They werent holding back songs.

Mick just didnt have that many left worth a damn after his solo record.

And Keith and Ronnie wrote songs that werent that great.

Its a bit disingenuous to say Keith didnt 'care' about the record. He's a professional and professional musicians care about their art and their reputation. And band members being in bad shape was hardly something new. Albums like Satanic Majesties, Beggars, Let It Bleed and Exile were made under circumstances where external conditions were at least as chaotic.

Its just one of those things. Every artist on the planet makes a record that is sub-par by their standards every so often. A bad Stones record is still a better record than a good one by almost everyone else.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011-04-24 04:50 by Gazza.

Quote
Gazza
They werent holding back songs.

Mick just didnt have that many left worth a damn after his solo record.

And Keith and Ronnie wrote songs that werent that great.

Its a bit disingenuous to say Keith didnt 'care' about the record. He's a professional and professional musicians care about their art and their reputation. And band members being in bad shape was hardly something new. Albums like Satanic Majesties, Beggars, Let It Bleed and Exile were made under circumstances where external conditions were at least as chaotic.

Its just one of those things. Every artist on the planet makes a record that is sub-par by their standards every so often. A bad Stones record is still a better record than a good one by almost everyone else.

One thing not mentioned often is that Charlie was in terrible shape during this period. I think this upset the balance of stoned/vs. sober members of the group.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011-04-24 04:53 by 71Tele.

Yes, indeed, a lot of good quotes there, including the one about Winning Ugly referenced above. I had it slightly wrong in my summary above, but here it is:


The original track had two guitars, Woody and me, and then I think we put another couple on there that we used in and out. Then there's that lick: everybody keeps asking me to show them how to play it. I feel like I could make a living off teaching guitar players how to play that lick (laughs). But it's dead simple, just a slightly elongated version of Tumbling Dice - to me, at least. It's the same shapes, the same fingerings, just sort of drawn out a bit... That riff reminds me of an early Motown thing, a Marvin Gaye thing like Stubborn Kind of Fellow or You're a Wonderful One or Can I Get a Witness. It's a basic Motown riff, really; we've just jazzed it up with some technology.

- Keith Richards, 1985



and also this one about Winning Ugly:



Keith used Ronnie's blonde '57 Strat through a Boogie (amp) and came up with that great lick which flows through the song.

- Alan Rogan, guitar technician


Wow, I never realized it was such a great lick!

If you listen to Winning Ugly carefully the guitar playing, what there is that is audible, is pretty good. And that lick is a pretty damn good lick.

It's just the production KILLS everything about that song - and the lyrics help kill it even more.

Wow, I always thought it was Ronnie playing the lick on 'Winning Ugly' - it sounds so much more like him to me than Keith. But then again, this era of Keith still had some surprises, some tricks up his sleeve. Post-2000 Keith has none. Anymore it's a "surprise" when he plays a coherent solo.