Cheech Tremendous 0 Report post Posted January 31, 2009 You can learn a lot about a person's musical tastes by asking them if they are a Stones or Beatles person. As much as I love the Beatles, I favor the former. Their career has many more peaks and valleys, but when they were on there was hardly anything better. That loose, often sloppy sound that teetered on falling apart is part of the charm. I prefer the rawness to the Beatles' constant perfection. For my money, the four album stretch from Beggar's Banquet to Exile on Main Street is the greatest run in music history. I'd generally consider any of those classics, and might call Exile... my favorite album of all time. Ironically, I prefer the late '70s and early '80s output (Some Girls, Tattoo You, etc.) to the more iconic stuff they did early in the early '60s. That era generally gets forgotten by being in the shadow of the classics put out in their early career, but I respect that they evolved with the times. It's quite amazing that they made a disco album that didn't suck. So, what say you TSM about the Rolling Stones? What is your favorite era? Favorite song? Favorite album? Do you like that they've stuck together or would it have been better to fade away in the 70s or 80s, a la the Beatles? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
King Kamala 0 Report post Posted January 31, 2009 It's hard for me to pick a favorite Stones era. I like almost everything they did up until Undercover (yes I'm the guy who likes that album). My favorite album is Sticky Fingers. I was this close to putting it on my ten favorite albums list earlier this week. Like with most of my favorite bands, my favorite song changes basically from day to day. Right now, my favorite is "Dandelion". I heard that one on Sirius/XM's '60s station a couple months ago and was amazed at how well The Stones could pull off psychadelic pop. Though as a whole, Their Satanic Majesties Request is far from my favorite Stones album. I don't think The Stones continuing on into their old age hasn't really helped or hurt their career. While their output over the past twenty five years is no great shakes, they haven't really compromised their integrity or bent over backwards to get Top 40 play like Aerosmith or Rod Stewart. I mean I wouldn't put them up there with Neil Young or Bob Dylan on the list of great fogey rockers but they're certainly not an embarrassment. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PUT THAT DICK IN MY MOUTH! 0 Report post Posted January 31, 2009 Gimme Shelter is a kewl movie. edit: Also a good song. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cheech Tremendous 0 Report post Posted January 31, 2009 On a sidenote, I really enjoy Keith Richards' vocal contributions to the band from the early '70s on. He usually pops in for one track and steals the show. An entire Richards album may be overkill, but in small doses he's charming. "Before They Make Me Run" and "Happy" are two of my favorite Stones tracks. Come to think of it, "Infamy" was probably the best thing on the surprisingly strong Bigger Bang album as well. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kinetic 0 Report post Posted January 31, 2009 I had a copy of Emotional Rescue on vinyl for awhile. It sucked. I do love the Stones, though. I once had a conversation with a very drunk person who told me that Mick Jagger took a lot of business classes in the 60s, and that their enduring success can be attributed to that. So there you go, aspiring musicians. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cheech Tremendous 0 Report post Posted January 31, 2009 I had a copy of Emotional Rescue on vinyl for awhile. It sucked. I do love the Stones, though. I once had a conversation with a very drunk person who told me that Mick Jagger took a lot of business classes in the 60s, and that their enduring success can be attributed to that. So there you go, aspiring musicians. "Emotional Rescue" as a song, however, is fucking fantastic. That falsetto voice was a cool gimmick that Mick played with. It's funny you mentioned those business classes. The Stones only acquired publishing rights for stuff after '67, if I remember correctly. That led to the situation where the owner of the publishing sued the pants off The Verve for ripping off "The Last Time." Someone who had no role in the creative process of either song ended up with $3 million. The music industry, got to love it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
King Kamala 0 Report post Posted January 31, 2009 "Emotional Rescue" is perhaps the most divisive song in the Rolling Stones canon. Personally, I'd put in my Top 10 Favorite Stones songs but my dad would demand that I change the channel whenever that song came on the local classic rock station when we were in the car. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kinetic 0 Report post Posted January 31, 2009 I think I could go the rest of my life without hearing the two key songs from Let It Bleed ever again. Their Satanic Majesties Request is sort of tough to listen to all the way through. The second "Sing This All Together" just goes on and on. Between the Buttons is a nice little record. I was able to find it used years ago, so it was the first Stones album I ever bought. I'd say that and Aftermath are their two best pre-Beggar's Banquet albums. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cheech Tremendous 0 Report post Posted January 31, 2009 I've got a vinyl copy of Flowers that's so old and worn out it sounds like it was recorded underwater. It's pretty fucking righteous, though. There are like five certifiable classics on that record. Bonus points to "Lady Jane" for inspiring an even better Neil Young song down the road. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Giuseppe Zangara 0 Report post Posted January 31, 2009 I saw Shine a Light (with my mom!) when it played at imax last year. They may be really old and charge an assload for tickets, but the movie presented a pretty entertaining show. Aftermath is OK but it has "Goin' Home" which is so brutally boring. Between the Buttons is the first good Stones album from start to finish. And the recent board trend of incorporating "thread" in some punny fashion in thread titles irritates me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Giuseppe Zangara 0 Report post Posted January 31, 2009 What do you guys think of Tattoo You? Album on the whole is blah, but I love "Waiting on a Friend" and like "Hang Fire." And, yes, even "Start Me Up." Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
King Kamala 0 Report post Posted January 31, 2009 It sounds like blasphemy but having seen Gimme Shelter and having listened to numerous Stones live albums from the '60s and '70s, I have to say that they're way better live now than they were in their heyday. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Giuseppe Zangara 0 Report post Posted January 31, 2009 That's retarded. Not gonna bother looking for them, but there's some swell live footage on YouTube of the Stones playing in a small club circa Sticky Fingers. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Youth N Asia 0 Report post Posted January 31, 2009 Saw them live in 1998 and they put on an amazing show. Probably the best show I've ever been to Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cheech Tremendous 0 Report post Posted January 31, 2009 What do you guys think of Tattoo You? Album on the whole is blah, but I love "Waiting on a Friend" and like "Hang Fire." And, yes, even "Start Me Up." Tattoo You is solid. I'd also throw out "Little T&A" as a quality track, which dovetails nicely with my "Keith's tracks were always highlights" argument from earlier. I know you say it's blah, but I'd actually argue that was the last great Stones album. Everything post Tattoo was hit or miss. That sort of leads to another discussion: what's the worst Stones album? Let me nominate Dirty Work, if not for the crappy songs, then just for the cover. It sounds like blasphemy but having seen Gimme Shelter and having listened to numerous Stones live albums from the '60s and '70s, I have to say that they're way better live now than they were in their heyday. I don't know if I'd go that far, but I was watching Let's Spend the Night Together last night (which inspired this thread) and it was weak. The whole band sounded very thin, if that makes sense. Weak vocals and punchless guitar playing plagued the whole thing. I was able to see the Stones live back in '04 or '05 and it was a great show. Supposedly they are thirty years past their prime, but I couldn't tell from that performance. It was up there for best show that I've ever been to. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Annabelle 0 Report post Posted January 31, 2009 between the buttons and sticky fingers are the shit. other albums are hit or miss. i liked the eclectic work of brian jones the most. they were brutal after some girls, though. even that album wasnt all that good. beast of burden aside. and i despised shine a light. they were trying to recapture both the exuberance of the stones and the cinematic experience of the last waltz. they looked and sounded pathetic. just watered down boomer bullshit. might as well been an eagles concert. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
King Kamala 0 Report post Posted February 1, 2009 I don't know it probably is extremely foolish for me to expect professionalism from live Stones performances. But none of The Stones' live albums from their heyday really did anything for me. As for worst Stones album...it's got to be Dirty Work. Anything before has its moments and anything after is too bland to be egregiously bad. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Giuseppe Zangara 0 Report post Posted February 2, 2009 between the buttons and sticky fingers are the shit. other albums are hit or miss. i liked the eclectic work of brian jones the most. they were brutal after some girls, though. even that album wasnt all that good. beast of burden aside. Oh man, Some Girls is one of their best. Top five, definitely. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cheech Tremendous 0 Report post Posted February 2, 2009 between the buttons and sticky fingers are the shit. other albums are hit or miss. i liked the eclectic work of brian jones the most. they were brutal after some girls, though. even that album wasnt all that good. beast of burden aside. Oh man, Some Girls is one of their best. Top five, definitely. Without a doubt. That was the first Stones album I ever owned, so maybe it just holds a special place in my heart, but "Beast of Burden", "Miss You" and "Before They Make Me Run"? Fantastic. As a kid my dad had an original vinyl copy. I used to play with that sliding cover all the time. Top five Stones albums, in my opinion: 1 - Exile On Main Street 2 - Sticky Fingers 3 - Some Girls 4 - Beggar's Banquet 5 - Let It Bleed Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Annabelle 0 Report post Posted February 2, 2009 between the buttons and sticky fingers are the shit. other albums are hit or miss. i liked the eclectic work of brian jones the most. they were brutal after some girls, though. even that album wasnt all that good. beast of burden aside. Oh man, Some Girls is one of their best. Top five, definitely. it might be in their top 5, but i don't care for it. its all over the place and its shitty disco vibe reeks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coffin Surfer 0 Report post Posted February 3, 2009 "Sticky Fingers" has always been my favorite. Probably their most musically interesting and adventerous album with a good convincing mix of styles. Though the A side has some horrible moments, I really like the spooky late night blues vibe that runs through most of "Let it Bleed." How I wish the Stones had more songs like "Monkey Man" and "Midnight Rambler." I always had a tough time getting through "Exlie On Main Street", interesting album but very hit and miss for me. "Rocks Off" is such an underrated song though, it might be second only to "Sway" as my all time time favorite Stongs song at the moment. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
King Kamala 0 Report post Posted February 4, 2009 Shit...I totally forgot "Memory Motel" when mentioning favorite songs. Great, great song...too bad the album its off of isn't very good at all. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cheech Tremendous 0 Report post Posted February 7, 2009 I just got done listening to Goat's Head Soup and I honestly can't figure out why it catches so much flak. Yes, it pales in comparison to Exile and the others that directly preceded it, but it's still a solid album. Could any album really live up the standards that they set with the early 70s run? "Angie" and "Heartbreaker" are both solid singles and the rest of the album cuts range from average to good. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Annabelle 0 Report post Posted February 7, 2009 goat's head soup is actually quite good. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Copper Feel 0 Report post Posted February 7, 2009 Could any album really live up the standards that they set with the early 70s run? Well, yes. I don't mean to be pedantic, but this is definitely hyperbole. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cheech Tremendous 0 Report post Posted March 3, 2009 While watching Casino the other night I came to the realization that I prefer Devo's version of "Satisfaction" to the Stones'. I've never found the latter's to be that impressive. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Annabelle 0 Report post Posted March 4, 2009 otis redding's version is the best, i reckon. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
