# Did Bin Laden party with the Rolling Stones? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 25, 2001, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bin-laden-party-with-the-rolling-stones/83822 "2001-09-25T23:58:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![leroy\_the\_mule](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6a8cbe/32.png) [@leroy\_the\_mule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leroy_the_mule)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bin-laden-party-with-the-rolling-stones/83822/1 "2001-09-25T23:58:02Z")
A friend told me Osama Bin Laden and his rich brat buddies used to party with the Rolling Stones when he was a rich brat teenager/twenty-something. Is this true, and if so what were his favorite 'Stones songs? My top guess would be “Paint it Black”. ---
**Author:** ![escapol](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/90ced4/32.png) [@escapol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/escapol)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2001, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bin-laden-party-with-the-rolling-stones/83822/2 "2001-09-26T01:21:34Z")
I’m going to go with the obvious, “Gimme Shelter.” ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@Bill\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_H)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2001, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bin-laden-party-with-the-rolling-stones/83822/3 "2001-09-26T01:35:07Z")
I heard he even stood in for Bill Wyman on the Tattoo You tour. ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2001, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bin-laden-party-with-the-rolling-stones/83822/4 "2001-09-26T01:38:32Z")
Good one, \*\*escapol \*\*. But I’d have to guess that there’s been a serious shortage of partying in OBL’s life. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2001, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bin-laden-party-with-the-rolling-stones/83822/5 "2001-09-26T01:47:38Z")
Naaah…he was too busy hanging out with Cat Stevens. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2001, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bin-laden-party-with-the-rolling-stones/83822/6 "2001-09-26T02:02:06Z")
I’m going with “Out of Time.” Haj ---
**Author:** ![Trucido](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea5d25/32.png) [@Trucido](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trucido)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2001, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bin-laden-party-with-the-rolling-stones/83822/7 "2001-09-26T02:03:52Z")
There’s a photograph circulating that purports to be of Osama Bin Laden and twenty-two brothers and sisters vacationing in Sweden during the early 70’s. I can’t say anything for the authenticity, but they look like they’d fit right into 70’s America (No veils, turbans, chadors, burqas…). ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2001, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bin-laden-party-with-the-rolling-stones/83822/8 "2001-09-26T02:07:05Z")
OK, before **manny** and **bib** _et al_ come along and tell us to go play in the den, I’ll guess _2000 Light Years From Home_. ---
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2001, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bin-laden-party-with-the-rolling-stones/83822/9 "2001-09-26T02:21:01Z")
I guess appearances can be deceptive, I thought he was more of a ZZ Top kinda guy. ---
**Author:** ![saudade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@saudade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saudade)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2001, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bin-laden-party-with-the-rolling-stones/83822/10 "2001-09-26T02:59:57Z")
I sort of believe its possible. One of the big lessons that has come from all of this is that suicide bombers aren’t always illiterate refugees. They were middle class, college studnets, who lived in the West, who drank alcohol, had girlfriends, and probably listened to western pop music and wore clothes from the mall. Bin Laden came from the same class, his family is stinking rich too, so he probably has had access to all sorts of celebrities in his day. Somewhere along the way, he got delusional, and decided to become an fundamentalist version of Kurtz from “Heart of Darkness”. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was hooked on something - he’s lived in the heart of opium poppy country for 20 years, and has that lean, bug eyed appearance. ---
**Author:** ![saudade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@saudade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saudade)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2001, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bin-laden-party-with-the-rolling-stones/83822/11 "2001-09-26T03:01:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by saudade \* > \*\*I sort of believe its possible. One of the big lessons that has come from all of this is that suicide bombers aren’t always illiterate refugees. They were middle class, college studnets, who lived in the West, who drank alcohol, had girlfriends, and probably listened to western pop music and wore clothes from the mall. > Bin Laden came from the same class, his family is stinking rich too, so he probably has had access to all sorts of celebrities in his day. Somewhere along the way, he got delusional, and decided to become an fundamentalist version of Kurtz from “Heart of Darkness”. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was hooked on something - he’s lived in the heart of opium poppy country for 20 years, and has that lean, bug eyed appearance. \*\* I sounded like Dennis Hopper there… ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2001, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bin-laden-party-with-the-rolling-stones/83822/12 "2001-09-26T03:10:27Z")
> [@](#): > > I sounded like Dennis Hopper there… That’s probably OK. I’d think Dennis Hopper, in his lucid moments, would be welcome here. ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2001, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bin-laden-party-with-the-rolling-stones/83822/13 "2001-09-26T03:14:27Z")
Enough fartin’ around. Does anybody know if OBL actually ever met and/or partied with members of the Rolling Stones? ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2001, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bin-laden-party-with-the-rolling-stones/83822/14 "2001-09-26T05:23:19Z")
Oh sure, he inspired the lyrics for _Shattered._ > [@](#): > > Life’s just a cocktail party on the street > Big Apple > People dressed in plastic bags > What a mess this town’s in tatters I’ve been shattered > My brain’s been battered, splattered all over Manhattan Sob. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2001, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bin-laden-party-with-the-rolling-stones/83822/15 "2001-09-26T08:18:36Z")
Osama bin Ladin’s favorite Rolling Stones song isn’t really a GQ.\* Whether he ever partied with Mick and the boys is a valid GQ. bibliophage moderator GQ [/quote] \*[sub]Besides, everybody knows it’s “Mean Disposition.” [/sub] ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2001, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bin-laden-party-with-the-rolling-stones/83822/16 "2001-09-26T11:01:53Z")
Here’s the link of a photo agency with the aforementioned Swedish [picture.](http://www.rdfoto.com/fotoweb/searchresult.fwx?folderid=5000&search=n0) ---
**Author:** ![Monkeypants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@Monkeypants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monkeypants)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2001, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bin-laden-party-with-the-rolling-stones/83822/17 "2001-09-26T12:10:03Z")
“When the Whip Comes Down” ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2001, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bin-laden-party-with-the-rolling-stones/83822/18 "2001-09-26T13:20:40Z")
How’s this for tangential: the late King Faisal of Saudi Arabia was said to be a Grateful Dead fan. They did [“Blues for Allah”](http://arts.ucsc.edu/GDead/AGDL/allah.html) in memory of him.