiful face. She was dressed in a loose, long dress, a style I was not yet used to seeing in France, and had masses of curly, dark hair. I gave her an abbreviated version of my life story. Jo had a warm and bubbling personality, and I felt as though we became friends almost immediately.
“You’re right,” she said after a few minutes, “the job was invented for you. So when can you meet the boys?” I was amused that she referred to them as “the boys”. They’re all getting together tomor- row at Keith’s house in Villefrance to do some rehearsing. You’ll be able to meet everyone at once. I don’t drive, so why don’t you pick me up?”
The next day we drove to Villefrance together.
“We’re going to use Keith’s place as our headquarters and eventually do the recording there,” she explained. “All the others are in the process of renting houses, or moving in and getting staffed up and we need someone to look after every aspect of their lives.”
“I’ll be honest with you, Jo,” I confessed, “I do know what Mick Jagger looks like, and I think I know what Keith Richards looks like, but I don’t know who the others are, or their names.”
“Okay,” she grinned, “There’s Bill Wyman, bass player, moody eyes, thin face, long black hair, slen- der. Mick Taylor, replacement for Brian Jones, who died, blonde hair, blue eyes, looks like a little angel, brilliant guitar player, a big fan of Keith’s. Charlie Watts, drummer, high cheekbones, blonde straight hair, hawk eyes, stares into the dis- tance a lot, doesn’t speak much. He and his wife Shirley are the only ones who aren’t going to live near here; they’ve bought a house in another part of France. When they need him, Charlie will come over and stay with Mick or Keith. Keith has a tooth missing and an earring and long hair and looks like a gypsy. Are you familiar with their music?”
“Yes.”
“Well, Mick and Keith
write 90 percent of
it now.
Brian used to do a lot. You do know who Brian Jones was?”
I assured her I did. We
passed
through some stately iron gates, into a cir- cular drive, sweeping
through a beauti-
Main left: Ms Hollywood; above: portrait of June in a Japanese bathhouse in Kyoto, which she later donated to Bill Wyman; and below, Wyman on board The Trout off St. Tropez
continued ✒
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