Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live At Daybreak
Britain's Newest Knight
Aired December 12, 2003 - 06:23 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICK JAGGER: You can start me up. You can start me up, I'll never stop. You can start me up, you can start me up, I'll never stop.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: I wonder if that's what he's saying to Prince Charles right now as he's about to be knighted? After a long wait, Mick Jagger is getting that new title. No longer just a rock and roll legend, he is now Sir Mick.
Matthew Chance joins us from London with more on Britain's newest knight -- Matthew, usually I find you in a war zone. It's kind of refreshing to see you on a story like this.
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, thank you very much.
It's very nice to be here, Carol.
And that's right, Mick Jagger is being honored for his contribution to rock music which, of course, as well all know, has been a hefty one. Very few people in this country or elsewhere and around the world, of course, would argue the fact that he deserves every bit of recognition he gets.
But this is nevertheless a very controversial knighthood simply because of the way Mick Jagger has defined his career. He's always projected himself as the ultimate rebel. He's been renowned for his womanizing. He's been convicted on drug taking, drug possession charges, rather. He's always been anti-establishment. And what could be more establishment than actually accepting a knighthood from the British government and the British royal family like this?
Certainly other members of his band, Keith Richards, the guitarist, of course, have spoken out against this, criticizing Mick Jagger's decision to accept this honor. He's quoted in a British magazine, "Uncut" magazine, as saying that he told Mick that the knighthood was what he called a paltry honor and it's really not what the Rolling Stones is all about.
So, a great deal of opposition from the general public as well as members of his band -- Carol.
LIN: Matthew, is being knighted still a big deal? CHANCE: Well, I think it's a big deal for people who actually get knighted. It's considered still to be the highest honor, more or less, that this country has to offer its citizens. And so for some people who strive for that kind of recognition from the government, and, yes, it's the biggest honor that this country can bestow. It's why, actually, like I just mentioned, you know, people like Mick Jagger have been criticized in various circles for accepting this, because it is an acceptance of the establishment, it is an acceptance of, you know, the sort of, the traditional ways that this country has operated.
LIN: All right, thanks so much, Matthew.
You know, there's a whole generation of kids out there who don't even know who the Rolling Stones are. That's how long they've been around.
Matthew Chance live in London.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired December 12, 2003 - 06:23 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICK JAGGER: You can start me up. You can start me up, I'll never stop. You can start me up, you can start me up, I'll never stop.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: I wonder if that's what he's saying to Prince Charles right now as he's about to be knighted? After a long wait, Mick Jagger is getting that new title. No longer just a rock and roll legend, he is now Sir Mick.
Matthew Chance joins us from London with more on Britain's newest knight -- Matthew, usually I find you in a war zone. It's kind of refreshing to see you on a story like this.
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, thank you very much.
It's very nice to be here, Carol.
And that's right, Mick Jagger is being honored for his contribution to rock music which, of course, as well all know, has been a hefty one. Very few people in this country or elsewhere and around the world, of course, would argue the fact that he deserves every bit of recognition he gets.
But this is nevertheless a very controversial knighthood simply because of the way Mick Jagger has defined his career. He's always projected himself as the ultimate rebel. He's been renowned for his womanizing. He's been convicted on drug taking, drug possession charges, rather. He's always been anti-establishment. And what could be more establishment than actually accepting a knighthood from the British government and the British royal family like this?
Certainly other members of his band, Keith Richards, the guitarist, of course, have spoken out against this, criticizing Mick Jagger's decision to accept this honor. He's quoted in a British magazine, "Uncut" magazine, as saying that he told Mick that the knighthood was what he called a paltry honor and it's really not what the Rolling Stones is all about.
So, a great deal of opposition from the general public as well as members of his band -- Carol.
LIN: Matthew, is being knighted still a big deal? CHANCE: Well, I think it's a big deal for people who actually get knighted. It's considered still to be the highest honor, more or less, that this country has to offer its citizens. And so for some people who strive for that kind of recognition from the government, and, yes, it's the biggest honor that this country can bestow. It's why, actually, like I just mentioned, you know, people like Mick Jagger have been criticized in various circles for accepting this, because it is an acceptance of the establishment, it is an acceptance of, you know, the sort of, the traditional ways that this country has operated.
LIN: All right, thanks so much, Matthew.
You know, there's a whole generation of kids out there who don't even know who the Rolling Stones are. That's how long they've been around.
Matthew Chance live in London.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
