London:
Rock legends the Rolling Stones are set to finally bow out after nearly 50 years in music with a giant farewell tour.
The foursome will have a combined age of 268 when the world tour kicks off next year.
Formed way back in 1962, the band will reach its half-century during the jaunt, which is set to last into 2012, reports say.
Drummer Charlie Watts will celebrate his 70th birthday on the tour, and his band-mates - Ronnie Wood, 63, Keith Richards and Mick Jagger, both 66 - agreed the milestone makes it the right moment to call it a day.
They are in talks with promoters Live Nation about the tour, and a source said: "They're likely to perform in stadiums. It's almost certainly the last full-scale world tour. The band realises that age is creeping up on them. They want to bow out at the top of their game and not short-change their fans."
They first did a farewell tour of Britain in 1971, then left the country to avoid high taxes. They gave up touring again for eight years from 1982 until the Steel Wheels tour in 1990.
The Stones have sold more than 200 million albums and recorded a string of classic hits including Satisfaction, Paint It Black and Brown Sugar.
The foursome will have a combined age of 268 when the world tour kicks off next year.
Formed way back in 1962, the band will reach its half-century during the jaunt, which is set to last into 2012, reports say.
Drummer Charlie Watts will celebrate his 70th birthday on the tour, and his band-mates - Ronnie Wood, 63, Keith Richards and Mick Jagger, both 66 - agreed the milestone makes it the right moment to call it a day.
They are in talks with promoters Live Nation about the tour, and a source said: "They're likely to perform in stadiums. It's almost certainly the last full-scale world tour. The band realises that age is creeping up on them. They want to bow out at the top of their game and not short-change their fans."
They first did a farewell tour of Britain in 1971, then left the country to avoid high taxes. They gave up touring again for eight years from 1982 until the Steel Wheels tour in 1990.
The Stones have sold more than 200 million albums and recorded a string of classic hits including Satisfaction, Paint It Black and Brown Sugar.
