Mick Jagger Once Did An Over The Top Prank To Van Halen
LONDON - MARCH 22: Mick Jagger of The Rolling Stones speaks at a webcast announcing details of the band's 'A Bigger Bang' 2007 european tour at the Grosvenor Hotel on March 22, 2007 in London, England. The band are set to headline this year's Isle of Wight festival on June 10 and will play London's O2 Arena (the dome) on August 21. (Photo by Dave Hogan/Getty Images)
Mick Jagger is no stranger to making bold moves, whether on stage or off. But in one memorable moment, the Rolling Stones frontman decided to take his antics to the next level with a practical joke that left Van Halen’s bass tech, Kevin “Dugie” Dugan, absolutely stunned. While it all ended in laughter, those fleeting moments before the punchline were, in Dugan’s own words, “horrifying.”
How It All Started: A Backstage Mishap
The whole saga began during Van Halen’s stint opening for the Rolling Stones in 1981. Kevin Dugan was working behind the scenes, ready to assist bassist Michael Anthony. When Anthony’s bass needed a quick string change mid-performance, Dugan sprang into action.
“I see Bill Graham, the promoter, and he’s leaning on my workbox talking to some other guy,” Dugan recalled. “So, I yell, ‘Bill! Get out of the way!’ Bill jumps out of the way, and I grab the door of my workbox and throw it open. The other guy he was talking to, the door hits him in the chest, and he flies back on his a** about five feet.”
In the heat of the moment, Dugan grabbed the strings, fixed Anthony’s bass, and saved the set. It wasn’t until later that he realized the “other guy” sent flying by the toolbox door was none other than Mick Jagger. Dugan apologized to Graham after the set, but the promoter waved it off. “Don’t worry about it,” Graham said. “We were in your way.”
Mick Jagger’s Perfect Revenge
Fast forward a few years, and Dugan was helping fellow guitar tech Jim Barber at LAX. Barber was working with Mick Jagger at the time, and Dugan was lending a hand unloading gear. That’s when things took an unexpected turn.
Out of nowhere, two men grabbed Dugan and shoved him into a limo. “Mick Jagger is sitting there by himself, and he looks at me and goes, ‘I understand we’ve met before,’” Dugan recounted.
At first, their conversation was harmless, covering albums and dinner plans. But then, Jagger shifted gears dramatically.
“He says, ‘Oh, and one more thing I’ve got to mention.’ All of a sudden, his facial expression changed, and he lunged at me, grabbed me by my shirt, and says, ‘If you ever knock me on my a** again, I’ll have you killed!’”
From Fear to Laughter
For a few heart-stopping seconds, Dugan believed Jagger’s over-the-top threat. Then, the Rolling Stones singer burst into laughter, rolling down the limo window to reveal a group of people laughing hysterically.
While Dugan can laugh about it now, it’s safe to say that the prank left a lasting impression. Mick Jagger might be a rock legend, but he’s also a master of unforgettable mischief.
