"The Rolling Stones In Mono" by THE ROLLING STONES (2016 ABKCO Records 15CD Box Set Of Remasters with Mini LP Repro Artwork and 48-Page Booklet) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Play With Fire..."

Oh lawdy mama yes. I pre-ordered this sucker the day it was announced and I've been giddy like Donald Trump at a Deluxe Toupee Convention ever since. On arrival and being a Rolling Stones reissue 'MONO' is typically a mixed bag of the fabulous vs. the downright sloppy and lazy (presentation glitches) – especially at this price and in 2016. But overall it's been worth the wait. There's a ton of info to get through and crossovers between the UK and American variants as well as the first official release of the first two British LPs in Mono on CD ("Rolling Stones No.1" and "No. 2") - so let's get to the factoids first...

UK and USA released Friday, 30 September 2016 – "The Rolling Stones In Mono" by THE ROLLING STONES on ABKCO Records 018771834526 (Barcode 018771834526) is a Remastered 15CD Box Set with a 48-Page booklet containing all of the UK and USA albums released between 1964 and 1969 on Decca, London and ABKCO Records (MONO only) and plays out as follows:

Disc 1 "The Rolling Stones" (32:51 minutes, 12 Tracks, UK Mono LP):

1. Route 66

2. I Just Want To Make Love To You

3. Honest I Do

4. Mona

5. Now I've Got A Witness (Like Uncle Phil And Uncle Gene)

6. Little By Little

7. I'm A King Bee [Side 2]

8. Carol

9. Tell Me (You're Coming Back)

10. Can I Get A Witness

11. You Can Make It If You Try

12. Walking The Dog

Tracks 1 to 12 are their debut album "The Rolling Stones" – released 17 April 1964 in the UK on Decca LK 4605 (Mono only) – first time on CD.

Their US debut album was called "England's Newest Hitmakers" – released 3 May 1964 on London LL 3373 (Mono) and London PS 375 (Stereo). The Bo Diddley cover of "Mona" from the British LP was dropped in favour of "Not Fade Away" - a Buddy Holly cover version (see Track 10, Disc 15). The other tracks remained the same and to sequence that US album from these discs use the following [10/15 = Track 10, Disc 15, 5/1 = Track 5, Disc 1 etc]:

1. Not Fade Away [10/15]

2. Route 66 [1/1]

3. I Just Want To Make Love To You [2/1]

4. Honest I Do [3/1]

5. Now I've Got A Witness... [5/1]

6. Little By Little [6/1]

7. I'm A King Bee [7/1] [Side 2]

8. Carol [8/1]

9. Tell Me (You're Coming Back) [9/1]

10. Can I Get A Witness [10/1]

11. You Can Make It If You Try [11/1]

12. Walking The Dog [12/1]

Disc 2 "12 x 5" (32:27 minutes, 12 Tracks, US Mono LP):

1. Around And Around

2. Confessin' The Blues

3. Empty Heart

4. Time Is On My Side

5. Good Times, Bad Times

6. It's All Over Now

7. 2120 South Michigan Avenue [Side 2]

8. Under The Boardwalk

9. Congratulations

10. Grown Up Wrong

11. If You Need Me

12. Susie Q

Tracks 1 to 12 are their 2nd US album "12 x 5" – released 23 October 1964 on London LL 3402 (Mono) and London PS 402 (Stereo).

Disc 3 "The Rolling Stones No. 2" (37:02 minutes, 12 tracks, UK Mono LP):

1. Everybody Needs Somebody To Love

2. Down Home Girl

3. You Can't Catch Me

4. Time Is On My Side (Guitar Intro Version)

5. What A Shame

6. Grown Up Wrong

7. Down The Road Apiece [Side 2]

8. Under The Boardwalk

9. I Can't Be Satisfied

10. Pain In My Heart

11. Off The Hook

12. Susie Q

Tracks 1 to 12 are their 2nd UK LP "The Rolling Stones No. 2" – released 30 January 1965 on Decca LK 4661 (Mono only) – first time on CD.

Disc 4 "The Rolling Stones, Now!" (35:58 minutes, 12 Tracks, US Mono LP):

1. Everybody Needs Somebody To Love

2. Down Home Girl

3. You Can't Catch Me

4. Heart Of Stone

5. What A Shame

6. Mona (I Need You Baby)

7. Down The Road Apiece [Side 2]

8. Off The Hook

9. Pain In My Heart

10. Oh Baby (We Got A Good Thing Goin')

11. Little Red Rooster

12. Surprise Surprise

Tracks 1 to 12 are their 3rd US album "The Rolling Stones Now!" - released 12 February 1965 on London LL 3420 (Mono) and London PS 420 (Stereo)

Disc 5 "Out Of Our Heads" (33:41 minutes, 12 tracks, US Mono LP variant):

1. Mercy Mercy

2. Hitch Hike

3. The Last Time

4. That's How Strong My Love Is

5. Good Times

6. I'm Alright

7. Satisfaction [Side 2]

8. Cry To Me

9. The Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man

10. Play With Fire

11. The Spider And The Fly

12. One More Try

Tracks 1 to 12 are their 4th US album "Out Of Our Heads" - released 30 July 1965 on London LL 3429 (Mono) and London PS 429 (Stereo).

The UK LP "Out Of Our Heads" (their 3rd British LP release) was issued 24 September 1965 on Decca LK 4733 (Mono) and Decca SKL 4733 (Stereo) but with different artwork and a radically different track list – presented here as Disc 6.

Disc 6 "Out Of Our Heads" (29:37 minutes, 12 tracks, UK Mono LP variant):

1. She Said Yeah

2. Mercy Mercy

3. Hitch Hike

4. That's How Strong My Love Is

5. Good Times

6. Gotta Get Away

7. Talkin' 'Bout You [Side 2]

8. Cry To Me

9. Oh Baby (We've Got A Good Thing Goin')

10. Heart Of Stone

11. The Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man

12. I'm Free

Disc 7 "December's Children (And Everybody)" (29:07 minutes, 12 tracks, US Mono LP):

1. She Said Yeah

2. Talkin' About You

3. You Better Move On

4. Look What You've Done

5. The Singer Not The Song

6. Route 66

7. Get Off Of My Cloud [Side 2]

8. I'm Free

9. As Tears Go By

10. Gotta Get Away

11. Blue Turns To Grey

12. I'm Moving On

Tracks 1 to 12 are their 5th album "December's Children (And Everybody's)" - released 4 December 1965 on London LL 3431 and London PS 451 (Stereo).

Disc 8 "Aftermath" (52:47 minutes, 14-tracks, UK Mono LP variant):

1. Mother's Little Helper

2. Stupid Girl

3. Lady Jane

4. Under My Thumb

5. Doncha Bother Me

6. Goin' Home

7. Flight 505 [Side 2]

8. High And Dry

9. Out Of Time

10. It's Not Easy

11. I Am Waiting

12. Take It Or Leave It

13. Think

14. What To Do

Tracks 1 to 14 are their 4th UK album "Aftermath" - released 15 April 1966 on Decca LK 4786 (Mono) and Decca SKL 4786 (Stereo).

The US variant of "Aftermath" dropped three of the British tally of 14 tracks (down to 11) and replaced them with their recent US hit "Paint It Black" as the opening track on Side 1 and like "Out Of Our Heads" - it also featured different artwork to the US issue. Disc 9 is the American version.

Disc 9 "Aftermath" (43:01 minutes, 11 tracks, US Mono LP variant):

1. Paint It Black

2. Stupid Girl

3. Lady Jane

4. Under My Thumb

5. Doncha Bother Me

6. Think

7. Flight 505 [Side 2]

8. High And Dry

9. It's Not Easy

10. I Am Waiting

11. Going Home

Tracks 1 to 11 are their 6th US album "Aftermath" - released 2 July 1966 on London LL 3476 (Mono) and London PS 476 (Stereo).

Disc 10 "Between The Buttons" (38:47 minutes, 12 tracks, UK Mono LP variant):

1. Yesterday's Papers

2. My Obsession

3. Back Street Girl

4. Connection

5. She Smiled Sweetly

6. Cool, Calm & Collected

7. All Sold Out [Side 2]

8. Please Go Home

9. Who's Been Sleeping Here?

10. Complicated

11. Miss Amanda Jones

12. Something Happened To Me Yesterday

Tracks 1 to 12 are their 5th UK album "Between The Buttons" - released 20 January 1967 on Decca LK 4852 (Mono) and Decca SKL 4852 (Stereo).

The US variant of "Between The Buttons" dropped down from 12 to 11 and also had different tracks lists to its UK equivalent. Using Discs 10 and 11 the US "Between The Buttons" LP can be sequenced as follows [3/11 = Track 3 on Disc 11 - 1/10 = Track 1 on Disc 10 etc]:

Side 1:

1. Let's Spend The Night Together [3/11]

2. Yesterday's Papers [1/10]

3. Ruby Tuesday [1/11]

4. Connection [4/10]

5. She Smiled Sweetly [5/10]

6. Cool Calm And Collected [6/10]

Side 2:

1. All Sold Out [7/10]

2. My Obsession [2/10]

3. Who's Been Sleeping Here? [9/10]

4. Miss Amanda Jones [11/10]

5. Something Happened To Me Yesterday [12/10]

Their 7th US album "Between The Buttons" was released 11 February 1967 on London LL 3499 (Mono) and London PS 499 (Stereo).

Disc 11 "Flowers" (37:04 minutes, 12 tracks, US-only Mono LP):

1. Ruby Tuesday

2. Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing In The Shadow?

3. Let's Spend The Night Together

4. Lady Jane

5. Out Of Time

6. My Girl

7. Backstreet Girl [Side 2]

8. Please Go Home

9. Mother's Little Helper

10. Take It Or Leave It

11. Ride On, Baby

12. Sittin' On A Fence

Tracks 1 to 12 are their 8th studio album "Flowers" - released (US only) 15 July 1967 on London LL 3509 (Mono) and London PS 509 (Stereo).

Disc 12 "Their Satanic Majesties Request" (44:18 minutes, 10 tracks, UK and US Mono LP):

1. Sing This All Together [Side 1: Frontside]

2. Citadel

3. In Another Land

4. 2000 Man

5. Sing This All Together (See What Happens)

6. She's A Rainbow [Side 2: Backside]

7. The Lantern

8. Gomper

9. 2000 Light Years From Home

10. On With The Show

Tracks 1 to 10 are their 6th UK LP (9th US LP) "Their Satanic Majesties Request" - released 8 December 1967 in the USA on London NP 2 (Mono) and London NPS 2 (Stereo) and 9 December 1967 in the UK on Decca TXL 103 (Mono) and Decca TXS 103 (Stereo).

Disc 13 "Beggars Banquet" (40:00 minutes, 11 tracks, UK and US Mono LP - uses the US artwork):

1. Sympathy For The Devil

2. No Expectations

3. Dear Doctor

4. Parachute Woman

5. Jigsaw Puzzle

6. Street Fighting Man [Side 2]

7. Prodigal Son

8. Stray Cat Blues

9. Factory Girl

10. Salt Of The Earth

Tracks 1 to 10 are their 6th UK studio album (10th US LP) "Beggars Banquet" - released 6 December 1968 in the UK on Decca LK 4955 (Mono) and Decca SKL 4955 (Stereo) and 7 December 1968 in the USA on London LL 3539 (Mono) and London PS 539 (Stereo).

Disc 14 "Let It Bleed" (42:25 minutes, 9 Tracks, UK and US Mono LP):

1. Gimme Shelter

2. Love In Vain

3. Country Honk

4. Live With Me

5. Let It Bleed

6. Midnight Rambler [Side 2]

7. You Got The Silver

8. Monkey Man

9. You Can't Always Get What You Want

Tracks 1 to 9 are their 7th UK studio album (11th US LP) "Let It Bleed" - released 28 November 1969 in the USA on London NP 4 (Mono) and London NPS 4 (Stereo) and 5 December 1969 in the UK on Decca LK 5025 (Mono) and Decca SKL 5025 (Stereo).

Disc 15 "Stray Cats" (70:17 minutes, 24 Tracks):

1. Come On

2. I Want To Be Loved

Tracks 1 and 2 are the non-album A&B-sides of their debut UK 7" single released 7 June 1963 on Decca F 11675

3. I Wanna Be Your Man [Lennon-McCartney song]

4. Stoned [Instrumental]

Tracks 3 and 4 are the non-album A&B-sides of their 2nd UK 7" single released 1 November 1963 on Decca F 11764

5. Fortune Teller (A Benny Spellman cover version on the 1964 UK LP compilation "Saturday Club" on Decca LK 4583)

6. Poison Ivy (Version 1) (A Coasters cover version on the 1964 UK LP compilation "Saturday Club" on Decca LK 4583)

7. Bye Bye Johnny

8. Money

9. Poison Ivy (Version 2)

Tracks 7, 8 and 9 are on their first UK EP (Extended Play) "The Rolling Stones" released 10 January 1964 on Decca DFE 8560

10. Not Fade Away (A Buddy Holly cover version, 21 February 1964 UK 7" single on Decca F 11845, A-side)

11. I've Been Loving You Too Long (an Otis Redding cover version and 1965 outtake minus the fake applause of the "Got Live If You Want It" LP version)

12. The Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man (Single Version) (5 June 1965 US 7" single on London 9766, B-side of "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction")

13. 19th Nervous Breakdown (4 Feb 1966 UK 7" single on Decca F 12331, A-side)

14. Sad Day (12 February 1966 US 7" single on London 9823, non-album B-side of "19th Nervous Breakdown")

15. Con Le Mie Lacrime (As Tears Go By) - (Italian Language Version sung by Jagger on the Italian 1956 7" single for Decca F22270)

16. Long, Long While (13 May 1966 UK 7" single on Decca F 12395, non-album B-side of "Paint It Black")

17. Who's Driving Your Plane? (23 September 1966 UK 7" single on Decca F 12497, non-album B-side to "Have You Seen Your Mother...")

18. We Love You (Single Version)

19. Dandelion (Single Version) (Tracks 18 and 19 are the A&B-sides of the 18 August 1967 UK 7" single on Decca F 12654)

20. Child Of The Moon (23 May 1968 UK 7" single on Decca F 12782, non-album B-side to "Jumping Jack Flash")

21. Jumpin' Jack Flash (23 May 1968 UK 7" single on Decca F 12782, non-album A-side)

22. Street Fighting Man (Single Version) (30 August 1968 US 7" single on London 909, A-side)

23. Honky Tonk Women (Single Version)

24. You Can't Always Get What You Want (Single Version Edit) (Tracks 23 and 24 are the A&B-sides of the 11 July 1969 UK 7" single on Decca F 12952)

This Box Set will also allow fans to sequence two iconic compilation Best Of LPs from the period – "Big Hits (High Tide And Green Grass)" and "Through The Past Darkly (Big Hits Vol. 2)" in both their US and UK variants using the follow tracks:

"Big Hits (High Tide And Green Grass)" – US LP

Side 1:

1. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction

2. The Last Time

3. As Tears Go By

4. Time Is On My Side

5. It's All Over Now

6. Tell Me (You're Coming Back)

Side 2:

1. 19th Nervous Breakdown

2. Heart Of Stone

3. Get Off Of My Cloud

4. Not Fade Away

5. Good Times Bad Times

6. Play With Fire

Their first greatest hits compilation "Big Hits (High Tide And Green Grass)" was released 11 March 1966 in the US on London NP 1 (Mono) and London NPS 1 (Stereo). All tracks on previous albums except "19th Nervous Breakdown" which was exclusive to this compilation.

"Big Hits (High Tide And Green Grass)" – UK LP

Side 1:

1. Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing In The Shadow?

2. Paint It Black

3. It’s All Over Now

4. The Last Time

5. Heart Of Stone

6. (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction

Side 2:

1. Get Off Of My Cloud

2. As Tears Go By

3. 19th Nervous Breakdown

4. Lady Jane

5. Time Is On My Side

6. Little Red Rooster

Their first greatest hits compilation "Big Hits (High Tide And Green Grass)" was released 4 November 1966 in the UK on Decca TXL 101 (Mono) and Decca TXS 101 (Stereo). All tracks on previous albums except "19th Nervous Breakdown" which was exclusive to this compilation.

"Through The Past Darkly (Big Hits Vol. 2)" - US LP

Side 1:

1. Paint It Black

2. Ruby Tuesday

3. She's A Rainbow

4. Jumpin' Jack Flash

5. Mother's Little Helper

6. Let's Spend The Night Together

Side 2:

1.Honky Tonk Women

2. Dandelion

3. 2000 Light Years From Home

4. Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing In The Shadow?

5. Street Fighting Man

Their 2nd Greatest Hits compilation "Through The Past Darkly (Big Hits Vol. 2)" was released 12 September 1969 in the US on London NP 3 (Mono) and London NPS 3 (Stereo). All tracks previously released on various US albums.

"Through The Past Darkly (Big Hits Vol. 2)" - UK LP

Side 1:

1. Jumpin' Jack Flash

2. Mother's Little Helper

3. 2000 Light Years From Home

4. Let's Spend The Night Together

5. You Better Move On

6. We Love You

Side 2:

1. Street Fighting Man

2. She's A Rainbow

3. Ruby Tuesday

4. Dandelion

5. Sittin On A Fence

6. Honky Tonk Women

Their 2nd Greatest Hits compilation "Through The Past Darkly (Big Hits Vol. 2)" was released in the UK 12 September 1969 on Decca LK 5019 (Mono) and Decca LKS 5019 (Stereo). All tracks previously released on British albums except the four single sides "We Love You", "Dandelion", "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and "Honky Tonk Women" which were new to a British LP here.

CREDITS:

DAVID FRICKE does the expert and affectionately written liner notes (Pages 1 to 43) that are accompanied by beautifully rendered black and white and colour period photos of the band from the TERRY O’NEILL Archive. There are all the 14 variants of album covers pictured but disappointingly for such a prestigious project there's zero memorabilia, foreign picture sleeves (where's the beautiful Italian Picture Sleeve to "Con Le Mie Lacrime"? a song featured on the "Stray Cats" double or the iconic American artwork to "19th Nervous Breakdown" with its exclusive "Sad Day" B-side and of course the uber rare "Street Fighting Man"), trade adverts or even an indication from the sedate photos of just how much mayhem this unruly mob of R&B reprobates caused around the world. It’s classy for sure but there's little acknowledgement of 'The Rolling Stones' if you know what I mean - all a bit sedate really for my tastes...

SOUND:

But that's small beer to the really big deal news – the superb new MONO AUDIO. Mastered by BOB LUDWIG at Gateway Mastering - a team of three handled the transfers – STEVE ROSENTHAL and TED YOUNG did Sound Restoration while TERI LANDI did Analogue-to-Digital Transfers and Tape Research. GUS SKINAS is the DSD consultant while SEAN MAGEE and ALEX WHARTON did the Lacquer Cutting for the Vinyl Version at Abbey Road Studios. First generation tapes were used and as David Fricke enthuses on Page 3 of the excellent liner notes - the whole shebang is 'newly remastered with unprecedented fidelity and revelatory detail'. And I'd agree with that. I've waded through the lot over the weekend and I'm convinced by everything up to "Satanic Majesties" (far better in Mono to my ears) - but not so persuaded by "Beggars Banquet" or "Let It Bleed" (which the liner notes acknowledge were never true Mono in the first place) – I'll take the Stereo versions of those from the 2002 ABKCO SACD/DSD reissues any day of the week. And listening to the array on "Stray Cats" is a blast...like a weird 'Best Of' you've never sequenced before...

CONTENTS:

'Made In The Czech Republic' on the base of the oversized glossy clamshell box is probably not what every Stones fan wants to read immediately – but I'd have to say that once inside the EU version of ABKCO Records 018771834526 the detail is impressive and at times beautifully tactile. The credits page is pasted onto the back of the box so its not one of those annoying sheets that falls away the second you undo the shrink-wrap. Each oversized glossy full-colour hard card sleeve is held in a resealable 300 grams plastic and the glossy CDs themselves protected on the inside by an anti-static Japanese plastic so the surface of the disc remains un-scuffed by the card repro. But even though they look the part - practically speaking - re-sealable plastics are a frigging nightmare to actually use. Anyone who knows what those Japanese versions are like will cringe - they look gorgeous but tear so easily and the sealable flap sticks to the sleeve on exit and entry. Fortunately as these are all 'glossy' hard-card sleeves that won't matter too much. Also instead of those brittle Japanese issues - ABKCO have smartly used a durable plastic on their re-sealable wraps. It's a little thing to note for sure - but if you actually want to play these and not rip strips off of your repro artwork every time you open them - it's a smart move.

I like the flip-over lid, the covers in their plastics fit snugly within the box and the booklet looks the part too. The rear sleeves are paste-on for the first few albums and 'No. 1' even comes with the 'Mona' track credit of the first British pressing (later issues have "I Need You Baby"). But rather stupidly they've used the American 'Toilet' sleeve for "Beggars Banquet" and then the British white sleeve by way of compensation to UK fans on the "Stray Cats" gatefold cover - when I feel it should have been the other way around. All the red labels on the CDs ape the Decca Mono LP look but "Beggars Banquet" has a US sleeve and a Decca CD Label when it should have been London of course to reflect the correct US issue (sloppy). And while its smart to have the track list in the same script font as the UK "Beggars Banquet" LP on the "Stray Cats" 2CD compilation - other than that there's no song details either in the booklet or on the artwork as to what track is what on "Stray Cats" or on any of the other LPs for that matter. Why in God's name aren't the LPs listed inside the booklet – songwriting credits, release dates, catalogue numbers, the differences between US and UK LPs - like say the two superlative Bowie boxes have done? At least David Fricke gives some explanation of the odds and sods tracks on the "Stray Cats" double on the final pages of the booklet but there's no catalogue numbers or release dates on anything (you'll get more info from my review). "Let It Bleed" is missing the poster, the red inner sleeve with track details and the 'Poster Included' sticker that came with British originals on the front cover is also AWOL (see PS re Japanese version below). The booklet does admits that "Beggars Banquet" and "Let It Bleed" are not True Mono but are really only included for completeness. And where are those Decca/London Inner Bags that came with original UK and US issues? It’s all a tad haphazard really after all these years waiting.

On the up side - fans will know that the first two British albums "Rolling Stones No. 1" and "No. 2" were originally released in Mono in the UK for a limited time (later in other territories) and have been officially AWOL on CD forever - a fact that seems amazing in 2016. So it's very cool to see their release here at last. The typo error of "Congradulations" to "Congratulations" on "12 x 5" has been made on the rear sleeve and US fans will appreciate the inclusion of 'both' sides of the Mono coin - the US and UK variants with their different track line-ups - even if there is a wee bit of duplication. A little about that too...

UK and US LPs and THE TWO "Big Hits" COMPILATIONS:

The UK and US LPs didn't merge track-wise until "Their Satanic Majesties Request" in late 1967 - so all the Mono variants of those first eight American studio LPs can be sequenced using this box - as well as iconic compilation LPs like "Big Hits (High Tide And Green Grass)" from November 1966 (with "19th Nervous Breakdown" as an exclusive track) and its follow up "Through The Past Darkly (Big Hits Vol. 2)" from September 1969. Being a studio only Box Set - the US live album "Got Live If You Want It" from 9 December 1966 on London LL 3493 (Mono) and London PS 493 (Stereo) is excluded - excepting the studio version of "I've Been Loving You Too Long" which has been stripped of its fake "Got Live" applause and added here as an 'outtake' on the "Stray Cats" double - Track 11.

MONO MUSIC:

It's genuinely bizarre after all these years to hear "Rolling Stones" (No. 1) and "No. 2" in MONO on CD officially - the sly harmonica R&B of Slim Harpo's "I'm A King Bee" and cool stuff like "What A Shame" and Chuck Berry's "You Can't Catch Me". And you can only imagine what The Stones must have been like during a live version of "Down The Road Apiece" - that Berry Boogie ripping through the room - it sounds fabulous here - less cluttered somehow and packing real punch.  Even better is the Bluesy "Confessin' The Blues" - that echoed Jagger vocal and their own Bo Diddley knock off "Empty Heart" - tambourine shakes and drum whacks hitting your speakers like a boxer. Dig that Bluesy Instrumental vibe in "2020 South Michigan Avenue" as they pay homage to their R&B heroes at Chess Records on the "12 x 5" LP (Jagger giving some wicked Harp) .

I prefer the US version of "Out Of Our Heads" to the UK line-up. "Hitch Hike" is very clear but the Mono wallop off "The Last Time" is a revelation – yummy. The Bass is warm and clear on their cover of "That's How Strong My Love Is" and there’s sweetness to Sam Cooke's "Good Times". Even the live cut of "I'm Alright" can be heard above the screaming girls. But most impressive of all is the stark power to both "The Spider And The Fly" and "Cry To Me" – I haven't heard either sound this clear in decades ("Heart Of Stone" on the UK LP is the same). That fuzzy-wuzzy guitar on the British LP version of "Have Mercy" is also a tad clearer but "Talkin' About You" has Bass that will actually threaten the structural safety of your speaker cones. And of course the monster "Satisfaction" has amazing oomph all of a sudden - those fuzzed-up guitars giving it some neck jerk with conviction (no losing streak here).

I've had the Mono vinyl to "Between The Buttons" for decades but this CD is so damn clean - I'm double-taking on each song. Love that fuzz guitar in "Yesterday's Papers" and those layered vocals. Great wallop during that Piano and Drums beginning of "My Obsession" and the same to the forgotten "Connection" (were they ever this Pop again). Jagger's vocal during "She Smiled Sweetly" is very clear even if that organ still sounds weedy and the Bass overdone. The Acoustic/Harmonica combo that intro's "Who's Been Sleeping Here?" must surely have been their nod towards Dylan (sounds sweet too). I'm loving "Miss Amanda Jones" - huge grungy guitar and a rhythm section that's punching way above its weight all of a sudden. And dig Keith's unmistakable vocal on the Tuba-happy "Something Happened To Me Yesterday" - amazing clarity throughout.

The whole of the "Flowers" album also surprises me - I love this record in Stereo - but I'd gladly admit to be blown away by "Ruby Tuesday" in Mono - amazing clarity and so centred. I'm not so sure about "Have You Seen Your Mother..." but acoustic cuts like "Lady Jane" and "Back Street Girl" are amazing - and I'm still taken aback at how 'pretty' some of the Stones songs are. That clavinet on "Ride On, Baby" is right up there as are the drums and vocals. Hell even the slightly embarrassing "Majesties" has renewed clarity (if I can bring myself to suffer the whole album). And on it goes to the true Stones genius of "Beggars Banquet" and "Let It Bleed" where I'd agree with other reviewers - give me the Stereo versions any day of the week...

As ever with Rolling Stones 'Deluxe Editions' there's a compromise for long-suffering fans - but it would churlish and penny-pinching to call this reissue anything other than a triumph. I'm going to be opening this re-sealable plastics for years - and I like that a lot...

PS: Objects Of True Lust x 2 – the Japanese 15CD Box set Edition of "The Rolling Stones In MONO" on Universal/Polydor UICY-77710 (Barcode 4988031139295) – also released Friday, 30 September 2016 - has exclusive SHM-CDs for each title but are in '7" Single Sized Repro Artwork' with Obi Strips and all relevant inserts. They replicate the original UK and US artwork – laminate sleeves for No. 1 and No.2 with flip-back cover art, paste-back card covers for the US albums, the US issue of "Majesties" with a wavy Red Inner Sleeve, the Red Inner Sleeve instead of a Blue one for the Mono "Let It Bleed" including Poster etc. It's available for approximately £250 from many online retailers including Amazon.

The 2nd is Universal's own version of "The Rolling Stones In MONO" available only from their global websites as a very limited edition bundle - TRSMONOBUND01 comes with the 15CD Box Set AND Repro's of 9 x 7" rare singles from around the world (seven in picture sleeves):

German 7" Single in Picture Sleeve

A - 2,000 Light Years From Home

B - She's A Rainbow

UK 7" Single in Decca Label Bag (Export Issue)

A - Poison Ivy

B - Fortune Teller

Australian 7" Single in Picture Sleeve

A - Fortune Teller

B - Sad Day

U.S.A 7" Single in Withdrawn Picture Sleeve

A - Street Fighting Man

B - No Expectations

French 7" Single in Picture Sleeve

A - We Love You

B - Dandelion

Japanese 7" Single in Picture Sleeve

A - Tell Me (You're Coming Back)

B - Carol

Norwegian 7" Single in Picture Sleeve

A - Time Is On My Side

B - Congratulations

Dutch 7" Single in Picture Sleeve

A - Empty Heart

B - Around And Around

Canadian 7" Single in Decca Label Bag

A - Not Fade Away

B - I Wanna Be Your Man

"Let It Bleed" by THE ROLLING STONES (2002 Abcko 'Hybrid SACD/DSD CD' Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"…Sometimes You Get What You Need…"

In the truly fantastic and illuminating 2013 movie "20 Feet From Stardom" - one of the great unsung heroes of backing singers MERRY CLAYTON recalls with a giggle being dragged into a Studio by The Rolling Stones in her mink coat at some ungodly hour in the morning and told to scream "RAPE! MURDER! IT'S JUST A SHOT AWAY..." into a microphone at the top of her formidable lungs whilst heavily pregnant and with her hair-curlers still in. The film isolates her vocal track where she went up an extra octave to get the effect they needed - and you can hear her blowing the room out with her sheer power. Mick Jagger - who is also interviewed in the film along with Springsteen and many other rock beneficiaries - recalls it too and smiles wryly - Merry was damn good. In fact perhaps Clayton stood out as much as he did.

But whatever has passed into musical history since - nowadays both are quite rightly proud of the fabulous song "Gimme Shelter" that opens 1969's "Let It Bleed" by The Rolling Stones - what many lifetime fans feel is one of their finest hairy-assed reprobate hours. Merry Clayton would go on to have a short but sadly unnoticed Solo career of her own on Ode/A & M Records - even naming her debut album "Gimme Shelter" after her most famous moment with the grinning English boy (see separate review).

Back to this CD reissue... When the Decca label side of the Stones catalogue first came out on CD in 1986 on London - it was not the greatest moment for the new format. This 2002 reissue acknowledges this and advises that after 'long and painful' searches through tape vaults on both sides of the Atlantic - both time and technology had caught up enough to warrant a proper stab at it again - and man what a result.

Released August 2002 on Abkco 90042 (Barcode 018771900429) - "Let It Bleed" by THE ROLLING STONES is a straightforward transfer of the album (42:21 minutes):

1. Gimme Shelter

2. Love In Vain

3. Midnight Rambler

4. Live With Me

5. Let It Bleed

6. Midnight Rambler [Side 2]

7. You Got The Silver

8. Monkey Man

9. You Can't Always Get What You Want

Tracks 1 to 9 are the album "Let It Bleed" - released November 1969 in the USA on London NP 4 (Mono) and NPS 4 (Stereo) and December 1969 in the UK on Decca LK 5025 (Mono) and SKL 5025 (Stereo). Only the Stereo mix is used.

Made by Sony and Phillips - the SACD/DSD Hybrid Disc actually has two layers - the first contains the normal CD playback - but the other layer has a SACD remaster which will automatically come on if your machine has SACD playback facilities (it doesn't require a special machine to play this disc). The three-way foldout card digipak unfortunately doesn't reproduce the inner sleeve or the sticker and poster that came with rare originals of the album. It does however take the figurines off the cake and dot them across the digipak and CD. But the real sweet tooth is the sound. Given a careful transfer/remaster/mastering job by Steve Rosenthal, Teri Landi and Bob Ludwig - the sonic transformation of Jimmy Miller's original production are awesome.

Right from the opening moments of "Gimme Shelter" with its atmospheric guitars and NICKY HOPKINS piano playing - you know you're in the presence of something special. Things get even better with the largely acoustic cover of Robert Johnson's "Love In Vain" featuring RY COODER on Mandolin to great effect .The lead in car-horns and fiddle playing of BYRON BERLINE on their countrified piss take of "Honky Tonk Women" (called "Country Honk") sounds suitably ramshackle. Bill Wyman's Bass and Charlie Watt's Drums kick in with power on "Live With Me" as does the piano playing of LEON RUSSELL. The two acidic Side 1 finishers "Live With Me" (with MICK TAYLOR) and "Let It Bleed" (with IAN STEWART) have that fantastic British Rock 'n' Roll swagger that only the Faces seemed to be able to get near with any conviction.

Side 2 opens with the killer "Midnight Rambler" - a concert pleaser to this day. I love the wickedly sly "You Got The Silver" with Keith giving it bottleneck slide and half-stoned half-jealous vocals. Reputedly about the actress Anita Pallenberg immersed in the filming of "Performance" with Mick Jagger - the song also turned up in the futuristic classic "Zabriskie Point" - a notorious bomb at the box office in 1970. There can't be many Stones who don't think "Monkey Man" one of their great, unheralded Rocking masterpieces - a snotty little number perfectly placed before the glorious symphony of "You Cant Always Get What You Want". What can you say about this album finisher - how many times has its opening magic been used in movies to elicit emotion - and worked! To this day the 7" single edit of it on the B-side of "Honky Tonk Women" can only be found on the 3rd Stones Singles Box 1968-1971 (see separate review). As Al Kooper bashes the keys and Doris Troy, Nanette Newman, Madeline Bell and The London Bach Choir sing the song out - I'll admit to blubbing little Glimmer Twin tears...absolute f***ing genius.

"This Record Should Be Played Loud" it stated on the inner bag of the original vinyl LP.

Whether you go for the 2002 SACD/CD Hybrid issue or Japan's SHM-CD from 2010 (with all the repro artwork and 2002 remaster) - I'd apply the same code to this blindingly good remaster...CRANK IT!

PS: A young Delia Smith baked the cake on the cover...swear to God...

"Beggars Banquet" by THE ROLLING STONES (2002 Abcko 'Hybrid SACD/DSD CD' Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"…Pleased To Meet You…" 

As the truly fantastic "Sympathy For The Devil" sails into your living room on a patter of Tabla shuffles and Salsa shakers – all slithery, slinky and sidewinding like a snake – you wonder how many times this incredibly durable song has been used in movies? How many instances has a smug vampire or demon or Old Nick himself (in human form of course) played this tune in his car CD-player as he heads off for another rendezvous with a succulent throat in the big dark city?

Bloodletting and a propensity to name-check Hades and its unsavoury occupants aside - The Rolling Stones started a peerless run of albums with 1968's "Beggars Banquet" that ran through 1969's "Let It Bleed", 1971's "Sticky Fingers" (the first on their own Rolling Stones Records) – culminating in the magnum opus double-album "Exile On Main St." - a deserved No. 1 in 1972. Yet in its plain white British laminated gatefold or naughty US toilet graffiti sleeve - somehow good old 'BB' seems to get ignored over the illustrious trio that followed it. And its history on CD has been murky and problematic too...

When the Decca label side of the Stones catalogue first came out on CD in 1986 on London - it was not the greatest moment for the new format. This 2002 'Hybrid SACD/DSD CD' reissue and remaster acknowledges this and advises that after 'long and painful' searches through tape vaults on both sides of the Atlantic - both time and technology had caught up enough to warrant a proper stab at it again. And like the other titles in this wicked series of card digipaks - man what a result. Here are the street fighting men...

UK and Europe released August 2002 – "Beggars Banquet" by THE ROLLING STONES on Abkco 8823012 (Barcode 042288230120) is a Limited Edition Hybrid SACD/DSD CD Remaster – a straightforward transfer of the 10-track Stereo album that plays out as follows (39:47 minutes):

1. Sympathy For The Devil

2. No Expectations

3. Dear Doctor

4. Parachute Woman

5. Jigsaw Puzzle

6. Street Fighting Man [Side 2]

7. Prodigal Son

8. Stray Cat Blues

9. Factory Girl

10. Salt Of The Earth

Tracks 1 to 10 are the album "Beggars Banquet" - released 6 December 1968 in the UK on Decca LK 4955 (Mono) and SKL 4955 (Stereo) and 7 December 1968 in the USA on London LL 3539 (Mono) and London PS 539 (Stereo). Only the STEREO MIX IS USED.

Made by Sony and Phillips - the SACD/DSD Hybrid Disc actually has two layers - the first contains the normal CD playback - but the other layer has a SACD remaster which will automatically come on if your machine has SACD playback facilities (it doesn't require a special machine to play this disc). The three-way foldout card digipak unfortunately doesn't reproduce the British front cover artwork (white with script titles) but does have the inner sleeve 'banquet' photo of the boys pigging out spread across the inner digipak and further onto the CD label. As with all of these three-way card digipaks - there is also a small square paper 'Certificate Of Authenticity' for the 'Inaugural Edition Hybrid Disc 2002' that quotes some lyrics to a song from the album and (in this case) pictures a black and white snippet of the 'toilet sleeve' on the rear. Not sat in any kind of pouch within the glossy card digipak - these little certificates are easy to lose - and the glossy sleeve easy to mark or smudge - so perhaps use a protective plastic to hold the lot in place/keep it new.  

But the real layers of soft ply are the new Audio. STEVE ROSENTHAL did the Sound Restoration and Archive Coordination - TERI LANDI the Analogue to Digital Transfers & Tape Archive Research with final Mastering carried out by the legendary Audio Engineer BOB LUDWIG at Gateway Mastering. The sonic transformation of Jimmy Miller's original production is awesome. This CD sounds fantastic in either DSD CD mode or SACD – a great Stones album made better at last.

After the bombastic backwards-tapes bilge of December 1967's psych-out "Their Satanic Majesties Request" – the stripped down almost country R&B instrumentation of "Beggars Banquet" came as a welcome relief. And excepting a cover version of "Prodigal Son" by Reverend Robert Wilkins (covered by Hank Williams in 1952 – probably the version Keith Richards heard and admired) – the other nine are Jagger-Richards originals. It opens on a balls-to-the-wall Stones classic – "Sympathy For The Devil". As well as the famous 'ooh ooh' chorus throughout that features Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Brian Jones, Bill Wyman, Nicky Hopkins, Marianne Faithfull, Jimmy Miller and actress/Stones girlfriend Anita Pallenberg - one of the unsung heroes of this 6:02 minutes is Nicky Hopkins whose brilliantly complimentary piano playing underpins the rhythm. Up next is one of my all-time Stones craves – the gorgeous "No Expectations". Sailing in on a bed of Bluesy acoustic strums – Brian Jones plays slide while Nicky Hopkins once again does a sweet piano refrain throughout (you can hear Wyman’s bass in the remaster now too – so sweet). American fans will know that the song was used as B-side to "Street Fighting Man" on London 909 (shame they didn't feature its rare picture sleeve somewhere in the digipak - under the see-through tray for instance). We go all hick-Country with "Dear Doctor" where Keith and Mick complain "...there's a pain where there once was a heart..." - Brian Jones plays Harmonica while Dave Mason of Traffic guest on guitar. Keith Richards famously took over the 'slide guitar' reins from Brian Jones on the wickedly good "Parachute Woman" while Mick gives it some Harmonica and Nicky Hopkins plays piano (lost somewhere back in the mix). They were never so ramshackle and louche as on "Jigsaw Puzzle" where the bishop's daughter has been an outcast all her life while poor Mick pours over his jigsaw puzzle (undoubtedly in a very cool Chelsea flat).

Side 2 opens with the mighty "Street Fighting Man" - banned by the knobs at the BBC for its 'incendiary' sentiments (guaranteed million seller then). A harsh-reality statement – the song asked "...what can I poor boy do...” The direct opposite to the message of hippies and peaceniks – the authorities clearly thought its seeming praise of 'fighting' was going to cause riots in the – well – streets. It didn't. More likely the real violence came from American cops trying to control thousands of peaceful protestors riling against the sickening Vietnam War and its waste of life. I still don't know how Richards got that slightly off guitar sound and once again – Nicky Hopkins contributes Piano while Dave Mason offers Percussion. Acoustic Blues comes at us with "Prodigal Son" - Richards on Acoustic - Jones giving it some cotton-field Harmonica while Jagger sings about restlessness - going down the road - a poor boy crying for mercy. Truthful but "Some Girls" angry in ways - naughty rock-band antics fill the saucy lyrics of "Stray Cat Blues" where a 15-year old needn't show her ID (grow up boys). Far better is "Factory Girl" - a pretty song that has Dave Mason on Mandolin and Family's Rick Grech on Violin - both lifting the song into something special. It ends on more acoustic introspection - "Salt Of The Earth" - a song about the working everyman - the 'common foot soldier'. Keith croaks out the first verse - Jagger takes over from there in with Keith doubling. Nicky Hopkins plays melodious piano licks until The Watts Street Gospel Choir come sailing in towards the big finish.

"Beggars Banquet" isn't as immediately 'rocky' as say 1969's "Let It Bleed" or the crowd-pleasing riffage of "Sticky Fingers" from 1971 - but it's a Stones album I keep returning to - wanting to play it side to side. Whether you go for the 2002 Abkco SACD/CD Hybrid issue or Japan's SHM-CD from 2010 with all the repro artwork (and the 2002 remaster) you're in good hands - the best Rock 'n' Roll band in the world on fighting form...