I have never understood people who don’t like the Rolling Stones. I suppose ignorance is an acceptable excuse. Another possibility is that they were turned off by the cult of celebrity perpetually keeping the bandmembers on the brink of destruction. A third possibility is the immoral nature, mild by today’s standards, of some of the songs - probably not the songs you are thinking of.
The remedy, as I have written before, is to steadfastly resist knowing anything about the artists personally. Forty-five years of relentless publicity makes this difficult in the Stones’ case, but it’s not too late to begin the withdrawal process.
Martin Scorsese’s new film, Shine A Light, apparently of a small venue Stone’s performance, is being released today. I was looking forward to seeing it, but now, after exposure to the publicity, I may take a pass. More likely, I will wait and see what others think and decide later.
One of the reasons I was excited by this film is that the Stones are impossible to see live in any musically relevant way. They are either in huge arenas where the music is lost somewhere in the half mile that separates you from them, or they are in a small venue populated by coked out models and Hollywood types. Not that I wouldn’t snort coke to get in, but I am unlikely to be invited.
In about 1971 I actually went to a Stones concert, reasoning that they were unlikely to tour again. I don’t remember much about it, except that for every thousand feet away from the stage you are, the closer you are to not being there at all.
The Stones concert I remember best was actually an IMAX film at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago about twenty years ago. Not only was that experience the best Stones concert, it was the best musical experience of my life. That includes ten rows back from Segovia, all three concerts the Doors did in Chicago, and our own band playing warm-up for Segal-Schwall and BB King, leaving me and my bandmates exactly front row center for BB, a perk I don’t think the promoter intended.
That concert, exquisitely filmed and miked, included no backstage scenes, no guest stars and no bullshit. Mick ran several miles during the concert, something I would rather he didn’t do, but since he never missed a note I am not in a position to complain. I am hoping this film gets to the IMAX again in the wake of Shine A Light publicity.
If you want to take a risk and decide to see Shine A Light, consider seeing the IMAX version. There are approximately ten IMAX theaters within a day trip of here, and any one of them will be twice as better than Carmike.
I have never understood people who don’t like the Rolling Stones. I suppose ignorance is an acceptable excuse. Another possibility is that they were turned off by the cult of celebrity perpetually keeping the bandmembers on the brink of destruction. A third possibility is the immoral nature, mild by today’s standards, of some of the songs - probably not the songs you are thinking of.
Ah, the diehard Stones fans - so unwilling to see that disliking the Stones may just be a symptom of the fact that they suck. Not that they always have - their first five years were truly incredible, and during the next ten or so years they certainly still had some gas in the creativity tank, while falling back on their earlier work didn't seem so desperate. After that time - usually pegged as when they released Some Girls, but I would give them a break and put it at Tatoo You - They. Just. Plain. Sucked. They couldn't write any good songs (seeming to have no musical reference point beyond 1978), they started to look ridiculous as wrinkled old guys in tight pants running around stage playing songs about teenage angst, and they made the final transition from rebellious young rock band to the Rolling Stones Musical Entertainment Corporation (brought to you by Visa - It's Everywhere You Want to Be). Now they are a glorified nostalgia act - on the A list of bands that would otherwise be playing at Six Flags and county fairs. (Steppenwolf! Live on stage! Including their original manager!) Every time I see Mick Jagger in those skin-tight pants and $3,000 shirts, all purple-skinned and wrinkled, prancing around the stage, I don't know whether to laugh or feel sorry for him. He should try to salvage whatever is left of his dignity while he can.
Dear D-Man,
I don't like Martin Luther King, Jr., because after all, what has he done lately. You also need to start following my simple rule for liking entertainers: Don't learn anything about them personally. I, for instance, did not know that Jagger had a $3,000 shirt. I would rather not have learned, but with some effort I will forget.
John
Didn't like them then. Don't see any reason to start now. World's most overrated rock band, ever. If I've got to pick sixties British rockers, I'll take the Kinks or the Who over the Stones any day of the week.
Kevin,
I would suggest you not see the movie. Instead, go see one of those great movies about the Kinks or the Who. Don't forget that awesome movie about the blind pinball player.
John
The Stones have authored some of the best music ever. Ever. However, it's true that they seem to be done. Exile on Main Street is pretty much the end for me. Voodoo Lounge was the last good album they turned out, and, being relatively contemporary, is surrounded by a sea of bad albums. Bridges to Babylon was so awful that it could be compared to Goat's Head Soup. In fact, the only thing I remember about Bridges is that I was glad to be giving it away to my father as a gift.
Even though it doesn't count, Jagger's Wandering Spirit is a fantastic late album.
And D-Man, just to enlighten you, dignity isn't part of Jagger's thing. Never has been.
The Kinks over the Stones? This isn't a confessional. You need to keep that kind of information to yourself, right along with what kind of tea you prefer and where you get your hair perms done.
Don't forget that awesome movie about the blind pinball player.
Ouch. I just stumbled across Tommy recently while channel surfing, and boy, these bloated "rock operas" really don't age very well (not that it was any good at the time). I will give the Stones a pass on that - at least they never felt the need to do one of those.
D-Man,
It probably isn't necessary to apologize for Tommy in the face of the Stone's Goat Head Soup, which unlike the opera had no redeeming value. While I made fun of Tommy, our otherwise hard rock and country rock group in about 1970 actually did the medley from Tommy, and for reasons clear to me neither then nor now, the crowd loved it.
John
Ah middle aged nobodies complaing about world famous rock stars. Jealous? You can begin to complain about Mick and the boys when you sell your first couple of millions albums.
"The Kinks over the Stones? This isn't a confessional. You need to keep that kind of information to yourself, right along with what kind of tea you prefer and where you get your hair perms done." (emphasis added)
You've obviously never met me or even seen a photo from the last couple decades. :-)
Ray Charles said it best when asked by a reporter about the differences between the old groups and the new groups.
"The old groups could sing the doors off the place..."
Remember...... MTV had to give up on the "Unplugged" series because the new groups could just not perform with their instruments ................ "Unplugged"
All the Do-Wop groups learned to sing standing on the corner, no fireworks, no band, no guitar. Damned good.
Love the Temptations, Drifters, Sherells, my goodness
I did catch a couple of the Stones Concerts in Chicago and had a great time. Give the the Stones any day over Rap music.
To that end, I am, and shall always remain;
Rex Bradfield
"You've obviously never met me or even seen a photo from the last couple decades. :-)"
That's not a perm?
You guys lay off of Bramfeld. As bad as his music criticism is, it still beats his humor. And his grammer (twice as better than Carmike?)
Dear anonymous,
Listen to Nashville Cats.
You mean the ones who play clean as country water?
Kevin,
No, I meant the ones who've been playin' since theys babies.
John