Surly, sexy and rebellious, the Rolling Stones catapulted to fame in 1964.

From the start, their appearance, lifestyle and contempt for authority provoked outrage. Hysteria and violence generated at their concerts, drug busts, tales of sexual excess and, above all, the driving raunchy music scandalised the establishment. It was a wild ride and, clearly, it couldn't possibly last. But it did. And after more than forty years of recording and touring, with US/UK sales exceeding 75 million records, the Stones are still making headlines.

Controversial questions remain. Were they just playing at being bad boys? How and why did Brian Jones die? Were the powers-that-be determined to destroy them? Love them or hate them, the Stones are still both the most famous and most infamous rock band of all time. Since 1962 they have produced scores of hits, played hundreds of stadiums worldwide and spawned an army of fans, imitators and detractors. They have inspired wild yells from musical millions and gasps of horror from the establishment. In this lively archive packed programme, we hear from their contemporaries, fans and critics about the songs, the scandals, the crises and the excesses.

After over 40 years, 24 albums and 437 songs they are still both the most famous and most infamous band of all. This
documentary covers the period from the formation of the band in 1961 to the start of the Forty Licks tour in 2002.