Is this NZ's biggest Rolling Stones fan?

Rolling Stones fan Richard Fox in his room containing his massive collection of Rolling Stones memorabilia. Photo / New Zealand Herald / Jason Oxenham

Hardcore Stones fan Richard Fox reckons he is a lucky man to have found a wife who has accepted his obsession for so long -- even allowing him to give their children Rolling Stones inspired names.

"My five-year-old daughter Charlie is named after Charlie Watts, the drummer. My oldest one, his middle name is James, as in Mick Jagger's son James Leroy Jagger.

"Charlie's middle name is Jade, as in Mick Jagger's daughter Jade Jagger. But I wasn't allowed to have a Mick, a Keith or a Ronnie," he laughed.

Mr Fox and his wife, Nicola, also have five-year-old son Dominic -- the only one without a name associated with his dad's favourite group.

The 47-year-old from Titirangi has been a self-obsessed Stones fan since he was 17.

He has travelled around the US, Europe and Australia to see his idols and has collected so much memorabilia over the years he has put together a custom-made room to store everything.

"You buy one thing and before you know it, you've got a couple hundred T-shirts, 500 LPs and 1000 CDs, a pinball machine, guitars, autographs, guitar picks, beer cans...you know, everything."

Asked how much money he'd spent over the years, he laughs: "Oh...probably too much."

He was unlike other fans who lived for gaining backstage access and meeting the band members.

For him, it was just about seeing them play.

"It's a cliche, but it's the music. It's the music and being at the front that is crucial.

"I remember the moment when the switch flipped. I was in a my friend's car in Rotorua, in 1984, and we were driving along the main street.

"He flipped over the cassette to side two of Sticky Fingers and Bitch came on -- and that was the moment. It was like: 'Oh, I like that'."

Yesterday, Mr Fox put together a small party to welcome overseas fans who he had come to know through their mutual love of the Stones.

Tonight he will join legions of fans excited to see the Stones take on Auckland.

"I have front row centre tomorrow, right in front of Keith. It is awesome."

Next article: Rolling Stones, 1973: Our paths to Exile