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1969Fan

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Doxa
I didn't expect this track to come, but a nice surprise!

I have always taken the decision to include Berry numbers to their set list in 1978 as a some kind of signal to punk direction of the very idea what rock and roll initially and originally and really is if people really are going back to essentials, as many punk acts thought they were doing. But at the same time it was also a sign that the Stones themselves were doing some introspection and discovered that the things they once started with were surprisingly cool again. It was just a couple of years earlier when Jagger had said that Berry tunes doesn't sound apt any longer. The Stones dropped doing them in 1973 if memory serves. For always current Jagger, sensing the trends in the air, that seemingly was too retro thing, old-fashionable in mid-70's. But in 1978 it was all different again. The fact that they started their shows with a Berry number is a strong artistic statement.

The version in LIVE IN TEXAS of "Sweet Little Sixteen" is just perfect; the musicianship, attitude ... even Jagger is on fire... just perfect. Updating the lyrics a bit just emphasizes the point they are making of even Berry being 'relevant' again. I don't think Berry songs could be covered much or any better, or what do you people think?

- Doxa

The Rolling Stones are the World's Greatest Chuck Berry Cover Band. They play Chuck Berry better than Chuck Berry plays Chuck Berry. If you want to hear the true Rolling Stones, listen to Carol and Little Queenie (Ya Ya's), Around and Around (Love You Live), Let it Rock (Live in TX), Bye Bye Johnny (Ladies and Gentlemen) and many others. They are at their best when playing Mr Berry, the King of Rock & Roll. Apologies to all the Elvis fans out there. Chuck is the King.

Amen!

I remember how delighted I was when they played this on the '78 tour in Cleveland. They were really concentrating on the new stuff off Some Girls, but injecting this Berry number let you know were seeing a great rock and roll band that day, dipping into their Berry past. (And wasn't this pretty much their last Berry cover?)

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matxil

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1969Fan

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Doxa
I didn't expect this track to come, but a nice surprise!

I have always taken the decision to include Berry numbers to their set list in 1978 as a some kind of signal to punk direction of the very idea what rock and roll initially and originally and really is if people really are going back to essentials, as many punk acts thought they were doing. But at the same time it was also a sign that the Stones themselves were doing some introspection and discovered that the things they once started with were surprisingly cool again. It was just a couple of years earlier when Jagger had said that Berry tunes doesn't sound apt any longer. The Stones dropped doing them in 1973 if memory serves. For always current Jagger, sensing the trends in the air, that seemingly was too retro thing, old-fashionable in mid-70's. But in 1978 it was all different again. The fact that they started their shows with a Berry number is a strong artistic statement.

The version in LIVE IN TEXAS of "Sweet Little Sixteen" is just perfect; the musicianship, attitude ... even Jagger is on fire... just perfect. Updating the lyrics a bit just emphasizes the point they are making of even Berry being 'relevant' again. I don't think Berry songs could be covered much or any better, or what do you people think?

- Doxa

The Rolling Stones are the World's Greatest Chuck Berry Cover Band. They play Chuck Berry better than Chuck Berry plays Chuck Berry. If you want to hear the true Rolling Stones, listen to Carol and Little Queenie (Ya Ya's), Around and Around (Love You Live), Let it Rock (Live in TX), Bye Bye Johnny (Ladies and Gentlemen) and many others. They are at their best when playing Mr Berry, the King of Rock & Roll. Apologies to all the Elvis fans out there. Chuck is the King.

Amen!

Re: dropping Berry tunes in 1973...Around and Around (Love you Live, 1975) is, again IMHO, one of the best live recordings they ever made. Keith's two lead riffs are totally over the top. I could not agree more with your assessment of Sweet Little Sixteen on Live in TX. A great great way to open a show and a great recording.

I'd like to see them return to 1969 or 1972 and play a couple hours of guitar driven rock sans backup singers (apologies to Lisa and Bernard), horns, etc. Maybe a sax here and there. But that's it. Or if Stones fans want and expect a live mega-show, how about a new studio album of stripped down warhorses, some R&B, and some C Berry? BV...you're connected. What say you?

Let It Rock and Sweet Little Sixteen from LIVE IN TEXAS are supreme.

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matxil

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1969Fan

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Doxa
I didn't expect this track to come, but a nice surprise!

I have always taken the decision to include Berry numbers to their set list in 1978 as a some kind of signal to punk direction of the very idea what rock and roll initially and originally and really is if people really are going back to essentials, as many punk acts thought they were doing. But at the same time it was also a sign that the Stones themselves were doing some introspection and discovered that the things they once started with were surprisingly cool again. It was just a couple of years earlier when Jagger had said that Berry tunes doesn't sound apt any longer. The Stones dropped doing them in 1973 if memory serves. For always current Jagger, sensing the trends in the air, that seemingly was too retro thing, old-fashionable in mid-70's. But in 1978 it was all different again. The fact that they started their shows with a Berry number is a strong artistic statement.

The version in LIVE IN TEXAS of "Sweet Little Sixteen" is just perfect; the musicianship, attitude ... even Jagger is on fire... just perfect. Updating the lyrics a bit just emphasizes the point they are making of even Berry being 'relevant' again. I don't think Berry songs could be covered much or any better, or what do you people think?

- Doxa

The Rolling Stones are the World's Greatest Chuck Berry Cover Band. They play Chuck Berry better than Chuck Berry plays Chuck Berry. If you want to hear the true Rolling Stones, listen to Carol and Little Queenie (Ya Ya's), Around and Around (Love You Live), Let it Rock (Live in TX), Bye Bye Johnny (Ladies and Gentlemen) and many others. They are at their best when playing Mr Berry, the King of Rock & Roll. Apologies to all the Elvis fans out there. Chuck is the King.

Amen!

Finally someone responded to my question, and even came up with a right answer!

- Doxa



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-01-21 09:17 by Doxa.

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1969Fan



Re: dropping Berry tunes in 1973...Around and Around (Love you Live, 1975) is, again IMHO, one of the best live recordings they ever made. Keith's two lead riffs are totally over the top. I could not agree more with your assessment of Sweet Little Sixteen on Live in TX. A great great way to open a show and a great recording.

I'd like to see them return to 1969 or 1972 and play a couple hours of guitar driven rock sans backup singers (apologies to Lisa and Bernard), horns, etc. Maybe a sax here and there. But that's it. Or if Stones fans want and expect a live mega-show, how about a new studio album of stripped down warhorses, some R&B, and some C Berry? BV...you're connected. What say you?

I totally forgot LOVE YOU LIVE and the El Mocambo shows... Actually I see those gigs - and especially the side three of the album - as an interesting transitional phase for the band. The idea of 'going back to essentials' is already there. I don't think that is so much to do with outer impact but more that of intropection. They were in a sort of 'crisis' in what to do next, and came to the conclusion that better to by go back to beginning, from where it all started. It could be that some new trends emerging from England - such as Dr. Feelgood - had some role, why it was cool to do old rhythm'n'blues numbers again, but surely this was still pre-punk period (this little period, just before punk exploided the whole thing, tends to be forgotten in rock history). I tend to think that through that phase the band was mentally ready or preperaing themselves for doing punk-influenced SOME GIRLS.

Yeah, a wonderful version of "Around And Around", even though Jagger still has that mid-seventies mood... but the band shines, especially Chuck's best pupil ever...

- Doxa



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2015-01-21 09:44 by Doxa.

1977 wasn't really pre-punk? I bet Mick knew what was going on. Maybe it was a transitional thing.

Then again, the punks didn't have the copyright on three chord rock'n'roll-songs

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DandelionPowderman
1977 wasn't really pre-punk? I bet Mick knew what was going on. Maybe it was a transitional thing.

Then again, the punks didn't have the copyright on three chord rock'n'roll-songs

By March 1977 when the Stones played the El Mo punk was already in full flow. By the end of the year it was already all over and was re-named new wave.

Yeah, punk really was going on strong in '77 (and from the late '76), no doubt, but a big ship doesn't turn so easily... I really can't hear that sort of influence in El Mocombo, the band is still so 'black and blue'. Anyway, it was during that time Mick started writing stuff for SOME GIRLS - at least he wrote "Miss You" in Toronto. The whole thing, creating a new Jagger persona to be established in SOME GIRLS, was still in a process. To me it looks like that the punk thing hitted Jagger hard - recognizing its real significance, and also its criticism toward people like him - somewhere around then. This is early/mid 77 - I can't see him of taking the punk rock scene 'seriously' before that.

However, I think the first signs of the ship turning direction can be heard at Knebworth festival in August 1976. Then they started doing the old material like "Route 66", "Little Red Rooster" and "Around And Around" (alongside their old 'dated' hits "Satisfaction" and "Let's Spend The Night Together"). So El Mocombo shows were a kind of continuum for that. It could be that they just wanted to do a kind of nostalgia trip to their past, but who knows if Jagger - taken that they had earlir done multiple shows at Earl's Court - might have been at the time a bit more ears open what was going on in his homeland, for example, being awere of teh 'pub rock' scene. It was a month or so later when Dr. Feelgood topped the British charts with their live album STUPIDITY with a mtaerial the Stones would soon relaese in the side three of LOVE YOU LIVE.

- Doxa



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-01-21 15:18 by Doxa.

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Doxa
Yeah, punk really was going on strong in '77, no doubt, but a big ship doesn't turn so easily... I really can't hear that sort of influence in El Mocombo, the band is still so 'black and blue'. Anyway, it was during that time Mick started writing stuff for SOME GIRLS - at least he wrote "Miss You" in Toronto. The whole thing, creating a new Jagger persona to be established in SOME GIRLS, was still in a process. To me it looks like that the punk thing hitted Jagger hard - recognizing its real significance, and also its criticism toward people like him - somewhere around then. This is early/mid 77 - I can't see him of taking the punk rock scene 'seriously' before that.

However, I think the first signs of the ship turning direction can be heard at Knebworth festival in August 1976. Then they started doing the old material like "Route 66", "Little Red Rooster" and "Around And Around" (alongside their old 'dated' hits "Satisfaction" and "Let's Spend The Night Together"). So El Mocombo shows were a kind of continuum for that. It could be that they just wanted to do a kind of nostalgia trip to their past, but who knows if Jagger - taken that they had earlir done multiple shows at Earl's Court - might have been at the time a bit more ears open what was going on in his homeland, for example, being awere of teh 'pub rock' scene. It was a month or so later when Dr. Feelgood topped the British charts with their live album STUPIDITY with a mtaerial the Stones would soon relaese in the side three of LOVE YOU LIVE.

- Doxa

Yeah Doxa. Interesting point. I remember us briefly discussing this in a previous thread a few years ago. There were less than 8 weeks between the Stones' last date of the European tour in 76 (June 26 Katowice, Poland) to the hastily added on date at Knebworth, August 21.

But to add about 8 new songs into the setlist - many of which had not been played since the mid-60s - that must have required some rehearsals. I've never heard of these rehearsals or where they took place. Anybody have any information on them and what other songs were rehearsed? It is indeed a little know period in the Stones' history. And presumably they must have all taken holidays after that European tour.

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1969Fan
The Rolling Stones are the World's Greatest Chuck Berry Cover Band. They play Chuck Berry better than Chuck Berry plays Chuck Berry. If you want to hear the true Rolling Stones, listen to Carol and Little Queenie (Ya Ya's), Around and Around (Love You Live), Let it Rock (Live in TX), Bye Bye Johnny (Ladies and Gentlemen) and many others. They are at their best when playing Mr Berry, the King of Rock & Roll. Apologies to all the Elvis fans out there. Chuck is the King

><

They certainly do an excellent job covering my dads material.

CBII

CB11 - How is your Dad doing? Hope he is well as he is getting on in years. Love his music!

Yes I was wondering that too.......great t see you back sometimes CBII.............

__________________________

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CBII
They certainly do an excellent job covering my dads material.

Nobody did a better version live than your Dad did at the Ritz in NYC, the night Ronnie was with him. I have never, before or after heard the audience sing along or to be more descriptive shout along to a song than that night at the Ritz. Electric

Your Dad said something like "you pay to see a show and then you sing all the songs, your making my job easier"...lol it was classic.

If I ever get a signature on this board its going to be...

Chuck invented it and the Stones perfected it!

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MisterO

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CBII
They certainly do an excellent job covering my dads material.

Nobody did a better version live than your Dad did at the Ritz in NYC, the night Ronnie was with him. I have never, before or after heard the audience sing along or to be more descriptive shout along to a song than that night at the Ritz. Electric

Your Dad said something like "you pay to see a show and then you sing all the songs, your making my job easier"...lol it was classic.

If I ever get a signature on this board its going to be...

Chuck invented it and the Stones perfected it!

I couldn't agree more. In the 1970s I saw him play at a club in the San Fernando Valley. During the set he said, "Come on guys and girls, get up here and dance." So we did. After the show I noticed my driver's license was nowhere to be found. I went back up on the stage and much to my relief, found it. A splendid time was had by all!