Rolling Stones welcomes censorship in first show in China

SHANGHAI (AFP) - Mick Jagger, frontman for the Rolling Stones, joked that he welcomed censorship of the band's first show in China, adding that it will be broadcast on tape-delay TV nationwide.

"I'm pleased the Ministry of Culture is protecting the morals of the expat bankers and their girlfriends who are going to turn up (for the concert)," Jagger told journalists ahead of Saturday night's show.

"I don't need to tell you that there is censorship in China, as there is indeed in other places ... it would be stupid of us not to think that that didn't exist here."

Five Stones songs have been banned from the concert, including raunchy hits like "Brown Sugar," "Honky Tonk Woman," "Beast of Burden" and "Let's Spend the Night Together," Jagger said. He did not reveal the title of the fifth song.

The veteran bad boys of rock -- the biggest music act ever to play in China -- have chosen to stage their one-time concert at a tiny 8,000-seat theater rather than a 100,000-capacity soccer stadium where they usually perform.

Jagger defended the decision, while admitting that mostly Western expats were expected to be in the audience as ticket prices of between 300 to 3,000 yuan (37 to 370 dollars) were far too expensive for ordinary Chinese.

"You don't go around choosing your audience, but we will be there whatever they look like," Jagger said.

Those who could not afford a ticket can "go and watch it on TV for free," he added.

During the show, Jagger would perform a duet with Cui Jian, the Godfather of Chinese rock-and-roll and arguably the most-censored musician in China.

The Rolling Stones were scheduled to perform in Beijing and Shanghai in 2003, but the shows were canceled due to the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome health crisis that riddled the country.

Keith Richards, the Stones' chain-smoking guitarist, said the trip to China made him "feel like Marco Polo" and added that the band might try to get around the censorship.

"Maybe we can just play instrumental versions of the banned songs," he joked.