On Friday, October 23, 1964, The Rolling Stones were at London’s Heathrow Airport where they boarded a BOAC, Boeing 707, to fly to New York’s JFK Airport to begin what was to be their second US tour, including a coveted performance on The Ed Sullivan Show. When they arrived in America there were around 500 fans at the airport yelling, “We want the Stones.” It was all a bit different from when the band had arrived four months earlier on their first U.S. visit, when it had all been a bit low-key.

The band had, by this time, scored with two singles in the Billboard Top 30 and the week before their arrival “Time Is On My Side” had entered the US Top 100 at No.80. The day after they arrived, it climbed to No.65 and, by the time their tour was over, it had peaked at No.6.

Following the obligatory interviews and an appearance on Ed Rudy’s radio show on WINS, they went to the Hotel Astor, overlooking Central Park. The band had the entire 7th Floor to themselves; later that evening they rehearsed for their appearance on Ed Sullivan.

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