"...I Don't Need The
Aggravation...I'm A Lazy Slob..."
With the old May 1994 Virgin
remaster and this new June 2009 Polydor version 'both' clocking in at exactly
44:26 minutes - I immediately had my suspicions about this latest rehash of the
August 1981 album "Tattoo You" by The Rolling Stones. Another reissue
masquerading as something new for soppy Stones fans like me and a million others
too...
But this 2009 Polydor CD variant
is a fantastic improvement in sound over its 1994 predecessor - it really is...
If I were to nail down what's
different - it would be the Bass and Drums. They're suddenly so clear now and
in some cases like "Worried About You" - it's truly startling how
good they sound. In fact if feels like every single track has been uplifted out
of its former rhythm section muddiness. The clarity and punch is great on
everything really.
STEPHEN MARCUSSEN and STEWART WHITMORE at Marcussen
Mastering in Hollywood, California did the transfers and they're to be praised
for their work...
As you've no doubt already
read - "Tattoo You" was a ragbag of outtakes from previous albums
with a few new tunes thrown in - Rockers on the A-side with Ballads on the B.
And it worked - I played it to death on release - loved it to pieces -
especially the soulful Side 2. Unfortunately the new packaging is a bit of a
joke. The 'furry boot' inner sleeve that came with the original LP is reproduced
in a paltry gatefold inlay - there are no lyrics when there was a European LP
that had a lyric sheet insert (they could have used that). The startling
Christian Piper tattooed 'Three Paintings' are reduced to a point where the
credits on the green-coloured rear sleeve is barely legible. The inlay beneath
the see-through CD tray is blank - wow - push the boat out boys! But much worse
- and like so many Stones LPs now - guest musicians who contributed incredible
work at the time are now not mentioned on reissues at all. So with all that in
mind, here's a detailed track-by-track breakdown to get a better lay of the
land…
UK released 8 June 2009 -
"Tattoo You" by THE ROLLING STONES on Rolling Stones/Polydor
0602527015699 (Barcode 602527015699) is an 'Extended Version' CD Remaster (see
Notes below) and plays out as follows (44:26 minutes):
1. Start Me Up [begun in
1975, returned to in 1978 as a "Some Girls" possible]
2. Hang Fire [another
"Some Girls" outtake, features IAN STEWART on Piano]
3. Slave [This is an Extended
Version - see PS below]
4. Little T&A [Lead
Vocals and Bass by Keith Richards, Ian Stewart on Piano - T&A is street
slang for certain parts of a woman's anatomy]
5. Black Limousine [the only
track on the album co-credited to RONNIE WOOD, it features Mick Jagger on Lead
Vocals and Harmonica with Ian Stewart on Piano - backing track dated as far
back as "Exile" in 1972]
6. Neighbours [features'
both' the legendary SONNY ROLLINS and BOBBY KEYES on Saxophones]
7. Worried About You
[features BILLY PRESTON on Piano, WAYNE PERKINS on Lead Guitar and SOLO and
OLLIE BROWN on Percussion]
8. Tops [features MICK TAYLOR
on Guitar with NICKY HOPKINS on Piano; a Mick Taylor "Exile" outtake
- wasn't given a writers credit - sued and won]
9. Heaven [co-producer CHRIS
KIMSEY plays Piano on this]
10. No Use In Crying
[features Nicky Hopkins on Piano]
11. Waiting On A Friend
[features Mick Taylor on Guitar, Sonny Rollins on Saxophone and JIMMY MILLER of
"Sticky" fame on Percussion]
The clarity of the guitar solo
on "Slave" is awesome as is the swirling magic of "Heaven",
but best of all is the beautiful axework by Wayne Perkins on the Side 2 opener
"Worried About You". I think it's the best guitar solo on a Stones
album anywhere and its clarity now is fabulous.
To sum up - I know the
packaging and presentation leave a lot to be desired, but as I listen to the
lovely Piano tinkering of Nicky Hopkins on "No Use In Crying" and the
three lads harmonizing on Backing Vocals - I don't care - I love it. The sound
is wonderful and a major improvement over what went before.
The buggering truth is that
once you hear these remasters, you're screwed - you'll have to have them all...
Damn!
Despite niggles - it's
recommended for the great new audio and the music - the last Stones album where
I played all of it...
PS: there's an anomaly worth
noting...
When "Tattoo You"
was originally released on Vinyl and Cassette in August 1981 (Rolling Stones
CUNS 39114 in the UK and COC 16052 in the USA) - the 3rd track on Side 1
"Slave" clocked in at about 3:20 minutes. So when the first ever CD
version of it came out on CBS in 1989 it naturally reflected that timing.
However the May 1994 Virgin
remaster put out an anomaly without telling anyone - their CD version was
inexplicably extended to 6:31 minutes - that error is repeated here - and very
much to the benefit of fans because the "Extended Version" of
"Slave" is sensational. With the legendary Sonny Rollins playing on
Saxophone and Billy Preston on Keyboards, the lengthy mix now sounds like
"Can't You Hear Me Knocking" Part 2 from "Sticky Fingers".
A huge chunky guitar riff throughout, great Jagger vocals, Sax wailing - it
absolutely rocks (apparently there's a version with Jeff Beck on guitar in the
can somewhere too).
What should have happened
here of course is that the original LP timing be used on this CD - with both
the Jeff Beck mix and the Extended Version put on as bonus tracks at the end,
but that's for another day and another reissue...
