Why the Stones Buried Their 1968 Rock and Roll Circus for 28 Years

The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus was filmed over two days in December 1968, but the band shelved it until 1996. The other heavy hitters on the bill were The Who and Jethro Tull—plus Taj Mahal, Marianne Faithfull, and a supergroup called The Dirty Mac (featuring John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Mitch Mitchell, and Keith Richards). The Stones’ own set was the closing act, but they felt it couldn’t top what came before.

Specifically, The Who’s performance of “A Quick One While He’s Away” was so electric that Mick Jagger and Keith Richards worried the Stones looked flat in comparison. Jagger later admitted they were “not in good shape” that day—drugged, tired, and unhappy with their takes. So they simply locked the tapes away. It wasn’t until 1996, after a partial theatrical release and then a full commercial release, that the circus finally came to town.