"The Singles 1965-1967" [Box 2 of 3] by THE ROLLING STONES – Eleven 60ts UK and US 7" Singles in Repro Picture Sleeves – Three of Which Have 3 Tracks Reflecting The Different B-sides in the UK and USA. Featuring Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Brian Jones, Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts with Guests Ian Stewart, Nicky Hopkins and Jack Nitzsche (Keyboards), John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin (String Arrangements) and Steve Marriott of Small Faces and later Humble Pie on Backing Vocals (January 2004 UK/EU ABKCO Records 11CD Clamshell Box Set – Steve Rosenthal, Teri Landi and Bob Ludwig Transfers, Audio Restoration and Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

"…We Love You…"

Ah the glorious bad boys of Rock – The Rolling Stones. The kind of trouser-snake seductive ne'er-do-well pert-bottomed reprobates a concerned mother warned you about (when she wasn't shovelling tranquillisers down her gullet).  We're we (or they) ever so young or indeed so naughty! Hell yes!

This is the second box set in a series of three covering their Satanic Majesties entire 45s output on Decca (UK) and London Records (USA) – this fab little sucker covering their first primo period of non-stop 60ts hipsville - and what a humdinger it is too. There is a mountain of info to wade through, so once more my lysergic listeners unto the nervous breakdowns and girly rainbows…

UK/Europe released 1 January 2004 – "The Singles 1965-1967" by THE ROLLING STONES on Abkco 0602498209851 (Barcode 602498209851) is the Second of Three Box Sets covering their entire Decca/London Records UK and US output on 45s. The Clamshell Box contains 11CDs in Picture Repro Sleeves featuring artwork from many different countries (10 singles by The Rolling Stones and one solo outing by Bassist Bill Wyman), Three Art Cards featuring photos from 1965, 1966 and 1967, a foldout double-sided poster (the Lady Jane single advert with Mick Jagger's face on one side with a band photo on the other) and a 28-Page Fact-Filled Booklet outlined details on each release, reissue credits etc. Its 25-tracks covering eleven 7" singles breaks down as follows…

CD1 "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" - 10:29 minutes, 3 tracks:

US 45, 5 June 1965 on London 45-9766

A. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction b/w The Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man

UK 45, 20 August 1965 on Decca F 12220

A. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction b/w The Spider And The Fly

CD2: "Get Off Of My Cloud" - 7:41 minutes, 3 tracks:

US 45, 24 September 1965 on London 45-9792

A. Get Off Of My Cloud b/w I'm Free

UK 45, 22 October 1965 on Decca F 12263

A. Get Off Of My Cloud b/w The Singer Not The Song

CD3: "As Tears Go By" - 4:52 minutes, 2 tracks:

US 45, 18 December 1965 on London 45-9808

A. As Tears Go By b/w Gotta Get Away

UK 45, 4 February 1966 on Decca F 12331 (with different A-side, US A-side relegated to the B)

A. 19th Nervous Breakdown By b/w As Tears Go By

CD4: "19th Nervous Breakdown" - 7:00 minutes, 2 tracks:

UK 45, 4 February 1966 on Decca F 12331 (see Disc 3 for B-side)

A. 19th Nervous Breakdown b/w As Tears Go By

US 45, 12 February 1966 on London 45-9823

A. 19th Nervous Breakdown b/w Sad Day

CD5: "Paint It Black" - 9:44 minutes, 3 tracks:

US 45, 6 May 1966 on London 45-901

A. Paint It Black b/w Stupid Girl

UK 45, 13 May 1966 on Decca F 12395

A. Paint It Black b/w Long Long While

CD6: "Mother's Little Helper" - 5:57 minutes, 2 tracks:

US 45, 2 July 1966 on London 45-902 (Note: no UK issue)

A. Mother's Little Helper b/w Lady Jane

CD7: "Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing In The Shadows?" - 5:49 minutes, 2 tracks:

US 45, 23 September 1966 on London 45-903

UK 45, 23 September 1966 on Decca F 12497

A. Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing in The Shadow? b/w Who's Driving Your Plane?

CD8: "Let's Spend The Night Together" - 6:40 minutes, 2 tracks:

UK 45, 13 January 1967 on Decca F 12546

US 45, 13 January 1967 on London 45-904

A. Let's Spend The Night Together b/w Ruby Tuesday

CD9: "We Love You" - 8:26 minutes, 2 tracks:

UK 45, 18 August 1967 on Decca F 12654

US 45, 2 September 1967 on London 45-905
A. We Love You b/w Dandelion

CD10: "She's A Rainbow" - 8:57 minutes, 2 tracks:

US 45, 23 December 1967 on London 45-906

A. She's A Rainbow b/w 2000 Light Years From Home (Note: no UK issue)

CD11: "In Another Land" by BILL WYMAN/The Lantern by THE ROLLING STONES  - 7:19 minutes, 2 tracks:

US 45, 2 December 1967 on London 45-907

A. In Another Land (by BILL WYMAN) b/w The Lantern (by THE ROLLING STONES) (Note: no UK issue)

The Audio is done to a team of three – STEVE ROSENTHAL for Sound Restoration and Archive Coordination, TERI LANDI for Analogue to Digital Transfers and Tape Archive Research and BOB LUDWIG for Mastering. For instance you can really hear the contributions made by NICKY HOPKINS (Piano) and future Led Zeppelin Bassist JOHN PAUL JONES (who arranged the stings) on one of the better tracks from "Their Satanic Majesties…" LP - "She's A Rainbow". Clearer too is Brian Jones pressing down those Mellotron keys on the swirling hippy-dippy soundscape that is "2000 Light Years From Home".

I must admit that I haven't played the Wyman-penned US-only track "In Another Land" in probably four an half decades, but its now nice to hear (once again) the Remaster bring forth Nicky Hopkins lending his piano while Small Faces giant STEVE MARRIOTT taps those distinctive lungs of his for backing vocals. And 'allegedly' none other than Paul McCartney and John Lennon of The Beatles and poet Allen Ginsberg can be heard giving backing vocals to "We Love You" – a tribute to fans who supported the band during those difficult busted months (Nicky Hopkins also contributed piano).

Fans will not surprisingly adore the sheer wallop that comes of the decidedly fruity "Let's Spend The Night Together" – a song apparently written about the first time Mick and Marianne Faithfull hooked up for something we're reliably informed wasn't a fish supper. Unsung hero Jack Nitzsche plays Keyboards on both "Let's Spend The Night Together” and the Bluesy Harmonica driven B-side "Who's Driving Your Plane?" - whilst also contributing distinctive-sounding Harpsichord to the baroque elegance of "Lady Jane". Nitzsche also plays piano on a true digital obscurity – the US B-side "Sad Day” which only appeared on CD in 1989 on the triple "Singles Collection" set. And although its lyrics are now terribly dated and not the most enlightened on the planet, I've always had a thing for the Aftermath song "Stupid Girl" – way more than the rooster strut of "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" - a ball-breaker of a song whose fuzzed up guitars and driving rhythm changed the music world forever.

There is of course so much more here, but what you can't deny is the 'on fire' feel to it all. Like The Beatles, The Stones just hit this run of magic that would culminate in Beggars Banquet, Let It Bleed and of course on into Stick Fingers and beyond.

Songs about drugs, sex, record company chaperones and grown men dressed in drag for the picture sleeves. Ah the glory. Remember them this way…

"Sticky Fingers: Deluxe Edition" by THE ROLLING STONES (June 2015 Polydor 2CD Reissue - Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

AMAZON UK Best Price Link Above - AMAZON USA Best Price Link Below

"...English Blood Runs Hot..." 

There can’t be too many Rolling Stones fans out there in the big wide world that won’t look at the sleeve of "Sticky Fingers" and grin like a schoolboy watching the English Ladies Hockey Team practice their down strokes. And I suppose if us aging reprobates are to suffer yet another reissue of that absolute Classic Rock Album – then this June 2015 two-disc rehash is a great way to massage our hip-replacements - because frankly it’s a bit of belter. In fact fans of the 'Mick Taylor Era' of The Rolling Stones are going to flip for Disc 2. Once more unto the bleach...

First things first – Disc 1 is not a new version in any way – it’s the remaster done by Stephen Marcussen at Marcussen Mastering in 2009 and runs to exactly the same playing time – 46:25 minutes. Disc 2 presents us with 10 Previously Unreleased Bonus Tracks mixed by BOB IRWIN and mastered by STEPHEN MARCUSSEN – five album outtakes and five live cuts from the last date on their UK Tour – Sunday, 14 March 1971 at The Roundhouse in London.

The 8-page basic inlay that accompanied the 4 May 2009 reissue has been upgraded to 24-pages for this 2CD Deluxe Edition (there is a single disc version that keeps the 8-page inlay). The Andy Warhol torso and underpants photo that was hidden under the original ‘zipper’ sleeve is reproduced on Page 3 - with Pages 4 to 7 giving us new black and white portrait photos of each member of the band (all were once considered for the inner artwork). The photo that did grace the inner insert for the original April 1971 LP is reproduced on the left hand flap as you open the gatefold card digipak – but rather tastefully - an outtake I’ve never seen before from the same photo session is on the right flap. Instead of Mick yawning and Keith grinning in side profile – it has Keith and Mick staring forward pensively with the other three doing the same in the rear (Bill Wyman, Mick Taylor and Charlie Watts). You can see why they chose the one that finally came out – its just more funny and a better snap (but what a lovely touch). Beneath each see-through CD tray (yellow lips logo on Disc 1 and green on Disc 2) are pictures of tape boxes. The booklet also has shots of their initial recording sessions at the famed Muscle Shoals Studios in Alabama (there’s even a bill for $1009 for the recording of "Wild Horses"), black and whites of the Stargroves Estate in Hampshire where further recording took place, the artwork for the "Brown Sugar" UK 7" single picture sleeve, a repro of the UK Tour 1971 poster, colour shots from the Roundhouse gig in London and even photos of the album launch in France with Ahmet Ertegun of Atlantic Records. Finally there are detailed credits for both discs.

UK released 8 June 2015 (9 June 2015 in the USA) – this reissue of "Sticky Fingers" by THE ROLLING STONES comes in a dizzying TEN FORMATS - including Single and Double Vinyl variants, differing Downloads versions and even a Spanish Cover Version with its famously unique 'Fingers in A Tin Of Treacle' artwork. This review is for the 2CD Deluxe Edition on Polydor/Rolling Stones 376 483-6 (Barcode 602537648368). Here are the details...

Disc 1 (46:25 minutes)

1. Brown Sugar

2. Sway

3. Wild Horses

4. Can’t You Hear Me Knocking

5. You Gotta Move

6. Bitch [Side 2]

7. I Got The Blues

8. Sister Morphine

9. Dead Flowers

10. Moonlight Mile

Tracks 1 to 10 are the album "Sticky Fingers" - released 23 April 1971 in the UK and USA on Rolling Stones Records COC 59100

Disc 2 (54:02 minutes):

1. Brown Sugar (with Eric Clapton) – 4:05 minutes

2. Wild Horses (Acoustic) – 5:47 minutes

3. Can’t You Hear Me Knocking (Alternate Version) – 3:24 minutes

4. Bitch (Extended Version) – 5:53 minutes

5. Dead Flowers (Alternate Version) – 4:18 minutes

6. Live With Me – 4:22 minutes

7. Stray Cat Blues – 3:48 minutes

8. Love In Vain – 6:42 minutes

9. Midnight Rambler – 11:27 minutes

10. Honky Tonk Women – 4:14 minutes

Tracks 1 to 5 are Outtakes from the original sessions produced by Jimmy Miller. "Brown Sugar" is credited as (with Eric Clapton) when in fact it also has Al Kooper on Guitar (Ian Stewart on Piano and Bobby Keys on Saxophone too). Tracks 6 to 10 are highlights from a show at The Roundhouse in London on Sunday, 14 March 1971 (there is a CD3 only on the Super Deluxe Edition 12" x 12" Box Set which is called "Get Yer Leeds Lungs Out" and was recorded 1971 at Leeds University). The live band for the London show included Bobby Keys on Saxophone, Jim Price on Trumpet and Nicky Hopkins on Piano. All songs are Jagger/Richards originals except "Stray Cat Blues" which is a Robert Johnson cover version.

THE ALBUM:

Right from the opening riffs of "Brown Sugar" (slightly distorted it has to be said) - you know you're in the presence of a different beast. This (2009) thing rocks - the guitars and rhythm section filling your speakers with incredible energy. I can hear the 'loudness wars' naysayers already - sure these things are loud and sure they're hissy in places too - but at least I feel like I'm in the presence of the real master tape. The power and clarity of instruments on say "Can't You Hear Me Knocking" and "Dead Flowers" is astounding. Ry Cooder's Slide Guitar and Jack Nitzsche's Piano on "Sister Morphine" is so good too, Paul Buckmaster's gorgeous Strings on "Moonlight Mile" and Keith's beautiful acoustic playing on "Wild Horses" - all fabulous. But if I was to isolate one track that shows massive improvement on this SHM - it's the Side 2 nugget "I Got The Blues". Everything about it rocks - Keith Richards and Mick Taylor on guitars, Bobby Keys and Jim Price on Horns, Jimmy Miller's Percussion and especially the Billy Preston Organ solo - it sounds truly fabulous. There's just that little more pep in the step of every track on this format - and somehow that amazing Cooder Slide on "Sister Morphine" seems more in your face (but in a good way), the sexy Saxophones on "Bitch" - the guitars on their fantastic bluesy cover of the Mississippi Fred McDowell/Gary Davis dead-and-dying tune "You Gotta Move". There are many who hated the 2009 remaster saying it was too loud or something like that. I think this is crap of the highest order. I bought the Japanese Platinum SHM-CD version with a flat transfer (which is what many of these detractors wanted) and it 'was' awful. It's a matter of Audio taste I know - but I frankly get weary of Audiophile types telling me what I'm hearing is lousy when my ears tell me different.

I had expected Disc 2 to be a disappointment – five lesser versions with a bunch of live stuff that should have stayed in the can – neither let the side down thank God. To hear “Brown Sugar” in ‘any’ variant is a blast - yet you can so hear why Jagger toned down the “get down on your knees...” lyrics and how the twin slide guitar work of Clapton and Kooper is good but still feels too ramshackle. Bobby Keys comes blasting in with that Saxophone solo pretty much intact but the finished album cut is sharper and their decision to go with a cleaner more concise version was the right one. It’s odd ‘not’ to hear the opening acoustic strums of “Wild Horses” be accompanied by that second guitar – this time we get a sort of unplugged original – and what a gorgeous song it is too. Lyrically there’s not much that’s different except that you can you hear the words more clearly on this Alternate. We then get a weird reversal – the finished album masterpiece “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking” gets cut down from 7:16 minutes to 3:24 minutes and is really the band ‘feeling’ for something. In fact on the amazing near 12-minute live version of “Midnight Rambler” where Keith and Mick solo like crazy – you can hear the finished licks and solos creep in because it was March 1971 – after they’d recorded this early attempt. 

But then comes an absolute jewel – the extended “Bitch” where Bobby Keys (Saxophone) and Jim Price (Trumpet) add so much to the song. It’s absolutely fantastic and I actually shouted “More” at the Marantz as it finished – not wanting this bad sucker to end. After such excitement the Alternate of “Wild Flowers” isn’t nearly as Country as the finished album version and suffers for it. Fans will be disappointed that the five live cuts don’t actually feature a single “Sticky Fingers” track but that’s not to say that they’re inferior fare – far from it. This is the 1971 band cooking (with Mick Taylor) on 1969 “Let It Bleed” material like “Live With Me” and “Love In Vain”. There is already a huge step forward in the overall sound and impact – a band finding their Rock feet. The Robert Johnson cover of ”Stray Cat Blues” is just fantastic while the huge “Midnight Rambler” sees Mick give it some fabulous harmonica fills inbetween those Bluesy guitar moments (“Spotlight on Keith’s arse...” he say before they launch into the jam). After introductions of the band – Mick tells the crowd to “open your lungs on this one” as The Stones go into a stunning version of “Honky Tonk Women”. Very tasty stuff...

I don’t know if I’d plum up the dosh for the Super Deluxe Version – but I have to say that this 2CD Deluxe Edition is a triumph.

In the Jake Gyllenhaal/Dustin Hoffman/Susan Sarandon movie “Moonlight Mile” from 2002 – Jake’s character is in a bar, goes over to a jukebox and puts on the movie’s title track. It starts to play and then as the stunning Paul Buckmaster strings kick in – Jagger sings - “I’m riding down your Moonlight Mile...” And I remember watching it - and not for the first time did a chill go up my arms – reminding me of how much I loved this band and in particular this album that I played to death as a teen in Dublin.

Mick Jagger and Keith Richards are more Zimmer-Frame Twins these days than Glimmer Twins – but that doesn’t stop this 2CD reissue from being magical to me. Lick your lips folks...because here we go again...