I had a really great listen to this album yesterday and i reckon it's definitely up with the big four (Beggars-Exile) . Those previous albums are of course great in their own ways but i don't think they have the beauty of GHS.
Maybe it's because Keith was pre- occupied leaving the two Mick's to take the responsibility but i find the mellow mood really intoxicating.
I do think it is the prominant use of 'Wah Wah' guitar playing on a number of the songs that contributes greatly to the mood.
Keith's absence may have given the Stones the opportunity to explore different areas and experiment a bit more. I know Can You Hear The Music is not well regarded by many fans but i think it works great and is a nice contrast to the much rawer sounding material on Exile.
It's an album which is a very rewarding on repeated listens.

It's up with the other classics. It's has more melody than the ones you mentioned above. That gives GHS that special beauty to me. Can you hear the music is a very fragile song.

Taylor on GHS

Taylor's Presence on GHS

GHS is a great record from the boy's 'coming down'again from the exile sessions and they explore different kinds of music. The record is not riff dominated but has a melodic feel mainly due to Taylor's presence and him collaborating with Jagger. This record is more of Taylor's sound of the stones vs how Keith wants the stones to sound. One example is a song like 100 years ago a new kind of song for jagger letting him explore is vocal style against Taylor's brilliant wah wah guitar. This kind of song and collaboration builds the working relationship between jagger and Taylor and allows the two later on to craft one of the best songs the stones ever recorded in 'Winter' with again jagger exploring himself as an artist with the help of Taylor's tonal brilliance and the song has that
magical ride. Later on the two hook up on Hide your Love and jam together over Taylor's brilliant solo and jagger on piano. Taylor was there for jagger and proved how important he was to the stones in exploring new types of music and how Taylor helped jagger find a new energy and vocal style in delivering those songs. Taylor's presence did not stop here with GHS but again on IORR Taylor was there in the studio to help out and contribute in many ways. Yeah Keith was MIA and Taylor stepped up and helped out sir jagger. Over the years these two records have become two of my favorite stones records.

AJA

"New kinds of music" on GHS:

100 Years Ago - Taylor (and Billy P.)-influenced
Coming Down Again - Keith-influenced
Heartbreaker - Taylor (and Billy P.)-influenced
Angie - Keith-influenced
Can You Hear The Music - Keith (the riff, the sound, the heart of the song) and Taylor (double, single-stringed guitars)-influenced

More traditional stones-songs:
Silver Train - typical Keith-riff song
Hilde Your Love - jam w nice Taylor-solos
Star Star - typical Berry/Keith-riff song
Dancing With mr D - typical Keith-riff song
Winter - Taylor-influenced (but sort of a poor mans Moonlight Mile IMHO, great though)

Conclusion: New kinds of music is IMHO to take it a bit too far. Great record, but it looks like a "lazy" answer to Sticky Fingers more than the raw, energic Exile. Also, the sound is weak on this record. Songs like Winter and Silver Train suffer a lot because of the sound.

You can read my mind Edward!
I also was listening to GHS a couple of days ago and it struck me to. I normally listen to boots all the time but i decided that is was time to listen to the originals again. After a while i ended up with GHS. And i thought i should post a topic about this but you beat me ;-)
I really like 100 years ago. The melody is great. It's the only song i sing along to for the hole song. And then comes the second part. The volume of mu stereo is up to his max by now. I love that part, great guitars!!!! It's a shame they didn't play it live in '73, it would be great! I don't think it would work these days but back then it would make an awesome live song!!!!!!

Cheers,
Wuudy

<It's a shame they didn't play it live in '73>

They did, but not too often, unfortunately. The version I have (think it's from Cologne) is great! The only disappointment is actually Taylor's solos, which are not as sharp as on the record.

They did?! Great, on wich boots can i find them?

Cheers,
Wuudy

100 years ago (01-09-1973, Vienna) 94101
Mannheim on Ice (03-09-1973, Mannheim) OBR-458cd027, very rare

Good album, bad artwork.
Songs like Can you Hear..., 100 Years Ago, Winter and Coming Down Again are working great for me.
Actualy much more than the traditional stones-rockers like @#$%&, silver train and heartbreaker.

'In the sweet old country...'

Anybody else thinks that GHS would be much better if the sound quality and mixing were as good as Black And Blue or Sticky Fingers, for example???

[There'll be no wedding today...]

absolutely! Good examples of well-produced and mixed albums.

Does "100 Years Ago" postdate "Goodnight Vienna"?

Vienna 9/1/73; 90 min; 8.0 m; "Goodnight Vienna"/ others
Very good audience recording for the time. First show of the tour and there
are some mistakes but also some rare songs. Taylor burns on the rarely
performed "100 Years Ago." Available on several LPs and CDs; this recent CD
is the best release ever. VGP has done a nice job of splicing together
several different tapes to get the complete show.

ROLLING STONES
100 YEARS AGO
94101
Vienna, AUS 9/1/73
7.75m - AUD

Notes: 85 min; Very good audience tape for the time. First show of the tour and there are some mistakes but also some rare songs. Available on LP as "100 Years Ago" and the Japanese "Welcome Back to Vienna" CD but neither is complete. The Japanese "100 Years Ago" CD maybe complete but I have not seen/heard it.

Would be great if they included the songs Separetly and Travlin Man. Maybe in place of Can You Hear The Music. Also if they opened the album with a different more up beat song like Silver Train. All in all I agree it is a great album. And I also agree the artwork sucks.

Great Disc but I always found it to be a little depressing (with the exception of Star Star and HYL). The lyrics are dark and somewhat morose (Heartbreaker,Angie, Coming Down Again,100 Years Ago, Winter). I do like Can You Hear the Music. It's different and has a great riff. It's almost like something they would have done in 66-68 with it's middle eastern influence (if that's what it is). I wouldn't put it on if I were in a bad mood or hung over and needed to get moving. It's not a party disc like some of the other Jimmy Miller stuff.

Wasn't Winter taken from Blood Red Wine?

A very under-rated album. I think it might be Jagger's best. Great vocals on Silver Train, StarStar, Heartbreaker, and Winter. GHS has 1-2 more weak tracks than LIB or BB, otherwise would be considered a classic.

Don't understand the opinions on the sound/mix. Sounds as good as SF IMHO.

'Don’t forget, if you’re on your bike, wear white'

Stones should release all their stuff from Beggars to Tattoo in DVD-Audio what a treat that would be. Until then its been yeras I even listen to the albums.

I love the album which is unique in its character: it's the only Stones album with an autumnal feel to it. It has a wonderful palet of colours.

----------------------------
"Music is the frozen tapioca in the ice chest of history."

"Shit!... No shit, awright!"

Never made up my mind about this one. All in all it ain't bad, there are some great solos etc., but it is too depressive, and I can't stand depressive music.

Sure it is a mess. Wyman is almost absent. Most songs were recorded in Jamaica, yet it is not at all a sunny LP. Blame drugs for this. Funny thing is that MT didn't like the album either, notwithstanding he was involved a lot in the making of it.

100 years, heartbreaker, star and, why not, angie are truly brilliant.
Mr. D, Winter, Train, Love are (very good) fillers.
The only truly weak one is coming down again
Can you hear the music could have been a great single, but it just doesn't work in the context of the album.

I actually like the sound quality. Star Star is probably one of the best recorded r'n'r songs in music history!

C

Coming Down Again is beautiful.

When I was into the Stones in early-mid teens others would be into groups like Floyd, Yes, Genesis and Emerson, Lake and Palmer, (yawn). Bowie, with Alladin Sane, had raised the musical stakes too. Stones (in guise of Jagger) had to prove they could compete and win. When I played said friends GHS they couldn't believe the Stones could actually make "music". And friends, who had done acid etc., really knew what Keith meant in his "ballad". How can anyone with a heart and soul find that song weak?

I actually liked all the aforementioned groups (at the time) and found this album a more than adequate marriage of progressive, melodic stuff and Rock. So, it opened up a new audience for them. And everyone, anyone loved Star Star for parties. It was cool to like the Stones, (in the otherwise relatively serious rock music scene). (Talking UK here).

I actually consider it the climax to their Golden Age. "Autumnal" says it all , Greg; a tinge of death (photo of Keith and his general eclipse) and more than a hint of Winter!


Oh, and the cover's superb. Many of you won't have the cool inserts either.




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2005-01-13 21:21 by Deidre.

Good album - not in the same class as the Big Four, though - that would be taking it too far.

I was thinking about this the other day - and I think you can argue that Winter might be Jagger's best-ever vocal. So emotional, yet under control. Very, very effective.

Put it another way.

If they'd come up with another Fingers or Exile in 1973 they might have been seen as a bit passe. It was de rigeur to keep with the times - in terms of musicianship and production. Jagger was stretching their limits, leaving Keith in the proverbial shadows - but allowing Taylor a freer reign (sp?).

So, there was emphasis on modernity - funky clavinet, wah-wahs, generally clean bass sound (no Wyaman), percussion and eastern motifs (Can you hear?).

Definitely near or at the top of the second tier. I liken it to the hangover after Exile. Keith was pretty much wasted which opened the door for the Micks to explore working together. Always an enjoyable listen! "I'll make bets that youre gonna get John Wayne before he dies"! Whatta line!

Ross

ilove charlie's drumming when they kick 100 yrs. ago into high gear... i think that winter has some of jagger's best visual lyrics when he talks about the lights on all the xmas trees in stone canyon... as far as filler goes...what exactly is filler anyways? silver train, star star, dancing, heartbreaker are all solid rock and roll tunes with great playing by mick taylor...hide your love has a honkey tonk feel with mick banging on the keyboards... and keith pulls off his best chuck berry like riff with the opening to star star...damn fine album with a strong cup of coffee and a cigarette

I worked in an office with a lady back in the mid-1980's that was married to an engineer (Carlton Lee - see GHS credit sleeve work) on the GHS sessions. They later moved to Vancouver and sadly Carlton (I didn't know him personally - but I always wanted to get a chance to talk to him) passed away a number of years ago. His wife said that she had 2 or 3 of the Stones over one night to their home in Jamaica for a supper of goat patties. She couldn't remember the names of the band members who came by.

GHS to my mind is magnificent. I've always loved it from the day it was released. 100 Years Ago (Taylor's guitar), Coming Down Again (Keith's vocals), Hide Your Love (Jagger's vocals), Winter (dreamy), Star Star (rock and roll), fabulous stuff. I reckon that this album should never be excluded from the "Golden Era" list as it plays extremely well from start to finish. How many albums (with the exception of a few) these days can you put on, and enjoy every track, right from start to end? Not many I'm afraid.

I have Eddy the Beagle's excellent re-mastered version of the album on loan at the moment (I'll send it back pronto!) and it is markedly better than the original. The Stones late at night? Yes, definetly.

Like all classic albums, it is deliberately understated, and time has been very kind to it indeed. Long after we're all gone, this will still be listened to.

Somewhat ironically, the only weak track on the album was @#$%&, because of its tinny sound and dreadful limp-wristed vocals.

I view GHS as the nightcap to the Mick Taylor years. Whilst IORR was Taylor's final Stones album, GHS really has a 'contained' feeling, like there's a certain mood or feeling that exists throughout each track, and all the tracks fit together in a subtle way.

I really like IORR, but it's not the same as GHS. Maybe MT knew he was giving the band his walking papers after the end of IORR? Also, wasn't Keith just a little too smacked out during the recording of IORR? Remember, Bobby Keys was 'shipped home' during the home stretch of Europe '73.

Maybe Taylor felt he was taking charge of some sessions and not getting enough credit (and/or dosh) for doing so...

The eternal mystery...

"The wonder of Jimi Hendrix was that he could stand up at all he was so pumped full of drugs." Patsy, Patsy Stone

"How can anyone with a heart and soul find that song weak?"

Deidre:

Am I missing the heart&soul or the acid?
All I can hear is "plink plonk plank coming doooooooooooown again plink plonk plank"
Strange Chuck hasn't picked this one for the past tours, it would have been his showcase!


C

The song has feel and great vocals. Liddas, there are also verses, which are brilliant BTW. Listen to Sleep Tonight on Dirty Work to hear the same piano riff

ghs could have been in the top 3 albums if it was better recorded..listening to it now with better speakers, preamps and on cd we get to hear all the cool stuff missed when the album was first released..but back in its day, compared to the other bands crap, ghs sounded a little down, black and muddy... even andy johns and jimmy miller wanted to work more on it but jagger was too busy with bianca.. she was a real pain in the ass for jagger and keith had his problems with junk..
i think if they did spend more time on it i truely believe it could have been their best. lots of great tracks..
but now that i'm older i just like to kick back a really listen too it.. a great album for your head...ha!

What's so bad about the sound (of the the original lp. I agree the CD is dull)?

C