5 comments about 12 X 5.

1. Some of the younger Stones fans may not be aware that the Rolling Stones started out as a blues band. This album is very early Stones (1964), and in my opinion, in addition to Let It Bleed, it is one of the best albums they have ever done. Some songs rock, some are bluesy (?), and some are familiar, but all are great. I highly recommend this CD to anyone who is interested in the Rollings Stones roots or who just loves to listen to something different.



2. each song sounds clean; really fresh. their version of under the boardwalk sounds better than the original.



3. An old not often heard cuts that rock, I bought it for Around & Around you'll dig it.



4. Great disc, but I'll have to buy it again, because I wanted the hybrid SACD version in the pretty card stock case, not the DSD Remastered version in the standard plastic jewel case. I think the only way to be sure is to buy at a retail outlet where you can see what you're getting.



5. The second U.S. release hit the record shelves on October 17, 1964, and is 32:24 of a gritty, evolving R&B sound.
   
   The songwriting team of Mick Jagger/Keith Richards pen a trio of songs - Good Times, Bad Times; Congratulations and Grown Up Wrong, while Nanker Phelge (the entire group) contribute Empty Heart and 2120 South Michigan Avenue.
   
   But it's the seven cover songs that are most captivating, with what became two early signature numbers - Time Is on My Side and It's All Over Now - joining Chuck Berry's Around and Around & Under the Boardwalk as a solid springboard for the band to find its own musical identity. The last cut, Susie Q, is raw R&B, oozing with the controlled power of the lead guitar and Jagger's preening interpretation of the lyrics.
   
   While the legendary "sixth Stone," Ian "Stu" Stewart, isn't acknowledged in the numbers within the album title, he is driving the sound with his tireless work on piano and organ.

5 comments about The Rolling Stones Now!.

1. You don't want to get mixed into a lot of nonsense that people can't stop jabbing about, saying things like "THIS is what BRIAN JONES' stones sounded like," or "The REAL Rolling Stones." Don't listen to any of that snobbish nonsense :)
   
   What you do want to do is buy this CD and enjoy it. It's a very enjoyable record, simply because all of the songs are quality rock music.
   
   This is a really nice record. Put it in your stereo and rock out!



2. This album shows how the Stones sounded back in the day. But it really sounds fresh today and that makes it fun to listen to. The band had a blusier edge back then. There aren't a lot of songs you're likely to know unless you're a true Stones fan, but every cut on here is a classic just the same. If you're looking to increase your knowledge of the Stones' work or longing for more of their earlier sound, this album will not disappoint. It brings back memories of how these guys sounded before flower power and stadium rock. The grittier side of the British Invasion.



3. The Rolling Stones-Now! ****
   
   Released in 1965 this was The Rolling Stones third LP release. While still at this point in their career they were mostly playing covers as they had yet to develop the chops for what would become the greatest songwriting duo in rock n' roll history.
   
   The covers may not be original but they show great talent and taste. Keith's and Brian's guitar playing on 'Mona' and 'Down The Road Apiece' showcase two of the instruments all time greats breeding new life into already classic songs. 'Little Red Rooster' became more of a Stones classic then anyone elses, they truly made it their own. Wyman and Watts hold down the tight rhythm while Mick Jaggers legendary drawl of words was working the vocals.
   
   But aside from the covers the band did write a few great tunes like the tender 'Heart Of Stone' and the rocking 'Surprise Surprise' were both great. Especially the former which went on to be a #19 hit single in its day.
   
   The Rolling Stones Now! is always a refreshing listen. To journey that far back and that early in the bands career and still hear how great they sounded even then shows why they are where they are now. This album even though is made of mostly covers shows what was to come from the band and for that I think it is important for every Stones fan to hear.



4. If you're buying Rolling Stones Now! you are likely replacing an older version that you've lost or damaged. Don't wait, don't delay, you will appreciate the SACD remastering even if you don't have a SACD player. The old songs have gathered new strength while you've been just sitting there dreaming of your glory years.



5. This is The Rolling Stones the way they were meant to sound before that bozo Andrew Loog Oldham conspired with Jagger and Richards to steal Brian Jone's blues band. They spent 3 or 4 years trying to one-up the Beatles (they never did). What a shame because something very special was lost I think. I don't think I've ever heard white boys from this era sound so black. Those three "men" destroyed Brian Jones, first stealing his band and then Richards stealing the love of Jones' life. Of course the guy was a mental wreck. Anyway, enough of that. Let's get on with this review of The Rolling Stones Now!
   
   The first time I heard this was in the fall of 1965 (I think). My sister joined a record club (without telling my parents) and this was one of her selections. She caught hell but I got to listen without remorse (ha!). Eventually my sister left home and didn't take this with her (maybe I hid it?) I was nine years old at the time, but a very sophisticated nine year-old with discriminating tastes. Everybody else loved those Beatles dudes. I always liked The Rolling Stones. Anyway, given that this was the very first Rolling Stones record in the house (what a great one to start with eh?) I'm very biased. I believe this is the best of their early material and that includes Aftermath (UK version of course!)
   
   This is great stuff, The Rolling Stones are firing on all cylinders here. Unlike other early Rolling Stones releases, "Now!" does not include a single stinker. In fact, the material is played with such strength that it's hard to pick the best cut (I'm a musician myself and can usually pick out the strong cuts from the filler). I guess I'm kind of partial to "Mona" but I love them all. If I had to pick one track that was weaker than the others it would be "Surprise Surprise" but it's still strong material. Anyway, that old Lp of mine is long gone so I'm thrilled to have this music once again.
   
   If you want a taste of the early Rolling Stones this is the CD for you. This is definitely the best from the band that was still adhering to Brian's original vision. Such a shame he let the drugs ruin him and helped him lose his position of leadership.
   
   I would definitely place "Now!" among their top releases along side "Aftermath", "Beggar's Banquet", "Let it Bleed", "Sticky Fingers", and "Exile on Main Street". If you can, try to get the beautifully packaged "digi-pak" 2002 remaster. It's just a very nice presentation. But it's the music that counts so if you get the jewel case, I'm sure you won't be disappointed as long as you get the 2002 remaster.
   
   Postscript: I've had this for a couple of weeks now and I cannot stop playing it. My collection includes everything from Miles Davis to John Coltrane to Frank Zappa to King Crimson. I typically like jazz and progressive music but I do have a weakness for blues as well, especially Muddy Waters. This is The Rolling Stones the way they were meant to sound. This is Brian's band.
   
   Three weeks later and it's still getting heavy rotation, many more than "Out of Our Heads" for example. I love this one!!

5 comments about The Capitol Albums Vol. 1.

1. I grew up in the US in the 60's and this is how i remember the BEATLES lp's.If you are a true lover of the GREATEST band in the history of music. Well, you should be ordering this as you read this review!!!! I'll be ordering vol. 2 soon.



2. In 1987 The English version of the Beatles catalog was released in America on CD for the first time. Having been American and being used to the American versions of the Beatles catalog, I was a little disappointed.
   I used to wonder if we would ever see the American version on the market again.
   The British versions have nothing wrong with them, and I enjoy them alot. They are simply not the same.
   To me the whole point is, many American and English versions differ. So if they were the same, there would be no point in collecting the American versions.
   I enjoying hearing the sitar that is missing in Norweigen Wood or some of the differences the collections have.
   I am a Beatles collector and will buy an entire CD for just a small instrumental difference or a small difference in lyrics.
   To me this is what makes the entire collection worth while.
   I like to hear the reverb in I Feel Fine or She's A Woman. I also enjoy the sound of the American discs. Over the years I heard the American albums and got used to hearing the songs in a certain order. When the English versions came out in 1987 I had to look a little harder to find my favorite songs, because the album song orders had changed. Rubber Soul and Revolver just were not the same anymore. I also have to wonder if the album that was released about 1982 called "Rarities" will be released. It will also be interesting to see if the Live album at the Hollywood Bowl in 1964 and 1965 will be released again.
   I hope and pray that Capitol releses another volume with Revolver and possibly Yesterday and Today, as well as the few others that were passed over. This collection, as the heading says is for the collector who has to have it all.
   The positive side of this is, it feels like an old friend has come back to be with you.........................Now I can remonisce about the 60's the way I remember them.



3. As an ageing fan who fondly remembers Beatlemania and occasionally feels a certain nostalgia for it all, I myself am not particularly interested in resurrecting all the hatchet-job releases we got on this side of the pond, although I completely understand long-time fans' desire to re-obtain the mixes they prefer. Too many of these albums make little stylistic sense and are, strictly speaking, jumbled and misleading versions of the real thing, although being The Fab Four, they're still good listening.
   
   Please, Capitol/EMI, this is what I'd like instead:
   
   1. A complete overhaul of the entire catalogue - all of the Parlophone LPs. Please supplement each album with contemporaneously recorded (or most appropriately so) 45 RPM releases and EPs and dump those hideous PAST MASTERS discs. So, for instance, RUBBER SOUL gets "Day Tripper"/"We Can Work It Out", REVOLVER gets "Paperback Writer"/"Rain", PEPPER gets "Penny Lane"/"Strawberry Fields" and MMT still gets "All You Need Is Love" and "Hello Goodbye". Just tack them onto the beginning or end of the disc. So simple. The early LPs would benefit greatly from this approach, too.
   
   2. A proper remastering. Bring the volume of the guys' instruments back up where it's supposed to be. Correct the anachronistic imbalance in the voices which, in the present British discs, uncomfortably emphasizes the "lead" vocalist. (Their chorus was never intended to sound like that; it was the 1960s - not the 1980s.) Lose the bizarre fetish for "previously unheard details" like giggles and snapping fingers. (Who cares about that?) Please get rid of the fake stereo; mono is plenty exciting when it's properly mixed. George Martin knew that. The Beatles knew that. And the fans who purchased millions of 45s knew it, too.
   
   3. And finally, please issue, as an adjunct to the complete British set, A HARD DAY'S NIGHT (Go get George Martin's instrumentals from UA) and thanks for having done HELP! and RUBBER SOUL.
   
   This is what we need.
   
   PS. Oh yeah, remember the reverb in "I Feel Fine" and "She's a Woman", too!



4. Love the CDs and there's plenty to read about them elsewhere, but the packaging is really as crappy as you've read--you either have to pry the outer box open with your fingers and yank or whack the back of it to get the inner package out. Once you do that, it's just the opposite. On one of my first two handlings, all the replica albums fell to the floor and two of the CDs fell out since there is no internal sleeve to hold them in place. If you want to store the long box away and just use the inner, it can be folded in two and placed in your CD rack, but as a flimsy piece of cardboard with no information printed on the end. For the money, we deserved more.



5. I bought this set (along with Vol.2) for the stereo mixes of all the Beatles' early songs, and was not disappointed. In fact, on many of the songs I was very pleasantly surprised! As you might expect, the sound gets progressively better from the first "album" to the last.
   
   On "Meet the Beatles", for the most part, you hear the voice(s) on one side and the instruments on the other, which is probably the most that could be done with the original masters. Still, it's better than mono, with more audible detail and "presence". One caution: The transfer level is "hot", just a hair short of clipping, so better to turn down the volume control before pressing the Play button! That goes for all the CDs in this set.
   
   The "Second Album" has the least satisfying sound. The "hot" transfer and lack of dynamics (did they use compression?) make for a feeling of relentless pounding that's a little hard to take after a while. However, many of the songs are in true stereo, with vocals in the center and different instruments on left and right, so they are still preferable to the mono mixes.
   
   The sound on "Something New" and "Beatles 65" varies from one song to the next, but on several of the songs, the sound is quite remarkable, with a true stereo image, pinpoint clarity and fine detail. For example, listen to the nicely captured guitar stylings on "I'll Be Back" (from "Beatles 65"). Unfortunately, on one of my favorite songs, "I Feel Fine", I would have to describe the sound as "smeared"; for an excellent stereo transfer of this song, you will have to buy the 2-CD set "The Beatles / 1962-1966".
   
   I got a new, sealed copy of this set from an Amazon "third-party" seller, at a deep discount, probably because it is one of the early releases with the "wrong" mono transfers. But who needs the mono mixes, anyway?
   
   As for the packaging, which everyone seems to hate, I liked the mini original album covers, but would have preferred jewel cases - Volumes 1 & 2 could have been released on 4 CDs, at half the price, by leaving out the mono mixes and putting two albums on each CD, with the album covers pictured on the insert. So one star off for that. Anyway, for those of us who mainly listen to copies of CDs on HD or portable media, the packaging isn't such a big issue.
   
   To sum it all up: Finally some decent stereo mixes of the early Beatles - thank you, Capitol!

5 comments about England's Newest Hitmakers.

1. Yes, even the Rolling Stones were once young and hungry. Released in 1964, the group's U.S. debut (and the counterpart to their self-titled U.K. LP) is an urgent slab of hardcore blueswailing from the soon-to-be Greatest Rock and Roll Band In The World. This was made in the days when Mick Jagger and Keith Richards hadn't yet come into their own as songwriters. Indeed, only three of these songs are group originals. And I'm using the word "original" in a very liberal sense here: "Now I've Got A Witness" is basically an instrumental version of a Motown tune by the name of "Can I Get A Witness" (a version of which appears toward the end of this album), while "Little By Little" is- let's face it- a very derivative uptown R&B/blues shuffle. Finally, "Tell Me" has Phil Spector's fingerprints all over it, with its teen-drama lyrics and swooning melody. The funny thing is, these aren't really bad songs: "Little By Little" is full of bemused attitude, with plenty of gin-joint instrumentation and a great drawling vocal from Jagger, with a wild guitar solo thrown in the middle. "Tell Me" may be derivative, but it shows that the 'Stones knew how to maximize the effect of their favorite cliches: It's an incredibly catchy song, with a soulful chorus and a totally freakin' sweet guitar part. It also proves that even when Mick was mewling and pleading for his girl to take him back, he still sounded way cooler than anybody you'll ever meet. And have I mentioned the guitars? "Now I've Got A Witness" is, well, actually pretty boring. They can't all be winners, I guess.
   
   No, these 'Stones were not known for their songwriting. What made their music, self-penned or otherwise, worthwhile were the performances. And they really were amazing performers: Guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Brian Jones (who, in the absence of a dominating creative voice within the group, was actually seen as the head Stone) was an absolute beast of a musician, attacking his instrument(s) with prodigious insanity and plenty of raw attitude. Richards, meanwhile, was just about the only guitarist who could make a suitable partner; the two bounced off of each other brilliantly, intertwining rhythms and leads with dizzying virtuosity. Like any self-respecting rhythm section, Charlie Watts (drums) and Bill Wyman (bass) were completely brilliant despite a virtual lack of recognition. They lent a certain primal umph(!) to the proceedings, giving these songs a salivating swing that shimmed its way from one end of the record to the other without ever letting up. And then there was that Mick fellow...
   
   Anyway, the songs. The ones I haven't already mentioned, anyway: The opener is a cover of Buddy Holly's "Not Fade Away," and it's incredible; it drips with animal fury and gutter sexuality, and it's also hypnotic and ferocious and a little bit scary. It's the kind of thing I wouldn't want my girlfriend to hear, because she'd realize that compared to the people in the song, I'm not a real man. There's also a wild, wild cover of Chuck Berry's "Carol," and an unbelievably cool version of "Route 66." Lots of cool blues tunes, too- Jimmy Reed's "Honest I Do" is pure caveman seduction, and "I'm A King Bee" has some stinging leads (I didn't want to make that joke, but I really couldn't think of another way to describe the guitars on it). There's also a totally outta-hand rip through "I Just Want To Make Love To You."
   
   The album ain't perfect- the aforementioned "Now I've Got A Witness" is one strike against it, and the uninspiring "You Can Make It If You Try" is another. "Walking The Dog" is sleazy and fun, but so is the rest of the album, so this one doesn't really stand out as such. Plus, those whooping, whistling noises in the chorus are really annoying. The rendition of "Can I Get A Witness," while not as bad as some people say, isn't terribly exciting either.
   
   But it's great, for the most part. It's fun, it's raw, and it rocks really hard. Plus, the cover art is really cool. The 'Stones were really good at sneering.



2. Before they were "The World's Greatest Rock and Roll Band", the Rolling Stones were the greatest rhythm and blues bar band in England. Their first album showcases the myriad of influences that inspired them, but without being note for note covers. The band takes these songs and makes them their own. If not on par with their later releases, this album provides a glimpse of the Stones in their infancy. There's no denying that the energy is here, if not the polish. The Muddy Waters/Howling Wolf blues roots are clearly seen, as is the Chuck Berry/Buddy Holly early rock fascination. We see that this is Brian Jones's band as it was before the Jagger/Richards/Andrew Loog Oldham triumvirate took over. We also see the first steps in the eventual direction the Stones would take with the song "Tell Me", the first of many Jagger/Richards compositions. The songs may be rough and ragged at times, but they are delivered with a youthful exuberance that far outweighs any flaws. The remastering process has rendered the sound much clearer than the original CD release, making this a must have for any Stones fan. People looking to purchase their first Stones album may want to look to Sticky Fingers, Exile on Main St., Let It Bleed, or Beggars Banquet, as those albums are more representative of the band at its creative peak.



3. Ah, back in the day when it was Brian Jones' band and the Rolling Stones were more interested in creating great R & B music than stardom and screaming girls. A release from the precious couple of years of the band's life before the ambitious Andrew Oldham (produced this and all the early Stones recordings) started moving them in a more "Beatlesque" direction in order to cash in.
   
   I have all of the ABCKO SACD remasters and I especially like the early material by the Rolling Stones before Brian lost all his influence. I've also been a musician for over 40 years and remember the band's first appearance on the Ed Sullivan show, more years ago then I care to admit or even think about. I was there at the beginning so I've been listening for over 40 years. Given that, I'm exceedingly well qualified to provide you with an objective review.
   
   This was/is our introduction to "the band that will not die" ("Bullets can't stop it, rockets can't stop it, we may need to use nuclear force!").
   
   Anyway, this is a very solid first release. There's really only one tune that caused me to raise an eyebrow. "Now I've Got a Witness" includes a very cheesy Farfisa organ accompaniment. But Farfisa organs were in all the studios back then so can we really blame them for letting Stu have a go on it? The guitar and harmonica are quite good on this track anyway. Other than that cheesy organ sound, there are no weak moments to speak of. Sure, "Tell Me" and "Carol" don't seem to fit with the rest of the material but that's ok. This is a very good R & B record made by some really talented young musicians. I especially love listening to Brian Jones' lead parts and harmonica playing. It was also a delight to hear his back vocal clearly on "Walkin' the Dog" even if it was a tad gruff.
   
   If you like the early Rolling Stones then this is one you must own; however, I would start with the insanely good "Rolling Stones Now!", their third US release.



4. As time passed by, my sense that this and "Out of Our Heads" were their finest efforts never really left me. Not to say that enormous chunks of wonderful stuff didn't follow, of course, unlike many bands who peaked on their early releases and never challenged again. I just loved the raw passion in the way they covered material like "Not Fade Away" "Hitch Hike" and "Walking the Dog," and made it their own. To me, these well chosen covers were much more appealing than some of the later "middle of the LP" songs from their own writing. And, as for "Tell Me," it just doesn't get much better than that!



5. ...I agree with many of the critics who think the Rolling Stones 1963 singles would have made for some nice, but necessary bonus tracks. Otherwise a good debut from the boys. There are some great tracks here, like Not Fade Away, Route 66, I Just Want to Make Love to You, Honest I Do, Little by Little, I'm a King Bee, Carol and Tell Me. But, later in the album the boys start to run out of gas. Can I Get a Witness, You Can Make It If You Try and Walking the Dog are pretty weak. Also track 5, Now I've Got a Witness is filler.

5 comments about Let It Be... Naked.

1. I bought the original "Let It Be--Naked" as a teenager in 1969: a vinyl LP bootlegged from the "Let It Be" sessions, in a plain white sleeve with the words "Kum Back" stamped in smudgy blue ink aslant the cover. No masses of sobbing violins, no plaintive French horns.
   
   And what struck me with increasing happy force across the years and dozens of listens was what a wonderful, wondrous live band the Beatles were: by this time, they truly were the other side of each others' heartbeat. Each had certainly become virtuosic in his own right-- Ringo on drums, McCartney on bass (one can't praise enough), Lennon on rhythm and Harrison (usually) on lead guitar, but virtuosos together, grown of what it took to make Beatles music together through all those years and changes. They're recorded here as a live ensemble, just like up on on that fabled Savile Row rooftop, and God, they play with a brilliant loose-but-so-tight jostling grooviness that can just take the breath away. There never was before and never again will be a rock band quite this good.
   
   One has to tip the hat to Billy Preston, whose tasty chops on organ are just about a match for the Fab Four's.
   
   I know all about Lennon's sniping about the decay of the Beatles' group playing in the post-touring years, and of course they often quarreled during these sessions.
   
   Just listen.
   
   It helps that the band went into this project looking for a groove; everybody, especially Lennon and McCartney in their best numbers, seems to be after a sort of Zen-simple deep-groove soulfuness. 'Get Back,'
   'Dig a Pony,' 'I've Got a Feeling.' Yes, the "Let It Be" project was (as McCartney has said) a return to roots after all the high '60s psychedelic ambitiousness, but it's an old masters' return: deep, simple, moving (and funky!) in the best numbers. And as for the less than best ones ('Long and Winding Road', indeed)--well, Zen attainment is not about always hitting the target.
   
   There are many different great Beatles records, and "Let It Be--Naked" is one of them.



2. I throughly enjoy this music. It's much better without all the stuff Phil Specter added.



3. I like this cd, and I like the old one to, but if I have to choose I'll pick the old over the new. just because I like all the strings and things wish the new don't have. but naked has a raw fill to it and thats good to.



4. A must for Beatles fans. This was recommended by an audiophile during a discussion of high quality recordings. Cleanest Beatles CD I have ever heard. The more you turn it up the better it gets. Just no distortion at all. GREAT BUY!



5. I really can't help but wonder why this album was made. They say it is "as the Beatles intended," but did the Beatles really even know what they intended? The whole concept of this album was muddy and never fully realized (recording a live album of entirely new songs). And while it's interesting to hear a few of these remixes, this album is so similar to the original (while stripping away the impromptu songs like "Dig It" and the speaking in between, which gave the album its live and loose feel) that there really is no point in buying it if you own the original.
   
   Nobody wanted to touch these recordings in 1969 once the Beatles washed their hands of it. The only man who did was Phil Spector, who - while fudging the original live "concept" of the album - really took a lot of sketchy performances and turned Let It Be into something worth listening to. It's worth pointing out that this "de-Spectorized" Let It Be...Naked has almost all of the same takes and edits that Spector used. A few alternate takes are found on ...Naked, and the strings and horns are all gone, but so what? I heard this already on Anthology 3. A majority of the songs on here sound untouched. And personally, I think the album version of "Let It Be" with its bombastic horns and ascerbic guitar solo is vastly superior to both the single version and the ...Naked version. "The Long and Winding Road" (which is really the biggest reason this album was re-done - thanks, Paul) is stripped down too, but again, I heard this on Anthology 3.
   
   And I really do miss the talking in between songs. It made the album feel more fun, more impromptu, more like the listener is in the room with the Beatles. By eschewing these short interludes, ...Naked just sounds like another studio album, which actually takes us further away from what the Beatles supposedly "intended."
   
   I think the original is superior. ...Naked really doesn't offer anything new. If you don't own Let It Be, you will probably like this album because, hey, the music is great no matter how you slice it. But if you've already got Let It Be, this album won't be much of a revelation for you.

5 comments about Live At Leeds [Deluxe Edition].

1. First time I heard this was over FM radio wearing headphones lying in bed, listening. They played the whole thing and they had short interval of somthing weird and then played the next cut, did this for the whole album, it was 1970 somthing.
   IF you havent listened to this whole thing with real headphones without distraction, do it, trust me, do it, I would not lie.
   Good lesson for guitar players also.



2. It's The Who. Live. At Leeds University. Duh. How come you haven't bought it already? Powerful live set from seminal rock four-piece, blah, blah, sizzling energy, innovative songwriting, blah blah....Keith Moon....buy it. Listen to it. Have mind blown.



3. Amazing live album is all that i have too say for this. The drums are absoutley amazing Keith Moon is probaly one of the greatest rock drummers of all time his peformance is great here. Pete Townshends guitar is great and everybody in this is really doing great on there instruments.
   
   This may just be one of there greatest peformances of all time it has the energy and they sound just really great here i think all the live versions sound great on here
   
   If your a big Who fan like me buy this album today you wont be dissapointed...



4. Really horrible sound quality, and the band must have been totally wasted...Apparently with so many for sale , others thought the same.



5. I'm not a huge fan of The Who but this record is undeniable. The band is on fire and at a creative peak. I actually like the single disc version more than the double (I'm not a fan of the Tommy material, sorry). Everyone needs a copy of this.
   
   If you like high energy R&R like this and MC5, Stooges, Ramones, etc check out Mighty High...In Drug City.

5 comments about Aftermath.

1. AFTERMATH was a major departure for The Rolling Stones. Their previous albums (three in Britain, five in the US) were mostly covers, sprinkled with a few Jagger-Richards originals. AFTERMATH contains all original material, and some of the best the Stones would ever do. It was also their first album to be recorded in stereo, and although it doesn't have the production sheen of The Beatles, the Stones' music was never meant to be that clean.
   
   The British release featured a different cover photograph, kicked off with "Mother's Little Helper" instead of "Paint It Black" and included three tracks which were left off the U.S. version. While the British edition gives you more songs for your buck, I still prefer the American edition. Perhaps this is because I grew up with it, but it still feels better sequenced, more concise and coherent, and above all, consistently bluesy.
   
   "Paint It Black" is simply a better song than "Mother's Little Helper." Although Brian Jones is playing sitar, giving the song an Eastern feel, underneath the surface it's pure, dark, deep, brooding Delta Blues. It flows naturally into the nasty, snarky, strutting "Stupid Girl". "Lady Jane" owes more to Elizabethan music than to the blues, but the sardonic, icy bitterness fits neatly with the first two songs. The Stones then up the ante further for the classic "Under My Thumb", which like "Heart of Stone" and "Satisfaction" is boasting and arrogant on the surface, ambivalent, brooding and somber underneath. "Doncha Bother Me" is one of the finest blues in the Stones' catalogue, featuring blistering harmonica by Brian Jones and some of Jagger's finest lyrics.
   
   After this staggering opening salvo, the rest of the songs hold up well, covering a wide variety of musical styles, including an early foray into country in "High and Dry", and concludes with the brilliant "Goin' Home", whose final three notes are as effective an ending as has ever appeared on a rock album.
   
   And there's another reason for my preferring the American edition: "Goin' Home" belongs at the end of the record. Of the three extra tracks, only "Out of Time" is a real classic. "Take it or Leave it" is aptly titled. "What to Do" is pleasant enough, but hardly indispensable.
   
   This is one of rock music's greatest achievements. If you're only familiar with later Stones work such as SOME GIRLS and TATTOO YOU, you should give this record a listen, especially if you dig the blues.



2. Even in its truncated U.S. version with its blurry cover shot, 1966's "Aftermath," the first Stones album of all-original material, is indispensible. The record is the dividing line between the group as scruffy young Brit blues-and-R&B cover artists, and what would eventually become the most powerful and significant rock band in the world. A large portion of the credit for this is due to Brian Jones, who is at his artistic peak here. Jones' strength was his uncanny skill on all sorts of instruments besides guitar, and his marimba on "Under My Thumb," and sitar on "Paint It, Black" give those two signature Stones tunes, in their original versions, their unique flavor. The material ("Flight 505," "Stupid Girl") was getting dark and misogynistic; it would get much, much darker in the next few years. The U.K. version (which this isn't, by the way) puts good songs like "Out of Time," "What To Do," and the single "Mother's Little Helper" (an anti-drug message from a band which later became synonymous with drug excess) in their proper context as far as the group's history is concerned.



3. This is classic Stones before they assaulted us with garbage like Sympathy
   For The Devil, and, well, virtually anything after 1970.



4. The Rolling Stones' Aftermath was quite a big deal back in 1966 when it was first released. Their first album in stereo, it featured experimental instrumentation and arrangements, all songs were Jagger/Richards compositions (for the first time), and it included a #1 hit single with Paint It Black. It just got pushed to the back of the room when The Beach Boys released Pet Sounds and The Beatles followed with Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band the next year. And when the Stones themselves released their classic Beggars Banquet album in 1968, Aftermath suddenly seemed like old news. It still doesn't take away the fact that Aftermath is the Stones' best early (pre-Beggars Banquet) album, and one of my personal all-time favorites from the band.
   
   It opens with a total classic, Paint It Black. Not many songs dare to go where this one does, into the bleak and dangerous world of depression. With an Indian beat that's augmented by Brian Jones playing the sitar, the song rocks in and out of two different formats while Mick Jagger sings of living in hopelessness.
   
   Maybe then I'll fade away and not have to face the facts
   It's not easy facing up when your whole world is black
   
   Stupid Girl is a mod/hip London scene groupie put-down, and the refined Lady Jane shows an uncharacteristically disciplined side of the band (Brian plays the harpsichord). The marimba (Brian again) and guitar rock Under My Thumb is a classic that's still playing on classic rock radio stations today, and is one of the Stones' greatest songs. Kinda hard to resist the get-even politics, isn't it?
   
   Under my thumb
   The girl who once had me down
   Under my thumb
   The girl who once pushed me around
   
   The slide guitar blues of Doncha Bother Me is a real winner, and then they go bluesy country with acoustic guitars and a harmonica on High And Dry. Keith Richards shows off some nice guitar work on both. Flight 505 has an old-timey piano intro that gives way to a laid-back rock n' harmony exercise, and It's Not Easy is an irrestible toe-tapping Chuck Berry sounding rocker. I Am Waiting is a strange and hypnotic bit of country psychedelia that features the omnipotent Brian Jones on the dulcimer. The album closes with Going Home, an eleven minute blues epic that starts out innocently enough, but then enters into a dark, sexual, and shamanistic trip into the unknown night. Mick Jagger's sensual vocal improvisations and spirit channeling over a heavy bass and harmonica blues jam won't appeal to the more tidy and polished Stones fans, but it's quite a fascinating piece of work.
   
   Bottom line, Aftermath is an essential part of The Rolling Stones catalog and a top-notch Rolling Stones production. One of their best albums in my book.



5. THIS 1966 RELEASE WAS THE FIRST ROLLING STONES ALBUM WHERE THEY DID ALL ORIGINAL SONGS INSTEAD OF MOSTLY COVER VERSIONS OF R&B HITS. IT IS A GREAT ALBUM THAT SHOWCASES ALL OF THE TALENT THAT THIS BAND CHANNELED AT THE TIME. FROM THE SITAR INSPIRED PLAYING OF KEITH RICHARDS ON PAINT IT BLACK, TO THE HARPSICHIORD PLAYING OF BRIAN JONES ON LADY JANE, THE ALBUM COVERS A WIDE ARRAY OF MUSICAL STYLES AND GENRES, AND CEMENT THE ROLLING STONES IN HISTORY AS THE BAD BOYS OF ROCK AND ROLL. A QUANTUM LEAP FOR THE BAND AND THEIR MUSIC.

5 comments about Who Are You.

1. If you really listen to this CD/Album (in the old days), there are some hidden gems! I still remember the news about Keith Moon and wondering what are the Who going to do? They have a great new album out and no
   drummer.
   
   New Song, Guitar & Pen, Trick of the Light and Music Must Change are all
   great, along with the John Entwistle's songs!
   
   Pick it up you won't be disappointed!!!



2. This was the last Who album with Keith Moon and the band was in transition. Always in search of an identity, the band was caught in their glorious past yet still trying to blaze a trail of change musically. Townsend's swipe at disco (Sister Disco) validated his visionary tendencies on what direction the music was heading. He knew disco was a dead end and that if music in the rock genre was going to survive it would have to find a new path (The Music Must Change). Entwistle's look into the future (905) envisioned a brave new world. But in this world would the music survive? The Who leaves up to the listener to decide.



3. The Who took several years in between albums before putting out this one in 1978. During this time most of the band members worked on solo projects that were met with different levels of success. "Who Are You" is best remembered for it's title track that featured one of Daltry's most gritty vocal performances shouting out Pete Townshend's diatribe to punk rock. The track remains a classic rock radio staple to this day and I still crank it up when it comes on the radio. The album would be the last done by the original lineup due to the death of Keith Moon shortly after the album's release. This disc gets mixed reactions from Who fans, but I have always really liked it. "New Song", "Sister Disco", "Guitar And Pen" and "The Music Must Change" are all good Townshend songs. Playing the role of unsung hero on this album is John Entwistle who contributes three songs "Had Enough", "905" and "Trick Of The Light" which all are good. Going back through these old Who albums remind me that I need to check out some of Entwistle's solo stuff. The guy really was an underrated songwriter overshadowed by the genius of Townshend. I don't think "Who Are You" is in the same league as "Who's Next" or "Quadrophenia", but I do think it is a very good Who album and should be an essential part of any fans collection.



4. 1978's "Who Are You" was not the end of The Who, but it was certainly the end of an era for the band, as their superb, madman drummer Keith Moon would sadly die from an accidental overdose right after the album's release. "Who Are You" seems to get a mixed reaction from fans---some love it, but some think The Who weren't really firing on all cylinders with this one. "Who Are You" came out at the height of both punk and disco, and it's been said that The Who were basically caught in the crossfire of both genres in 1978, and sounded on this album a little bit "confused" about their own identity, and where they fit in the musical spectrum of the day. Hence, the album title. My opinion is that, despite the changing musical landscapes of 1978---and despite both Keith Moon's and guitarist Pete Townshend's problems in their respective personal lives at the time---the band still summoned up an excellent album. I think "Who Are You" is a great Who album, with lots of great, catchy material. The title song is the signature tune on the album, and rightfully so---it's a memorable rocker that has never left the Who's concert setlist to this day. All the other songs stand up too, including "New Song," "Sister Disco" (the band's swipe at the disco craze), the opera-influenced "Guitar And Pen," the beautiful "Love Is Coming Down," the late-night vibe of "Music Must Change," and bassist John Entwistle's strong trio of numbers, "905," "Had Enough," and the dirty rocker "Trick Of The Light." All the band members are in fine form: Roger Daltrey's powerful singing voice, Townshend & Entwistle's respective songwriting, musical & vocal chops, and although Keith Moon's drumming wasn't *quite* what it used to be---he'd put on weight, and he could only play cymbals on "Music Must Change" because he simply could not get behind the song's time signature---he still drums on this album with his unique, excellent flair (and his ferocious drumming on the closing, classic title song becomes a fabulous finale for this legendary drummer). The Who would bravely soldier on after Moon's untimely death, and they would still make great music together (three more studio albums to date, and various tours), and Daltrey & Townshend are still keeping the Who flag flying after the further tragic loss of John Entwistle in 2002, but "Who Are You" represents the last stand by the classic Who line-up. The first chapter in the Who's impressive musical career comes to a close on an exceptionally high note with "Who Are You," a Who classic.



5. The Who seemes to take some flack with "Who are You" Some fans to this day still claim that they hate it, but I can't understand why. "Who are You" is a good album. Sure, it has a few bad songs, but I just dont see how any fan could label this horrid. We get a bit of a different sound with "Who are You", as alot of rock bands during this time peroid starting messing with synth sounds. Led Zepplin did it a year later with "In through the out door", Rush did it two years later with "Moving Pictures", and Yes had already been doing it for some time. Does that make it a bad thing. Not really, in fact I happen to like "The Who's" sound that they get on "Who are You" Lets face it, if you just getting into the band, and you are expecting a return of the Quadra album or Tommy, you arent going to get it with this album. YOu will get some great rock, as The Who always gave us, and even the two post moon albums are decent (I have not heard the newest release, so I cannot comment) Please add this to your collection if you are a new Who fan, and if you are an old fan that didnt like this years ago, try it again. Its still better then half the junk rock out there today. ENJOY

5 comments about Out of Our Heads.

1. It may not be as good as 12 X 5, but it's a good sampling of very Early Stones with Brian Jones. Take a listen to The Spider and the Fly. It's fun, a nice surprise, and my favorite cut on the ablum. The ablum is a little raw, but that's the way they were back then, in 1964 and 1965 and that's why they were one of my favorite groups. The Bad Boys of Rock N Roll.



2. This was my favorite album when I was a teenager. We played it 'til there were no more grooves on the vinyl. Somewhere in the vaults, there has to be 1st generation, multi-track session tapes that could be mixed into proper stereo. The reissue of "12 X 5" has fantastic stereo mixes, so did "Now". Why not "Out of our Heads"??? This album was recorded in the US. All the major studios were using 4 track machines at this point. This great album deserves to be lovingly restored.



3. Out of Our Heads tends to focus more on R & B tunes than the bluesier numbers they'd done in the past. One reviewer calls this the best of the early releases but I personally believe Now! is a far stronger release. I gave Now! 5 stars (not one stinker!) so I can only give this one 4.5.
   
   Jagger delivers a surprisingly strong cover of "That's How Strong My Love Is". Ok, maybe he apes Otis Redding a little too much but this vocal is very good, one of the better recordings of his career I think. There is one track on Out of Our Heads that I feel should have been replaced with something a bit better. "I'm All Right" is a live track, lots of the typical screaming girls from a Stone's performance, Jagger's voice also cracks badly at one point. It isn't an awful track but surely they had better stuff in the can. Of course, this is the release with the tune that really put the Stones on the map once and for all time "Satisfaction" and who can argue with its lasting impact?
   
   So yeah, you want this one if you love the early Brian Jones era Rolling Stones though this is really the release where it all started to go wrong for a young Mr Jones who was losing his grip on the band's direction mostly for the worse in my opinion. Sure, there are some exceptions to that comment (most notably that quartet of releases from Beggar's Banquet through Exile on Main Street) but I really loved the early edition of this band and wish there was more of that music around.



4. Listening to "Out of Our Heads" is almost like listening to two different LP's. The first 6 songs (Side One) are mostly covers of R&B chestnuts, with "That's How Strong My Love Is" being perhaps the most emotive. Which is saying something because the 3 tracks that precede it aren't too shabby either!! The live version of "It's All Right" is also a killer. On the next six tracks (Side Two)the boys mostly establish their own identity with their own material, including the definitive "Satisfaction." Either way, you can't lose, the pace transitions from song to song are very well handled, very nice staging!



5. Hello,
   
   Thanks for getting this album out to me ASAP. I have this on vinyl and have finally gotten around to picking up a CD. "Under Assistant West Coast Promo Man" is an all -time favorite tune of mine and I am so happy to have it on a playable format. Thanks so much....

5 comments about Ummagumma.

1. Probably the biggest avant-garde album in history. That might not be a good thing though. By 1969, Pink Floyd had somewhat of a fanbase going. Their live shows were getting some good word, and due to their music being used in documentaries and films, they were able to make a decent living off of touring and recording. So, they decided to celebrate a bit and make their first double album. First things first, the live side is great. Containing four tracks, mostly from the Syd and the Syd-influenced days, this showcases early Floyd at their best. The live Astronomy Domine blows away the original. Vocal harmonies, wahed guitar, creepy keyboard solos, it's all there. Amazing how the band would work on these songs over the years and make drastic improvements. Careful With That Axe, Eugene is brilliant. There's not one note wasted, and the climax 3 mintes in is spellbinding. Set The Controls and Saucerful are both excellent live too, with Set being drastically changed to a much more spacier and intense performance. I really dig the trippy 'outer-space' keyboard section in the middle. Kewl. However, I have to say...WHAT IS WITH THE STUDIO SIDE?! Did they seriously want to alienate all their fans? This sucks! The band returns to some of the failed experimental atonal noises that they hashed out unsuccessfully on Saucerful and Piper, only this time they are "solo pieces." Whatever, no one should listen to this garbage. Sysphus starts out interesting, almost like an ELP song, before going into harsh noise territory. Several Species is just pure garbage, I guess it would be cool if I was tripping. The Narrow Way is just amazingly dull, though there is a cool Sabbathesque riff in one section that would've been awesome had they worked on it. And the Grand Vizier thing is just a long drum solo with some weird flute noises. Bleh, this sucks! The only song worth noticing is Grantchester Meadows, and that's if you enjoy the folky stuff from More. Just download the live side. You'll be glad ya did instead of wasting money.



2. Couldn't explain it for the life of me but I really enjoy this album, front, back and middle. One who leans to Prog rock, experimental, stream of consious elements in their music would be more likely to Ummagumma.



3. Okay, its one of their worsts, actually the worst, but I still rated it 4 stars.
   
   The Live portion is good, it has one song from Piper at the Gates of Dawn, 2 songs from A Saucerful of Secrets, and a single I had never heard before. A good 1st disc.
   
   The second disc is a studio album. Let me start by saying that I am a pianist and love Rick Wright, that being said the first 4 songs are by him and they are...odd. Good piano playing however.
   The next 2 songs are by Roger Waters. I am surprised that whatever drugs he was taking in order to make these songs didn't kill him, these songs were downright weird. I was laughing so hard at one of them I could not stop. I really like ALL of Roger Waters other music with Pink Floyd though.
   The next 3 are David Gilmour's. These are really good. Really...these alone make up for the first 6.
   The last 3 are Nick Mason's and are excellent. It showcases his greatness (don't know if that is a word) and has some flutes also? While they not as good as Moby Dick-Led Zeppelin with John Bonham, its still good.
   
   All in All it is a CD that is worth getting, just don't expect songs like Let there be Light or Time.
   And Pink Floyd is hands down the best band EVER.



4. In 1969, Pink Floyd released this monstrosity. Half live and half studio, it is really two albums, and it seems to fall into a "love it or hate it" kind of place with their fans.
   
   STUDIO
   Each member got half a side for their studio time. The result is a long instrumental that is more or less hookless, disparate mess of psychedelic noise, an 8-minute drum solo, and two bonafide songs establishing Waters and Gilmour as the songwriters in the band.
   
   LIVE
   Here is the real gem. We get four of their early classics played live, extended and more vibrant than their studio incarnations, and they leave their studio versions far behind in the dust.
   
   Despite its faults, it grows on you if you have an open mind. If you like self-indulgant avant-garde noise rock, you'll be right at home on the studio disc, and if you like spacey trad jazz, the live disc is fine.
   
   It is a pity that "Embryo" and "Interstellar Overdrive" were taken off of this album to make room for the studio parts. Perhaps since 2009 is the 30th anniversary, Gilmour, Waters, Wright, Mason, and EMI might get together and release a special anniversary edition CD with the two omitted live tracks included. "Embryo" live, for those who have only heard the version on "Works", is simply AMAZING, easily as good as "Echoes" and "Shine On You Crazy Diamond".
   
   Highlights: all four of the live songs, "Grantchester Meadows", "Several Species..." and "The Narrow Way".



5. Definitely the best album of Floyd's "transitional" period - that is, those few years after Syd left and before they really became Pink Floyd. This is also their first, and in my opinion best double-album. The first LP is live, and it's fantastic. "Careful with That Axe, Eugene" is one of Floyd's best songs ever, a haunting, psychologically manipulative masterpiece that slowly, carefully builds its way to a blood-curdling peak. It'll make you feel that nine minutes is the perfect song length. This version of "Astronomy Domine" is good too, though the group sounds kind of bored singing it. Still, when they get to the jamming... whoa. Minds get blown. I'm pretty sure a lot of people baked pot brownies, cookies, and cakes and ate them while listening to these instrumental bits. And you know what? I've never so much as taken a bong hit in my life, but it's pretty clear to me that Dave and Rick especially had taken several before playing this song. Fans of the trippy will also appreciate the awesome synth noises found on this version of "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun". While the studio version of that song was, without question, the best song on A Saucerful of Secrets, I like this take more myself. It plays up on the Far East elements found in the original, and really gets intense as it goes along. And they turn "A Saurcerful of Secrets" itself fantastic, upping the emotional ante astronomically so it really does sound like a battle being fought and the aftermath of said battle. Best example of live Floyd in a second! The studio stuff isn't anywhere near as good, but it's still interesting. Basically, the group decided they'd give every group member half a side of material to do their thing. These sides are controversial, but I find them at times captivating. Wright's avant-garde keyboard solo "Sisyphus" is great, and the majestic, all-acoustic "Grantchester Meadows" blows me away. Its lyrics are simple, but laden with evocative imagery of a meadow by Cambridge University. And "Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered In a Cave and Grooving with a Pict" is funny! Yes, it is pretty avant-garde. Meanwhile, Gilmour plays some solo acoustic that could put Steve Howe to shame on the first part of "The Narrow Way", though the weird noises are rather distracting. They hadn't quite gotten good with weird noises yet, see. That would come later. The second part is an interesting proto-industrial guitar solo, and the trippy third has odd lyrics. As for Mason, he contributes the unique percussion showcase "Grand Vizier's Garden Party", and like the rest of the album it's unlike anything else you'll ever hear in your life. This is a fantastic album. Not recommended for starting fans, that's for sure, but it definitely is worthy of investigation. By the way, "ummagumma" is supposedly Cambridge slang for "sex". Why didn't that term catch on?