The senior citizens and young pups of rock were brought together last night at the British premiere of Martin Scorsese’s documentary about the Rolling Stones.

Sir Mick Jagger, 64, Keith Richards, 64, Charlie Watts, 66, and Ronnie Wood, 60, were accompanied on the red carpet by some of the best rock acts to have followed in their wake at the screening of Shine a Light.

Celebrities including Liam Gallagher, Noel Fielding and Rob Brydon were in the audience. The film, which weaves archive material with footage of the band performing at the Beacon Theatre, New York, in 2006, also attracted famous faces from fashion – including Naomi Campbell and Julien Macdonald.

Last night’s was the fourth screening for the Stones, who saw it in Rome and at premieres in Berlin and New York. Richards, who recently admitted that writing his autobiography was a challenge because he “can’t even remember yesterday”, has said that it was refreshing to watch himself when he was younger. “I liked me when I was younger,” he said. “It’s kind of strange when you go back - you know, Mick with that cute little smile.”

He said that when he first heard the band had been approached to make another film, he responded: “Forget about it.” He recanted when he realised that the director would be Scorsese, who made Goodfellas and Raging Bull. “Of course, the whole thing changed because this man makes movies. Once Martin was involved with it I just wanted him to do whatever it is he does.”

Richards revealed a poignant element to the night in Leicester Square. “It’s kinda weird because I’m just a guitar player,” he said. “My grandfather used to play violin for the crowds here, he was a busker, so in a way it’s one for Granddad.”

The “rockumentary” charts the band’s 46-year history, interlinked with footage from the 2006 concert. Scorsese, whose successes include the 1978 rock concert film The Last Waltz, has said that he made the Rolling Stones film because the band had provided the soundtrack to his life. “The Stones’ music dealt with aspects of a life that I was growing up in and trying to make sense of. It’s always stayed with me.”

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