2nd U.S. studio album: 12 X 5
London Records
Release date: October 24, 1964



Recorded & mixed:
February 24-25 and May 12, 1964: Regent Sound Studios, London, England
June 10-11, 1964: Chess Studios, Chicago, USA
August 31-September 4, 1964: Regent Sound Studios, London, England

Producer: Andrew Oldham
Engineers: Bill Farley, Ron Malo
Released: October 1964
Original label: London Records (Polygram)

Contributing musicians:
Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, Bill Wyman, Brian Jones, Ian Stewart.

«The Chess place where we did the recording was marvellous. There was everything there you could wish for. All the apparatus was so different to the stuff here. I'd like to back to Chicago tomorrow just do so some straight session work!»

- Brian Jones, 1964

Around and Around
Confessin' the Blues
Empty Heart
Time Is on My Side
Good Times, Bad Times
It's All Over Now
2120 South Michigan Avenue
Under the Boardwalk
Congratulations
Grown Up Wrong
If You Need Me
Susie Q

What are your thoughts about this album?

You should stagger these posts Dandy, like Rene does. Too much to consider in one day.

I thought I'd do the albums that came out round the same time simultaneously. After all, they have very similar track lists

When we're done with the US/UK albums soon, we'll do one album every Friday.

I will index the album talks, though.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-05-15 12:22 by DandelionPowderman.

I've never had this album. Is it available on cd?

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yeababyyea
I've never had this album. Is it available on cd?

Second hand: [www.discogs.com]

Amazon: [www.amazon.com]

Yep sure is ...



ROCKMAN

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DandelionPowderman

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yeababyyea
I've never had this album. Is it available on cd?

Second hand: [www.discogs.com]

Amazon: [www.amazon.com]

Thanks, I will go for a second hand SACD version.
I own all their post 1968 releases but there is quite a few 60's releases left for me to collect.

If You Need Me is sublime, what a great soul band they were.

I dont recognize this album!

Now seems to nudge by 12X5 but I really enjoy this, especially "Confessin' the Blues" and "IF you need me",

Their second album in the US. Only few titles can be found on their second UK-Album, too. "Confessin the Blues" is a program title for the band, the organ version of "Time is on my Side" is somewhat rougher than the well-known guitar-version, and then the masterpiece itself: "It's All Over Now". What a bass line! The title which I first noticed, when I was very young, due to Bill's fantastic walking and jumping bass.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-05-15 18:18 by RobertJohnson.

As a kid I had the German version (I think) titled Around & Around. I kinda envy the guys who haven't heard this stuff yet - to hear this again with virgin ears! But again, then the last several decades would've been musically dull...

I've seen in different accounts that Brian supplies backing vocals to "If You Need Me", "It's All Over Now" and the Chess "Time Is On My Side". Can anyone confirm? Not sure it sounds much like him.

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MidnightPeanut
As a kid I had the German version (I think) titled Around & Around. I kinda envy the guys who haven't heard this stuff yet - to hear this again with virgin ears! But again, then the last several decades would've been musically dull...

This one: [www.discogs.com].

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Chess4710
I've seen in different accounts that Brian supplies backing vocals to "If You Need Me", "It's All Over Now" and the Chess "Time Is On My Side". Can anyone confirm? Not sure it sounds much like him.

That's the one. I can't tell you how many nights... ;-) Outstanding and powerful music!

SAMMY HAGAR: THE 10 RECORDS THAT CHANGED MY LIFE

The Rolling Stones – 12 X 5 (1964)

“This was the next record that really had a profound impact on me. Because I had older sisters, I heard what they were listening to – Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Elvis. They were kind of the one era, and that led into the Stones. After hearing them, I started playing the guitar and singing these songs.

“I saw the Rolling Stones’ first appearance in America, at the Swing Auditorium in San Bernardino. I didn’t have any money to get in, but I was hanging outside the venue, just to try to get a look at them. The band pulled up in a school bus, they got out with a bunch of radio people, and I thought, ‘Wow, the Stones are short. They’re my size!’ I snuck up to them and walked right in the place with them. My buddy and I were dressed just like them, because we were total Stones freaks. People thought we were with the band’s entourage. We saw the whole show.”

[classicrock.teamrock.com]

What an album, bristling with that early Stones sound and attitude. Three of my absolute favourite early tunes are on it (I mean besides the uber hit and all-time classic "It's all Over Now") - Good Times Bad Times, a simple but addictive track, lovely guitars and harmonica; 2120 Michigan Avenue, a splendid groove and rave-up, and best of all - Empty Heart, from first listening I loved this one, the Mick/Keith duet on many of the lines, that guitar/harmonica mix, everything about it really.

12X5 is, along with the scorching debut, indispensable.

i have this album, as a cd. a lot of filler, but some good stuff on it too, stones were hit and miss in those early days.

Some great tracks for sure!
Around and Around
Empty Heart
Time Is on My Side
Grown Up Wrong
If You Need Me

Some good tracks:
Confessin' the Blues
Good Times, Bad Times

And some so-so tracks:
2120 South Michigan Avenue
Under the Boardwalk
Congratulations
Susie Q

Last but not least ...The ultimate Stones early classic - as much as I love C Berry covers, this cover trumps them all:
It's All Over Now

I really like their version of Susie Q. Around and Around is terrific. It's All Over Now is also a classic Stones track let down by a slightly naff solo in my opinion. How many times did Keith play that same solo on different songs ? The song really loses it's momentum picking it up again during the following verse.
Solo aside, you can hear how well the band worked together on this track. Bill's bass is great,Keith and Brian are locked in together and Charlie's good tonight isn't he.

In some ways those first Chess recordings represent the moment that the band found a way to really do their thing in commercial terms. Being in a decent studio (with it's obvious history) made a world of difference. While they had made some fine cuts earlier (perhaps most notably their re-invention of Buddy Holly's Not Fade Away), they now had access to a quality studio and Mick and Keith are beginning to find their way as writers after learning the ropes writing sub-Beatle girl group numbers like Tell Me, Shang a Doo Lang, It Should Be You, Give Me Your Hand etc.

Again, I wish ABKCO would compile some Anthology style sets. If the multitracks survive, it would be interesting to hear them at work in these June 64 sessions, not to mention the rest of the 60s.
Though I generally prefer the Stones UK albums, 12X5 is a good 'un.

I love that solo!

I don't know why Keith wrote that he wasn't happy with it.. It goes with the flow, the beat, the atmosphere, the soundscape. In a way it is just a rhythm guitar dancing on top of this brilliant song, imo.

Have to disagree - I think it messes the tempo and momentum of the track as well as not being good. When it ends, they stumble back in to that last verse.
He did use that solo a lot. For me, it just doesn't make it this time.
It's still a classic track though.

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Cristiano Radtke
SAMMY HAGAR: THE 10 RECORDS THAT CHANGED MY LIFE

The Rolling Stones – 12 X 5 (1964)

“This was the next record that really had a profound impact on me. Because I had older sisters, I heard what they were listening to – Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Elvis. They were kind of the one era, and that led into the Stones. After hearing them, I started playing the guitar and singing these songs.

“I saw the Rolling Stones’ first appearance in America, at the Swing Auditorium in San Bernardino. I didn’t have any money to get in, but I was hanging outside the venue, just to try to get a look at them. The band pulled up in a school bus, they got out with a bunch of radio people, and I thought, ‘Wow, the Stones are short. They’re my size!’ I snuck up to them and walked right in the place with them. My buddy and I were dressed just like them, because we were total Stones freaks. People thought we were with the band’s entourage. We saw the whole show.”

[classicrock.teamrock.com]

Cool story. I actually like Sammy now.

"No Anchovies, Please"

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DandelionPowderman
I love that solo!

Agreed, I rank it up there with I Can't be Satisfied solo.

Only there 2nd album...so it shoes they're still learning studio technique. But the first album to have tracks recorded at Chess Studios (so interesting to compare Regent vs. Chess sound, etc.).

Also interesting as it has thr first appearance of such favorites of mine as 'It's All Over Now,' 'Time is on our side,' and '2120 south Michigan ave.).



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2015-12-10 19:32 by nightskyman.

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nightskyman


Also interesting as it has thr first appearance of such favorites of mine as 'It's All Over Now,' 'Time is on our side,' and '2120 south Michigan ave.).

Not quite. It's All Over Now was a hit on Billboard earlier in the summer, and 2120 South Michigan Avenue got a U.K. release two months' prior to 12x5 hitting U.S. shelves in the October of 1964. It was - alongside, Around and Around, If You Need Me, Empty Heart and Confessin' The Blues - initially released on the tremendous Decca EP, Five by Five. 12x5 was, however, the first LP to feature the 'organ version' of Time Is On My Side; which, like It's All Over Now, had been a stateside hit prior the release of the Stones' second U.S. long-player.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-12-10 21:51 by Big Al.

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Big Al

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nightskyman


Also interesting as it has thr first appearance of such favorites of mine as 'It's All Over Now,' 'Time is on our side,' and '2120 south Michigan ave.).

Not quite. It's All Over Now was a hit on Billboard earlier in the summer, and 2120 South Michigan Avenue got a U.K. release two months' prior to 12x5 hitting U.S. shelves in October 1964. It was - alongside, Around and Around, If You Need Me, Empty Heart and Confessin' The Blues initially released on the tremendous Decca EP, Five by Five. 12x5 was, however, the first LP to feature 'organ version' of Time Is On My Side; which, like It's All Over Now, had been a stateside hit prior the Stones' second U.S. long-player.

"It's All Over Now" was released in the UK a month before its US counterpart.


"As we say in England, it can get a bit trainspottery"



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-12-10 21:53 by Deltics.

I like this one! One of my first Stones items; I bought the vinyl in a Record Shop near I live, a '72 Stereo Re-release. That was the moment I really wanted to begin to collect the sixties Stones Records. Later I got on ebay a third pressing 1964 in a very good shape.

I stand corrected (again)...most of the tracks on the 12 x 5 LP album appeared earlier as singles or on prior EP album. I should've said first LP appearance.

I'm not one to buy singles or EPs(when they existed). In fact, I wasn't born till the next year. But if I was around to buy, I'd go for the album.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-12-11 00:50 by nightskyman.

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nightskyman
I stand corrected (again)...most of the tracks on the 12 x 5 LP album appeared earlier as singles or on prior EP album. I should've said first LP appearance.

I'm not one to buy singles or EPs(when they existed). In fact, I wasn't born till the next year. But if I was around to buy, I'd go for the album.

You wouldn't have had much joy in the UK!
Nearly all of the tracks issued on singles and EPs weren't issued on LPs except for the two hits albums and then it was only the 'A' sides.
The only exceptions being "Little By Little" which was the 'B' side of "Not Fade Away" and on the first album and "You Can't Always Get What You Want" which was the 'B' side of Honky Tonk Women and substantially edited from the version on "Let It Bleed".


"As we say in England, it can get a bit trainspottery"