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Taylor1

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PaintMonkeyManBlack
This is Keith's album

All three songs are very good with Thief in the Night and How can I stop two of his all time best.

I disagree. Jagger has Saint of Me, Out of Control, Anybody seen My Baby, Already Over Me, Might as Well Get Juiced, Gunface, Flip the Switch. I like ‘em all

I wrote Flip the Switch, and (Mick) had a lot of input on that.

- Keith Richards, September 1997

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bv
IORR has been running for more than 25 years, so there are many links and pages related to Bridges To Babylon here.

I posted this album page during the summer of 1997, the page name is still "blessed.htm":

The new Rolling Stones album
Bridges To Babylon

The IORR 1997 news pages with many links:

IORR News Jan-August 1997

ALBUM TALK: Bridges To Babylon (IORR Tell Me Forum pages)

The press conference report:

The Brooklyn Bridge press conferences

I was seated on row one at the press conference, with Jane Rose on my one side, and the Sprint Manager (tour sponsor) on my other side. As Mick drove the car, and parked it right in front of me, just 5-6 feet away, I had front row position to make a roll of pictures with my cheap pocket camera.

AMAZING story !! AMAZING photos !! Just INCREDIBLE !!!!

I’ve always loved most of this record. It’s eclectic. It’s erratic (thanks to a few too many hands at the controls) but the depth of the songs is really good .. great .. for a latter day Stones album.

But I’ve NEVER liked Flip the Switch. I don’t like the actual sonic tone of it. Too high pitched, scratchy. But gee, almost every other song, I like OR love.

If it was by another band apart from The Stones it would be seen as a great album. BECAUSE it’s The Stones it’s not held up that way by a lot in view of what they had created decades ago.

Rod

Flip the switch can sound great through a good system... but, yes, can otherwise sound thin and peaky.

[ ...and that wonderful deep rasp of the horn stabs is the first thing that gets lost via less than good playback equipment ]

Flip sounds great, like a first or 2nd take. Already Over Me is proper genius, slip MAWGU and you have a masterpiece!

Already Over Me is like a mix of Wild Horses and Miss You with a killer Middle 8.

What's not to like???

Our boys are at their best while doing that country s*ite

Just Magic. Wish they'd include that one and I Go Wild at their post 2000's shows.
Beat OOC and YGMR IMHO.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022-09-29 16:43 by MadMax.

Who remembers 'Anyway You Look At It'? The last B-Side-only Jagger-Richards recording, I think.

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Big Al
Who remembers 'Anyway You Look At It'? The last B-Side-only Jagger-Richards recording, I think.

I'm one of the few that loves it. Ronnie (and supposedly Charlie) and a cellist (?) is on it, too, methinks.

Love this album, I still play it regularly.

Can't believe it's 25 years old!

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Taylor1

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PaintMonkeyManBlack
This is Keith's album

All three songs are very good with Thief in the Night and How can I stop two of his all time best.

I disagree. Jagger has Saint of Me, Out of Control, Anybody seen My Baby, Already Over Me, Might as Well Get Juiced, Gunface, Flip the Switch. I like ‘em all

I like them too. But I love those Keith songs.

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DandelionPowderman

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Big Al
Who remembers 'Anyway You Look At It'? The last B-Side-only Jagger-Richards recording, I think.

I'm one of the few that loves it. Ronnie (and supposedly Charlie) and a cellist (?) is on it, too, methinks.

You are not alone. It is a great latter day Stones song.

The album has a great vibe . It also has my all time favorite video, Anybody Seen My Baby

Does anyone have the video of the lion walking and then standing up into the cover lion? I seem to recall that back in the day, and I used to have it saved on an old computer of mine.

Like others have said, this was the first time I'd seen the band live as well. So really, for as much as everyone laments that they miss Bill or Mick T, or Brian. I have only ever known the Stones live as the Darryl era. I've found no problems with them, but then I've nothing to compare it to, so that might explain some of us younger folks' attitude toward things. And really, having gotten into the band at 13 with SW and Flashpoint, there really wasn't much of an exposure to Bill. Can a 13-year old really tell the difference in bass players??? To me, Voodoo Lounge was primal and faaaaaaaaaaaar supreme to SW's tinniness. But I'm digressing. I think BTB has held up remarkably well over time. And yes, I think it was the last time that they really took chances with the setlists - the whole BTB/No Security tour. When I look at my first setlist now, holy crap!!!

Satisfaction
It’s Only Rock n Roll
Let’s Spend the Night Together
Flip the Switch
Gimme Shelter
Sister Morphine
Anybody Seen My Baby
19th Nervous Breakdown
Out Of Control
Star Star
Miss You
All About You
Wanna Hold You
Little Queenie
Crazy Mama
The Last Time
Sympathy For The Devil
Tumbling Dice
Honky Tonk Women
Start Me Up
Jumpin Jack Flash
Brown Sugar


How many of us would be ecstatic for a setlist like that nowadays?!?!? Mind you, there were 8 - EIGHT - songs I'd never even heard before in that list. I didn't own them and I hadn't heard them on the radio. That's what caused me to start collecting more albums.

BTB will always hold a special place for me, because that tour started a life long obsession, and it's been 25 years today since that album dropped. I gave it a listen earlier today, and it still sounds remarkably fresh, and if the boys gave us something of this caliber as the final bow, I'd be one happy mofo!!!

I love Flip the Switch. Could the lyrics be a bit stronger? Sure, but some of them still bring a smile for the right reasons.

I love Anybody Seen My Baby? or at least the No Biz edit. Lyrically, it meanders a bit, but it's a great groove. I swear there's a drum sample on there that isn't Charlie.

I want to like Low Down, but it sounds unfinished. It works as filler, but I want it to be more.

I like Already Over Me even if it is a bit Barry Gibb of Mick. I'm curious about the Babyface version. I doubt I'd prefer it.

I love GunFace. The only thing I'd change is the anime-style title.

I really like You Don't Have To Mean It. I'd like to hear the rockabilly take as well.

I love Out of Control, but the Saber mix should have been on the album.

I love Saint of Me, but the title is awkward.

I like Juiced, but the full title is unwieldy and I truly believe a version untouched by The Dust Brothers that I heard a snippet of at the press conference would be superior.

I love Already Over Me.

I love Too Tight.

I like Thief in the Night, but Keith indulges himself a bit.

I prefer How Can I Stop? and wouldn't edit that one down despite the length.

I love Anyway You Look At It and wish it was on the album proper.

To me, this album remains the last great Stones album even though it isn't really a band effort being more of a Mick and Keith hodge-podge. I said elsewhere there's an imbalance to the album that appears deliberate. It's as if they wanted it to sound like The Rolling Stones off-kilter. The experiment worked, but they've never pulled it off since. Perhaps they will once more next year.

Bridges, their last album with a fantastic guitar sound! After this album and No Security their production and sound was never up to par anymore, at least to my ears. Different times I guess and the boys are getting old.

I was in the studio (Ocean Way) when the Stones recorded the backing track for Flip the Switch. It was one of those KR preferred writng methods. He had the riff. No words. They jammed on it for hours, as a live band, and the last take was many minutes long, maybe seven. Jagger played harmonica. No bass player. It sounded fantastic. Just like the Rolling Stones. The final version isn’t as exciting. Maybe it’s the simplistic lyrics.

1997 interesting time can you name me 3 albums from 97 I think they tried alot of things style recording techniques didn't Charlie play with loops.its a great cd to play and drive for 90 minutes

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VoodooLounge13
Like others have said, this was the first time I'd seen the band live as well. So really, for as much as everyone laments that they miss Bill or Mick T, or Brian. I have only ever known the Stones live as the Darryl era. I've found no problems with them, but then I've nothing to compare it to, so that might explain some of us younger folks' attitude toward things. And really, having gotten into the band at 13 with SW and Flashpoint, there really wasn't much of an exposure to Bill. Can a 13-year old really tell the difference in bass players??? To me, Voodoo Lounge was primal and faaaaaaaaaaaar supreme to SW's tinniness. But I'm digressing. I think BTB has held up remarkably well over time. And yes, I think it was the last time that they really took chances with the setlists - the whole BTB/No Security tour. When I look at my first setlist now, holy crap!!!

Satisfaction
It’s Only Rock n Roll
Let’s Spend the Night Together
Flip the Switch
Gimme Shelter
Sister Morphine
Anybody Seen My Baby
19th Nervous Breakdown
Out Of Control
Star Star
Miss You
All About You
Wanna Hold You
Little Queenie
Crazy Mama
The Last Time
Sympathy For The Devil
Tumbling Dice
Honky Tonk Women
Start Me Up
Jumpin Jack Flash
Brown Sugar


How many of us would be ecstatic for a setlist like that nowadays?!?!? Mind you, there were 8 - EIGHT - songs I'd never even heard before in that list. I didn't own them and I hadn't heard them on the radio. That's what caused me to start collecting more albums.

BTB will always hold a special place for me, because that tour started a life long obsession, and it's been 25 years today since that album dropped. I gave it a listen earlier today, and it still sounds remarkably fresh, and if the boys gave us something of this caliber as the final bow, I'd be one happy mofo!!!

Alwasy interesting to hear of 'new' fans who came upon the Stones at a much later date. (Even though it's a quarter of a century now). I wouldn't expect a 13-year old to understand what bass, especially Bill's, did to their songs. I just assumed they were all great musicians and didn't really understand Bill's contribution until later. I assumed when he left they would find a top notch rock bassist to replace him like Busta Cherry Jones. They still haven't.

I have no idea what it would be like to listen to post Wyman Stones, not knowing any other sound. The Brian Jones era. Mick Taylor. Nicky Hopkins. Bobby Keys. Bill Preston. They would all mean nothing.

ROCKMAN

Thief in the night! just the topps!

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Captain Teague
I have always thought it was a pretty decent album but also thought that Flip The Switch was the weakest opening track on a Stones album ever. Not a bad song, just a weak opener.

I'll agree with that, and counter with "I think it's a bad song".

The fact that it is their fastest number just helps that it is over faster. I particularly loathe that guitar intro.

I liked it a lot more at the time of its release than I do now. It hasn't aged well in my opinion. As another poster wrote, it was a great time to be a fan and it was a time of great touring...'97-'99', but I rarely ever listen to Babylon anymore. Or Voodoo for that matter. If anything from that era I listen to Stripped and even that is pretty rarely. Generally I skip from Steel Wheels to Blue and Lonesome these days.

I also loved the Fully Finished Studio Outtakes from Bridges, 20 Nil, Prairie Love, and Dream About. As I have said before, this one needs a Super Deluxe box!!!

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Big Al
Who remembers 'Anyway You Look At It'? The last B-Side-only Jagger-Richards recording, I think.

Fantastic song. Such a pity they didn't put that on Bridges to Babylon, instead of Juiced and Too Tight for example.

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TeddyB1018
I was in the studio (Ocean Way) when the Stones recorded the backing track for Flip the Switch. It was one of those KR preferred writng methods. He had the riff. No words. They jammed on it for hours, as a live band, and the last take was many minutes long, maybe seven. Jagger played harmonica. No bass player. It sounded fantastic. Just like the Rolling Stones. The final version isn’t as exciting. Maybe it’s the simplistic lyrics.

This is something that has bothered and slightly confused me for years.
I never listen to the the official releases,only bootlegs.
Most people don’t do this because the sound of the boots is often terrible, I don’t care.
I crank it up,either in different rooms,outdoors or in my car.and what you hear is amazing- the Stones always sound the same.
It could be a track from Beggars, Goats head or Bigger Bang and it’s always the same sound.
CB seeing it in real time only confirms what I’ve always thought, the production changes everything.
It’s why I hope they never make another record,it will get destroyed, either from brickwalling, a shitty mix or terrible song selection.
Sad because they can still play their asses off, live doesn’t lie.

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floodonthepage
Generally I skip from Steel Wheels to Blue and Lonesome these days.

Exactly. I haven't watched my Four Flicks and The Biggest Bang DVDs in a long time either. Once they started releasing the Vault stuff, there isn't much comparison. To be fair, there is some great stuff on those DVDs. 'You Don't Have to Mean It', 'That's How Strong My Love Is'.

I saw all but one of the Bridges to Babylon shows in Japan 1998, Tokyo Dome x 3 and Osaka Dome x 2. I didn’t see the tour opener, Tokyo first night. All of the shows I was at were fabulous, Tokyo second night (14 March) and both Osaka nights (20 and 21 March) in particular. The web vote that was introduced for the first time was fun. Genuine or fake, it didn’t matter. And that unforgettable bridge to the B-stage! It was a magic moment that transformed the huge stadium concert into a club gig sort of an atmosphere. It felt as if it was a bridge to the fans. After almost 25 years, these shows still remain some of my all-time favorite Stones concerts.

I flew over to London the next year to attend the two nights at the old Wembley Stadium, first time for me to see them on their home turf. As much as I enjoyed the shows, I was somewhat disappointed at them as well. No more web vote, the same selection of the three songs played on the B-stage both nights and the omission of YCAGWYW from the encore (the pattern passed on from the B2B Europe 98). I felt something was lost in the transition from the B2B 97/98 through the No Security US 99 to the Europe/UK 99.

IIRC the UK tour 1999 was a postponed leg of the B2B Europe 98 for some tax-related reason. Some information source (e.g. Wiki, setlist.fm) includes the Europe/UK 99 in the No Security Tour. I’m not sure. Whatever it was, to me, these London shows felt like a degraded version of the B2B Tour.

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RisingStone
I saw all but one of the Bridges to Babylon shows in Japan 1998, Tokyo Dome x 3 and Osaka Dome x 2. I didn’t see the tour opener, Tokyo first night. All of the shows I was at were fabulous, Tokyo second night (14 March) and both Osaka nights (20 and 21 March) in particular. The web vote that was introduced for the first time was fun. Genuine or fake, it didn’t matter. And that unforgettable bridge to the B-stage! It was a magic moment that transformed the huge stadium concert into a club gig sort of an atmosphere. It felt as if it was a bridge to the fans. After almost 25 years, these shows still remain some of my all-time favorite Stones concerts.

I flew over to London the next year to attend the two nights at the old Wembley Stadium, first time for me to see them on their home turf. As much as I enjoyed the shows, I was somewhat disappointed at them as well. No more web vote, the same selection of the three songs played on the B-stage both nights and the omission of YCAGWYW from the encore (the pattern passed on from the B2B Europe 98). I felt something was lost in the transition from the B2B 97/98 through the No Security US 99 to the Europe/UK 99.

IIRC the UK tour 1999 was a postponed leg of the B2B Europe 98 for some tax-related reason. Some information source (e.g. Wiki, setlist.fm) includes the Europe/UK 99 in the No Security Tour. I’m not sure. Whatever it was, to me, these London shows felt like a degraded version of the B2B Tour.

My understanding is that the 1999 European and U.K. shows were part of the Bridges to Babylon Tour, with the original stage setup and design. I’m not sure if the European dates were rescheduled from the previous year, or I’d they were newly-added.

First time they played "Flip The Switch" live I wrote this:

IORR is over. Keith is half way to Charlie, a bit behind and to the side of Darryl. He is standing legs wide, like about to doing a split or something. Something is on. He seems eager for some reason. Then Mich says: We're gonna do a new song - it's virgin, we have never done it before live". And then they jump into Flip The Switch. What a great song. Thank you, Keith! I love it. And it sounds like they have performed it forever, even if they barely rehearsed it in fractions earlier today at the stadium. When it was done, Mick say: We did it! - with the look of a cat having just caught a bird!

Ericsson Stadium, Charlotte, NC
Friday, Oct. 10, 1997

Bjornulf