Everyone’s asking how a Rolling Stones song wound up in the “Melania” documentary.
“Gimme Shelter,” written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, isn’t owned by them unfortunately.
Previously, the pair complained about Donald Trump using “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” at his rallies. They are not fans.
But all the Stones songs pre-1971 are not under the control of Jagger and Richards.
All those songs — like “Satisfaction,” “Get Off My Cloud,” “Under My Thumb,” etc — are owned by ABKCO Records. ABKCO was the brain child of the late Allen Klein, always considered the villain in the story of the Beatles.
When the Beatles were teetering on break up, John Lennon hired Klein — on the advice of the Stones — to take on Paul McCartney. He is generally thought to have made the break up worse than it could have been. Eventually, Lennon realized it, but it was too late.
Klein was an evil genius in the music business. Not only did he sign Jagger and Richards to a lifelong publishing deal, he also signed up the music of Sam Cooke, like “You Send Me” or “Wonderful World.” Ultimately, Jagger and Richards broke loose of Klein in 1971 and signed with Ahmet Ertegun at Atlantic Records. They went on to have dozens more hits, but said goodbye to the old ones.
As for Klein, who has long since passed, his other great contribution to rock and roll was releasing the original “96 Tears” by Question Mark and the Mysterians, one of the greatest one off singles in history.
So don’t blame Mick and Keith for “Gimme Shelter” showing up in the “Melania” infomercial. And knowing ABKCO, Amazon paid a hefty price for the rights.
