As classic the versions of this brilliant Stones song are from Perth, Brussles, London '73 etc...I think the TRUE representation of this song comes from Altamont 1969.
This is amazingly haunting and is driven by the great bass from Wyman....the whole band on fire here...Keith has a kind of LCD-driven lead guitar that, even if it's not classical, fits the song brilliantly. Jagger also on song...

IMO the best live version of this classic.

I like it, but I prefer the later taylor versions, 72-73. But I hear ya, its strong like a freight train coming down the tracks!!!

i preffer this version as well, the 72-73 versions had sax and i don't think it works well with the song

The song's impact, drama and performance was very much highlighted by the environment at Altamont. Does that make it the best version? It depends who you ask I reckon. I do wonder why they didn't play it more during the '69 tour. Does anyone know just how many times they did play it then?

About five times, I think

While there are a lot of really strong versions in between 69-73 and some fabulous '75 renditions also, the studio version is untouchable. In fact I don't think any live version comes even close

I agree that nothing can top the studio version, even though there are some great live versions.

Every time I hear the studio version, the word that comes to mind is "ominous". THere is a haunting, lurking, ominous feeling to that song. It isn't just the lyrics, it is the mood, the feel of it. Brilliant.

I have the complete SBD 4-minute long version if you want me to post it. The version in the movie is missing two minutes of song.

why this edit in the movie,,,?????

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akgameboy
I have the complete SBD 4-minute long version if you want me to post it. The version in the movie is missing two minutes of song.

Yes, please post it!

Here ya go:
Gimme Shelter-Altamont

Brilliant post. This is my favorite live version as well, mistakes and all. Very straight-forward and chilling. Of course the studio version is perfect.
Thanks to akgameboy for posting the track

Yeah it's my favorite live version too. There's some kind of groove to it that the 1972 performances are missing. I love what they're playing on guitar at 2:43 to 2:50.

altamont and brussels 1A and 1B

I prefer the studio version; like many songs, they were never able to reproduce the original atmosphere, most notably Mary Clayton's hair-raising vocals and Micks haunting harp.

And Taylor's lead noodling I always felt was distracting.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009-04-11 04:08 by Muppet HiFi.

yes - the studio version is untouchable but my point was Altamont was it's best representation live....and yes I love the Taylor-72/73 dominated versions also...

the 1995 tour has some really incredible versions --the best tour for this tune IMO...

STONES JAM!! MICKEYS RULES!!! (burp) NADER IN 2016!!!!! GO GIANTS!!

Perth is the best boot I've ever heard but GS is a train wreck so I'm not sure why it is mentioned. Charlie lost the plot for a minute there.

The best version is the studio version. Same goes for Honky Tonk Women. The groove, the mood...they were never better on these songs than when they recorded it back in 1969. Thank god it's on tape.

My favourite has always been Philadelphia '72. But I love the studio version, and for sheer atmosphere, Altamont is brilliant in its own twisted way.

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Bimmelzerbott
The best version is the studio version. Same goes for Honky Tonk Women. The groove, the mood...they were never better on these songs than when they recorded it back in 1969. Thank god it's on tape.

And more recently on cd.

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akgameboy
Here ya go:
Gimme Shelter-Altamont

Wow!!! Where is that from? I am collecting bootlegs for more than 30 years now but I have never heard this version before. Brilliant!

shot of salvation bootleg has that version

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akgameboy
Here ya go:
Gimme Shelter-Altamont

Absolutely fantastic! This is surely the best sounding 1969 bootleg there is.

Are there more tracks available with the same sound quality?

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WeLoveYou

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akgameboy
Here ya go:
Gimme Shelter-Altamont

Absolutely fantastic! This is surely the best sounding 1969 bootleg there is.

Are there more tracks available with the same sound quality?

this is something i put together a few months back if interested, a soundtrack of sorts for the gimme shelter movie.
[www.iorr.org]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009-04-13 00:46 by ghostryder13.

I hope this doesn't offend anyone (its tinkering with perfection), but I ran this through some mastering software to bring out the guitars, add reverb, and give it some punch.


[www.mediafire.com]

I'm downloading all the above, will have a listen soon. thanks everyone!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009-04-13 13:10 by WeLoveYou.

IMO I do not think the '69 tour can be over-estimated, musically or otherwise. It was the last time the band took the stage with anything to prove. It was backing two of its best albums, works of great maturity. It had a virtuoso lead guitarist. And the short three week tour showed you a band in transition right before your eyes and ears. Never since the very early days have you seen the band so unabashed. The tour was in some respects an extended rehearsal. But despite that, the band gave us definitive performances of MR, SFTD, LIV and Satisfaction. It had the balls to do an acoustic blues duet. Has JJF ever sounded sexier? I consider this tour to be the classic Keith period.

This version of GS opens with a throbbing fuzzy bassline (it is something they got around to doing with UMThumb as well, opening with the bassline). It retains the eerie guitar line of the studio version despite Keith's rather rickity guitar playing and questionable tone. Somehow it works for me. Taylor is hard to hear. I think he is playing the strumming the bottom end like he did with the Berry songs. At one point I think he hits some high notes that mirror Keith's.

One of my day dream fantasies is to hear a rearrangement of this song with Taylor, but keeping that Keith guitar line and the overall '69 tone of the performance.

I wonder what we would have if the guitar parts were reversed. If Keith played the bottom end and Taylor played those eerie guitar lines. Would Taylor's tone and elegance enhance the song? Could he keep the song's edgy feel? Would the song work with a shot of classy playing? I'd like to try that on for size.

Love that movie! Street Fighting Man against the moon does it for me!!