The British rock band The Rolling Stones emerged from the British rock music scene of the early 1960s at about the same time as the Beatles. In contrast to the relatively clean-cut Beatles, however, the Stones adopted an aggressively sexual and defiant stance that helped make them one of the most successful of all rock groups. Formed in 1963 as a rhythm and blues band playing their interpretation of black-American urban blues, the Stones soon developed their own distinctive style and by the late 1960s were playing what many consider to be the finest rock music of its time. Some of their best albums include High Tide and Green Grass (1966), Between the Buttons (1967), Let It Bleed (1969), Sticky Fingers (1971), Hot Rocks (1971), Exile on Main Street (1972), and Some Girls (1978). The Stones were also notorious--for their frequent arrests for drug possession, for the rioting that occurred at their concerts, and for their disastrous concert (1969) at Altamont, Calif., where a spectator was killed by members of the Hell's Angels motorcycle gang. After issuing a string of disappointing albums in the 1980s, the Stones released Steel Wheels (1989), which, coupled with a worldwide concert tour, was one of their biggest commercial successes. Guitarist Brian Jones, was born February 28, 1942, died mysteriously in his swimming pool on July 3, 1969. Current band members include Mick Jagger, was born July 26, 1943, whose extraordinary style and voice have dominated the group; guitarist Keith Richard, was born December 18, 1943, with whom Jagger has composed much of the band's material; bassist Bill Wyman, was born October 24, 1941; drummer Charlie Watts, was born June 2, 1941; and guitarist Ron Wood, was born June 1, 1947.