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Swayed1967

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Hairball
The tour was good, the album was not.

That about sums it up.

Through his lunatic defense of Dirty Work, HMS’ greatest contribution to this forum was allowing us to forget just how truly bad Steel Wheels is. But now that he’s finally been institutionalized it’s time to face the fact that Steel Wheels is actually worse than DW – honestly, there’s not a single good song on it.

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DandelionPowderman

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RipThisBone

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DandelionPowderman

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keefriff99
I love Hold On To Your Hat...it's not much of a song, but goddamn, the guitar work is scorching. It's a shame those red-hot licks couldn't have been inserted into a more well thought-out song.

It should have been the leading single off the album, imo.


Not a bad idea! A steaming opener. Listening to the raw pre-production take now. Superb, blows Sad Sad Sad away.

This version : video: [youtu.be]

Just to be clear: I meant Almost Hear You Sigh

HAHAHA!!!

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KRiffhard
'Mixed Emotions'...the last great Stones song.

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Palace Revolution 2000
I think I said this very same thing on an older SW thread, but what made all the difference with me, is that I ex-chnGED THE sTEEL wHEELS sESSION boot ( or 'Training Wheels') for the official version.
The songs became tougher, got rid of some of that synthetic polish, and got "Precious Love" added.
It really reversed my take on that album. I don't think I have listened to the official album anymore.

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Swayed1967

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RockingLonestar

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Swayed1967

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Hairball
The tour was good, the album was not.

That about sums it up.

Through his lunatic defense of Dirty Work, HMS’ greatest contribution to this forum was allowing us to forget just how truly bad Steel Wheels is. But now that he’s finally been institutionalized it’s time to face the fact that Steel Wheels is actually worse than DW – honestly, there’s not a single good song on it.

But it´s a very good Album with a lot of very good songs:
Almost Hear You Sigh, Sad Sad Sad, Mixed Emotions, Rock and a hard place, Slipping Away, Hold On To Your Hat, Break The Spell, ....

and you could go on and on, huh? LOL
Sorry but One Hit and Harlem Shuffle from the much maligned DW are superior to any of those songs (and on the Keith front Sleep Tonight smokes Slipping Away too although the latter is the one song on SW I kinda like).

I can’t stop you from labeling ‘Sad Sad Sad’ etc. as very good songs – I’d like to, mind you, and if this weren’t cyberspace and you were a relation of mine I’d probably make some compassionate attempt to physically restrain you from disgracing yourself - but let me just suggest that you’re perhaps Bliiiaindead By Lahahahahov.

Oh and thanks Hopkins for your free-flowing unedited musings on the uncertainties you face as a fan of the Rolling Stones. A whole lotta Hopkins...

Please take that good-naturedly and don’t go back and delete your post as you’re prone to do after sobering up – if your thoughts are as wild horses let this forum be your pasture.

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HouseBoyKnows
My full Toad's Place story here if you have the time and interest . . .

[iorr.org]

HBK

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KRiffhard
'Mixed Emotions'...the last great Stones song.

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Swayed1967

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KRiffhard
'Mixed Emotions'...the last great Stones song.

No that distinction belongs to the following song:

Going To A Go-Go – Gotta love the macho guitars and the feel-good vibe (reminiscent of ‘Happy’ in that respect). Not usually a huge fan of Jagger’s live vocals but this is a perfect vehicle for him (but then there’s no studio version to compare it with which may be why I rate it so highly). Give Brown Sugar a rest once in a while and toss this one into the set list – sax player still gets paid. Mick could whip the crowd into an orgiastic frenzy of dancing and dry-humping. I’m not a dancer myself but I’d gladly tuck into that six-pack whilst enjoying the dirty dancing of others.

To my mind GTAGG is without a doubt the last great ‘Stones’ single (Undercover is arguably great as well but it’s a little too gimmicky and I really wouldn’t want to watch people dance to it.)

Mixed Emotions on the other hand is nothing but a Keith solo hand-me-down (the melody of the verses anyways is Jagger's take on 'Take It So Hard') with dumbed-down lyrics (the whole album suffers from 'creased-butt' lyrics, all latter day Stones albums do). The chorus is kinda cool, especially near the end when Mick howls 'Mixed emoowhooshuns' in a pretty good Scooby Doo impersonation. Hard to take the song seriously, really. It is one of the better ones of course but overall SW is mediocre from start to finish.

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Silver Dagger

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KRiffhard
'Mixed Emotions'...the last great Stones song.

Love Is Strong is pretty great too.

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Monsoon Ragoon
Okay album (look what shit Clapton or Dylan released in the 80s), horrible sound.
Continental Drift is a classic for me (no joke).

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peoplewitheyes
I never really got into SW, VL was the first new release during my fandom, but I have to agree that the early mixes are really good.

Listening to Blinded by Love, it all sounds so rustic, ragged, and the harmonies are gloriously rough

Dig it here!

Also, how vigorous they all look in the photos from then, from the viewpoint of 2017

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Hairball
Speaking of memories attached to this album, my friend and I were giddy with excitement to have the new album in our hands - in this case it was a cassette. We jumped in his Mustang, put the cassette in, and headed up the Pacific Coast Highway for an official first listen. Listening to each track go by, looking at each other, and ultimately shaking our heads throughout in disappointment. Made it back home and thought a case of beer would help the experience, but it only made matters worse as disappointment turned to laughter and ridicule at this state of the art Stones album. Tried to enjoy it in the following weeks, but nver could recover from those first impressions. The only positive that resulted from that album was they were about to tour again.

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DandelionPowderman

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Hairball
Speaking of memories attached to this album, my friend and I were giddy with excitement to have the new album in our hands - in this case it was a cassette. We jumped in his Mustang, put the cassette in, and headed up the Pacific Coast Highway for an official first listen. Listening to each track go by, looking at each other, and ultimately shaking our heads throughout in disappointment. Made it back home and thought a case of beer would help the experience, but it only made matters worse as disappointment turned to laughter and ridicule at this state of the art Stones album. Tried to enjoy it in the following weeks, but nver could recover from those first impressions. The only positive that resulted from that album was they were about to tour again.

That's hilarious

What kind of expectations did you have?

Obviously, you noticed the many steps up in songwriting quality, compared to its predecessor?

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Hairball

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DandelionPowderman

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Hairball
Speaking of memories attached to this album, my friend and I were giddy with excitement to have the new album in our hands - in this case it was a cassette. We jumped in his Mustang, put the cassette in, and headed up the Pacific Coast Highway for an official first listen. Listening to each track go by, looking at each other, and ultimately shaking our heads throughout in disappointment. Made it back home and thought a case of beer would help the experience, but it only made matters worse as disappointment turned to laughter and ridicule at this state of the art Stones album. Tried to enjoy it in the following weeks, but nver could recover from those first impressions. The only positive that resulted from that album was they were about to tour again.

That's hilarious

What kind of expectations did you have?

Obviously, you noticed the many steps up in songwriting quality, compared to its predecessor?

I actually liked some of Dirty Work better than Steel Wheels. The cover of Harlem Shuffle is better than Steel Wheels as a whole imo. One Hit was ok but could have been better-it was overproduced and Micks singing was too polished. As for Steel Wheels, I think everyone's expectations were pretty high after the long layoff. The production values of Steel Wheels didn't help matters, along with the backup singers, etc. The only two tracks I could ever listen to now are Almost Hear You Sigh and Slipping Away.

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DandelionPowderman

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Hairball
Speaking of memories attached to this album, my friend and I were giddy with excitement to have the new album in our hands - in this case it was a cassette. We jumped in his Mustang, put the cassette in, and headed up the Pacific Coast Highway for an official first listen. Listening to each track go by, looking at each other, and ultimately shaking our heads throughout in disappointment. Made it back home and thought a case of beer would help the experience, but it only made matters worse as disappointment turned to laughter and ridicule at this state of the art Stones album. Tried to enjoy it in the following weeks, but nver could recover from those first impressions. The only positive that resulted from that album was they were about to tour again.

That's hilarious

What kind of expectations did you have?

Obviously, you noticed the many steps up in songwriting quality, compared to its predecessor?

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Monsoon Ragoon

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Hairball

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DandelionPowderman

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Hairball
Speaking of memories attached to this album, my friend and I were giddy with excitement to have the new album in our hands - in this case it was a cassette. We jumped in his Mustang, put the cassette in, and headed up the Pacific Coast Highway for an official first listen. Listening to each track go by, looking at each other, and ultimately shaking our heads throughout in disappointment. Made it back home and thought a case of beer would help the experience, but it only made matters worse as disappointment turned to laughter and ridicule at this state of the art Stones album. Tried to enjoy it in the following weeks, but nver could recover from those first impressions. The only positive that resulted from that album was they were about to tour again.

That's hilarious

What kind of expectations did you have?

Obviously, you noticed the many steps up in songwriting quality, compared to its predecessor?

I actually liked some of Dirty Work better than Steel Wheels. The cover of Harlem Shuffle is better than Steel Wheels as a whole imo. One Hit was ok but could have been better-it was overproduced and Micks singing was too polished. As for Steel Wheels, I think everyone's expectations were pretty high after the long layoff. The production values of Steel Wheels didn't help matters, along with the backup singers, etc. The only two tracks I could ever listen to now are Almost Hear You Sigh and Slipping Away.

Try the nearly three hours of less or not polished outtakes. Much (but not all existing outtakes) is on the 2CD by SODD.

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keefriff99

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DandelionPowderman

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Hairball
Speaking of memories attached to this album, my friend and I were giddy with excitement to have the new album in our hands - in this case it was a cassette. We jumped in his Mustang, put the cassette in, and headed up the Pacific Coast Highway for an official first listen. Listening to each track go by, looking at each other, and ultimately shaking our heads throughout in disappointment. Made it back home and thought a case of beer would help the experience, but it only made matters worse as disappointment turned to laughter and ridicule at this state of the art Stones album. Tried to enjoy it in the following weeks, but nver could recover from those first impressions. The only positive that resulted from that album was they were about to tour again.

That's hilarious

What kind of expectations did you have?

Obviously, you noticed the many steps up in songwriting quality, compared to its predecessor?

YOU SHUT YOUR MOUTH! DIRTY WORK IS A MASTERPIECE!

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DandelionPowderman

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keefriff99

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DandelionPowderman

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Hairball
Speaking of memories attached to this album, my friend and I were giddy with excitement to have the new album in our hands - in this case it was a cassette. We jumped in his Mustang, put the cassette in, and headed up the Pacific Coast Highway for an official first listen. Listening to each track go by, looking at each other, and ultimately shaking our heads throughout in disappointment. Made it back home and thought a case of beer would help the experience, but it only made matters worse as disappointment turned to laughter and ridicule at this state of the art Stones album. Tried to enjoy it in the following weeks, but nver could recover from those first impressions. The only positive that resulted from that album was they were about to tour again.

That's hilarious

What kind of expectations did you have?

Obviously, you noticed the many steps up in songwriting quality, compared to its predecessor?

YOU SHUT YOUR MOUTH! DIRTY WORK IS A MASTERPIECE!

I listen to it as we speak, and I like it SW has better songs, though.

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keefriff99

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DandelionPowderman

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keefriff99

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DandelionPowderman

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Hairball
Speaking of memories attached to this album, my friend and I were giddy with excitement to have the new album in our hands - in this case it was a cassette. We jumped in his Mustang, put the cassette in, and headed up the Pacific Coast Highway for an official first listen. Listening to each track go by, looking at each other, and ultimately shaking our heads throughout in disappointment. Made it back home and thought a case of beer would help the experience, but it only made matters worse as disappointment turned to laughter and ridicule at this state of the art Stones album. Tried to enjoy it in the following weeks, but nver could recover from those first impressions. The only positive that resulted from that album was they were about to tour again.

That's hilarious

What kind of expectations did you have?

Obviously, you noticed the many steps up in songwriting quality, compared to its predecessor?

YOU SHUT YOUR MOUTH! DIRTY WORK IS A MASTERPIECE!

I listen to it as we speak, and I like it SW has better songs, though.

I was kidding obviously, but I *do* think it has some decent songs and guitar work. It's not a complete abomination, but it is dire in places.

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DandelionPowderman

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keefriff99

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DandelionPowderman

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keefriff99

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DandelionPowderman

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Hairball
Speaking of memories attached to this album, my friend and I were giddy with excitement to have the new album in our hands - in this case it was a cassette. We jumped in his Mustang, put the cassette in, and headed up the Pacific Coast Highway for an official first listen. Listening to each track go by, looking at each other, and ultimately shaking our heads throughout in disappointment. Made it back home and thought a case of beer would help the experience, but it only made matters worse as disappointment turned to laughter and ridicule at this state of the art Stones album. Tried to enjoy it in the following weeks, but nver could recover from those first impressions. The only positive that resulted from that album was they were about to tour again.

That's hilarious

What kind of expectations did you have?

Obviously, you noticed the many steps up in songwriting quality, compared to its predecessor?

YOU SHUT YOUR MOUTH! DIRTY WORK IS A MASTERPIECE!

I listen to it as we speak, and I like it SW has better songs, though.

I was kidding obviously, but I *do* think it has some decent songs and guitar work. It's not a complete abomination, but it is dire in places.

Gotcha right away

Dirty Work has indeed lots of GREAT guitar work.

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RipThisBone
Hairball: I actually liked some of Dirty Work better than Steel Wheels. The cover of Harlem Shuffle is better than Steel Wheels as a whole imo. One Hit was ok but could have been better-it was overproduced and Micks singing was too polished. As for Steel Wheels, I think everyone's expectations were pretty high after the long layoff. The production values of Steel Wheels didn't help matters, along with the backup singers, etc. The only two tracks I could ever listen to now are Almost Hear You Sigh and Slipping Away.

That was in hindsight no long layoff.
DW was released in march 1986 and SW in august 1989 (the RAW Steel Wheels could have been released earlier).

That's no long lay off compared to Black N Blue in april 1976 and Some Girls june 1978, when I became a longlife fan. Had lot's of time to go back to the back catalogue in between. It's all about age these time feelings...

I remember the layoff between Steel Wheels and Voodoo Lounge was a lot longer (1989-1994).