8 + 4 = 12 Licks (Volume 1)

On June 7, 1963, the NME reviewed the first single from a new band: »A song and a performance aimed straight at the current market for groups. Good chance of selling well.« It was »Come On« from The Rolling Stones. Melody Maker wasn’t quite convinced – at the time of the first album they wrote: »The singer favours the hit-and-miss method when aiming for a note. And the drumming is the antithesis of swing. The Stones can keep on rolling – straight past my grammophone!«

Well well well – let’s see what we’ve got here actually.
And to keep some sense of order we start with the bonus tracks.

That debut single was released in June 1963.
1. Come On (recorded Olympic Studios, London, May 10, 1963)
With its bumbling bass and choppy rhythm, this has an almost Bluebeat feel and it skanks along nicely. Wayling harmonica, but there’s not a lot to remind one of those »dangerous« Stones.
2. I Want To Be Loved (recorded Olympic Studios, London, May 10, 1963)
This has more of the Chicago sound that these young guys talked about in interviews a lot. Great drum sound, and a real harmonica solo over chugging beats.

A second single was scheduled, and eventually cancelled at the last minute. Whoever thought of playing it safe with a few pop tunes must have realised that these Londoners weren’t the new Gerry & The Pacemakers. Both tracks ended up on a Decca »Saturday Club« compilation. Where they belonged.
3. Poison Ivy (recorded Decca Studios, London, August 16-17, 1963)
Clearly a stab at a pop hit – backing vocals and a murky sound probably was the producers’ idea of a chart record (my, they even do some »la-la-la« over the fade out!).
4. Fortune Teller (recorded Decca Studios, London, August 16-17, 1963)
Introducing the tambourine. Brian and Bill again do their best on vocal harmonies. Again, it’s all a bit polite and calculated. And they repeat the last verse (the one with the punch line) – they obviously didn’t care much about songwriting at this point.

November 1963, second single, and the Stones finally arrive.
5. I Wanna Be Your Man (recorded DeLane Lea Studios, London, October 7, 1963)
This is more like it. Apparently Brian Jones had the idea to »try some slide guitar« when Lennon and McCartney had barely showed them how the tune went. This rocks, and the slide transforms this throwaway pop ditty into a proper Stones rocker. Great bass line from Bill, too.
6. Stoned (recorded DeLane Lea Studios, London, October 7, 1963)
Rosy-faced London boys do their best impression of a jam at Chess Studios. Introducing the first guitar solo on a Stones track, and some tinkling piano from Stu.

Released in January 1964, a four-track EP is next – a dry run for an album.
7. Bye Bye Johnny (recorded DeLane Lea Studios, London, November 14, 1963)
Another Chuck Berry cover. This could have come from virtually any of the beat groups around at the time. Nothing special, but a fine driving opener nonetheless.
8. Money (recorded DeLane Lea Studios, London, November 14, 1963)
This is not very good. Doing a Motown cover in Chicago style may have been a clever idea, but the woozy production doesn’t help, and the backing vocals sound like they came from the room upstairs…
9. You Better Move On (recorded DeLane Lea Studios, London, November 14, 1963)
They give up trying, and finally do a straight pop record – and a very good one. Everything works just fine. and Mick is finally singing a melody instead of trying to sound like a 40-year old blues man.
10. Poison Ivy (new version recorded DeLane Lea Studios, London, November 14, 1963)
Second try – and this is more like it. Rocks a lot, with snappy little licks from the guitars, and a fab ending from Charlie.

Two songs from the album sessions are issued as the third single in February – with Phil Spector credited as co-composed on »Little By Little« on the flip.
11. Not Fade Away (recorded Regent Sound Studios, London, January 10, 1964)
Straight Buddy Holly cover, enhanced by handclaps and harmonica, and everyone seems to enjoy that Bo Diddley beat.

And finally: the album, released in April 1964 with a fabulous cover – just the five young men in dramatic shadows, and no name or album title whatsoever.
12. (Get Your Kicks On) Route 66 (recorded Regent Sound Studios, London, January 3, 1964)
Chugging opener that rocks along nicely over Bill’s great bass line. Mick sounds like he’s singing a dictionary, though (maybe he’s concentrating too much on his insistent handclapping…).
13. I Just Want To Make Love To You (recorded Regent Sound Studios, London, January 1964)
More of the same. And more of those (uncalled for) handclaps! But the Stones seem to have found their sound now – Chess Studios via Denmark Street, probably. (Comes with another lazy fade-out.)
14. Honest I Do (recorded Regent Sound Studios, London, January 1964)
A ballad. Great production and sound accidentally: you can hear every note from the guitars, the bass and Charlie’s mighty toms. Chilly harmonica with slight echo effect this time.
15. I Need You Baby (Mona) (recorded Regent Sound Studios, London, January 3, 1964)
Proper note-for-note Bo Diddley cover. Mick tries to sound sinister, but fails. The guitar solo tries to copy Bo – and fails, too. No maracas (where’s Jerome?), but those bloody handclaps again!
16. Now I’ve Got A Witness (Like Uncle Phil & Uncle Gene) (recorded Regent Sound Studios, London, January 4, 1964)
Stu on electric organ! This is most likely just a studio jam – but a nice one. Everyone knows what they’re doing, especially Bill!
17. Little By Little (recorded Regent Sound Studios, London, February 2, 1964)
Gene Pitney on piano in the background. Keith does his best to come up with a guitar solo, and everything trucks on quite well. And Mick’s snarl actually sounds appropriate for a change.
18. I’m A King Bee (recorded Regent Sound Studios, London, January 1964)
Back to Chicago – stinging guitar licks over a big rumbling bass line.
19. Carol (recorded Regent Sound Studios, London, January 3, 1964)
Finally, a successful Chuck Berry cover. Sharp guitar. like it should be. Those handclaps are a bit difficult to follow – they can’t decide if they’re on the beat or slightly behind. Idiotic fade-out (I’m pretty sure Charlie had a proper drum roll ready…)
20. Tell Me (You’re Coming Back Again) (recorded Regent Sound Studios, London, January 1964)
The first proper Keith & Mick composition – and it’s a bloody pop ballad, surprisingly. Keith wails a bit in the background (instead of the established Bill & Brian vocal team). Jangling guitar solo; and then they spoil everything with an overlong ending that drags on and on.
21. Can I Get A Witness (recorded Regent Sound Studios, London, February 4, 1964)
Stu leads the band on piano. They all know their Chicago licks by now, and although it’s nothing special, they all seem to have a lot of fun.
22. You Can Make It If You Try (recorded Regent Sound Studios, London, January 1964)
Another stab at a pop ballad, including swelling organ, harmony vocals, the lot. And are The Stones really singing »sha-la-la« here??
23. Walking The Dog (recorded Regent Sound Studios, London, January 1964)
The annoying handclaps are back in another nice cover version. But – I know it’s a silly Rufus Thomas song, but aren’t they overplaying the bit with the dog whistles? Great guitar, fortunately.

Album liner notes by Andrew Loog Oldham: »The Stones have their fingers on the pulse of pop music success – that its public buys SOUND, and the sound is what they give you.« Interesting idea, and it’s probably the sound of the album that impresses the most – here are five young guys playing the music they like, and they’re enjoying it. Unlike with debut LPs from The Kinks, The Who or The Beatles, there’s no songwriter genius among the cover versions, but it doesn’t matter – they obviously know by now that they’re good at what they’re doing.

P.S.
24. Surprise Surprise (recorded Greenford Studios, London, July 21-23, 1964)
Recorded for a Decca Beat Group compilation a few weeks after the album release comes another song from the future Glimmer Twins – and it’s a lot better that »Tell Me«. Great performance from the band, especially Bill and Charlie (as usual!). The band also composed and recorded a commercial for Kellog’s Rice Crispies that’s better than some of the album tracks…

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