Bid to get Rolling Stones to road opening

The christening of a new Tikipunga road as Rolling Stone Rise has a Whangarei couple chuckling at their family ties to the rock legends.

Margaret Gentil, a keen family historian and genealogist, was hunting through her husband Mike's family tree a few years ago when she unearthed the connection to the iconic rockers - Mike was shown to be the fifth cousin of Keith Richards, the band's guitarist and legendary survivor of the rock and roll lifestyle.

"So there is a tenuous Whangarei connection, not that Keith would know anything about it," she said.

Mr Gentil is related to Richards through his mother's side of the family, the Duprees. Mrs Gentil also discovered that Richards' grandfather, Theodore Augustus Dupree, was a professional musician who travelled all over England with his band.

"So music is in the family," she said.

Mr Gentil said knowing the link has given him a lot more interest in listening to the Rolling Stones' songs.

"It's good to know we've got some fame in the family and some musical talent in the genes, not that I inherited any of it," he said.

After Whangarei District Council named the road in the new subdivision in the band's honour last month, Cr Brian McLachlan posted a letter to the rockers, asking them to jam at the street opening later this year.

Although his request remains unanswered, Cr McLachlan is still hopeful of a reply.

"The letter will be something I can hang on my wall one day if they ever write back," he said.

"I'm not giving up hope, I just haven't won the Lotto yet so haven't got the money to bribe them out here."

In June the Stones headlined the UK's Glastonbury Festival in front of up to 170,000 people - more than the entire population of Northland - and followed it with a show in London's Hyde Park to a crowd in the tens of thousands.

Cr McLachlan said if has no reply within the next month he will follow it up with an email, where he will be sure to include the Gentil's family ties.

Mrs Gentil said it would be quite amusing if the band did put in an appearance.

"I haven't really thought too hugely about it, as whether it happens or not is another story," she said.