May 26th, 2009
Rolling Stones fans ‘Star’-struck by censorship

Posted by: Dean Goodman

Rolling Stones fans are a grumpy lot these days.

The band has not toured since August 2007, triggering a painful withdrawal period for acolytes of the death-defying rockers; a CD reissue program turned out to be an anticlimax; and now the Stones’ new label has censored one of their raunchier tunes.

Universal Music has licensed the rights to the group’s post-1960s albums, and released the first batch three weeks ago: remastered versions of “Sticky Fingers” (1971), “Goats Head Soup” (1973), “It’s Only Rock ‘N’ Roll” (1975) and “Black And Blue” (1976).

Fans were initially thrilled about the prospect of the new reissue program, contemplating discs jam-packed with bonus material. That soon turned to disappointment and then outrage when it emerged that any outtakes, demos and other goodies will stay in the vaults.

The previous remastering program took place in 1994, when the band was signed to Virgin Records, and those discs remain the gold standard. (Universal has held back the reissue of 1972’s “Exile on Main Street” until early 2010, promising “wider plans for this title.”)

But sharp-eared fans at the Web site It’s Only Rock n’ Roll have noticed a difference between the Universal and Virgin versions of “Goats Head Soup,” and they are not thrilled. In the groupie put-down “Star Star,” a vulgar synonym for the female genitals has been obscured, as has a reference to late actor John Wayne.

Both phrases were obscured when the album first came out in 1973. In fact the album’s U.S. release was delayed by several months because Atlantic Records, the group’s label at the time, wanted to drop the song completely. Moreover, the Stones were forced to change the original title, which has always been heard in its full glory, chanted about 65 times during the song.

The Virgin reissue restored both the naughty word — which begins with a “p” — and the John Wayne reference to the couplet “Yeah, I’ll make bets that you’re gonna get John Wayne before he dies.”

So who’s to blame for the problem? No one is talking: That includes publicists for both the Rolling Stones and Universal, as well as officials at Marcussen Mastering Studios, the Hollywood firm handling the Universal reissues.

It’s likely Marcussen worked from the tapes supplied by the Stones camp. At least, that’s what happened with the Virgin Records program, says mastering engineer Bill Ludwig, who handled that project.

“Sometimes the clients intentionally want us to change things,” Ludwig said via email, recalling that the Stones requested a “small number of … little changes,” such as restoring Sonny Rollins’ extended sax solo on the “Tattoo You” track “Slave.”

“When I did the re-mastering I was told that Keith (Richards) really got into it and set up a vinyl turntable, had someone re-buy all the original vinyl issues, and did lots of comparisons,” Ludwig said.

If Universal ends up recalling the album or refunding fans, it shouldn’t break the coffers at the world’s biggest record company too much. The reissued album has sold fewer than 100 copies in the United States, according to a music industry source.

[blogs.reuters.com]

Well 'censoring' the lyrics by doubling Mick's own "But that's what I call obscene' is very witty but musically it does the mix no good.

Depending on how you listen it's now:
"But that's what I call p*ssy clean" or "But that's what I call obscene clean"

or even "But that's too bad you keep your p*ssy clean"

Now that's what I call tongue in cheek censorship. And 36 years after the fact it's still a riot. Now that's what I call good PR.

For those who took the piss, the joke's on you.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2009-05-27 11:33 by Britney.

'good PR' only has a point if it creates a lot of public interest and financial revenue. As the sales have been abysmal, this little ripple appears to have done neither.

i don't have any prob with the obscuring of the vocal lines - think it's kinda cute and funny. just curious - for those so offended by this transgression - what's your take on the stones' own "editing" of the song's title itself? i mean, "star star?" wtf? may has well have called it "star light, star bright, first star i eff tonight" or something....

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Britney
Well 'censoring' the lyrics by doubling Mick's own "But that's what I call obscene' is very witty but musically it does the mix no good.

Depending on how you listen it's now:
"But that's what I call p*ssy clean" or "But that's what I call obscene clean"

or even "But that's too bad you keep your p*ssy clean"

Now that's what I call tongue in cheek censorship. And 36 years after the fact it's still a riot. Now that's what I call good PR.

For those who took the piss, the joke's on you.

At first listening ,I heard both lyrics .But now you wrote it,I tried it again and you're right,I hear :"But that's what I call a p*ssy clean"

As I said below, and even as a non English speaker ,I found it very weird that they censored this part of the lyrics ,while one can hears during 4.22 :
You're a star ,f****r star ,f****r star,f****r star "



I am a Frenchie ,as Mick affectionately called them in the Old Grey Whistle Test in 1977 .

It comes back to the fact that the song was remastered by CBS and Virgin in its original uncensored form - the way the rest of the world (except the US) heard it in its original vinyl release. Clearly, the Stones preferred the uncensored version. As for the censored title "Star Star", Mick Taylor commented in 1973 that the important thing was that the song was included on the album.

I'm surprised Universal even sold a 100 units with the new "remaster". If people are "taking the piss" the joke is clearly on Universal (and whoever in the Stones camp provided the tapes).

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Glam Descendant
>who is buying these things??

People who don't already own them perhaps? They've been out of print, now they're available again, there's no mystery.

....they have NEVER been out of print

Yes they have. This year. They were out of print. For a few months. When you can't buy them at a store that sells new and back catalogue records and the back catalogue is not for sale that means those records are out of print.

Very simple.

I love the new remaster of Goats Head, especially Star Star! I grew up with the censored version and love the effects used in the so-called censoring. We have the other version on CD and now we have the old version!! WAY COOL!! Also, the new mix is wierd but interesting and much different. Cool booklet too! Goats Head is at least worth buying for Star Star alone!

^Seriously? erm....

But sharp-eared fans at the Web site It’s Only Rock n’ Roll have noticed a difference between the Universal and Virgin versions of “Goats Head Soup,” and they are not thrilled. In the groupie put-down “Star Star,” a vulgar synonym for the female genitals has been obscured, as has a reference to late actor John Wayne.

Great.

So now when and if the Exile 'Deluxe' edition comes out with a '72 concert DVD included, we can probably expect to hear Ronnie Wood overdubs on top of all of MT's guitar solos

It comes back to the fact that the song was remastered by CBS and Virgin in its original uncensored form - the way the rest of the world (except the US) heard it in its original vinyl release.

Why are Yanks so puritanical, prudish and hate to even discuss women's bodies so much? I've never been able to figure that out. Meanwhile every night at primetime their networks gleefully show programs where people blow each other brains out and heads off. I think that country seriously has it's priorities mixed up.

I find that "censorship"of Starstar totally absurd; it's 2009 and they are still people deciding to change/erase words of a rock song. And to pick on a lit'l word like "pussy", it definitely takes a real cvnt. WTF!!!
Rock and Roll,
Mops

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Taylor Era


Why are Yanks so puritanical, prudish and hate to even discuss women's bodies so much?

?? I'll talk about tits and @#$%& any day of the week!


IORR............but I like it!

wow ..i typed the "C" word in my previous post and it was changed to @#$%&.
maybe it's not the "Yanks" that are so "puritanical" and "prudish" afterall.


IORR............but I like it!

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sweet neo con
wow ..i typed the "C" word in my previous post and it was changed to @#$%&.
maybe it's not the "Yanks" that are so "puritanical" and "prudish" afterall.

Cindy?

"It's just some friends of mine and they're busting down the door"

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sweetcharmedlife

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sweet neo con
wow ..i typed the "C" word in my previous post and it was changed to @#$%&.
maybe it's not the "Yanks" that are so "puritanical" and "prudish" afterall.

Cindy?

hey now...


IORR............but I like it!

Why are Yanks so puritanical, prudish and hate to even discuss women's bodies so much?

- ? I'll talk about tits and @#$%& any day of the week!

but you just can't show em on TV; blowing people's heads off in prime time is fine though.. they'll (US networks) will happily show all that violence, but they'll blur out a woman's bare butt..go figger


fer cryin' out loud, in America the entire nation went bananas in a national scandal because Janet Jackson's nipple got exposed on tv for a millisecond



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2009-06-05 20:12 by Taylor Era.

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Taylor Era


but you just can't show em on TV

sure can...just gotta pay extra for those channels.


IORR............but I like it!

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Taylor Era
Why are Yanks so puritanical, prudish and hate to even discuss women's bodies so much?

- ? I'll talk about tits and @#$%& any day of the week!

but you just can't show em on TV; blowing people's heads off in prime time is fine though.. they'll (US networks) will happily show all that violence, but they'll blur out a woman's bare butt..go figger


fer cryin' out loud, in America the entire nation went bananas in a national scandal because Janet Jackson's nipple got exposed on tv for a millisecond

Honestly this American doesn't give a @#$%& what you think of us, so just drop it, will ya?

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StonesFanatic

Honestly this American doesn't give a @#$%& what you think of us, so just drop it, will ya?

IORR............but I like it!

Honestly this American doesn't give a @#$%& what you think of us, so just drop it, will ya?

ya, well thanks to your goofball puritanical society and it's large record buying market - we have to put up with crap like censored Stones albums; is my point



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009-06-05 20:41 by Taylor Era.

I don't have a problem...I have my uncensored Virgin edition...:-p

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Taylor Era

ya, well thanks to your goofball puritanical society and it's large record buying market - we have to put up with crap like censored Stones albums; is my point

i hope you're kidding.......otherwise you might be the "goofball".

you do realize that the Tipper Gore labels did nothing but encourage
x-rates lyrics. Have you heard of American Rap music? The only stuff that
gets cleaned up is the music that's aired on public airwaves/radio.
No one is truly stopping the Stones or anyone else from putting naughty lyrics
on CD.....they just require a label so that buyers know what they are getting..
..or so that parents know what their kids are listening to.

All STONES CENSORSHIP is self-imposed these days.
A Cd version and a clean version for radio-play seems reasonable to me.
Seems lame that they'd clean it up on a re-issue of a non-hit.


IORR............but I like it!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009-06-05 21:30 by sweet neo con.

you do realize that the Tipper Gore labels did nothing but encourage
x-rates lyrics.

- now if you want to talk goofy, that Gore labelling nonsense pretty much tops the charts, doesnt it??

Have you heard of American Rap music?

- unfortunately, yes, although I do believe you are stretching the description somewhat by calling it 'music' .

they just require a label so that buyers know what they are getting..
..or so that parents know what their kids are listening to.

- parents need a label for that? Parents should know what their kids listen too, anyway. Hell, if I didn't listen to my kid's stuff, I never would have got to hear Arcade Fire or Billy Talent. And if they didn't listen to my stuff, they never would have got to hear Exile on Main Street.

A Cd version and a clean version for radio-play seems reasonable to me.

not to me. I hardly expect Starf*cker to be released as a 36 year old single.

It's funny. I didn't look at Star Star as being censored on the new release. I looked at as the "original" version. Has anyone actually heard the new mix and sound? It's much different.

Well, that`s funny, exilestones, cause the original US vinyl-version was the censored one and the rest of the world had the uncensored version as original.So thats the strange thing for all the people outside the US to get this "gimmick". At least a collecters item but not the real thing.

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exilestones
I love the new remaster of Goats Head, especially Star Star! I grew up with the censored version and love the effects used in the so-called censoring. We have the other version on CD and now we have the old version!! WAY COOL!! Also, the new mix is wierd but interesting and much different. Cool booklet too! Goats Head is at least worth buying for Star Star alone!

Rock on,bro!Now I have the censored AND uncensored versions of @#$%&!

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electricmud
Well, that`s funny, exilestones, cause the original US vinyl-version was the censored one and the rest of the world had the uncensored version as original.So thats the strange thing for all the people outside the US to get this "gimmick". At least a collecters item but not the real thing.

I just came across the south african pressing of goats head, and star star is also censored on this LP. I first thought the record was defect until I realised the "fxxxxx" was overdubbed in each and every chorus. Creates a nice visual effect on the grooves of the record as well when you hold the record in the light. I don't sem to find the us censored version on youtube so I cannot compare if it is censored in the same way as the us version. Can anyone describe how Star Star is censored on the us version?

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damnation

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electricmud
Well, that`s funny, exilestones, cause the original US vinyl-version was the censored one and the rest of the world had the uncensored version as original.So thats the strange thing for all the people outside the US to get this "gimmick". At least a collecters item but not the real thing.

I just came across the south african pressing of goats head, and star star is also censored on this LP. I first thought the record was defect until I realised the "fxxxxx" was overdubbed in each and every chorus. Creates a nice visual effect on the grooves of the record as well when you hold the record in the light. I don't sem to find the us censored version on youtube so I cannot compare if it is censored in the same way as the us version. Can anyone describe how Star Star is censored on the us version?

It's a hoot! Completely different to the US censored version.

[www.youtube.com]






"As we say in England, it can get a bit trainspottery"

Absolutely disappointing...