Black & Blue Review

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(More customer reviews)This often overlooked album in the Stones' oeuvre shines with good to great songs and contains some brilliant reggae. It kicks off with the funky Hot Stuff, followed by the passionate Hand Of Fate which is vintage Stones. Cherry O Baby is a lovely slice of reggae with intriguing organ lines and brilliant vocalizing, while the road epic Memory Motel is a moving story song. Hey Negrita is a wailing bluesy number and Melody soulfully ambles along with lovely guitar, sax, piano and Mick's falsetto voice. Fool To Cry starts as a gentle ballad but gets pretty raucous eventually, while Crazy Mama is the Stones at their rocking best, a powerful conclusion to this great album. It may not be amongst the Rolling Stones' top ten albums, but Black And Blue contains some strong songs with great melodies and playing throughout and no dud tracks. Rediscovering it was a great pleasure.

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Bigger Bang (Spec) Review

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(More customer reviews)I'd actually rate this 3.5 stars..
Having already bought the album (which, by the way, I rated 4 stars) when it was released, I wasn't sure if this package was worth my money. But, being a big Stones fan, I had to shell out the money. Everything is exactly the same as the original release except for the inclusion of another disc which contains bonus material.
Its contents include:
EPK - This is a 10 minute mini documentary explaining the creation of the Bigger Bang album. Features interviews with each band member as well as studio footage. Interesting, but could have been much longer and more detailed. One thing that was sort of a letdown was that I had already seen this on TV (so you may have too) and the internet multiple times, so I wasnt really seeing anything new here. Nice for what it is though and even nicer if you have yet to see it.
Under The Radar - This is the first of two "new" songs leftover from the Bigger Bang sessions. Suprisingly, it is excellent. I can not figure out why this was left off of the actual album. It can be described as a cross of "Child Of The Moon" and "I Go Wild". Tight, dreary groove with hard rock sensibilities. Great, memorable melody. Worth the price of the set alone.
Don't Wanna Go Home - Second of the two leftover songs. This one is not as good as 'Radar'. It's a fun rocker but it actually sounds like a throw-away track (whereas the other one doesnt). Nice chorus though; especially towards the end when Mick sings "We don't wanna go home, we just wanna get stoned!".
Rain Fall Down (Remix) - Interesting, but I'm not a big fan of remixes. In fact, I'm not a big fan of the song either. It's a groover, though, in the same vein as something like "Hot Stuff" or "Anybody Seen My Baby?". Worth a listen (or more if you like it) though.
Streets Of Love Video - Eh, not my favorite song. It's too sappy! But, yeah, this is the video. Not my favorite video, either. It's one of those videos that has "scenes". It follows a guy who is down and out through the streets of his city in sadness as he looks for his woman. Oh yeah, and there's footage of the band performing the song in a club every now and then for good measure. Director commentary also included.
Streets Of Love & Rough Justice Television Performance Videos - Essentially, just the band miming the song's in front of blue screens. Worth viewing cuz you get to see the Stones (and because Rough Justice rocks!).
You also get an onscreen lyrics section (no lyrics for the new songs included)and photos (a slideshow plays as you listen to the new songs).
All in all, this is a nice set and even better if you have yet to buy the album. It does make a good gift for someone who has yet to own the album as well. My only gripes, the only reasons why this thing wasn't rated higher, are the marketing and the amount of content. I think it's a bit of a rip off for the fans to have this album be released in September and then have this special edition come out in November. Why not just include the new songs and actual album on disc 1 and include the bonus material on disc 2...when the album was originally released. This package, albeit with a little tweaking, could have been what was released in September! It would have been cool! I also feel the bonus content could have been stronger. For example, the Rain Fall Down remix to me is unnecessary. But oh well, can't please everyone I guess.

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This Special Edition contains the full length CD of "A Bigger Bang" plus a Bonus DVD with 3 extra songs plus 4 videos.DVD tracklist:1. Introduction to A Bigger Bang (Video) 2. Streets Of Love (Video) 3. Streets Of Love (TV Performance) 4. Rough Justice (TV Performance) 5. We Don’t Wanna Go Home (Audio) 6. Under The Radar (Audio) 7. Rain Fall Down (Ashley Beedle's "Heavy Disco" Vocal Re-Edit - Audio)

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Dirty Work Review

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(More customer reviews)Dirty Work was originally released March 25, 1986, it was the first studio album in *17 years* that did not go to #1 in either the UK or the US. This one broke an unparalleled string of 10 #1 albums in a row, dating from the release of Let It Bleed in 1969. Dirty Work only made it to #3 in the UK and #4 in the US, making it the lowest charting for a studio album since the US release of The Rolling Stones, Now! only went to #5 in 1965.
The album includes the single hits Harlem Shuffle and One Hit (To The Body). Most people know the music, so in my reviews I try to give you data on the sessions and interesting facts connected with the songs and the album. Here we go:
Interesting notes include:
.....the working title for the album was 19 Stitches
.....the final cut (Sleep Tonight) is followed by a boogie-woogie piano fadeout memorial to Ian Steward, the real 6th Rolling Stone, who died Dec 12, 1985, just before the album was released and dedicated to him
.....Mick brought essentially nothing to the sessions because he had used all his latest ideas for his first solo album She's The Boss (Keith had threatened to "slit his......throat" if he toured with another band), so Keith took over the sessions and ran the band when Mick left to promote his album. When Mick returned, he used a different studio and worked at times when he would not be in the building with Keith.....If you watch the videos for One Hit and Fight you can actually see the (real) anger between them....they made up when the Stones played a memorial gig for Ian Steward Feb 28, 1986 at the 100 Club in Oxford St, London....They were billed as Rocket 86....(If you don't know rock history, that's the 1st rock and roll record, Ike Turner's Rocket 88, minus Brian and Ian).
.....things were so bad with the band that when a reporter asked Charlie what he thought of the album he said he didn't know it was out and asked if it was any good
The Dirty Work sessions occurred in early 1985 in Paris. Final mixing was done in New York at RPM Studios (Jul 16 - Aug 17 & Sep 10 - Oct 15, 1985) and at Right Track Studios (Nov 15 - Dec 5, 1985).
Jan 23 - Mar 2, 1985 at Pathe Marconi/EMI Studios in Paris
.....One Hit (To The Body)
.....Fight
.....Harlem Shuffle
.....Hold Back
.....Too Rude
.....Winning Ugly
.....Back To Zero
.....Dirty Work
.....Had It With You
.....Sleep Tonight
The Paris Dirty Work sessions produced a number of unreleased tracks, including What Am I Supposed To Do, Baby You're Too Much, Deep Love, Sending Out An Invitation, Some Of Us Are On Our Knees, For Your Precious Love, Strictly Memphis, What Are You Goin' To Do With My Love.
This information comes from "It's Only Rock And Roll: The Ultimate Guide To The Rolling Stones" by Karnbach and Bernson and from my own collection, with some of the notes from Davis' "Old Gods Almost Dead." Both books are available from amazon.com.

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Digitally remastered reissue of the veteran British Rock band's 1986 album.--This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

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Live Licks (bikini cover) Review

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(More customer reviews)So far, the reviews seem to divide between people angry about Live Licks, and people angry about the people who don't like it. Let's try to reason together, folks.
What do people want from a 21st Century live Rolling Stones CD? Some folks want the Stones to dig into their treasure trove of back catalog for great songs that haven't been released live before. Some want the Stones to dig into their R&B roots for the old blues and soul songs that they started their career covering. Some will not be satisfied without hearing Stones classics. Of course, we all want the geezers to defy all odds and continue to care. Despite the whining from some quarters, all of the above goals are addressed.
In a solid programming decision, there is one 11-song disc of all classics (or overdone warhorses, depending on your viewpoint) - and a second 13-song disc devoid of same, with lots of really well-chosen stuff we've never heard the Stones do live. If you do want the classics, they are well-performed and recorded here. For those who can't believe that they are recording these songs again, you can buy Live Licks for $12 if you try (I got mine at a retail store for $11.99, and some Amazon vendors are also selling it around that price) - even if only one of these two discs appeals to you, is $12 out of line for well-recorded, energetic performances of music this good?OK, I understand the feeling behind "Jeez, do we really need another version of Honky Tonk Woman?" So toss disc 1 if you feel that way, and you still have disc 2 which starts out with terrific performances of "Neighbors," "Monkey Man," "Rocks Off," and "Can't You Hear Me Knocking." I didn't ever expect to hear "Knocking" from a post-Mick Taylor Stones - and they absolutely nail it. "Monkey Man" sounds like it was cut circa Let It Bleed.. Despite the hand-wringing about a seamless 2-second edit in "Rocks Off," you have a great bunch of Stones nuggets never before released live. There are terrific versions of beloved R&B covers the Stones did before they hit their stride as songwriters: "That's How Strong My Love Is" and "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love" - the latter with a blast-furnace soul shouting cameo from Solomon Burke.
Can we all agree that Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out is the definitive Stones live disc without banning them from releasing any more live performances? I mean, come on, there are 24 tracks here, and only three repeat songs from Ya-Ya's It's only the second time for "Gimme Shelter," and the only other time was on the not-particularly-beloved "No Security." The way Lisa Fischer wails on it, and the way the Stones still play, no apologies are needed.
OK, so how do the old folks sound this time? There are no words for the unchangeable greatness of Charlie Watts, so I won't even try. Mick & Keith defy all odds by sounding as though they still love their jobs. We are now way beyond any precedent for rock & roll bands playing into their 5th decade, and they still play "Street Fighting Man" as though crucial to Western Civilization. The playing is crisp throughout, the recording quality is excellent. By all rights, the Stones should have gotten too bored to carry on, oh, about 20 years ago. Come to think of it, they were bored 20 years ago. This is their 2d wind..
OK, there are a few edits and if you know the songs well, you will notice. But the edits are technically seamless, and not jarring. Since the Stones have had total artistic control over their releases for over 20 years, I'll just sorta presume that they had good reasons to release it the way they did. Since neither of the two discs are pushing time limitations for the media, the edits were not done to squeeze more songs in. The edits are not that big a deal unless you are a fuss-budget.
Incidentally, I am not a Stones apologist or a newbie who doesn't know any better. I`ve been a Stones fan since the mid-60's, and I'd agree that their last really solid LP was Exile On Main Street (as far as I'm concerned, even Some Girls is a mixed bag). The only live discs that worked for me were Ya-Ya's and Flashpoint. But this one's a keeper.


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Japanese pressing features a bonus track on disc two, 'If You Can't Rock Me'. Also included for the first pressing only is a bonus Rolling Stones sticker for the first pressing only. Recorded on their mammoth 2002/2003 Licks world tour, the Rolling Stones’ latest live album is a testament to the band’s incredible staying power. After some 40 years in the business, the Stones are still drawing huge crowds all over the world with the promise of an inimitable live experience. And on 1st November, the release of the new double album, Live Licks, looks set to capture on CD the charisma and talent that has led to the Stones’ putting on the top three most successful world tours of all time. Recorded on the recent Licks world tour, the double album was recorded in venues right across the globe and features performances of some of the best-loved tracks from the Stones’ sterling back catalogue. In addition, you’ll also find their lesser-known songs and inspired cover versions that also made up part of the fantastic Licks set. 25 tracks in total. Virgin. 2004.--This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

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Rolling Stones: The Biggest Bang (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)This box set boast two concerts and lots of bonus footage from concerts in Japan,China,Argentina etc. There are some good documentaries,cool bonus duets and a whole lot for under $30.00 on four DVDs. One of the best things about this set is that they perform Sway live. I will say that the Austin show is the best and the transfer looks fantastic! The sound is very good dispite what I have read from some other reviewers. I can hear Keith just fine.....when he's playing.Look,I love these guys,but lets face it...they are geting old. Keith plays he signature licks and rest his mummified fingers every chance he gets. It is still a pretty good set and I'm glad I own it. If your a fan your gonna buy it and if your not......what are you reading this for?

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Emotional Rescue Review

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(More customer reviews)The 1980's opened for the Rolling Stones with their Emotional Rescue album, released three days after my 12th birthday. To say that Emotional Rescue is Some Girls leftovers warmed over is somewhat harsh. Now granted, the two albums have a similar sound, rock with some disco leanings, and Some Girls is a much better album than its successor, but ER isn't an album to be totally dismissed because it pales alongside its parent album.
Far from it, this was better than expected, although I will make references to songs from Some Girls.
"Dance (Pt. 1)" opens with the funky disco beats that coloured "Miss You", but with a harder-edged sound-call it Queen's "Another One Bites The Dust" meets Led Zeppelin's "Trampled Underfoot." A strong opener good for dancing and jamming to.
The reggae-flavoured "Send It To Me" seems to be a sequel to "Some Girls." Where the latter described what different kind of girls were like based on ethnicity and skin colour, the other song is kind of like a dating service. There's some humour at the end, when Mick sings "she could be Romanian, she could be Bulgarian, she could be Albanian, she could be Hungarian, she could be Ukrainian, .... she could be the Alien, send her to me." OK, Mick, you can have the Alien, I'll take the Romanian girl.
A rumbling guitar opens the rocker "Let Me Go," which is this album's "Respectable" about a girl who doesn't seem to understand the words, "it's over between us." "Indian Girl" is this album's "Beast of Burden" with some country inflections and some horns, though with the sober topic, nothing singleworthy. It's a portrait of the hardships inflicted on the indigenous population of Latin America by soldiers: " Lesson number one that you learn while you're young/Life just goes on and on getting harder and harder."
The most engaging track is the hard-driving "Where The Boys Go," which is this album's "Lies" with a chanting harmony refrain. This macho guilty pleasure gets raunchy towards the end, where the refrain goes "a little piece of..." Then it's cooling off time with some slow blues of "Down in The Hole" of hard life in the American zone (of Berlin I presume).
The title track, which reached #3, is the analogue of "Miss You," featuring some disco beats and Mick's falsetto, and is arguably one of the two best tracks. The other one, the rocker "She's So Cold," is this album's "Shattered," with the same quick-paced drums and drums. "I'm so hot for you and you're so cold," comparing her to an ice cream cone, and lines of his hand freezing when he touches her are featured in this ice queen song. This bettered "Shattered" by peaking at #26.
Emotional Rescue has been reviled alongside Black And Blue, Undercover, and It's Only Rock And Roll as one of the Stones' weakest albums, but maybe that's because it is repeatedly compared with Some Girls or Tattoo You, the albums it is chronologically sandwiched inbetween. With songs like the two singles, "Dance," and "Where The Boys Go," such is not the case. Major reevaluation required.

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No Security Review

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(More customer reviews)1. Do I like the Rolling Stones?
2. Do I think the Rolling Stones lost it after (fill in the blanks with either "Some Girls" or "Tattoo You.")?
3. Do I think the Rolling Stones are too old to be doing this?
4. Do I like their older, "classic" material, but don't care to hear new versions?
5. Am I afraid that if someone sees this record in my collection, I'll be mocked for buying a "tour souvenir" with no musical merit?
If you answered yes to the first question and no to all the others, then there's no reason why you shouldn't spend your hard earned $15 on this very enjoyable disk.
This one in particular fills a couple of niches for me. I don't automatically dismiss any of their late work--in fact I like most of it, including the new one, "A Bigger Bang." But "Bridges to Babylon" was admittedly pretty weak. Well, this disk gives you a chance to hear the handful of good songs from that the record, and these versions are preferable. In particular, "Out of Control," a lengthy piece with a lot of dynamic changes, comes off great here. Other recent songs like "Saint of Me," "You Got Me Rocking," "Flip the Switch" and "Thief in the Night" come off better here than in their studio incarnations. Of the older material, the versions of "Gimme Shelter," "Memory Motel," "Waiting on a Friend" and "The Last Time," are spectacular.
Reactions to the Stones are rather predictable and annoying. You're supposed to be annoyed with all their post-tour live albums, and see them as "just cashing in." This just isn't true. The live disks are a chance for them to re-address older material in versions that take advantage of their improved musicianship and matured perspective. On "Flashpoint," for example, you can hear fantastic versions of "Paint it Black" and "Ruby Tuesday," played with great passion and inventiveness. "Stripped" has many highlights, including a wonderful version of the very early tunes "I'm Free," and "Spider and the Fly," and a jolly take on "Let it Bleed."
If you want to let late-night comedians and jaded rock reviewers guide your choices, then you probably aren't going to want to risk the "uncool" label they would surely apply to anyone who bought "No Security." But I enjoy it, I play it all the time, and my hat's off to the Stones for risking ridicule by putting it out.

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Rarities 1971-2003 Review

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(More customer reviews)The Good News: This is pretty fun to listen to and gives us crystal-clear, remastered quality, versions of a couple of nifty vinyl B-Sides from the '70's.
The Bad News: The songs collected here are not particularly "Rare" (a few songs would be better described as "Common") and this set could have easily been a thousand times better. There is nothing here from "The Vault"; all songs collected on Rarities have been previously released as B-Sides, Album Tracks, Singles or on a DVD. Even operating within that constraint, they bypassed many quality B-Sides (not to mention widely bootlegged outtakes) that would have been a better fit than some of the selections.
The Really Bad News: The liner notes in the booklet are embarrassingly bad, riddled with errors. The clown who wrote them just does not know his Stones and nobody connected with the band evidently cared enough to proofread.
The Songs:
1. Fancy Man Blues- A great latter day blues issued as a CD Single B-Side from the 1989 Steel Wheels record. It was amusing to see so many reviewers get themselves worked up over the inclusion of Back of My Hand on the Bigger Bang record. That song is the type of thing they have been relegating to B-Side status for years and in my opinion, inferior to Fancy Man Blues.
2. Tumbling Dice- A B-Side from the Wild Horses (unplugged) CD-Single from '96 (which the liner notes author fails to note) is a pretty nifty version but butchered in the liner notes. This is a Stripped album outtake and begins with a lo-fi rehearsal version of the song featuring only piano, handclaps and Mick's vocal for the first verse. This bit was then spliced onto a hi-fi live version from the Voodoo Lounge tour and thus seems to bloom or burst into Technicolor sound. Nice trick but the dude in the liner notes insinuates that it is a single take which makes you wonder if he listened to the song all the way through.
3. Wild Horses- This is the exact unplugged version available on Stripped and therefore is not rare. The liner notes guy says that it was recorded before a live audience in a studio in Tokyo. If it was, they are a pretty darn quiet (silent) audience.
4. Beast of Burden- This terrific live version was recorded in Chicago (not LA) on the 1981 tour and released as the flip to the Going to a Go-Go single in '82. It was re-released on a limited edition CD called Rolling Stones Collectibles in conjunction with the 1990 Flashpoint live album. This live version was not included on Sucking in the 70's (which was released before this was recorded) as the liner notes state. The Some Girls studio version of Beast of Burden was used on Sucking in the 70's.
5. Any Way You Look At It- This gentle Mick and Keith ballad duet was issued as a Bridges to Babylon B-Side and is a pleasurable tune of its era. The only person who would mistake it for a mid-60's psychedelic pop tune is the liner notes author.
6. If I Was A Dancer (Dance Pt.2)- This disco groover was first released on Sucking in the 70's which makes it common, not rare. It would have been more appropriate to replace this with a Licks tour live version of Dance Pt. 1, which they played at several club shows and can be found on the Four Flicks DVD. The liner notes incorrectly state that this was Ron Wood's first songwriting credit with the band. Not so, he got partial credit for Everything Is Turning to Gold, the great, disco B-Side to the Shattered single, later collected on Sucking In The '70's. Don't even get me started on It's Only Rock and Roll.
7. Miss You (Dance Version) - This is the extended dance version released as a vinyl 12" single in 1978. Sort of interesting but it won't change your life.
8. Wish I'd Never Met You- Another great blues put out as a Steel Wheels B-Side. The joker in the liner notes reports that it is "Rarely Played Live..." Uh, how about never.
9. I Just Want To Make Love To You (Live)*Misspelled as Wanna on Rarities. Great bluesy, slowed-down version that the band was playing in 1990 on the Steel Wheels tour. Originally released in '91 as a B-Side on the Highwire CD single not on the 1998 No Security live album as stated in the liner notes.
10. Mixed Emotions (12" Version) - A CD-Single B-Side remix of the pretty lame Steel Wheels tune (it doesn't get any better as a dance mix). Our favorite liner notes author reports that Mixed Emotions "...wasn't a massive hit upon release." In fact, it was their last Top Ten hit, reaching #5 on the US singles chart and featured a video that received heavy rotation on MTV.
11. Through The Lonely Nights- A It's Only Rock and Roll B-Side, this pleasant track is nice to hear in pristine form but is not a lost classic.
12. Live with Me (Live) - Good rocking' live version originally put out as a Voodoo Lounge B-Side. The liner notes incorrectly state that it was pulled from the No Security live album. Out of all the nuggets they have resurrected on the last few tours, why include this one?
13. Let It Rock- Great live Chuck Berry cover from 1971 originally issued as the B-Side to Brown Sugar, this is the best track on Rarities. Bozo writing the liner notes says it was played "Occasionally" on the Some Girls tour. Uh, let me guess, you missed that tour, right (it was the opener at every USA show)?
14. Harlem Shuffle (NY Mix) - This is the 12" vinyl dance single remix released in '86 in order to promote the terrible Dirty Work album. Not only is this the weakest hit single the band ever put out, but I have news for you boys: There is not a single Stones fan on earth that ever gave two shakes for a dance mix of any Stones song. Finally, Mr. Goofus from the liner notes reports that Harlem Shuffle was the first cover song the band had released as a single since 1964. Not so, Going to a Go-Go is a Smokey Robinson cover that the band released as a single in 1982 from the Still Life live album. Time is on My Side b/w Twenty Flight Rock was a double cover single also released to promote Still Life but received less attention than Go-Go.
15. Mannish Boy (Live) - Boy, is this one not rare, having previously appeared on both the Love You Live album and the Sucking in the 70's collection. Not even a very good version to boot.
16. Thu and Thru (Live)- This oddly compelling Keith song starts very slow and picks up some steam midway through. This version was previously released on the Four Flicks DVD.
So there you have it, many of these songs are worth listening to but do not be fooled by the title. For whatever reason, Mr. Jagger is not interested in opening the vaults at this time so continue to keep your fingers crossed (don't worry, we will see a true previously-unreleased-material box set someday, Bob Dylan and the Beatles have made too much money for Jagger to not take the bait eventually). Moreover, even though I am a self-professed Monster Stones Fan, all of the information offered here is easily available with a few Google searches and there really is no excuse for the inaccuracies printed in the booklet. One last jab: They chose a performance picture for the cover dating to circa '78 with Bill Wyman airbrushed out? How petty is that?


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Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out The Rolling Stones In Concert Review

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(More customer reviews)I've loved this album since I bought it on vinyl at a used record store in 1983. The Stones have put out a ton of live material, but I've always considered this their very best. The heart-pounding, fists-clenched version of Midnight Rambler is probably the best live track the Rolling Stones ever produced. Bluesy yet energetic renditions of lesser Stones classics like Live With Me and Stray Cat Blues stand out too. A couple of Chuck Berry chestnuts are lovingly rendered, retaining the original fun while adding depth and texture. Mick's iconic banter with the audience ("I've just busted a button on my trousers...") is a lot of fun, too. I could go on, but anyone considering buying this thing already knows and loves this collection.
When I first heard about a new version, with unreleased tracks and even some video, I bought it without hesitation. I should have hesitated. The new edition is nothing if not well-packaged, coming in a thick box that's just a bit too tall to fit onto most CD shelves. Inside, there's a hardcover book with lots of pictures and some bland text by the usual bunch of self-important Rolling Stone (the mag, not the band) writers and critics. And then there are the discs. Disc 1 is the original album, supposedly remastered, but I didn't hear a difference. To be fair, when I ripped disc 1 into iTunes using Apple Lossless Encoding, it did register a slightly higher bitrate than the original CD, which I purchased in the late 1980s. So...there's that. Disc 2 has the unreleased tracks. Oh boy! Now we're getting somewhere. After 40 years, some new material from that amazing performance. So I popped it into my CD player and heard a very nice version of Prodigal Son, followed by 4 undistinguished tracks AND THAT'S IT. Five tracks count 'em FIVE. I was pretty disappointed, but there were 2 more discs, so I soldiered on.
Disc 3 contains highlights from the other performers who played with (maybe "warmed up for" is too harsh) the Stones. There's some ok stuff here from B.B. King and Ike and Tina Turner, but both artists put out better material on their own.
disc 4 was the "Bonus DVD" with live footage from these legendary shows. I was amped again, despite the disappointment of disc 2. Again, I was disappointed. Yes, there is some nice footage of Mick and Keith doing that same version of Prodigal Son, and snippets of some other stuff, and there is some nearly-wordless footage of Keith talking to Jimi Hendrix. Then there is some pointlessly lengthy footage of Mick trying to direct the album cover photo shoot on a highway that was closed down while the Stones dithered and complained about the cold. I think the whole DVD was about 20 minutes long.
This could have been an effective release if they had ditched the fancy package and hardcover book, added the unreleased tracks to disc one, jettisoned discs 3 and 4 altogether, and put it out as a augmented and remastered version of Get Yer Ya Yas Out. Then again, they couldn't charge $42 for that, which is what I paid for it, let alone the $60 suggested retail price. Hopefully, some of you will read this and avoid making the same mistake.

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GET YER YA-YA'S OUT! THE ROLLING STONES IN CONCERT 40TH ANNIVERSARY SUPER DELUXE BOX SET features three 180 gram audiophile quality vinyl LPs (one side of which features an etched replica of the album's key art, with signatures from Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, Bill Wyman and Mick Taylor), 3 CDs that mirror the exact content on the LPs, 1 DVD, a 12 X 12/56-page Collector's Book and a 12 X 12 replica of the original 1969 poster by Grammy Award© winning artist David Edward Byrd, whose works include the commemorative poster from the original Woodstock Festival and the historic Fillmore East posters from 1968 to 1971.The first LP is a newly remastered version of the original GET YER YA-YA'S OUT! release. The second LP features 5 unreleased tracks by The Rolling Stones culled from the November 27 & 28, 1969 Madison Square Garden concert master tapes. The third LP features 12 never before released tracks by opening acts B.B. King and Ike & Tina Turner. The DVD features performances by the Rolling Stones from their 2 night concert at Madison Square Garden, backstage footage, scenes of Keith Richards in the studio and footage of the GET YER YA-YA'S OUT! album cover shoot, all shot by Albert and David Maysles. The 56-page Collector's Book includes photos and an essay by acclaimed photographer Ethan Russell, an original article by Lester Bangs from Rolling Stone magazine and remembrances from concert-goers. A limited number of the Super Deluxe Box Sets will also contain an insert with a code to download "I'm Free (Live)" for Guitar Hero 5.

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Flashpoint (Reis) Review

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(More customer reviews)Flashpoint was released Feb 2, 1991. It was recorded on the Steel Wheels (American) and Urban Jungle (European) tours during 1989-90. It was their 6th live album (the most recent had been 10 years earlier - Still Life). The tracks on the album were actually recorded as follows:
.....11-25-89 Jacksonville
.....11-26-89 Clemson SC
.....12-19-89 Atlantic City
.....2-26/27-90 Toyko
.....6-14-90 Barcelona
.....7-6-90 Wembley (also filmed for the IMAX film and their 1st DVD release)
There was a special quad gatefold edition of the album (which is now out of print) that included a 2nd disc (titled Collectibles) of rare, extended version, or dance mix tracks previously released only on 12" vinyl singles or as B sides.
Many reviewers consider this either their best live album or the 2nd best (after the 1970 release Get Your Ya Ya's Out). The album includes the UK single Highwire and the US single Sex Drive, both of which are studio tracks added to the live tracks from the tour. In addition it has the live version of Ruby Tuesday that was released as a CD single in the UK along with Play With Fire, You Can't Always Get What You Want, and Undercover Of The Night (all live versions from the album). Flashpoint also includes what many people think is the best version they ever did of Little Red Rooster (it features Eric Clapton on lead). Most people know the music, so in my reviews I try to give you data on the sessions and interesting facts connected with the songs and the album. Here we go:
Interesting notes include:
.....the 115th show of the combined Steel Wheels and Urban Jungle tours at Wembly Stadium in London was the last live performance with Bill Wyman (it was filmed on IMAX cameras and is available as the DVD The Rolling Stones Live at the MAX)
.....the Steel Wheels tour set a new American attendance record of 3.4 million, they sold out 10 shows in Tokyo, and the Urban Jungle tour included their 1st shows in East Germany and Czechoslovakia where a ticket was recognized as a one day passport for Hungarians and Poles...the combined tours grossed $200 million
.....the first show of the tour (at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia) was loud enough they blew a generator (causing 3 minutes of silence in the middle of Shattered)....they dropped the song from the setlist for the remainder of the tour
.....this was the first gargantuan stage tour....Steel Wheels featured blow up bimbos (named Angie and Ruby) during Honky Tonk Women and a diversionary lightning effect while Mick rode an elevator 8 stories up to a high stage where he sang Sympathy in a hellishly lighted cloud of smoke (because there were already so many live versions of these two songs on other albums, neither made it to the CD releases)....Urban Jungle featured two rabid canines (with erections) to go with the recently released single Terrifying.
This information comes from "It's Only Rock And Roll: The Ultimate Guide To The Rolling Stones" by Karnbach and Bernson and from my own collection, with some of the notes from Davis' "Old Gods Almost Dead." Both books are available from amazon.com.

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Sticky Fingers Review

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(More customer reviews)Along with Beggars Banquet, Let It Bleed and Exile On Main Street, this is arguably the greatest album ever by the world's greatest rock 'n roll band. This is the post-60's peace and love, nasty early 70's hard core drug inspired kick ass Stones at their pinnacle. Played out classics include "Brown Sugar," "Bitch" and "Wild Horses," but this album's deeper cuts are the true gems.
I dare you to keep the hair on your head from standing on end as you hear the opening chords to the epic "Can't You Hear Me Knocking" at full volume. Forget heavy metal - it just doesn't get any raunchier than this, or any better, as Keith and Mick Taylor go at it with a vengeance. Billy Preston guest stars with his classic afro organ sound on the bittersweet "I Got the Blues." Then hold on to your hats, turn down the lights and contemplate the mysteries of the Holy Trinity of "Sister Morphine," "Dead Flowers" and "Moonlight Mile," an incredible sequence of Mick, Keith, Mick Talyor and Ry Cooder genius that will leave you crying for more. Memorable and twisted lyrics, haunting guitars, classic Mick vocals and just pure greatness. These drug drenched masterpieces, not for the faint-hearted, could easily have provided an Abbey Road-like crescendo to the Stones' career. Fortunately for us, Keith somehow survived and the Stones went on to record "Exile," their last truly great album.
Warning: in a lame crowd, this is an instant party killer.
As a final note, the original vinyl album cover, designed by Andy Warhol, has a real zipper and is a collector's item.

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Steel Wheels Review

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(More customer reviews)After Mick Jagger's first solo album (she's the boss), after Dirty Work, the Stones got together and did a pretty good album.
Mixed Emotions and Rock and a Hard Place were the most immediate hits of that record. But they're not necessarily the best songs. Continental Drift is an expected piece from the Stones and one which testifies how broad they can be when they want to.
The best song in the album - recorded live in Stripped few years later and now a staple in most live performances by the Stones - is Slipping Away. It's a great great song. It's very basic and yet very intriguing. It's - possibly - a turning point in Keith Richards' songwriting. It opened a new line of songs -- Losing My Touch (in Forty Licks); The worst as well as thru and thru (voodoo lounge); thief in the night (bridges to babylon)--
that has expended the Stones'musical vocabulary.
It's a nice comeback.

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The release of Steel Wheels in 1989 followed the group's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame and coincided with their eagerly-awaited return to the live arena. Recorded at Air Studios in Montserrat and Olympic in London, it made the Top 3 in Britain and in the States. It contains classic tracks like the US Top 5 single Mixed Emotions as well as Rock And A Hard Place, which boasts a trademark riff as infectious as any they've come up with. The incredibly atmospheric Almost Hear You Sigh also charted while Richards often reprises the ballad Slipping Away in concert.--This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

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The Rolling Stones: The Biggest Bang Review

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(More customer reviews)The previous DVD release, a Best Buy exclusive, had the same title and cover art, but included three discs, including footage from three different concerts. This Blu-Ray release contains only one concert (which accounts for the lower price).
If you have the Best Buy edition, you'll probably want to hang onto it, as the Blu-Ray only has about one-third of the footage.
The concert presented here, from Austin, Texas, is a good one; although at 90 minutes you know there's a fair amount left out. It's rare for videos to include an entire concert but I'd prefer to see the whole show and pay a bit more.
The picture quality is what you'd expect from a high-definition broadcast, but the DVD release looked pretty good, so the difference is not stunning. The DTS 5.1 sound mix, however, is a big improvement (uncompressed PCM stereo is also available). I cranked this up good and loud and it's the next best thing to being there. If you're considering getting the Blu-Ray, the audio is the best reason to do so.
And if you're a Stones fan who missed the original release, this is a no-brainer. The Stones perform "Sway" in concert for the first time (Keith and Ronnie had to learn the song, as Keith didn't play on the original and Ronnie hadn't joined the Stones yet). A few other oldies ("Get Off My Cloud" and "Under my Thumb") are added to mix up the otherwise standard playlist. At this low price, it's well worth it.


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Disc 1: Zilker Park, Austin, Texas Opening (intro) 1.You Got Me Rocking2. Let's Spend The Night Together 3. She's So Cold 4.Oh No, Not You Again 5. Sway 6. Bob Wills Is Still The King7. Streets Of Love 8.Ain't Too Proud To Beg 9. Tumbling Dice 10. Learning The Game 11. Little T&A 12. Under My Thumb 13. Get Off My Cloud 14. Honky Tonk Women 15. Sympathy For The Devil 16. Jumpin' Jack Flash17. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction 18. Brown SugarBonus Features:Austin Mini-Documentary Disc 2: Copacabana Beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Opening (intro) 1. Jumpin' Jack Flash 2. It's Only Rock 'n Roll 3. You Got Me Rocking 4. Wild Horses 5. Rain Fall Down 6. Midnight Rambler 7. Night Time Is The Right Time8. Happy 9. Miss You 10. Rough Justice 11. Get Off My Cloud 12. Honky Tonk Women 13. Start Me Up 14. Brown Sugar 15. You Can't Always Get What You Want 16. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction Bonus Feature: Rio de Janeiro Documentary Disc 3: Rest Of The World Saitama Super Arena, Saitama, Japan Opening (intro)1. Let's Spend The Night Together Sapporo (segue) 2. Rain Fall Down Tokyo Dome (segue) 3. Rough Justice Cherry Blossoms (segue) Shanghai Grand Stage, Shanghai, China Opening (intro) 1. Bitch 2. Midnight Rambler 3. Gimme Shelter 4. This Place Is Empty That's What I Do (segue) 5. It's Only Rock 'n Roll China, A Slow Process (segue) River Plate Stadium, Buenos Aires, Argentina Opening (intro)1. Worried About You Football Chant (segue) 2. Happy 3. Miss You Ronnie & Audience (segue) 4. Paint It Black 5. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction Featurettes:1. Bonnie Raitt featurette "Shine A Light" 2. Eddie Vedder featurette "Wild Horses" 3. Dave Matthews featurette "Let It Bleed" Duets: 1. "Shine A Light" featuring Bonnie Raitt2. "Wild Horses" featuring Eddie Vedder 3. "Let It Bleed" featuring Dave Matthews 4. "Wild Horses" featuring Cui Jian Jukebox FeatureDisc 4 Salt Of The Earth A Bigger Bang Tour Documentary

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Voodoo Lounge Review

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(More customer reviews)The Rolling Stones are a victim of their own magnitude. It has long been far hipper to dismiss them as aging, wealthy dilitantes than it has been to admit to liking their work. And too, The Ronnie Wood years do not have the cache that the Mick Taylor early 70s work or the Brian Jones Britpop 60s work had-- even though Wood has been a Stone for 30 of their 42 years. Voodoo Lounge is, I think, unchallenged as the high point of their output post-1980, and it is a strong album from start to finish.
The best thing about Voodoo Louge is that is doesn't have a "sound"-- which is to say, it sounds like the Stones. Ronnie Wood is an outstanding guitrist and the perfect foil for Richards, and this is a guitar album first and foremost (well, it is a song album, but then a guitar album.) "Love is Strong" and "You Got Me Rocking" are radio-ready (or iPod-ready) classic riff-rockers in the best Stones tradition. "Brand New Car" is snaky and groovy and beguiling, with Jagger's nasty vocal implying far more than he actually puts in the lyric, and Woody and Keef dancing their magic weave together. "Sweethearts Together" is reminiscent of "Indian Girl" from Emotional Rescue (another underrated album with which this shares some groove and spirit.)
As is the case on most of the last 7 or so Stones albums, the Keith songs are highlights. "The Worst" is one of those poignant anti-ballad ballads he does, his ravaged and coarse voice belying the sentiment of the lyric and the quality of the songwriting. And "Thru and Thru" is just simply outstanding; used to great effect to conclude season 2 of the Sopranos cable series, it is a snarling, gritty rocker that by itself makes this album noteworthy.
The Voodoo Lounge sessions were productive ones, and there are many bootlegs floating around of outtakes, demos, and alternate versions. It is worth noting that one of these bootlegs contains an alternate version of the album, in sequence-- supposedly "Keith's mix"-- that actually surpasses the released version.
If you want to check out a later-period Stones album, this is the one. Every one has at least one or two or three tracks that make it worthwhile, but this is clearly the strongest and most consistent. From here, Bridges to Babylon is good too, less consistent but worth the effort, especially the deeper you get into the record (past the radio hits and into the art.) Steel Wheels sounds tinny to me, although there too the last few songs are worth the effort (especially Keith's gorgeous "Slipping Away.") Undercover and Dirty Work are probably the last post-1980 studio releases you need, although there again, each has a gem or three.

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Recorded in Dublin and in Los Angeles, and produced by Don Was, Voodoo Lounge topped the British charts on its release in 1994. The rockers Love Is Strong - featuring Jagger on harmonica - You Got Me Rocking and I Go Wild all performed strongly in the UK Top 40, while Out Of Tears continued the group's fine tradition of late-night, soul-searching, soul-infused ballads and featured a killer vocal performance by Jagger. The singer also excelled on the equally contemplative Blinded By Rainbows, a forgotten gem in their repertoire, and the swaggering Sparks Will Fly, driven by the ever-excellent Charlie Watts on drums. Voodoo Lounge deservedly won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Album in 1995.--This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

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A Bigger Bang Review

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(More customer reviews)This album is nothing short of a godsend for Stones fans. On first spin, it is clear that the band is in fine form: energized, inspired, and in control. I suspect that after a week or two, some of the "this is a new classic," "five-stars" fervor will settle down for most people and turn into a clearer view that this is a rock solid, four-star, excellent outing.
The production is outstanding. You can hear everything clearly: the grit of what's left of Keith's voice; Mick's sneers; Charlie's unstoppable rhythms - and, best of all, the absolute best harmonica playing Mick has ever recorded.
This is what rock and roll can be in this day and age. It doesn't have to be the Next Big Thing, or even innovative necessarily. Rock and roll is the intangible thing that lives somewhere between a guitar and a voice and a drum beat that makes it all but impossible not to tap your foot and to feel a stirring in your gut. "Sweet Neo-con" has been getting most of the press, but right after that comes "Look What the Cat Dragged In," an all-out raver that just makes your jaw drop. The feeling you get when that song comes crashing in - when that whip comes down - that's rock and roll.
This is the Stones sound that we crossed our fingers and hoped for when we heard they had a new album coming out. My next wish: that they realize that a new cd doesn't have to mean a world tour and they go ahead and make some more real soon.

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Goats Head Soup Review

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(More customer reviews)Goat's Head Soup was originally released Aug 31, 1973 and went to #1 in both the US and the UK. I have found it quite rewarding that over the years this one has gained respect and continues to appear in many rankings of greatest rock albums. Personally, I've always like this one a lot. It's got the usual megahits; Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker), Angie, and Star#$!@% (a hit as a single in Europe and Japan), an incredible jam in Can You Hear The Music, great intro in 100 Years Ago, part 2 of the voodoo chronicles in Dancing With Mr. D., solid rocker Silver Train, and oh yeah, Winter and Hide Your Love too. Most people know the music, so in my reviews I try to give you data on the sessions and interesting facts connected with the songs and the album. Here we go:
There were 23 songs recorded during the Goat's Head Soup sessions between Nov 25-30 and Dec 6-21, 1972 at Dynamic Sound Studios in Kingston, Jamaica. Only 8 of them made it onto Goat's Head Soup. Keith had made strong connections with the Jamaican reggae musicians and had recently bought a house in Jamaica, so he was the driving force behind the sessions. The band included Mick Taylor, Nicky Hopkins (piano), Billy Preston (organ), Bobby Keys (sax), Chuck Finley (trumpet), Jim Horn (horn), and of course Ian Stewart on piano. Sonny Rollins played sax on Waiting On A Friend. Final mixes were done at Island Recording in London May 28 - Jun 20, 1973. Hide Your Love was recorded in separate sessions on May 23 & 26 at Olympic Studios in London. Silver Train was recorded during the mixing at Island in London.
Interesting notes include:
.....The UK version of the album had one verse censored and deleted from Star#$!@% (which appears as Star Star in text on the album) while the US version had the line "I bet you keep your pussy clean" deleted. Both record distributors (US and UK) refused to allow the line "giving head to Steve McQueen" until the Stones got McQueen to sign a release (he said he appreciated the publicity). (The entire song with all the censored lyrics are on this release, or at least they are on my copy.)
.....Short And Curlies was not released until 1974 on the album It's Only Rock `n' Roll.
.....Tops and Waiting On A Friend were not released until 1981 on the album Tattoo You, after which Waiting On A Friend was also released as a single.
.....there are still 12 tracks from these sessions that have not been released (although some have been bootlegged) They are Criss Cross (Save Me), Separately, You Should Have Seen Her Ass, Four And In, Give Us A Break, First Thing, Miami, Man-Eating Woman, Brown Leaves, After Muddy & Charlie, Jamaica I, and Zabadoo.

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Forty Licks Review

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(More customer reviews)I've been a die-hard Stones fan for many years and was excited to have all these great songs in one collection. But be advised, many songs on the second disc are EDITED VERSIONS!!!! Call me a ... music geek, but when I listen the the world's greatest Rock & Roll band, I wanna hear the songs the way they were intended to be heard!!! The WHOLE song, not some EDITED version!!!! The new songs are real good and maybe "Dont Stop" will come out as a single; Keith's ballad is great, too! But it's hard for me to listen to songs that I know have more to them! I hate when they EDIT songs just so they can cram a bunch onto one disc!!!! Forty Licks shoulda been 3 discs, it's that simple. And even if someone is new to the Stones, they should hear the REAL, ORIGANINAL versions!!! Disc one is okay, but disc two, not so much!! Just wanna let people know; fair warning . . . . . .

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This special limited collector's edition of the definitive Rolling Stones hits collection is released to coincide with the start of the band's European tour which kicks off in Munich on June 2, 2003 and concludes on September 14th taking in 38 gigs in 13--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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