Again, I watched the Waiting On Friend-Video.

And again I realize, I love the 1981/82 Rolling Stones the most.

The scene, when they gather at the bar, you can see the Rolling Stones at their purest and most authentic. They don´t carry the burden of any “image“.

There is no

1963 blues purism
1966 pop attitude
1967 psychedelia
1969 flirtation with darkness
1972 outlaw image
1973/74 glam rock
mid seventies boredom


Even the 1978 punk/disco attitude has gone.

The post 1989 vegas-perfection is not yet to come...

In 1981 the Stones left many “images“ behind. They are mature and young at the same time. Especially Keith looks still dangerous and makes his first appearance as an Elder Statesman of Rock.

Many people blame the Tattoo You-Tour for the thin guitar sound or Mick´s “barking“ singing style.

But IMHO in 1981/82 they made their most powerful and convincing stage appearance ever. Just the Rolling Stones themselves!

Priest

I like Hampton '81 the most. That's my Rolling Stones.

Mathijs

Me favourite is that run from Around And Around outta Bob
Beckwith's home back in '62 thru ta Watchin' The River Flow ....YEAH!!! That's the killer for this kid ...



ROCKMAN

For Gen-Xers who were too young to see them in '81, the image of them from the "Let's Spend the Night Together" film WAS the definitive version of the band as that film was widely available for VHS rental/retail at the time, and it was played to death on MTV, Muchmusic, etc.

Jagger's football shirt and yellow tights with Keith looking ragged swilling JD, big stage, lights, balloons, fireworks... that WAS The Stones until the Vegas era.

[thepowergoats.com]

Good post Mr Virgin Priest! Early 80-ties Stones was a wake up call for rock and roll in the midst of the superficial synth era. The band had their last hit with "Start me up" on a great LP "Tattoo You" followed by a successful world tour. The videos from "Tattoo You" are very laid back and cool. Hampton is also a favourite: just watch "Going to a go-go" on Youtube! I'm just saddened where it went from there (from 1983 to 1989).

I agree with Rockman the whole journey works for me. 1981 was fabulous though mostly because it was the first time I saw them.

1989 is the beginning of the vegas era

First time they toured, that I was actually conscious of them.
Loved them for that tour, but the Jagger barking vocal was annoying...I especially thought they slaughtered Satisfaction.

Quote
treaclefingers
Loved them for that tour, but the Jagger barking vocal was annoying...I especially thought they slaughtered Satisfaction.

I agree, but I thought the slurred & growly "singing" he used circa 1975 was even worse.

UMT opener was very well done. Going to a Go Go was another highlight.

I hate his fake American accent throughout this tour, I can't understand his reason for putting it in. Maybe one of the reasons Keith got cheesed off with him

They were wildly erratic in 1981. Those early shows (Philly and Buffalo) are the worst I've heard them play. But I caught a great night 11/12/81 at MSG in NYC, and a not-shabby opening night in Landover, MD 12/7/81.

I'd say that, in 1981 on the good nights, those may have been their last shows as an honest-to-God, genuine, sloppy rock band, as opposed to the production we've been seeing for 20+ years. And, damn, I miss those days.

Believe me, the Vegas sound was creeping in around the edges from 1978 on. Emotional Rescue was a good B-plus album, but not in the realm of Tattoo You or Some Girls. Hampton is good, but I can hardly stand the 'Lets's Spend the Night Together' film now. And Wembley '82 is great. At least Bill and Charlie were.

And there was still greatness from '89 onward. I don't know about the Urban Jungle side of it, but I saw a great show at the L.A. Coliseum in '89. When they did Midnight Rambler I thought they formed this golden ring of guitars and bass that interlocked. Sadly it was the last time to hear Wyman in that lineup.

No Security in '99 was a kickass tour. There's no other way to put it. And I saw great shows at the Hollywod Bowl in 2005 and an incredible concert at Dodger Stadium in 2006. Maybe Voodoo Lounge and Bridges to Bablyon and the Forty Licks tours were a little shallow, but not all of them.

I said autumn 1964 when out of the blue that Little Red Rooster came flying...errr
- till watching that river flow again...isn't that about 48 years of checking out the guys..

2 1 2 0

....... 2011
......-1964
............47



ROCKMAN

Yeah but I counted even 1964 and got 48...

2 1 2 0

......only crankin' ya .....



ROCKMAN

Quote
Virgin Priest
Again, I watched the Waiting On Friend-Video.

And again I realize, I love the 1981/82 Rolling Stones the most.

The scene, when they gather at the bar, you can see the Rolling Stones at their purest and most authentic. They don´t carry the burden of any “image“.

There is no

1963 blues purism
1966 pop attitude
1967 psychedelia
1969 flirtation with darkness
1972 outlaw image
1973/74 glam rock
mid seventies boredom


Even the 1978 punk/disco attitude has gone.

The post 1989 vegas-perfection is not yet to come...

In 1981 the Stones left many “images“ behind. They are mature and young at the same time. Especially Keith looks still dangerous and makes his first appearance as an Elder Statesman of Rock.

Many people blame the Tattoo You-Tour for the thin guitar sound or Mick´s “barking“ singing style.

But IMHO in 1981/82 they made their most powerful and convincing stage appearance ever. Just the Rolling Stones themselves!

Priest

Interesting post, A relaxed band in 1981, no other image but their own. I love that band of 1981/1982 (and I want to burn Mick's plastic jacket and those diapers he wore) but I prefer the 70s. Also, the mid 70s wasnt about boredom, it was about funk and dance and party cool. They recorded some of their finest material between 1974-1977. Some of their best live moments were in 1975 and 1976 although I agree about this being specific shows and sometimes just five great songs in one show. Change boredom to cool.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011-04-21 10:10 by Redhotcarpet.

Yeah, it was close I gave you this present:





2 1 2 0

Quote
Sleepy City

Quote
treaclefingers
Loved them for that tour, but the Jagger barking vocal was annoying...I especially thought they slaughtered Satisfaction.

I agree, but I thought the slurred & growly "singing" he used circa 1975 was even worse.

I think youre wrong, the 1975 voice was not always growly and it was more black. I like his 1975 voice, just listen to IFCRM or Wild Horses or SFTD. You gotta move. (no not you! the song was great, the way they sang it)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011-04-21 10:20 by Redhotcarpet.

It is rather impossible to pick just one tour that one likes best. I only know about the
tours prior to 1982 from the bootlegs. There are highlights from every tour that get my
blood pumping.
The energy from the Olympia shows in the 60s makes me realize they were already great before
I was even conceived.
And watching the show from Saitama leads to the conclusion that they were still great
forty years later.
Of course every tour had its better and its worse nights. My advice: don't listen to those
lesser ones and enjoy the good ones. That might be called selective, but hey, I am only
listening to enjoy myself.

Seen them on all tours since 71, When they played the MNews arena and Wembley arena in 2003 they were definatly NOT vegas, they were raw and at their best.

Quote
jamesfdouglas
For Gen-Xers who were too young to see them in '81, the image of them from the "Let's Spend the Night Together" film WAS the definitive version of the band as that film was widely available for VHS rental/retail at the time, and it was played to death on MTV, Muchmusic, etc.

Jagger's football shirt and yellow tights with Keith looking ragged swilling JD, big stage, lights, balloons, fireworks... that WAS The Stones until the Vegas era.

+1: That's "the Stones" for me and for that very reason

Quote
pgarof
Seen them on all tours since 71, When they played the MNews arena and Wembley arena in 2003 they were definatly NOT vegas, they were raw and at their best.

The Vegas stuff on this board is over the top.

I saw them in 1981 and they sucked. As far as I am concerned 81 was nothing but a blown opportunity. This was the Stones at their most famous, and most popular. The eyes of the world was on them like it never was before, they had no competition anymore, and they laid an egg. They played way to fast, the sound was way too thin, and they butchered their own songs. . I don't think there was one song from that tour that was played as good on stage then it was on record, except for JMI. Plus Jagger was unwatchable on that tour. After that although I loved their albums I thought they were nothing but hype as a live act.

Then I saw them in 1989 in Toronto, and they destroyed. It was the best concert I ever saw. The whole band was on fire from the opening note to the end of the concert. Night and day from 81. The crowd was going crazy from the first song, unlike 1981 when everyone was bored to death. Look at the videos of 1981/82. You can see the dissappointment in the crowd. The only Stones tour I have ever seen where the crowd bored and uninterested.


I saw them again in 1994 and while not as good as 1989 it was still 100 times better then 1981, and it was nothing like Vegas.

You can go on and on about how much you like that it was just the Stones on stage in 1981, but what was coming out of the speakers wasn't good at all. I went to the concert with many people and they all agreed with exactly what I am saying. The movie of the tour confirmed it also.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2011-04-21 12:17 by brianwalker.

for me also the 81 tour is my favourite one, because at this time my love to the stones started and is still there.

i don`t know why, but after hearing going to a go go in radio, i bought still life as my first record ever and all began....

sometimes it would be a dream to be back in this time .....

i'm with ya....first show was sept 27/81 BUFFALO.....it all began for me

Playing soulless and mechanically... the Stones at their worst.

.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011-04-21 18:36 by Amsterdamned.

The 81/82 concerts do not impress me too much, Mick Jagger's singing was horrible and the playing was not so good as well. I think they were a much better live band from 89-99.There was hardly any Vegas playing in that decade.

Quote
brianwalker

Quote
pgarof
Seen them on all tours since 71, When they played the MNews arena and Wembley arena in 2003 they were definatly NOT vegas, they were raw and at their best.

The Vegas stuff on this board is over the top.

I saw them in 1981 and they sucked. As far as I am concerned 81 was nothing but a blown opportunity. This was the Stones at their most famous, and most popular. The eyes of the world was on them like it never was before, they had no competition anymore, and they laid an egg. They played way to fast, the sound was way too thin, and they butchered their own songs. . I don't think there was one song from that tour that was played as good on stage then it was on record, except for JMI. Plus Jagger was unwatchable on that tour. After that although I loved their albums I thought they were nothing but hype as a live act.

Then I saw them in 1989 in Toronto, and they destroyed. It was the best concert I ever saw. The whole band was on fire from the opening note to the end of the concert. Night and day from 81. The crowd was going crazy from the first song, unlike 1981 when everyone was bored to death. Look at the videos of 1981/82. You can see the dissappointment in the crowd. The only Stones tour I have ever seen where the crowd bored and uninterested.

I disagree. Fully. But high five my fellow Stones fan.



Bored and uninterested?