Now available from http://www.1960s.london
Ed Sullivan 1969 – The Rolling Stones
Tracks
- Gimme Shelter (Jagger, Richard)
- Love In Vain (Johnson)
- Honky Tonk Women (Jagger, Richard)
Personnel
Mick Jagger – vocals
Keith Richard – guitar
Mick Taylor – guitar
Bill Wyman – bass
Charlie Watts – drums
Recording details
All tracks recorded live on November 18th at Studio 50, New York City, and broadcast on November 23rd on The Ed Sullivan Show (CBS US TV)
Sleevenotes
In November 1969 the Stones appeared on Ed Sullivan’s influential show for the sixth and final time, sharing a bill with Ella Fitzgerald. Jagger was resplendent in a silver and black choker and a fringed cloak whilst Richards hair was in the ascendent, complementing his see-through Dan Armstrong guitar. Wyman and Watts looked impassive throughout, Taylor sported an acoustic for Love In Vainbut reverted to a Telecaster for recent single Honky Tonk Women and for Gimme Shelter. Sullivan announced Gimme Shelter as being from the band’s new album Let It Bleed, to be released in the US the week after the broadcast. Some pictures of the band on the Ed Sullivan set show Wyman replaced by pianist / road manager Ian Stewart. These photos were taken during rehearsals on November 17th when Wyman was unwell and Stewart took his place.
Sleeve notes: Dee Leah-Smith
Let The Airwaves Flow 10: Live In Honolulu and Sydney 1966
The Rolling Stones
Side One
- Not Fade Away (Hardin, Petty)
- The Last Time (Jagger, Richard)
- Paint It, Black (Jagger, Richard)
- Lady Jane (Jagger, Richard)
- Mother’s Little Helper (Jagger, Richard)
- Get Off Of My Cloud (Jagger, Richard)
- 19th Nervous Breakdown (Jagger, Richard)
- (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction (Jagger, Richard)
Side Two
- Mercy, Mercy (Covay, Miller)
- She Said Yeah (Jackson, Christy)
- Play With Fire (Jagger, Richard)
- Not Fade Away (Hardin, Petty)
- The Spider and the Fly (Jagger, Richard)
- That’s How Strong My Love Is (Jamison)
- Get Off Of My Cloud (Jagger, Richard)
- 19th Nervous Breakdown (Jagger, Richard)
- (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction (Jagger, Richard)
Recording Details
Side One
All tracks recorded live at the Honolulu International Centre, Hawaii on July 28th 1966 and broadcast on Radio K-POI
Side Two
All tracks recorded live at the Commemorative Auditorium Showgrounds, Sydney, Australia (first show) on February 18th 1966 and broadcast by Australian 2UW Radio
Personnel
Mick Jagger – Vocals, maracas
Keith Richard – Guitar, vocals
Brian Jones – Guitar, harmonica
Bill Wyman – Bass
Charlie Watts – Drums
Sleevenotes
1966 was the live peak of the Brian Jones-era Stones as they toured extensively and played more exotic venues, illustrated by this brace of radio broadcasts from Australia and Hawaii. Setlists featured more of the band’s own material, and cover versions tended to be soul or R&B numbers rather than the blues covers of their early years.
The Sydney show was performed on a rotating stage that was handcranked by stage hands – at one point an exasperated Jagger says “Will you stop this thing going round?”. Mercy Mercy and a brief She Said Yeah get the set off to a scream-drenched start before Play With Fire provides a rare moment of calm. Not Fade Away restores the pace with Jagger’s vocal a call-and-response to Jones’ harmonica. The Spider And The Fly is the second brilliant B-side to be played before Jagger totally convinces on That’s How Strong My Love Is. Despite starting well Get Off Of My Cloud falls to bits towards the end. A strong version of 19th Nervous Breakdown with some potent dual vocalsrestores the set’s momentum before set-closer Satisfaction increases the scream-level still further. Jagger gets lost in the song early on (“Where are we?”) but recovers well. Eye-witness accounts suggest that The Last Time was played as the opening song that night, but this is unconfirmed.
The Hawaii gig was the last date on the Stones fifth North American tour. Also on the bill were Herman’s Hermits and Johnny Green and the Greenmen. Ticket prices ranged between $2.50 and $6.50. It would prove to be Brian Jones final appearance in the USA. A flavour of the gig is given by a florid live review from the Toronto Star earlier in the tour. “The young nubiles surged forward, arms undulating like tentacles of sea anemones writhing in warm fluid. Mick is a phenomenon of utter sexuality, beyond simple distinctions of maleness or femaleness”.
Not Fade Away makes for a great, up-tempo set opener. By now original songs such as The Last Time are greeted with screams of recognition from the audience. An uptempo Paint It, Black trades subtlety for intensity. Charlie Watts then makes a rare song introduction. Unfortunately he introduces The Last Time, which they had already played, instead of Lady Jane. Lady Jane is the only non-raver in the set and the crowd are noisy throughout but the intricate acoustic arrangement shines through. Mother’s Little Helper was released as a single in the US and makes for a great live song, with both guitars playing the riff in unison and more effective Jagger/Richard joint singing. Get Off Of My Cloud is more successful than in Sydney with powerful shouted backing vocals. 19th Nervous Breakdown is taken at breakneck speed and Satisfaction sounds like the soundtrack to a riot, from Richard’s heavily fuzzed intro to the relentless Charlie-driven outro.
Introducing the gig, the exceptionally annoying Radio K-POI announcer refers to the Rolling Stones as ‘exciting’ and a ‘swinging group’. Exciting definitely but swinging? Pounding more like. Unleashing a barrage of uptempo short, sharp songs of the type you hear on this disc would not be fashionable again for another ten years, and then it would be called punk. As is so often the case, the Stones got there first.
Sleevenotes: Fiji Jim
Review written for Record Collector magazine
View: Diamond VIP both nights (Keith’s side)
Merchandise: Stones At Hyde Park T Shirt (£35) and Lithograph (£60)
The Stones were visibly delighted to be back in London as part of their Sixty (years) tour. Out Of Time has been disinterred for these dates and inspired the first audience singalong, masterfully orchestrated by showman supreme Mick Jagger, in his element in front of 65,000 enthusiastic fans. An early highlight of the June 25th gig was a delicate She’s A Rainbow, whilst the rarely performed Can’t You Hear Me Knocking was a wonderful surprise and the spare rhythms of lock-down single Ghost Town worked well. New drummer Steve Jordan did not attempt the jazzy fills that his much-missed predecessor Charlie Watts brought to the track but his more straightforward style is now well-assimilated within the band and his slightly faster tempos gave several venerable tracks a crisper feel. Keith Richards was on great form, sharing the guitar parts more equally with Ronnie Wood. Richards solo spot combined an elegant and understated Slipping Away with a rousing lurch through Connection. A lengthy Midnight Rambler featured a snatch of Come On In My Kitchen whilst Jagger added a snappy coda to You Can’t Always Get What You Want.
The following week saw six different songs played, a welcome gesture to fans who attended both gigs. Get Off Of My Cloud was an urgent set-opener: following with 19th Nervous Breakdown delivered a great ‘60s double punch. A reflective Angie was beautifully sung, You Got Me Rocking and Dylan’s Like A Rolling Stone were rapturously received. Keith changed his solo spot so we got an acoustic duet with Ronnie on You Got The Silver and a raucous Happy. Sympathy For The Devil made for an effective encore: the Satisfaction that followed went on for too long as Jagger worked the crowd one last time. I could do without Darryl Jones’ bass solo on Miss You but any criticisms are minor: overall these were two great performances from a band that just won’t quit, and for as long as they keep performing at this stellar level nor should they.
Setlist – 25th June
Charlie Watts Tribute
01. Street Fighting Man
02. 19th Nervous Breakdown
03. Tumbling Dice
04. Out Of Time
05. She’s A Rainbow
06. You Can’t Always Get What You Want
07. Living In A Ghost Town
08. Can’t You Hear Me Knocking
09. Honky Tonk Women
10. Slipping Away
11. Connection
12. Miss You
13. Midnight Rambler
14. Paint It Black
15. Start Me Up
16. Gimme Shelter
17. Jumpin’ Jack Flash
18. Sympathy For The Devil
19. (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction
Setlist – 3rd July
Charlie Watts Tribute
01. Get Off Of My Cloud
02. 19th Nervous Breakdown
03. Tumbling Dice
04. Out Of Time
05. Angie
06. You Can’t Always Get What You Want
07. Like A Rolling Stone
08. You Got Me Rocking
09. Honky Tonk Women
10. You Got The Silver
11. Happy
12. Miss You
13. Midnight Rambler
14. Paint It Black
15. Start Me Up
16. Gimme Shelter
17. Jumpin’ Jack Flash
18. Sympathy For The Devil
19. (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction
Islington 25.06.22
(review written for Record Collector magazine)
Four years since they last played here the IORR Band stormed a packed Hope & Anchor with a brilliant selection of well-known and less well known Stones covers. The band formed via the famous iorr.org Stones fan website and come from as far afield as Norway and Chile. They only meet the night before a Stones gig. They never rehearse but are such great musicians that gigs like this seem to happen instinctively. A twenty song set took in some rarely played material like The Spider And The Fly, Sway and Parachute Woman. Bluzdude enlivened Little Queenie and the closing Stop Breakin’ Down was a triumph. So take a bow DandelionPowerMan, Mathjis, Mr_dja, IrwinH and 71tele plus guests djgab (mandolin) and WildSlivovic (harmonica). And a shout-out to a great audience: ManOfWealthOfTaste, SilverDagger, SomeTorontoGirl, Beast and many others.
Photo credits: Mike Baess and Chris Davies
Setlist
- Under My Thumb
- Dancing With Mr D
- Dead Flowers
- Love In Vain
- Parachute Woman
- The Spider & The Fly
- Time Is On My Side
- Let’s Spend The Night Together
- Hang Fire
- Down In The Hole
- Going To A Go Go
- Little Queenie
- Miss You
- Midnight Rambler
- Sway
- Can’t You Hear Me Knocking ?
- Honky Tonk Women
- Brown Sugar
- Jumpin’ Jack Flash
- Stop Breakin’ Down
Available now from http://www.1960s.london
Let The Airwaves Flow 9: On Tour’65 Volume II
The Rolling Stones
Side One
- The Last Time (Jagger, Richard)
- Little Red Rooster (Dixon)
- Everybody Needs Somebody To Love (Russell, Burke, Wexler)
- Oh Baby (We Got A Good Thing Going) (Lynn)
- (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction (Jagger, Richard)
- Down The Road Apiece (Raye)
- Time Is On My Side (Meade)
- What A Shame (Jagger, Richard)
Side Two
- Everybody Needs Somebody To Love (Russell, Burke, Wexler)
- Pain In My Heart (Neville)
- Around And Around (Berry)
- The Last Time (Jagger, Richard)
- Time Is On My Side (Meade)
- It’s All Over Now (Womack, Womack)
- (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction (Jagger, Richard)
- Everybody Needs Somebody To Love (Russell, Burke, Wexler)
Recording Details
Side One
Tracks 1-3 Recorded and broadcast on the ‘Ed Sullivan Show’, New York 2.5.65
Tracks 4 & 5 Recorded for ‘Yeh Yeh’ with Tony Hall, BBC Light Programme, London on 20.8.65 and broadcast on 30.8.65
Tracks 6 – 8 recorded and broadcast on ‘Ready Steady Go’, Studio One, Wembley (ARTV) on 15.01.65
Side Two
Tracks 1 – 4 recorded live at Wembley Empire Pool, London on 11th April 1965 and broadcast on April 18th as “The Big Beat ’65” (ABC and ITV)
Tracks 5 & 6 Recorded live at the Olympia, Paris for RTL Radio, First Show April 18th 1965
Track 7 Recorded for ‘Shindig’, Los Angeles on 20.5.65 and broadcast on 26.5.65
Track 8 recorded and broadcast on ‘Ready Steady Go’, Studio One, Wembley (ARTV) on 26.02.65
Personnel
Mick Jagger – lead vocals, harmonica
Brian Jones – guitar
Keith Richard – guitar, backing vocals
Bill Wyman – bass
Charlie Watts – drums
Sleevenotes
1965 was the year that the Stones exported their domestic success to the rest of the world: the tracks here comprise radio and TV broadcasts from the UK, France and the USA.
London’s Ready Steady Go! was the Stones televisual home from home. Under the slogan “The Weekend Starts Here!” and fronted by uber-mod Cathy McGowan this is where the Stones learnt to play to the cameras. Mick Jagger: “RSG! wasn’t safe, it took risks and waded right into the wonderful chaos of the times. It was the best rock’n’roll show of all time”. January 1965 saw the Stones playing their own What A Shame as well as covers of Time Is On My Side and Don Raye’s Down The Road Apiece. By now female screams were continuous, overwhelming the quieter passages. During the February 1965 performance of Everybody Needs Somebody To Love Mick was dragged offstage by female members of the Stones fan club.
The success of RSG! spawned similar shows in America such as Shindig and Hullabaloo. The Stones recorded (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction for Shindig in May 1965. Brian Jones sports an atypical acoustic guitar whilst Richard opts for a tougher looking Firebird. Equally influential was The Ed Sullivan Show. On their May 1965 appearance The Last Time seems to take Charlie by surprise as he is still setting up when the song starts. Brian sports his trademark white Vox Teardrop but it is Keith that solos. Brian’s slide provides the focus of Little Red Rooster, duetting with Jagger’s harmonica at the end of the song. Jagger vamps his way into Everybody Needs Somebody To Love, the audience screaming louder in response to his pointing at them during the “you, you, you” sequence. Remarkably the band still bow at the end of each number.
A short-lived BBC radio programme was “Yeh Yeh” was hosted by Tony Hall and featured the Stones in August 1965. Versions of Oh Baby (We Got A Good Thing Going) and(I Can’t Get No) Satisfactionare different to those on the official BBC On Air release. In April 1965 the Paris Olympia was the venue for an exhilarating gig, thankfully recorded in good quality by French radio and represented here by Time Is On My Side and It’s All Over Now. Despite a very lively crowd Jagger delivers Time Is On My Side with complete conviction, aided by strong backing vocals. The guitar solo in It’s All Over Now is lyrical and concise.
Amidst this international success the UK was not overlooked. Bill Wyman remembers “On 11th April we played our first UK show in three weeks at the Empire Pool, Wembley. It was ‘The NME Poll Winners concert’ in front of a capacity audience of 10,000. Other acts included the Moody Blues, Georgie Fame, the Seekers, Donovan, Them, the Animals and the Beatles. We closed the first half and the Beatles closed the show.” Everybody Needs Somebody To Love is performed at a slower pace than usual and forms a medley with Pain In My Heart . Around And Around features a pair of densely interwoven guitars whilst the start of The Last Timeis greetedwith female screams and benefits from distinctive Keith Richards backing vocals. At the concert the Stones picked up awards for Best New Group, Best British R’n’B Group and Mick Jagger won Best New Disc Or TV Singer.
From February 1964 through to November 1965, the Stones were frequent performers on mainstream radio and television. It was like having them in your living room: they would never offer this easy access again. From 1966 onwards the increasing fragility of Brian Jones would result in the Stones gradually cutting back on their live performances, both in person and on TV. Once 1967’s “Summer Of Love” was safely out of the way the Stones would resurface in the darkly menacing video for Jumping Jack Flash, all tribal make up and bug-eye shades.
The weekend would no longer start here, because the weekend would never stop.
Sleevenotes – Nell Cote
Live in Seattle 17.01.1970
Fleetwood Mac
Tracklisting
Side One
- Let Me Love You (Ling & King)
- Like It This Way (Kirwan)
- Only You (Kirwan)
- Madison Blues (James)
- Baby Please Set A Date (James)
Side Two
- Homework (Rush, Perkins & Clark)
- Stranger Blues (Lewis, Levy & James)
- The Sun Is Shining (James)
- World In Harmony (Kirwan & Green)
- Great Balls Of Fire (Hammer & Blackwell)
Side Three
- Rattlesnake Shake (Green)
Side Four
- Jenny, Jenny (Johnson & Penniman)
- Teenage Darling (Spencer)
- Ready Teddy (Marascalco & Blackwell)
Personnel
Peter Green: vocals, guitar
Danny Kirwan: vocals, guitar
Jeremy Spencer: vocals, slide guitar, congas, percussion
Mick Fleetwood: drums, percussion
John McVie: bass
Recording details
All tracks recorded live at the Eagles Auditorium, Seattle on January 17th 1970 and broadcast on KOL-FM “Great Nights At The Eagles”
Sleevenotes
In August 1967 Fleetwood Mac were a diffident group of Chicago-blues purists, playing their first gig at the seventh annual Windsor Jazz and Blues Festival. Much had changed by January 1970, when they toured the US in support of Then Play On, the 1969 LP that was their creative highspot. Mick Fleetwood’s memories of a night supporting the Grateful Dead gives a flavour of the tour. “That Dead song with the line ‘busted down on Bourbon’, that was the night that Fleetwood Mac played with them at The Warehouse in New Orleans. Owsley had spiked the water fountains and after our set, John McVie was out of it, so he stood in the audience while the rest of us jammed with the Dead. The audience loved it – a massive freak-out. We were following their car back to the hotel, absolutely out of it on acid. I drove the car from the back seat with my feet while somebody else worked the pedals from the side – nobody was in the driver’s seat. We got lost, and by the time we arrived, they’d been busted . . .”
Thankfully Fleetwood Mac reached Seattle intact and unbusted, playing on both January 16th and 17th. The latter gig was recorded on a reel-to-reel recorder using two microphones hung over the stage, the excellent quality results were broadcast on Radio KOL-FM. Because of this we can now enjoy the band at the height of their virtuosity as they balance their love of the blues with extended versions of their own songs, leavened by a smattering of 50’s rock’n’roll classics.
The set begins with a leisurely stroll through the slow blues Let Me Love You, originally recorded by BB King. Green revered King: King reciprocated, saying of Green: “He has the sweetest tone I have ever heard. He was the only one who gave me the cold sweats.” The focus switches to Danny Kirwan with a lively rendition of his Like It This Way. Although it never appeared on a Fleetwood Mac studio LP it was included on the Blues Jam at Chess LP and was a frequent live number showcasing intertwined Kirwan and Green guitar parts. Only You is a more obscure Kirwan composition: it would not receive an official release until his solo album Hello There Big Boy (1979). Both these songs would have enriched Then Play On. Jeremy Spencer loved Elmore James, and two covers of his songs feature next, a raunchy Madison Blues is followed by Spencer’s plaintive plea of Baby Please Set A Date. Otis Rush’s Homework features a tough Peter Green vocal and an infectious workout from the whole band with McVie’s bass prominent. Although not featured on any studio LP Stranger Blues was frequently played live, as was The Sun Is Shining. This track was originally released as the B side of the Black Magic Woman single (1968): its slower tempo provides the opportunity for Spencer to excel on slide. The delicate passages of instrumental World In Harmony highlight the harmony guitars of Kirwan and Green whilst Jerry Lee Lewis’ Great Balls Of Fire gives Spencer a chance to indulge his Elvis fetish.
Thus far the set has been relatively disciplined, but Rattlesnake Shake gives the band a chance to stretch out. Often this involved a detour into the instrumental Underway but not tonight, as the band stick closely to the basic riff throughout with Mick Fleetwood keeping up a punishing pace through multiple guitar solos whih show this incarnation of the band at their improvisatory peak. The song builds to an impressive crescendo before fading at the 22 minute mark: in an alternative universe they are probably playing it still.
The set ends with a trio of rockers. Little Richard’s Jenny, Jenny is played long and heavy. Teenage Darling sounds like a 50’s original but it was written by Jeremy Spencer and was the B side of his 1970 solo single Linda. With a spoken introduction and some doo wop backing vocals the song simultaneously parodies and celebrates the genre. Finally another Little Richard song Ready Teddy has Spencer in full Presley rockout mode again. The audience clap along whilst the band take the song down and then roar back up again, making for a breathless set closer.
Peter Green would leave Fleetwood Mac in April 1970. The band spent years in the commercial wilderness before their unlikely re-invention in 1975, when Buckingham Nicks’ catchy melodicism was grafted onto the sturdy Fleetwood Mac rhythm section. The trademark eclecticism of Fleetwood Mac v1 would not survive the transition, so we are fortunate that their onstage exuberance was captured by recordings such as the one you are holding now.
Sleevenotes – Mrs. Brown
Whilst organising the music for the Elsenham Street Jubilee Party I discovered we had a fine band living at the end of our road. Siblings Phoebe (vocals) and Conor McFarlane (guitar) write the songs for Sabre Dance, backed by Alex Maynard (bass), Andy Campbell Smith (drums) and Sarah Assaf (synth). Their May 2022 demos show great promise.
Phoebe’s pure and plaintive vocals are supported by sympathetic instrumentation and evocative backing vocals. And the songs are very hummable: the lyrics are not always easy to decipher but the melodies are strong enough to carry the songs. Arrangements are concise and serve the songs. Some of the songs are a bit polite for my tastes but Wired does the quiet/loud thing well with an instrumental section that sounds like a record jumping. Distant Halves would be a fine set opener. No Pressure sounds like a single to me.
The band is playing live with recent gigs include the O2 Academy2 Islington and a headline slot at Camden Assembly. Keep an eye on their Instagram for more dates
Lazy Sunday – Small Face
Friday On My Mind – Easybeats
I Hear You Knocking – Dave Edmunds
Jilted John – Jilted John
Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll – Ian Dury
Stop Your Sobbing – Pretenders
Walk On The Wild Side – Lou Reed
Fire – Robert Gordon
Hello Goodbye – Beatles
I’m A Believer – Monkees
Gangsters – Specials
Heart Of Glass – Blondie
Miss You – Rolling Stones
Heroes – David Bowie
Go Your Own Way – Fleetwood Mac
Rehab – Amy Winehouse
1999 – Prince
These Boots Are Made For Walkin’ – Nancy Sinatra
London Calling – Clash
God Save The Queen – Sex Pistols
Lola – Kinks
I Can’t Stand Up For Falling Down – Elvis Costello
Town Called Malice – Jam
Girls & Boys – Blur
Live Forever – Oasis
Jumpin’ Jack Flash – Rolling Stones
Dance To The Music – Sly & The Family Stones
Walk Like An Egyptian – Bangles
I Saw Her Standing There – Beatles
Let’s Dance – Chris Montez
Start Me Up – Rolling Stones
Rebel Rebel – David Bowie
Virginia Plain – Roxy Music
All The Young Dudes – Mott The Hoople
Hey Jude – Beatles
Once In A Lifetime -Talking Heads
Loaded – Primal Scream
Kiss – Prince
Should I Say Or Should I Go – Clash
Albatross – Fleetwood Mac
Layla (Part 2) – Derek and the Dominoes
Opening lyric: “Wouldn’t it be nice to get on with me neighbours?”
Closing lyric: “Should I stay or should I go?” (I went)
The first Trash single Priorities features on the new double-vinyl compilation I’m A Mess, to be released by uber-cool label Soul Jazz on April 23rd in time for this year’s Record Store Day. Full details here https://recordstoreday.com/SpecialRelease/14841
Available now from http://www.1960s.london
Free – Live In Santa Monica 1971
Side One
1. Be My Friend (Fraser, Rodgers)
2. The Stealer (Fraser, Rodgers, Kossoff)
3. Woman (Fraser, Rodgers)
4. Ride On A Pony (Fraser, Rodgers)
Side Two
- Don’t Say You Love Me (Fraser, Rodgers)
- All Right Now (Fraser, Rodgers)
- Fire And Water (Fraser, Rodgers)
- Heavy Load (Fraser, Rodgers)
Side Three
1. The Highway Song (Fraser, Kossoff)
2. My Brother Jake (Fraser, Rodgers)
3. Soon I Will Be Gone (Fraser, Rodgers)
4. I’m A Mover (Fraser, Rodgers)
Side Four
1. Mr. Big (Fraser, Rodgers, Kirke, Kossoff)
2. The Hunter (Jones, Wells, Dunn, Jackson, Cropper)
3. Rock Me Baby (Josea, King)
Recording Details
All tracks recorded live at Santa Monica Civic Centre, Santa Monica, California on
January 22nd 1971 and broadcast by DJ Elliot Mass on Radio KUSC FM in February 1971.
Personnel
Paul Rodgers: vocals
Paul Kossoff: guitar
Andy Fraser: bass, keyboards
Simon Kirke: drums
Sleevenotes
Free formed under the aegis of London blues veteran Alexis Korner in April 1968. They were all very young – bass player Andy Fraser was 15, whilst guitarist Paul Kossoff was 17 and lead singer Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke were both 18. Signing with Chris Blackwell’s Island Records, the band released debut Tons Of Sobs in March 1969. Madcap producer Guy Stevens had the band run through their live set twice in the studio and selected the best takes at a total recording cost of £800. Follow up Free was released in October 1969. By now the band’s constant touring had earned them the support spot on Blind Faith’s only US tour with Eric Clapton asking for tips on how to copy Kossoff’s trademark vibrato.
Everything changed with the release in June 1970 of 3rd LP Fire and Water. Many bands were attempting to emulate the success of Cream and Jimi Hendrix. Whilst Free had the musical ability to do this, crucially the Fraser/Rodgers songwriting team could write hit singles. An edit of All Right Now was the breakthrough, reaching number two on the UK singles charts and propelling Free to an acclaimed performance in front of 600,000 fans at the Isle Of Wight Festival in August 1970. Fire and Water highlighted Kossoff’s ability to do more with less. On standout track Mr Big he lays back and lets Fraser’s bass take the lead. As Simon Kirke said “It was almost as much about the notes he didn’t play as the notes he did.” Adding to this, Kirke’s own talent for metronomic beats plus Rodgers’ Otis Redding vocals and tight trousers and the end result should have been massive global success. Fire and Water reached number 2 in the UK album charts and number 17 in the US. The follow up Highway (December 1970) did not do so well. More introspective and melodic than its predecessor, it was influenced heavily by the Band’s Music From Big Pink. By now Kossoff was finding being in a famous group hard to handle, resulting in escalating drug use. Tensions between Rodgers and Fraser would cause the band to split for the first time in May 1971.
January 1971 finds Free just starting a US tour in Santa Monica in front of a lively crowd who know the songs. Be My Friend makes for a slow start, with a thoughtful bass groove underpinning a convincing Rodgers vocal and a melodic solo from Kossoff. The Stealer has the same lurching rhythm as All Right Now and this version adds urgency to the studio track: the Faces live version from around this time is recommended – Rod Stewart really rated Paul Rodgers. Woman demonstrates the sparseness of the Free live sound with passages of just drums and vocals. Ride On A Pony was allegedly written for Wilson Pickett and is thoroughly funky. Don’t You Say You Love Me begins delicately before Rodgers starts to testify. Its slow pace acts an effective aperitif to All Right Now. Kossoff’s opening riff is greeted by cheers from the audience. Fire and Water features another impassioned Rodgers vocal and ends with a mini solo from Kirke. Fraser adds another dimension to the sound by moving to piano for Heavy Load where minimal Kossoff guitar supports Rodgers’ subtle vocal.
Jaunty piano drives the upbeat The Highway Song and single My Brother Jake. Soon I Will Be Gone is another plaintive ballad, allowing the band to catch their breath before the final rave up. I’m A Mover is an early single where Kirke and Kossoff swap riffs before Fraser and Rodgers enter. The playing on Mr Big shows bass, guitar and drums playing with rare empathy. Albert King’s The Hunter was a highspot of early Free gigs. The lyric is of its time (“I’ve got you in the sights of my love gun”) but Kossoff finally lets rip with an exuberant solo. The final song is B.B. King’s Rock Me Baby, renamed as Rock My Plimsoul on the first Jeff Beck Group LP. Kossoff is lyrical and tasteful here and the twelve bar gracefully brings the set to a close via a Rodgers call-and-response with the audience.
Free would reform in 1972, mainly out of concern for Kossoff. The reunion produced a hit single (Little Bit Of Love) and LP (Free At Last) but Kossoff was unable to tour consistently. After a final LP Heartbreaker the band broke up for good in February 1973. Kossoff died of a pulmonary embolism in March 1976 at the age of 25. The Wishing Well single contained the Paul Rodgers lyric “Throw down your gun you might shoot yourself, or is that what you are trying to do?”.
Rolling Stone magazine has referred to Free as “hard rock pioneers” but they were much more than that. Whilst they strongly influenced US Southern rockers such as Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Black Crowes, at the heart of Free’s music is a sparseness and a subtlety that is the antithesis of hard rock. A better comparison would be Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac, another band that came out of the London blues boom of the late 1960s and who used it as the springboard to create something new where respect for the blues tradition met inspired songwriting and instrumental virtuosity in the service of the song. A recording career that generated six studio LPs in four years: no wonder they struggled to keep up. Today the band would have been told to take a break after Highway and sort themselves out. And then how might The Free Story have ended?
Sleevenotes: Mr. Morrision
PLEASE NOTE
Owing to a manufacturing error the second disc of this 2LP set is labelled incorrectly. The music however is as per the tracklisting. Apologies for the mistake.
Crosby Stills Nash & Young: Live 1969 – 1970
Side One
- Sea Of Madness (Young)
- 4+20 (Stills)
- Down By The River (Young)
- Get Together (Powers)
- Mobile Line (Duren, Stampfel)
- Red Eye Express (Duren)
Side Two
- You Don’t Have To Cry (Stills)
- Long Time Gone (Crosby)
- Down By The River (Young)
- Ohio (Young)
- Southern Man (Young)
- On The Way Home (Young)
- Find The Cost Of Freedom (Stills)
Recording Details
Side One
Tracks 1-6 recorded at the Big Sur Folk Festival in the grounds of the Salen Institute, California, September 13th -14th 1969 and included in the film Celebration At Big Sur
Side Two
Tracks 1 & 2 Recorded for This Is Tom Jones, ATV Television, broadcast October 16th 1969
Track 3 Recorded live for ABC TV Music Scene and broadcast on September 22nd 1969
Tracks 4 – 7 recorded live at the Fillmore East, New York June 2nd 1970 and broadcast on VH-1 Legends Specials March 12th and June 15th 2000
Personnel
Side One – tracks 1-4, Side Two tracks 1 -3
Neil Young – guitar, vocals, organ
Stephen Stills – guitar, vocals, organ, piano
David Crosby – guitar, vocals
Graham Nash – guitar, vocals, organ, piano
Dallas Taylor – drums
Greg Reeves – bass
Joni Mitchell – guitar, vocals (Side one, Track 4)
John Sebastian – vocals (Side one, Track 4)
Tom Jones – vocals (Side 2, Track 2)
Side One – tracks 5 & 6
Stephen Stills – guitar, vocals
John Sebastian – guitar, vocals
Side Two tracks 4-7
Neil Young – guitar, vocals, organ
Stephen Stills – guitar, vocals, organ, piano
David Crosby – guitar, vocals
Graham Nash – guitar, vocals, organ, piano
John Barbata – drums
Calvin Samuels – bass
Sleevenotes
Following the release of their eponymous LP in May 1969 Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young were an overnight success – overnight that is if you discount the years of apprenticeship served in the Byrds, Hollies and Buffalo Springfield. Their second gig was Woodstock and the rest of 1969 saw them building on this instant popularity through appearing on TV and in concert.
The Big Sur Folk Festival was a more manageable version of Woodstock, held annually from 1964 -1971 with crowd numbers kept deliberately modest. Filmed in 1969 for the documentary Celebration At Big Sur, the band performs a rollicking version of’ Sea Of Madness driven by Neil Young’s organ. 4+20 is delicately performed acoustically by Stills solo, a rare moment of understatement. However a local artist starts heckling Stills and ends up in a fight with him, accompanied by Crosby’s helpful “Peace and love, peace and love. Kick his ass!”. The festival is a benefit for the Institute For The Study Of Non Violence: Stills’ is wearing a very ostentatious fur coat. Such are the contradictions of the counterculture. Down By The River is a song from Young’s second solo LP Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere (May 1969), performed here with space for some extended guitar sparring. The band are joined by Joni Mitchell and a totally tie-dyed John Sebastian for a version of hippie anthem Get Together. Originally a hit single for the Youngbloods, other versions were recorded by Jefferson Airplane, HP Lovecraft and a solo David Crosby (pre-Byrds). Stills and Sebastian duet acoustically on Mobile Line and Red Eye Express.
The first two songs on Side Two are from This Is Tom Jones, recorded in London. At the time Tom Jones was an all-round family entertainer so inviting CSNY onto his peak time show was a brave move. Even braver was Tom joining in on vocals on Long Time Gone. Footage shows a sceptical Crosby looking progressively more impressed as the song continues. You Don’t Have To Cry is unencumbered by Tom Jones’ contribution. For the opening show in ABC TV’s Music Scene series CSNY played a more concise version of Down By The River. The band were introduced by TV comedian David Steinberg. Other guests on the show included The Beatles, James Brown, Tony Bennett and Buck Owens.
The final selection of tracks stem from a residency at Bill Graham’s Fillmore East from June 2nd – 7th 1970. By now second CSNY album Deja Vu had been released to great commercial and critical success. Touring the LP resulted in ructions between the band and their rhythm section, culminating in Taylor and Reeves being fired and replaced by Johnny Barbata and Calvin Samuels. Barbata came from The Turtles whilst Samuels was recommended by Young’s former bandmate Rick James. The fragment of Ohio is a highlight here. Written by Young in response to police shooting students at Kent State this track managed to turn the vaguely idealistic lyrical notions of the band’s songs into something more specific and highly targeted. The rush-released single benefitted from raucous guitars to echo the anger of the lyrics and the version here is no less impassioned. Ohio would not appear on a CSNY studio album until the 1974 compilation So Far. Southern Man is taken from Young’s third solo LP After The Goldrush and gets an extended full-band band workout. The Buffalo Springfield’s On The Way Home is sung solo by Young. An excerpt fromStills’ Find The Cost Of Freedom closes this side:the songwas the band’s traditional set closer and was the B side of Ohio.
Selections from the Fillmore East residency plus recordings from Chicago and Los Angeles would form the basis of the double LP Four Way Street. By the time this LP was released in 1971 CSNY had splintered and would remain apart until the lure of vast amounts of money saw them reunited for a tour in 1974. The bands post-1970 activities would be incredibly successful financially, but less rewarding in artistic terms as the members of CSNY concentrated on their respective solo careers. The recordings on this LP show this mercurial collective at their peak.
Coral Lanyon
With many thanks to Neil Parison for his invaluable assistance with this release
Available now from http://www.1960s.london
Van Morrison – “It’s Too Great To Stop Now” Live 1971 2LP set
Side One
1. Into The Mystic (Morrison)
2. I’ve Been Working (Morrison)
3. Friday’s Child (Morrison)
4. Que Sera, Sera (Livingston & Evans) /
Hound Dog (Leiber & Stoller)
Side Two
1. Ballerina (Morrison)
2. Tupelo Honey (Morrison)
3. Wild Night (Morrison)
4. Just Like A Woman (Dylan)
Side Three
1. Moonshine Whiskey (Morrison)
2. Dead Or Alive (Guthrie)
3. You’re My Woman (Morrison)
4. These Dreams Of You (Morrison)
Side Four
1. Domino (Morrison)
2. Call Me Up In Dreamland (Morrison)
3. Blue Money (Morrison)
4. Bring it On Home to Me (Cooke)
5. Buena Sera, Signorina (Sigman & de Rose)
Personnel
Van Morrison: guitar, harmonica, vocal
Ronnie Montrose: electric and acoustic guitars, mandolin
Mark Jordan: piano, organ
Bill Chuch: bass
Bill Atwood: trumpet, trombone
Jack Schroer: soprano, alto, and baritone saxophones, piano
Rick Shlosser: drums, percussion
Ellen Schroer: vocals
Janet Morrison: vocals
Sleevenotes: Richard Cory
Recording Details
All tracks recorded live at Pacific High Recorders, Marin, California on September 5th 1971 and broadcast on Radio KSAN FM in October 1971.
Morrison’s live 1974 double LP It’s Too Late To Stop Now is “one of the greatest live albums of all time and one acknowledged by Morrison as a career peak” (John Tobler). It was recorded at shows in Los Angeles, Santa Monica and London between May and July 1973. What is less well known is the concert given by Van and his stellar band in September 1971 to an intimate audience of less than 200 at the Pacific High Recorders studio in Marin County, near to where Morrison was living with his wife Janet and their new daughter Shana. Many of the praises applied to It’s Too Late…apply equally to the earlier session, presented here in glorious stereo. By the time of this recording Van Morrison had left behind the beat-group days of Them and the intricate song cycle of Astral Weeks, although he plays homage to both. What took their place were the 1970 LPs Moondance and His Band And Street Choir, both rooted in soul and R&B but also informed by Morrison’s love of traditional folk and jazz. His next LP Tupelo Honey would follow in October 1971.
Opening track Into The Mystic makes for a relaxed introduction, highlighting the ability of the Atwood/Schroer horn section to punctuate a song. Morrison improvises vocally, but the well-drilled band follows him. I’ve Been Working features the jazzy piano of Mark Jordan and finishes with a whispered “You send me”. Friday’s Child is a real rarity. Written in 1967 for Them it is a song about leaving home with the telling refrain “you can’t stop now” carried effectively by Jordan’s piano and the female backing vocals of Ellen Schroer and Janet Morrison. A more humorous insight into Morrison’s childhood is provided by the segue from Que Sera Sera into a riotous Hound Dog that positively drips with grease.
The only song here from Astral Weeks, Ballerina expands to nine minutes. Next up are two songs from the forthcoming LP Tupelo Honey. The title track is a relaxed reflection on Morrison’s new-found bucolic existence, whilst Wild Night by contrast is all horn-driven exuberance. Newly released as a single it starts with some enticing guitar from Ronnie Montrose and never lets up. Van Morrison was a good interpreter of Bob Dylan, with Them’s version of It’s All Over Now Baby Blue being particularly effective. Just Like A Woman is beautifully sung, although some of Morrison’s vocal improvisations dismantle the sexual ambiguity of the original.
Moonshine Whiskey is another new track from the soon-to-be released Tupelo Honey which demonstrates the band’s ability to stop on a dime, orchestrated by Morrison’s discrete hand signals. Dead Or Alive is a Woody Guthrie song, popularised by Lonnie Donegan on the UK skiffle scene of the early 1960s. Another rarity, this cheerful performance belies the message of its lyrics and features some buoyant call-and-response vocals. You’re My Woman was inspired by Janet Morrison, who thus sings about herself. The band turn These Dreams Of You into an irresistible invitation to the dance floor driven by the impeccable rhythm section of Chuch and Schlosser.
The exuberant mood persists through Domino where even the notoriously taciturn Morrison sounds like he’s having a good time: Bruce Springsteen was clearly listening very closely to this masterclass in band dynamics. Call Me Up In Dreamland and Blue Money retain this cheerful vibe. A leisurely stroll through Sam Cooke’s Bring It On Home To Me tees up the unexpected set closer Buena Sera, Signorina. Previously a hit for Louis Prima, Dean Martin and Acker Bilk it starts bizarrely with the 1812 Overture played as a polka before rocking out.
“This is Van Morrison at the top of his game, delivering a set fuelled with unbridled passion. With no trace of the nervousness or anger that occasionally marred his concert performances during this era and with his sense of humour so prominent, it is no wonder that this recording has achieved such legendary status among Morrison’s fans and collectors. This provocative performance is often brilliant and is an enthralling listen from beginning to end.” Alan Bershaw
Sleevenotes: Richard Cory
On Tour ’65 2CD Set
The Rolling Stones
CD One
- (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction (Jagger, Richard)
- I’m Alright (McDaniel)
- Everybody Needs Somebody To Love (Russell, Burke, Wexler)
- Pain In My Heart (Neville)
- Around And Around (Berry)
- Time Is On My Side (Meade)
- I’m Movin’ On (Snow)
- The Last Time (Jagger, Richard)
- (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction (Jagger, Richard)
- I’m Alright (McDaniel)
- Get Off Of My Cloud (Jagger, Richard) / Satisfaction (Jagger, Richard) / I’m Movin’ On (Snow)
- Everybody Needs Somebody To Love (Russell, Burke, Wexler)
- Around and Around (Berry)
- Off The Hook (Nanker, Phelge)
- Time Is On My Side (Meade)
- Carol (Berry)
- It’s All Over Now (Womack, Womack)
- Little Red Rooster (Dixon)
- It’s All Over Now (Womack, Womack)
- Everybody Needs Somebody To Love (Russell, Burke, Wexler)
- The Last Time (Jagger, Richard)
- I’m Alright (McDaniel)
- Crawdad (McDaniel)
- Everybody Needs Somebody To Love (Russell, Burke, Wexler)
- Pain In My Heart (Neville)
- Around And Around (Berry)
- The Last Time (Jagger, Richards)
- Little Red Rooster (Dixon)
Recording Details
Tracks 1 & 2 Recorded live at Halle Munsterland, Munster, Germany (first show) on September 11th and broadcast on German TV (ZDF) Schaufenster Deutschland and Deutsche Wochenschau
Tracks 3 – 10 recorded live in the Ernst Merck Halle, Hamburg, Germany on September 13th (second show) and broadcast on German TV
Track 11 Recorded live in Waldbuhne, Berlin, Germany on September 15th and broadcast on German TV SFB Berliner Abendschau on September 16th
Tracks 12 – 23 Recorded live at the Olympia, Paris for RTL Radio, First Show April 18th 1965
Tracks 24 – 27recorded live at Wembley Empire Pool, London on 11th April 1965 and broadcast on April 18th as “The Big Beat ’65” (ABC and ITV).
Track 28 Track Rehearsal recorded live and broadcast January 6th on UTV Belfast Six Five
CD Two
- The Last Time (Jagger, Richard)
- Little Red Rooster (Dixon)
- Everybody Needs Somebody To Love (Russell, Burke, Wexler)
- Oh Baby (We Got A Good Thing Going)
- (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction (Jagger, Richard)
- Down The Road Apiece (Raye)
- Little Red Rooster (Dixon)
- The Last Time (Jagger, Richard)
- Play With Fire (Jagger, Richard)
- (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction (Jagger, Richard)
- Around And Around (Berry)
- If You Need Me (Bateman, Pickett, Sanders)
- Down The Road Apiece (Raye)
- Time Is On My Side (Meade)
- What A Shame (Jagger, Richard)
- Everybody Needs Somebody To Love (Russell, Burke, Wexler)
- The Last Time (Jagger, Richard)
- Everybody Needs Somebody To Love (Russell, Burke, Wexler)
- Pain In My Heart (Neville)
- I’m Alright (McDaniel)
- Oh Baby (We Got A Good Thing Going) (Lynn)
- That’s How Strong My Love Is (Jamison)
- (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction (Jagger, Richard)
- Cry To Me (Russell)
- She Said Yeah (Jackson, Christy)
- Get Off Of My Cloud (Jagger, Richard)
- Useless Information (Jagger, Richard)
- She Said Yeah (Jackson, Christy)
- Get Off Of My Cloud (Jagger, Richard)
- Reelin’ And Rockin’ (Berry)
Recording Details
Tracks 1-3 Recorded and broadcast on the ‘Ed Sullivan Show’, New York 2.5.65
Tracks 4 & 5 Recorded for ‘Yeh Yeh’ with Tony Hall, BBC Light Programme, London on 20.8.65 and broadcast on 30.8.65
Tracks 6 -10 Recorded for ‘Shindig’, Los Angeles on 20.5.65 and broadcast on 26.5.65. Backing track for Satisfaction recorded at Chess Studios, Chicago on 10.5.65
Tracks 11 – 26 recorded and broadcast on ‘Ready Steady Go’, Studio One, Wembley (ARTV) on 07.08.64 (11 & 12), 15.01.65 (13 – 15), 26.02.65 (16), 9.04.65 (17 – 20), 10.09.65 (21 – 23, pre-recorded on 2.9.65) and 22.10.65 (24 – 26).
Tracks 27 – 29 recorded and broadcast on NBC ‘Hullabaloo’ New York 11.11.65.
Track 30 Recorded for ‘Nestle’s Top Swinging Groups’, Radio Luxembourg Studios, London Mayfair 18.03.64
Personnel
Mick Jagger – lead vocals, harmonica
Brian Jones – guitar
Keith Richard – guitar, backing vocals
Bill Wyman – bass
Charlie Watts – drums
Sleevenotes
Following the success of our On Tour ’64 release we are delighted to bring you a companion volume from the following year. 1965 was the year that the Stones exported their domestic success to the rest of the world: the tracks here comprise radio and TV broadcasts from the UK, Germany, France and the USA.
The Rolling Stones first visit to Germany was a “riotous five city affair” (Bill Wyman) with thousands of screaming fans greeted by the police using water cannons. An Essen policeman claimed “I’ve seen nothing like this since the old days of a Nazi or Communist rally.” The Berlin date ended in a full-scale riot: the excerpts of Get Off Of My Cloud, Satisfaction and I’m Moving On included here come from a German TV news programme scandalised by the damage done to the venue. Equally seismic was Brian Jones meeting Anita Pallenberg for the first time after the Munich gig.
Two songs from Munster reveal Jagger making full use of a big stage to rouse a predominantly-seated audience during Satisfaction. Jones is in imperious form, shaking a tambourine to get the crowd going during the closing I’m Alright. An impassioned Everybody Needs Somebody To Love opens the Hamburg set, with Jagger testifying during Pain In My Heart. The recording is so clear you can hear Jagger’s handclaps on Around And Around before the guitars of Richard and Jones muscle in and take over. Time Is On My Side features Keith Richard’s languid backing vocals providing a charming if slightly ragged harmony. A rare live outing for I’m Moving On includes Brian Jones on slide duetting with Jagger’s harmonica whilst Richards holds down the rhythm. A very polite Charlie Watts introduces The Last Time – more joint Jagger/Richardvocals and chiming twin guitars. The band stomps through Satisfactionbefore finishing with I’m Alright, Bill Wyman’s bass carrying the rhythm as Jagger works the crowd into a frenzy.
The Olympia, Paris was the venue for another exhilarating gig, thankfully recorded in good quality by French radio. A brief snippet of Everybody Wants To Somebody To Love prefaces a rockin’ Around And Around, Jagger’s vocal exuberance matched by the Richards / Jones guitar team tearing into the solos. The loping rhythm of overlooked B-side Off The Hook highlights the dexterity of Watts and Wyman. Carol kicks off with an electrifying intro from Keith Richards, whilst Brian Jones’ slide guitar is the focus of Little Red Rooster (introduced here by the rarely-vocal Charlie Watts). Sheer punk energy drives Route 66. A lengthier Everybody Needs Somebody To Love is followed by The Last Time, featuring Richard’s distinctive backing vocals. Then back to the Crawdaddy club in Richmond for two rarely-played Bo Diddley covers I’m Alright and Crawdad itself, both of which have the desired effect of making the crowd go completely bonkers.
Amidst this European success the UK was not overlooked. Bill Wyman remembers “On 11th April we played our first UK show in three weeks at the Empire Pool, Wembley. It was ‘The NME Poll Winners concert’ in front of a capacity audience of 10,000. Other acts included the Moody Blues, Georgie Fame, the Seekers, Donovan, Them, the Animals and the Beatles. We closed the first half and the Beatles closed the show.” Everybody Needs Somebody To Love is performed at a slower pace than usual and forms a medley with Pain In My Heart . Around and Around features a pair of densely interwoven guitars whilst the start of The Last Timeis greetedwith female screams and benefits from distinctive Keith Richards backing vocals. At the concert the Stones picked up awards for Best New Group, Best British R’n’B Group and Mick Jagger won Best New Disc Or TV Singer.
Rounding off the first disc is a brief but charming rehearsal of Little Red Rooster, done for Irish TV.
Disc Two collates the Stones 1965 TV appearances in the UK and in the US. London’s Ready Steady Go! would became the Stones televisual home from home. Fronted by uber-mod Cathy McGowan this is where the Stones learnt to play to the cameras. Mick Jagger: “RSG! wasn’t safe, it took risks and waded right into the wonderful chaos of the times. It was the best rock’n’roll show of all time”. Initial programmes were mostly mimed, although the Stones August 1964 performances of Wilson Pickett’s If You Need Me and Chuck Berry’s Around And Around are unmistakeably live. January 1965 saw the Stones playing their own What A Shame as well as covers of Time Is On My Side and Down The Road Apiece. During the February 1965 performance of Everybody Needs Somebody To Love Mick was dragged offstage by female members of the Stones fan club.
By April 1965 every band was performing live. The programme’s iconic slogan “The Weekend Starts Here!” adds excitement to The Last Time, followed by the Everybody Needs Somebody To Love / Pain In My Heart medley and a truncated version of I’m Alright. By September 1965 the Stones’ increased popularity had earned them their very own edition of RSG! which showcased a more soul orientated approach through covers of Barbara Lynn’s Oh Baby! (We Got A Good Thing Going) and Otis Redding’s That’s How Strong My Love Is, before closing with a pounding Satisfaction. Director Michael Lindsay-Hogg was especially pleased with the way Satisfaction turned out, “a very exciting performance”. Sheila Oldham (Loog’s wife) described it as “so great, watching the Stones do Satisfaction was like having sex, it was fabulous”. There is a rare appearance from sixth Stone Ian Stewart on Oh Baby! and his distinctive piano can be heard in the second half of the song. An October 1965 session contrasts the impassioned ballad Cry To Me with the all-out ravers of Get Off My Cloud and She Said Yeah, the latter co-written by Sonny Bono under an alias.
A short-lived BBC radio programme was “Yeh Yeh” was hosted by Tony Hall and featured the Stones in August 1965. Versions of Oh Baby (We Got A Good Thing Going) and(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction are different to those on the official BBC On Air release. A further rare track is the Radio Luxembourg recording of Reelin’ and Rockin’.
The success of RSG! spawned similar shows in America such as Shindig and Hullabaloo. The Stones recorded five tracks for Shindig in May 1965. Little Red Rooster benefitted from some additional howling and Brian Jones’s peerless slide, whilst a brief Down The Road Apiece squeezed in a Berry-style solo from Keith Richard. What the natives made of references to Hackney and Knightsbridge in the brooding Play With Fire is not known. The backing tracks for these songs were specially recorded at RCA Studios in Los Angeles two days previously and feature an early collaboration with Billy Preston on keyboards. Mercifully the Hullabaloo Orchestra’s brief ‘interpretation’ of Satisfaction is overwhelmed by the Stones rocking out on inspired live versions of She Said Yeah and Get Off Of My Cloud, Jones and Richards sporting matching Gibson Firebirds.
Equally influential in the US was The Ed Sullivan Show. Whilst Shindig and Hullabaloo were filmed on the West Coast and had pretensions to being hip, the Sullivan show was ultra-conservative and based in New York. Even so, Ed Sullivan provided a useful platform for the Stones right up until November 1969, giving aspiring rock’n’rollers such as Patti Smith their first glimpse of the band. On their May 1965 appearance The Last Time seems to take Charlie by surprise as he is still setting up when the song starts. Brian sports a gorgeous white Vox Teardrop but it is Keith that solos. Brian’s slide provides the focus of Little Red Rooster, duetting with Jagger’s harmonica at the end of the song. Jagger vamps his way into Everybody Needs Somebody To Love, the audience screaming louder in response to his pointing at them during the “you, you, you” sequence. Remarkably the band still bow at the end of each number.
From February 1964 through to November 1965, the Stones were frequent performers on mainstream radio and television. It was like having them in your living room: they would never offer this easy access again. From 1966 onwards the increasing fragility of Brian Jones would result in the Stones gradually cutting back on their live performances, both in person and on TV. Once 1967’s “Summer Of Love” was safely out of the way the Stones would resurface in the darkly menacing video for Jumping Jack Flash, all tribal make up and bug-eye shades.
The weekend would no longer start here, because the weekend would never stop.
Sleevenotes – Linda Lu
Teenage Cancer Trust Benefit
View: Right Down The Front (Arena F)
Royal Albert Hall, March 25th 2022
A more accurate description would be Townshend/Daltrey Unplugged, albeit with a band featuring Who stalwarts Simon Townshend and Billy Nicholls on guitar and vocals plus bass-player Phil Spalding, Charlie Hart on fiddle, Andy Cutting playing the accordion, Geraint Watkins on keyboards and longtime collaborator Jody Linscott exuberant on percussion. The opening salvo of Substitute and The Kids Are Alright demonstrated how many of the early Who songs work really well when played only on acoustic guitar. Repeated attempts at Squeeze Box in a variety of keys suggested that the two hours rehearsal time claimed by Townshend was generous, but the version of Tattoo that followed was gorgeous. From then on it was a mixture of the well known (Who Are You, Behind Blue Eyes, Pinball Wizard, Eminence Front) and the more obscure (Let My Love Open The Door, Real Good Looking Boy). Beads On One String received its live debut, dedicated to the people of Ukraine. The double whammy of Baba O’Reilly and Won’t Get Fooled Again brought the capacity crowd to their feet, the latter performed by Daltrey and Townshend as an intimate duet. A fascinating sidelong glance at the Who, which devoid of the Sturm und Drang of their normal electric performances demonstrated the strength of their songbook.
This review written for Record Collector magazine
Only Rock 'n' Roll 