ROLLING STONES ROILING : HONOURS

Bonn - Germany : No longer the youngest of rockers, the Rolling Stones continued youthful energy now sees them staring at a European tour to mark their 60th anniversary.

And in honour of their legacy so far, here's looking back at what made the Stones so iconic that they continue to reign till this very day.

World Famous Pout

There's more to the Rolling Stones than Mick Jagger, but he definitely celebrates his iconic status. The 78-year-old great-grandfather remains a sex symbol for fans.

As during his performances, he still pulls the wildest grimaces and scurries across the stage with unbridled energy. Jagger has been the front man of the Rolling Stones for 60 years.

Bad Boy Band

With their feel-good songs, The Beatles were already achieving world fame in 1964. That's why Andrew Loog Oldham, then manager of the Stones, wanted to create a group to counter the Fab Four.

They were to become famous as the ''bad boys'' - though during his first performance in the show Ready Steady Go, they came across as good guys.

One year later, on September 11, 1965, the Stones gave their first concert in West Germany - in the rather conservative city of Munster. The police had a hard time keeping their fans under control.

Sex, Drugs and Rock 'n' Roll

During the late 1960s, no other band came to embody the image of the hedonistic rock star more than the Stones.

The combination of rock music, free love and drug consumption seemed a constant at the time. Stones guitarist Brian Jones became ill from his drug use, which is why he left the band in June 1969.

A short time later, he drowned in his swimming pool under mysterious circumstances.

An Ingenious Idea

In May 1965, the Stones went on their third tour across the US, playing cover versions of rock hits once more. They still hadn't produced enough songs of their own. One night, Keith played a new melody on his guitar, and he loved it so much that he recorded it and had Mick listen to it. It was the hookline of their first worldwide hit, Satisfaction.

Shock In Altamont

The Altamont Free Concert, initiated by the Stones management, was intended as a peaceful counter event to Woodstock.

When the Stones started playing Under My Thumb, a man collapsed in front of the stage after a member of the Hells Angels stabbed him in the back. The band was shocked.

Later, they finished the concert. ''If Woodstock was the dream,'' said British photographer Earnon McCabe later, '' then Altamont was the nightmare. '' This day, December 6, 1969, saw the end of the hippie era.

Farewell, Mick Taylor

The band faced tax troubles in the 70s, which led them to flee to France, where they recorded Exile, on Main Street.

In 1972, considered by many to be the best Stones Album ever. In 1974, guitarist Mick Taylor left and was replaced by Ron Wood.

Drug Fuelled 1970s

Drug busts complicated the band's international tour plans. Charged with ''possession of heroin for the purpose of trafficking,'' Keith Richards was placed in rehab to avoid a long prison sentence, while Mick Jagger continued his jet-set lifestyles.

Musically, they experimented with different musical genres, dabbling in funk, Miss You, in 1978, or even disco, Emotional Rescue in 1980. [DW]