I was watching The Bigger Bang from Texas the other day, and I realized that the Stones, and many other rock bands, seem to play almost all their numbers at a pace that is too frantic and unnecessary. They sound as if they have been speeded up electronically.

I wonder if the Stones are so excited to be playing a large audience that they are unaware of the pace they are setting. Could the Stones be influenced by the crowd, many of whom are jumping up and down and screaming ? I like seeing the Stones in person, but I really like hearing Bitch and She's So Cold as they sound on the CD's, that is, with the slow raunchiness and soul that make their music unique.

This is one of my pet peeves regarding going to rock shows. The songs always seem to be played at a different tempo than what I know from listening to the album. It's like the performer(s) want(s) to rush through things. I don't believe the crowd, usually, has much to do with how the band or performer conducts themselves on stage.

Is there anything left that people won’t complain about?

Nope. As they put it when I was in the service, "The men are bitchin' again. They must be happy."

I’ve always liked that tho. Bands playing their songs a little bit faster live, I find it more exciting in a way.

Having said that, maybe in the ABB tour they played faster than usual, but I’m still ok with that.

They always did, except for No Filter, specially No Filter 2017.
I like it.

The click track decides the pace. It's the same from one gig to another. Hence "Die Stern" scoop. Before that, on the 81/82 tour for example, the tempos used to vary. Which Bill wasn't always that fond of.
On the contrary, the Vegas Stones (from 1989 and on) was a huge improvement for those who craved LP/CD authenticity. One big reason the 89/90 tour received such good criticism.

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Stoneage
The click track decides the pace. It's the same from one gig to another. Hence "Die Stern" scoop. Before that, on the 81/82 tour for example, the tempos used to vary. Which Bill wasn't always that fond of.
On the contrary, the Vegas Stones (from 1989 and on) was a huge improvement for those who craved LP/CD authenticity. One big reason the 89/90 tour received such good criticism.

I always thought there was some kind of click in 89/90, but never again I heard that.
Actually, they go off tempo the whole time, as it should be.

Depends on the song. They play Get Off My Cloud way too slow.

If they play a song too fast or too slow it's because the click track decides that. The tempo doesn't vary on tour liked it used to do before. That was the essence of the "Die Stern" scoop.

If they had a click, they couldn't play, since Charlie can't play any fill on a click.

can we blame chuck for this?

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EdubertoPalitroke
If they had a click, they couldn't play, since Charlie can't play any fill on a click.

Sure. I think he is a Beatles fan and loves screwing the Stones.

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flilflam
I was watching The Bigger Bang from Texas the other day, and I realized that the Stones, and many other rock bands, seem to play almost all their numbers at a pace that is too frantic and unnecessary. They sound as if they have been speeded up electronically.

I wonder if the Stones are so excited to be playing a large audience that they are unaware of the pace they are setting. Could the Stones be influenced by the crowd, many of whom are jumping up and down and screaming ? I like seeing the Stones in person, but I really like hearing Bitch and She's So Cold as they sound on the CD's, that is, with the slow raunchiness and soul that make their music unique.

They've never played Bitch or She's So Cold as well as the LP versions, so, therefore, it doesn't matter what speed they play them at.

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Cooltoplady
Is there anything left that people won’t complain about?

Uhhhhhh, hold on, dude! You're complaining about people complaining!!!???

well i'm tempted to take the bait here.

ok. you're complaining about people complaining about people complaining.
i couldn't help myself.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2019-04-20 08:21 by hopkins.

The Rolling Stones in 2019 are a circus greatest hits act with prediclable setlists. Too many songs are the same in every show. Even most "rarities" have been played at least dozens of times since Voodoo Lounge era. What keeps them doing this has obviously nothing to do with "art", it's all about making as much money as possible. But they enjoy what they do and they are still great musicians. Better than doing nothing like the slightly younger Mick Taylor.

The Stones use click tracks.

The setlists (at least for rehearsals, which I've seen - admittedly some time back) show the song name and the BPM.

However for Keiths' songs, instead of having an entry like (eg) 120, it says "Keith".

--
Captain Corella
60 Years a Fan

I agree with this thread Songs such as Satisfaction and Under my Thumb in studio version are much slower than the concert versions.

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Stoneage
If they play a song too fast or too slow it's because the click track decides that. The tempo doesn't vary on tour liked it used to do before. That was the essence of the "Die Stern" scoop.

completely rubbish. If the Stones would use click tracks you would hear it on the IEM recordings.

COCAINE!

The tempo is not any issue, but the energy level and condition of the band is. I didn't have any problem when the band was speeding up the songs in, say, 1972 or 1973. They were red and hot back then, so playing in whatever tempo sounded natural. For example, the Brussels version of "Midnight Rambler", with its faster than hell last verses (among other goods), is still to me the greatest recorded live moment of any rock band ever. To an extent that happened also in 1981/82 tour. The speeded/coked-up versions of, say, "Let Me Go" and "She's So Cold", were fascinating to listen to. That of them being better or worse than the original studio versions is irrelevent to me; I have always liked the idea of making live versions different than the studio originals, be that changing the tempo, arrangements or whatever (and even the versions varying from tour to tour). It makes the band living and breathing those songs, the songs developing or changing as the band does. That also makes live albums more interesting to listen to, them having more artistic substance of their own. Still recall what a thrill it was to listen YA-YA'S, LOVE YOU LIVE, STILL LIFE, even GOT LIVE! back in the day and compare the live versions to the originals (or even from one live album to other, such as "Under My Thumb" and "Satisfaction" from GOT LIVE to STILL LIFE, later YA-YA'S versions to add the cake). They were not just documents of their shows, but artistic statements of their own. And, of course, then there were all those bootlegs to enrichen the story...

In 1989 it was novel and interesting the band starting to treat the songs close to originals, but however, as it turned out to be a new normal, I don't find so much joy from listening 'live versions' any longer, the only criterion being that of how well they manage to treat the studio originals. They always sound great in it their own context, wittnessing them live as a part of real concert experience, but out of it, the music alone doesn't get me too excited. That's why I also think that since the 90's, the audio needs footage to make it more enjoyable. The DVDs are today what live albums once were. The turning point was that of Licks Tour: FOUR FLICKS was/is much more important and interesting document of that tour than LIVE LICKS. The band seemingly thinks the same, giving much more thought and care to them (no wonder, since there is more money in DVD/visual format business than in a pure audio live album business). Artistically and commercially thinking, the concept of a live album died a long time ago. RIP.

- Doxa



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2019-04-20 15:26 by Doxa.

Beast of Burden is the closest tempo to album version in concert from the ones attended.

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GasLightStreet

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Cooltoplady
Is there anything left that people won’t complain about?

Uhhhhhh, hold on, dude! You're complaining about people complaining!!!???

You’re right! Got me there and I’m gonna complain you called me dude.

There isn’t a click track for the band to hear. The tempo is sent in rehearsal. I believe Chuck hears the tempo and calls out the count.

Go see Dead and Co or Phil Lesh, they routinely slow songs down, sometimes painfully so. Playing too fast is a good problem to have!

I think one of the working titles of Some Girls was More Fast Numbers.

‘Chucky boy’: 1,2,3,4!


ARE WE GOING TO HEAR IT AGAIN??

The last time Stones played their songs ''fast'' was on the ABB-tour. When they came back in 2012 it was a shock cause literally every song was slowed down. Since 2012 the tempos have gone down even more. In Hamburg 2017 they played some songs even slower than the studio versions... It would be absurd to claim the Stones are playing their songs too fast nowadays...

Here's You Got Me Rockin and JJF at a slightly slower tempo from the hurricane relief concert.

[www.youtube.com]



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2019-04-20 19:04 by More Hot Rocks.