The Rolling Stones became a mega corporation in 1971. Their last decent album was Some Girls in 1978 and their last great tracks were on Tattoo You in 1981, Start Me Up and Waiting For A Friend. Have they released anything worth a candle since (and I don’t mean live recordings)?
Have The Rolling Stones Released Anything Any Good In The Last 35 Years?
by 111 Comments
No
Nope
Depends what you like, but I am OK with the tracks “undercover” and the cover of “Harlem shuffle”, not that I am proud of it. That leaves the last 30 years as pretty damn thin. Good article in today’s Sunday Times about the band becoming a brand (passiim).
Harlem Shuffle came to mind first for me. And they didn’t even write it
Why is writing your own songs important? I don’t get that (among a lot of other things that pass as accepted truth, admittedly). Sinatra, Ella and Elvis did okay I think.
On the OP I would say there are only two LP’s you really need – Exile and Sticky Fingers, natch. As for the rest of their output they are have a pretty awesome singles catalogue, which is why it gets mined every few years.
must. close. tags.
Writing your own songs elevates you into a different category, that of the the creative artist , rather than that of solely performer, great or otherwise.
But doesn’t that mean that Maria Callas, Nuryev and Jacqueline du Pré are therefore denied the status of “creative artist”, then? I’m not sure that’s defensible.
Try singing a favourite song of yours Rob, and see if you can invest it with the feeling, nuance, emotional depth and storytelling required to make it something lasting 50 years, then come back and tell me that those three (and every other “mere” interpreter of a song) aren’t artists.
I didn’t say they weren’t. That is performance art, not creative (in the literal sense of composition) art. Some are blessed with both talents, hence the distinction – it is not mutually exclusive of course, which is not what I was suggesting and assumed that you’d realise.
Just to add; if we ever get round to arranging the long awaited Afterword karaoke night I would be happy to put on a performance of vocal majesty that would close this whole debate in two minutes or less.
Would that be a Ramones song?
Tsk. I don’t need a whole song to generate shock and awe with my bodacious pipes, Tigs.
An AW karaoke is a wonderful thing to imagine.
Think we’d need a pre-thread with song nominations.
No – nor in the 35 before that.
Depends what you mean as ‘Good’. As epoch-rattling as anything on Sticky Fingers? probably not. But I’d say a few tracks here and there beat the crap out of a lot of more lauded younger bands (hello Mumfords, the Strokes, Kings of Leon etc etc.) The first new album to come out after I’d discovered them as a youth was Steel Wheels. It has a nasty 80s gloss to the production (of course) but ends with a lovely ballad, Slipping Away:
And while I’m thinking of a Keef tune, the whole of his Talk is Cheap album is great and features most of the Stones (but not Mick of course). It’s agreeably tight but loose, if demonstrably co-produced by a drummer:
And I should really get round to buying a Bigger Bang, which I’ve heard good things about.
Talk Is Cheap seems promising. Does Keith sing much? I can’t imagine I could sit through a whole album of his singing.
I don’t mind Anybody Seen My Baby (1997), Don’t Stop (2002), Streets Of Love (2005) and Doom & Gloom (2012). They’re ok, nothing special, nothing awful.
And I really like Losing My Touch (2002) a lot.
I can see the appeal but that voice grates on me.
Usually I’d agree, especially when he attempts rockers, but I like how he sounds all cracked and vulnerable on this one.
Hmm. I’ll listen again.
It’s a grower. Six listens in and I’m beginning to enjoy it!
AFAIAC, nothing since undercover of the night. (1983)
Steel Wheels
I think, and many disagree with me, that it is a great album.
However, that only reduces the time frame to 27 years.
After that … a big fat no
I agree.
I like Steel Wheels.
Unfortunately as an earlier poster said, the 80’s style production means it’s less than great – still very strong.
QTWTAIN?
OK, but lets look also at Mozart, Beethoven, all that lot, they still get good box office without even being present.
And if we are being personal, McCartney?
I’ve seen Mozart and Beethoven’s sick notes and they check out…
Mozart’s & Beethoven’s last symphonies, quintets, concertos and operas etc are their best. They got better and better. The Stones have been in a time warp since Black And Blue.
The last great Stones album as we all know was Some Girls
I’ve never understood the affection for Some Girls over Tattoo You. Ok, the latter was a cobbled together assembly of oldies, but it’s still an album proper and it has a string of great songs in Worried About You, Tops, Heaven, No Use In Crying and Waiting On A Friend. What does Some Girls have? Miss You and Beast Of Burden. (And a decent novelty ditty in Far Away Eyes).
i think that comment re SG suggests you like the soft stuff
Whip Comes Down ?
Respectable?
The title track
and on the soft side a lovely version of The Temptation’s Just My Imagination – check out the DVD of the tour.
Ronnie Wood really lifted the band for that album
Have a go at disc two of the Some Girls reissue. It is surprisingly good. You might enjoy it.
Will give it another listen this avo (must admit, haven’t played it in a long, long time).
QTWTAIY
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=c0a_1364714468
just for clarification my response was to retropath2 above, not the relative merits of Some Girls
https://vimeo.com/30569717
(fetches coat)
Tattoo You ***
Undercover **
Dirty Work *
Steel Wheels **
Voodoo Lounge ****
Bridges to Babylon ***
A Bigger Bang **
All except Dirty Work have some great originals which has an enjoyable cover of Harlem Shuffle.
I am particularly fond of Voodoo Lounge, containing at least 3 superb tracks, Love is Strong, The Worst and the magnificent Out of Tears which ranks up there with any of their ballads. I also like the nod to 60s pop that is New Faces. The album is too long. But there is a very good 40 minute one in there.
Love is Strong
You Got me Rocking
Sparks will Fly
The Worst
New Faces
Moon is Up
Out of Tears
Brand New Car
Baby Break it Down
Thru and Thru
Emotional Rescue **
Out of Tears
It’s good to have the views of a faithful fan. Voodoo Lounge suffers from CD affliction. For some reason, bands felt obliged to fill the space available (Parkinson’s Law?) and diluted the product.
I’m surprised you don’t rate A Bigger Bang. Couldn’t that also be edited down to a decent forty minutes?
A Bigger Bang would make a great 6 track EP. Laugh, I Almost Died is awesome.
Pretty good. All you need for an album is four fillers and there are plenty of those on A Bigger Bang.
Dai, thank God you mentioned Out of tears – I have been away for 12 days and only just come to this post and was running down it chronologically thinking is anyone going to suggest out of tears. You are sir, a man of taste.
For my money The Worst is the best.
As is my wont, I have a playlist for this. Ladies & Gentlemen: 25 years of the Rolling Stones!
(No, not that 25 years, the other 25 years)
You are a very strange man. But I like you!
Have you got one for Ry Cooder?
No, and quite patchy before hand. Only one truly great album in their canon with no duds, Sticky Fingers.
Loving the avatar, Rob. Hard to disagree with your assessment of their fifty-odd year career! I reckon you *need* Big Hits (High Tide And Green Grass) as well.
Cheers Tigdude.
Yes, Big Hits, perhaps Rolled Gold or Hot Rocks comps, and Sticky Fingers. All you really need.
And Exile, Let it Bleed, Beggars Banquet, Aftermath, Between the Buttons, Satanic Majesties, Goats Head Soup, The Rolling Stones and Some Girls.
Dai, I love you but The Stones are very limited.
They started as an R’n’B covers band, a very good one too, especially seeing as they are white and middle class from England. Their main attraction, musicwise, was a charismatic frontman who could sprinkle instrumental fairy dust on their recordings. They then wrote their own material and begat sneery, bad boy Rock. After a brief flirtation with psychedelica (it didn’t suit them), they wrote the blueprint for the definitive Rock Band, full of riffs, hooks and attitude, which they developed with some minor adjustments over three albums (or four, if you really insist). Phase three involved ditching any last trace of musical interest by replacing a magically fluid guitarist with a, let’s be generous, workmanlike one. There followed decades and decades and decades of craft over creativity.
If you have Big Hits, Sticky Fingers and Black And Blue, you have perfect representations of each phase. There is little different on their other albums, so you could substitute other albums without really noticing. Maybe the debut over Big Hits, Let It Bleed instead of Fingers and any old shit replacing Black And Blue.
Without Jones and Taylor, The Stones lack imagination, except when it comes to earning millions of dollars. They are the Barclays Bank of Rock.
Come on Dave, you are just trying to rile me!
Yes, extremely limited as is any white band that dabbles in rock n roll, blues, country. soul, reggae, disco, folk, jazz, psychedelia, hard rock and baroque pop. They may not have mastered all these genres but they produced work of the highest quality in many of them.
They could rock, they could roll and they could add a tinge of the blues but precious little else. They could, when they put their mind to it, get into a groove and they very briefly could baroque (only with Brian). They had a go at everything else you list but weren’t any good at them.
Ok, here’s a mere 27 examples taken from 67-72 that stray from their “rock, roll and blues” formula. There is much great music here (and I forgot gospel as another genre):
Backstreet Girl
She Smiled Sweetly
Connection
We Love You
Dandelion
Citadel
2000 Light Years From Home
She’s a Rainbow
Child of the Moon
No Expectations
Parachute Woman
Jigsaw Puzzle
Factory Girl
Salt of the Earth
Love in Vain
Country Honk
Let it Bleed
You Got the Silver
Wild Horses
Sister Morphine
Dead Flowers
Moonlight Mile
Shake your Hips
Casino Boogie
Sweet Virginia
Loving Cup
I Just Want to See His Face
Shine a Light
Impressive list. It’s still mainly Rocking or Rolling with a tinge of The Blues. I’ve never rated their Country songs, just the ones that Rock or Roll. Besides, from No Expectations you hit their imperial phase where each album is marvellous if interchangeable. My choice is Sticky Fingers but perm any one from Beggars Banquet, Let It Bleed or Exile On Main Street (I love Goat for emotional reasons that don’t bear rational scrutiny).
I’ll give you a bit of Gospel.
Goat can be loved for entirely rational reasons too, though the production can’t be.
How is Wood workmanlike?
He is completely different to ol dancin fingers Taylor but he has a great feel and probably better suited, in many ways, to the Stones.
the problem is the Glimmer twins creative juices waned around then .
As I mention below he reinvigorated them for Some Girls and he is great on those concert DVDs from around 78. Oh and he seemed to do a few nice things with the Faces.
Have to agree with this. Ronnie is a great guitar player in a very different style to Mick Taylor. He compliments Keith better than Taylor ever did (although I love Mick’s work with the Stones).
Mick Taylor was from the Clapton, Peter Green school, while Woody is much more of a chord based rhythm/lead player, closer to Townshend in that respect.
As Junior says, Ronnie’s work with the Faces was brilliant. He’s been held back a little with the Stones but that’s not his fault.
And he’s always had a great haircut.
He is too similar in sound and style to Keef. The Glimmer Twins might have written the songs but they generally needed a musician with imagination to make them special. Brian did that a lot, most notably Paint It Black, Bill could do it (Jumpin’ Jack Flash) and, of course Taylor (much of Sticky Fingers and Goat but let’s settle on Can You Hear Me Knockin’, which isn’t much of a song but is one hell of a track thanks to Taylor, Bobby and Charlie). Ronnie could never fill that void.
If you don’t believe me, @Colin-H is the Afterword expert on Ronnie Wood. Well, at least he has the strongest opinion that corresponds closest to mine.
Well he aint copying Keef these days coz Keef ain’t doing anything ‘cept throw shapes.
I keep banging on about those 78 DVDs. Live they also give a new lease of life to stuff like Miss You.
and why seek the opinion of Colin H- he disses the Stones full stop.
Does he? I thought he dissed The Faces and, of course, Ron Wood but he does it in an articulate and entertaining manner.
Ron Wood always struck me as a cartoon rock star, sort of a like that potato dude that you could stick features on, but a rock star version. Very boring guitar player too. Does the job, but dull.
I should imagine he’d be rather dull dinner guest as well, intellectually speaking.
If you want to hear how good he could be, listen to The Birds (not The Byrds, you fool).
If you want to hear how good Woody could be, listen to the intro to Had Me A Real Good Time by the Faces
Either he’s slightly out of tune or I am. But great playing.
It is a bit wonky, but such a great sound. It sums up the Faces for me. Rod is in such great voice, too.
Is that it? Oh dear.
Yes.
Okaaay. Give us a clue.
Well how come he went so dull when he joined The Stones ? Chug-a-chug.
So embed urls don’t work, there’s no preview, no edit and no delete? This is fun! My vote was for Highwire, which has all the right noises and a great anti-war lyric.
Phew.
It’s pretty good but it highlights the problem. They simply ran out of riffs. Mick still brings some energy and puts thought into the lyrics but the guitars are ghosts of their former selves. Melodies are a bit thin, too.
Start Me Up is their last great riff, Waiting On A Friend their last decent melody.
I´d say closer to 45 years, with a steady rise up to Exile on Main Street and then a pretty quick degradation on the other side. I´ll give you Some Girls and spot on with the Tattoo You tracks, I would probably add She´s so Cold on a personal level but the rest is pretty much phoning it in. It would have been interesting to see how they would be remembered if they had “done a Beatles” and jacked it in after EOMS.
The tragedy is that our (my) perception of them is now tainted by the toe-curling embarrassments they have become and we (I) forget how brilliant they were in their pomp.
The thing that spoils the Stones is Jagger’s professionalism; the more the others flounder around, the more he steps in and takes over. Whenever he plays an instrument it is competent and can fool the ear that you’re hearing the Stones, but actually you’re just hearing someone impersonating them. That’s the problem. The later albums are basically him with some hapless producer doing their best to maintain the illusion. Randy Newman nailed it on “I’m Dead But I Don’t Know it” (which sounds like a horrible Don Was production).
Be honest, Tig. You wanted to call this thread “The Stones Have Been Fucking Shite For The Last 35 Years And Apart From Sticky Fingers Were Shite Before That.”
So let’s pretend you did:
Me: They’ve released plenty of good material in the last 35 years.
Tig (lip curling): Yeah? YEAH? Go on the, name one good song. Name ONE.
Me: Well, there’s [insert song of choice].
Tig: Shite.
Me: How about [insert song of choice] off [insert album of choice]? That was a return to form.
Tig: Bobbins.
Me: Hmm. Well, personally I enjoyed all of [insert album of choice], even Keef’s [insert song of choice].
Tig: Pants.
Me: Okay, then, but you can’t deny that …
[thread continues in this vein until kaisfatdad kills it with a YouTube clip of Eskimo orphans singing [insert song of choice])
I can’t hear you. I’m *enjoying* Voodoo Lounge as we speak.
Oh yeah! Voodoo Lounge!
Obviously, I respect your opinion. What do you make of Talk Is Cheap?
overrated by fawning Keefites ….oh , you weren’t asking me ??
Your answer’s good enough for me.
That settles it. Thanks, Junior
Ok, Saucy, I’ll bite. How about listing some of the plenty of good material they’ve released in the last 35 years?
No, because it will just result in you saying they’re bollocks. I’m not here to try to convince you of anything (except perhaps that wearing driving gloves in the bath is a good idea).
Driving gloves in the bath? Madness.
Try it! You’ll like it!
That sounds like one of Alan Partridge’s introductions as he cues up a record:
“Here’s a band that sums up the local council’s plans to build affordable housing on green belt land. It’s Madness.”
And another Partridge intro:
“Music! There’s some kids outside playing snowballs, but they’ve forgotten to put their parkas on – it’s Coldplay”
Ooh top fun!
Andre Preview remembered the vacuum bags but forgot the light bulbs – it’s Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark.
Spendthrift teenagers, it’s important to keep some funds for contraception – it’s Johnny Cash.
Just coming up to lunch time. Here’s something you won’t want to find in your salad – it’s Deadmaus.
That month flew in, didn’t it ladies? Time for The Cramps.
I’m far from a Stones superfan, but I like Love Is Strong well enough. I think it qualifies as “good”, and does most of the things I want Stones tracks to do. Decent video too.
I like watching the video more than listening to the song. Young people cavorting in very little clothing has always been appealing to me, I don’t know why.
I think I’ll listen to it a few times without the visuals before I make up my mind.
Okay. Against my better judgement I’ll say that Voodoo Lounge, Stripped, and Bridges To Babylon are all “very good” albums, and there’s a few others in that long period that I enjoy. They’re very probably incapable of greatness any more (unlike The Monkees par exemple, whose new single is an absolute belter by gosh), but very few bands were ever capable of being as great as “The Rollings”, so it’s unrealistic to expect a bunch of geriatric old bedwetters to rock out with the majesty of their prime. I’m happy with the occasional “good” song. Good songs (and bands – I love a lot of 2nd and 3rd division acts) don’t deserve to be dismissed as crap for not being great.
Stripped is a great album, maybe their second best official live album after Ya Yas but I ruled out live stuff in the OP.
I don’t expect them to rock out any more. They could evolve in their older age, perhaps like Johnny Cash or Ry Cooder or Robert Plant. Even Paul McCartney has continued to try something a little different. The Stones continue to attempt to churn out Some Girls unsuccessfully. Still chasing skirt and flirting with drugs. Mind you, new material is few and far between these days (Bridges To Babylon was 1997 and A Bigger Bang 2005). It’s too late now that Keef’s fingers are gone but I’d like to have heard an album of blues covers or something with a regretful tone or defiance in the face of death or nasty and threatening, anything that’s not a cartoon caricature of their young selves.
Point of order. Stripped is the only post-Some Girls Stones album I can listen too. It’s a fine record.
I was going to mention it ages ago but in the OP you distinctly said “Have they released anything worth a candle since (Some Girls) (and I don’t mean live recordings).
You rule it out, Tig, I rule it in. It’s been a frequent (and sometimes true) criticism of the Rollings that they couldn’t cut it live no more. During a period no-one would claim as their most creative, they released an album which showed that they were no strangers to the mustard-cutting room. This could be the last time (I don’t know), but it’s unnecessary and unfair to include it out. So, what I’m saying, right, basically, is, nyer.
Like A Rolling Stone is a bit naff, though.
*shrugs, turns from computer to experience ineffable suchness of universe*
I’m listening to it now. It’s both not as good and better than I remember it.
My cynicism-ometer is at peak sensitivity when the word Live is applied to The Stones. In 1977, when music was a startling smorgasbord of wondrous delights from punk, new wave, reggae, disco, funk, soul, Krautstuff, to whatever David Bowie was doing, I stepped out from the crowd I was mixing with to buy Love You Live. It was the side three of the vinly that made me do it, the one recorded in a small club in Toronto. I adored it. I loved the way Mick worked the room (“watch out for your bottoms, Keef”). I loved the choice of songs. I loved the raw feel, the rampant guitars. Then, I discovered the guitars and backing vocals were all overdubbed in the studio. Anita had been busted. The police found drugs in Keef’s room. He didn’t rehearse. No wonder he didn’t know how to spell his name. It sounded terrible. A little part me died that day.
*scrolls off to Brussels ’73*
Firstly. Although not directly connected to the Unplugged craze which swept the music world in the late 80s and 90s, Stripped was certainly influenced by it.
Secondly. What a great wheeze: The Rolling Stones recording Like A Rolling Stone. That’s worth the price of entry alone.
Yes. That song is better than I remember it, albeit a very straight cover. They should have listened to 1966 and played it fucking loud.
The rest of the album is sludgy. Oddly, Charlie has on off night, dragging things down rather than perking them up. Apart from Mick, their heart doesn’t seem to be in it.
I think perhaps Stripped sounds better than it really is because the material is so much better than almost anything the Stones recorded in the preceding 20 years
“I think perhaps Stripped sounds better than it really is …”
Intersting concept there, Johnny. We need a thread on music that sounds better than it really is.
That was perhaps badly phrased. What I meant to say was this. The re-recorded old songs on Stripped are very strong compared to the “style over substance” ho-hum material we’ve seen from the Stones in recent decades. That means it’s very easy to relate to the album and it becomes an instant favourite.
OK?
Hard to disagree. But the Stones have an unparalleled stock of great live material to draw from. There’s an interesting “deluxe” version at Willard’s place that makes it even better. That track-listing in full:
Street Fighting Man
Like A Rolling Stone
Not Fade Away
Shine A Light
The Spider And The Fly
I’m Free
Wild Horses
Let It Bleed
Dead Flowers
Slipping Away
Angie
Love In Vain
Sweet Virginia
Little Baby
Honest I Do
Let’s Spend The Night Together
No Expectations
Beast Of Burden
Memory Motel
Let It Bleed
Like A Rolling Stone (Single Version)
Black Limousine
All Down The Line
Live With Me
Tumbling Dice
Gimme Shelter
Dead Flowers
Shine A Light
Sweet Virginia
Rip This Joint
And like any live album worth its salt, it benefits from turning the amp to 11.
As a one-off track I really enjoyed Doom and Gloom
The Rolling Stones are the second best band of all time who more or less invented the notion of band as gang. Every sensible person knows all this though.
And here is a good song that’s not from their ‘classic’ period as requested.
Actually, that’s the best one yet. Good video, too, except for disconcerting impression that an angel has hung herself.
I have stuck up for them all over this thread, but cannot stand LARS (Like a Rolling Stone)