"The Singles 1968-1971" by THE ROLLING STONES - A Review Of The 2005 Abkco 10-Disc Box Set...

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"….It's A Gas Gas Gas…"

The last in a series of 3 Singles Boxes by The Stones provides goodies from a period of their history that I just can't get enough of - the late Sixties and early Seventies. They seemed to be dripping magic between "Beggars Banquet" and "Exile On Mail Street" -and this brilliant but sometimes frustrating mini 7" fest only rams home their swagger and musical genius. Here are the big tongues and sticky fingers...

UK released 28 February 2005 - "The Singles 1968-1971" [Volume 3 of 3] by THE ROLLING STONES on ABKCO Records 0602498270752 is a 9CD + 1DVD Mini Box Set and breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (6:52 minutes):

Jumping Jack Flash b/w Child Of the Moon

UK: 23 May 1968 on Decca F 12782

USA: 24 May 1968 on London 908

Disc 2 (14:39 minutes):

Street Fighting Man b/w No Expectations

USA: August 1968 on London 909 [withdrawn, $10,000 plus rarity with P/S]

Street Fighting Man b/w Surprise Surprise & Everybody Needs Somebody To Love

UK: 25 June 1971 on Decca F 13195 [3-Track Maxi Play at 33 1/3 speed]

Street Fighting Man b/w Surprise Surprise

UK: 20 July 1971 on Decca 13202

Disc 3 (7:51 minutes):

Honky Tonk Woman b/w You Can't Always Get What You Want [Edit]

UK: 11 July 1969 on Decca F 12952

USA: 11 July 1969 on London 910

[Note: The A-side was a non-album track at the time. The B-side is an exclusive single edit at 4:50 minutes which loses the 40-piece choir at the beginning and final portion of the song - the full version at 7:29 minutes is on the 1969 "Let It Bleed" album in Stereo]

Disc 4 (5:47 minutes):

Memo From Turner b/w Natural Magic

UK: November 1970 on Decca F 13067

[Note: MICK JAGGER Solo single; the B-side is an instrumental from the film "Performance" - written by JACK NITZSCHE, it features RY COODER on Guitar]

Disc 5 (7:26 minutes):

Brown Sugar b/w Bitch

UK: 16 April 1971 on Rolling Stones Records RS 19100

[Note: some British copies came in a rare picture sleeve which is `not' used here. Some copies of the original 7" had a bonus track after "Bitch" called "Let It Rock" - a live cover version of a Chuck Berry song recorded in March 1971 at Leeds University. It's `not' included here but is available on the "Rarities 1971-2003" CD compilation from 2005]

Disc 6 (9:32 minutes):

Wild Horses b/w Sway

USA: 12 June 1971 on Rolling Stones Records RLS 101

[Note: the 1994 Virgin remasters are used for both tracks]

Disc 7 (5:19 minutes):

I Don't Know Why b/w Try A Little Harder

USA: 23 May 1975 on ABKCO Records 4701

[Note: both tracks are taken from the 1975 outtakes compilation "Metamorphosis". The A-side is a Stevie Wonder cover recorded July 1969 (the night Brian Jones died) and is a "Let It Bleed" outtake. The B-side is a Jagger/Richards original from back in June 1964]

Disc 8 (6:42 minutes):

Out Of Time b/w Jiving Sister Fanny

USA: August 1975 on ABKCO Records 4702

UK: 5 September 1975 on Decca F 13597

[Note: the A-side was written by Jagger/Richards for Chris Farlowe who had a Number One hit with it in the UK in June 1966 on Immediate Records. Again from the "Metamorphosis" compilation - it made its first appearance on that album and this single with Jagger's vocal on the track. The B-side "Jiving Sister fanny" is another "Let It Bleed" outtake from July 1969]

Disc 9 (26:12 minutes):

Sympathy For The Devil Remix

1. Sympathy For The Devil (Original Recording)

2. Sympathy For The Devil (Neptunes Remix)

3. Sympathy For The Devil (Fatboy Slim Remix)

4. Sympathy For The Devil (Full Phatt Remix)

UK CD single released September 2003 on Mercury 9810612

Disc 10 "The Rolling Stones Videos 1964-2003" - 4-Track DVD, Region 0:

1. Time Is On My Side (Live on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964)

2. Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing In The Shadow (Filmed Live in 1967 - no venue stated)

3. Jumpin' Jack Flash (1968 Promo)

4. Sympathy For The Devil (The Neptunes Remix Video) (Filmed 2003)

The 32-page glossy booklet features some great picture sleeves from around the globe and the liner notes giving a history of every song are pleasingly detailed and to the point. As with the stunning Volume 2 covering 1967 to 1967, this third instalment has had the Tape Transfer, Sound Restoration and Remastering involve a trio of great names - STEVE ROSENTHAL, TERI LANDI and BOB LUDWIG. They've done a great job given the notorious and wildly differing sound sources.

As far as I'm aware this is the only place to get the rare edit of "You Can't Always Get What You Want" while fans will probably have the "Let It Bleed" outakes on their SACD of "Metamorphosis". The less said about the "Sympathy For The Devil" remixes from 2003 - the better. "Jumpin' Jack Flash", "Street Fighting Man" and "Honky Tonk Women" still amaze - even after all these years. And those rare picture sleeves most of us of modest means will never be able to afford - how cool is it to have a few - albeit in repro form.

The 4 DVD films are fabulous too (and Region Free so no playback issues) while the foldout colour poster (black and white shot on the flip side) and art-cards give the whole thing a classy feel. And who will complain about those four corkers off "Sticky". Even "Memo From Turner" rocks - as does that rare Ry Cooder instrumental B-side.

"If you try sometimes...you might just get what you need..." Well look no further...