Stones in £8m insurance battle

The Rolling Stones are locked in a legal battle over an £7.9m insurance claim over postponed concerts.

The band were forced to change plans to tour Australia and New Zealand in March after Mick Jagger’s girlfriend L’Wren Scott committed suicide. Jagger was reported to be “diagnosed as suffering from acute traumatic stress disorder.”

An insurance agreement was in place to cover commercial issues on the road – but underwriters say the tragedy falls outside the terms of their agreement. It’s argued that Scott was suffering a pre-existing mental illness, which means they’re not liable to pay.

Now a federal judge in Utah – where she was born and raised – has given the insurers permission to investigate her background, including gathering evidence and testimony from Scott’s brother Randall Bambrough.

The Stones are currently fulfilling the rescheduled dates, but had to cancel a show in Melbourne at the weekend after Jagger, 71, was ordered to rest as a result of a throat infection.

He told fans: “I am very sorry we had to cancel and disappoint so many of you that had planned to come. Thank you for all your supportive messages over the last few days. I really appreciate it.”

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Not only is one-time online news editor Martin an established rock journalist and drummer, but he’s also penned several books on music history, including SAHB Story: The Tale of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, a band he once managed, and the best-selling Apollo Memories about the history of the legendary and infamous Glasgow Apollo. Martin has written for Classic Rock and Prog and at one time had written more articles for Louder than anyone else (we think he's second now). He’s appeared on TV and when not delving intro all things music, can be found travelling along the UK’s vast canal network.