I am sure that some y'all will say "already covered", but I searched.

I love both the Brussels we grew up with via Bedspring Symphony, Europe 73 (Royal Sound) and the CD releases of Brussels Affair on Chameleon. Hot schtuff, as an old friend was wont to say.

However, there are trax on the Chameleon ("boot" version) that I so prefer to the official releases from 2011 & 2020 Goats Head Deluxe. LOVE both those, but these are the "traditional" Brussels trax and transitions I prefer over the official release:

Gimme Shelter
Tumbling Dice
Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo
Dancing With Mr. D
Angie
and
Midnight Rambler

Would love to hear from anyone who digs this topic!

stonesstein

Kick me like you did before
I can't even feel the pain no more
Rocks Off, 1972

HTW and ADTL are much better during the afternoon (the bootleg, Rattlesnake for me) than the (officially released) night show.

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stonesstein
I am sure that some y'all will say "already covered", but I searched.

I love both the Brussels we grew up with via Bedspring Symphony, Europe 73 (Royal Sound) and the CD releases of Brussels Affair on Chameleon. Hot schtuff, as an old friend was wont to say.

However, there are trax on the Chameleon ("boot" version) that I so prefer to the official releases from 2011 & 2020 Goats Head Deluxe. LOVE both those, but these are the "traditional" Brussels trax and transitions I prefer over the official release:

Gimme Shelter
Tumbling Dice
Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo
Dancing With Mr. D
Angie
and
Midnight Rambler

Would love to hear from anyone who digs this topic!

Fully agree with you, although Midnight Rambler is the same as on the official release, albeit mixed differently. Thing is, that the unoffcial releases are not entirely from Brussels, but also some Wembley '73 tracks were thrown in, while for the official release, they kept "everything Brussels", leaving the superior performances from Wembley like Gimme Shelter, Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo in the dust, so to speak, also Angie, that is from a different Brussels show. In the end, I'm not 100% satisfied with the official release, which should have used the best performances, Brussels or not. Hell, even the offical show is a compilation of tracks from the early and late Brussels shows! Then again, I still have the excellent sounding boots, Bedspring Symphony, Rock Out Cock Out, Europe 73 (Royal Sound) and others. The Royal Sound release, done by an old friend of mine, comes from a pristine BBC archive tape, btw.!

What about BRUSSELS AFFAIR - DEFINITIVE EDITION? It contains the complete 1st show and other 73 tracks as bonus tracks. For me this is still the best release of the 73 tour but I like to listen to the official release too although I prefer the mix of the bootleg.

http://bootlegpedia.com/en/product/RS_015-16

All I remember is that the Brussels '73 recording was available on reel to reel tape already in 1975, very good quality. My brothers played it on a Sony tape recorder

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retired_dog

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stonesstein
I am sure that some y'all will say "already covered", but I searched.

I love both the Brussels we grew up with via Bedspring Symphony, Europe 73 (Royal Sound) and the CD releases of Brussels Affair on Chameleon. Hot schtuff, as an old friend was wont to say.

However, there are trax on the Chameleon ("boot" version) that I so prefer to the official releases from 2011 & 2020 Goats Head Deluxe. LOVE both those, but these are the "traditional" Brussels trax and transitions I prefer over the official release:

Gimme Shelter
Tumbling Dice
Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo
Dancing With Mr. D
Angie
and
Midnight Rambler

Would love to hear from anyone who digs this topic!

Fully agree with you, although Midnight Rambler is the same as on the official release, albeit mixed differently. Thing is, that the unoffcial releases are not entirely from Brussels, but also some Wembley '73 tracks were thrown in, while for the official release, they kept "everything Brussels", leaving the superior performances from Wembley like Gimme Shelter, Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo in the dust, so to speak, also Angie, that is from a different Brussels show. In the end, I'm not 100% satisfied with the official release, which should have used the best performances, Brussels or not. Hell, even the offical show is a compilation of tracks from the early and late Brussels shows! Then again, I still have the excellent sounding boots, Bedspring Symphony, Rock Out Cock Out, Europe 73 (Royal Sound) and others. The Royal Sound release, done by an old friend of mine, comes from a pristine BBC archive tape, btw.!

How was Midnight Rambler mixed differently?

My personal favorite is still Bedspring Symphony. Especially with headphones on, I really enjoy that mix and raw energy they have.

My understanding is that the ‘official Brussels’ is a different show, though pinches a few of the ‘better’ performances from the original bootleg. Personally, I’d have preferred for them to have just released the other Brussels show in it’s entirety, warts and all.

TD from the boots (not the release) is one of the band's great moments on stage especially the versions that accentuate Taylor's playing. What he could not play during the '72 LG movie he played in Brussels and the band's performance is indeed a symphony.

Nothing is better than the bootlegs of the first show with added tracks from Wembley 9th, like Europe '73 from Royal Sound and the Complete Brussels from Rattlesnake.

Mathijs

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Taylor1

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retired_dog

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stonesstein
I am sure that some y'all will say "already covered", but I searched.

I love both the Brussels we grew up with via Bedspring Symphony, Europe 73 (Royal Sound) and the CD releases of Brussels Affair on Chameleon. Hot schtuff, as an old friend was wont to say.

However, there are trax on the Chameleon ("boot" version) that I so prefer to the official releases from 2011 & 2020 Goats Head Deluxe. LOVE both those, but these are the "traditional" Brussels trax and transitions I prefer over the official release:

Gimme Shelter
Tumbling Dice
Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo
Dancing With Mr. D
Angie
and
Midnight Rambler

Would love to hear from anyone who digs this topic!

Fully agree with you, although Midnight Rambler is the same as on the official release, albeit mixed differently. Thing is, that the unoffcial releases are not entirely from Brussels, but also some Wembley '73 tracks were thrown in, while for the official release, they kept "everything Brussels", leaving the superior performances from Wembley like Gimme Shelter, Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo in the dust, so to speak, also Angie, that is from a different Brussels show. In the end, I'm not 100% satisfied with the official release, which should have used the best performances, Brussels or not. Hell, even the offical show is a compilation of tracks from the early and late Brussels shows! Then again, I still have the excellent sounding boots, Bedspring Symphony, Rock Out Cock Out, Europe 73 (Royal Sound) and others. The Royal Sound release, done by an old friend of mine, comes from a pristine BBC archive tape, btw.!

How was Midnight Rambler mixed differently?

Well, in official version one can hear Bill and Charlie more distinctively, but by the cost of the massive sounding guitars that dominate the scene on bootlegs. Especially Taylor's lead guitar has lost quite a lot of its presence. It could be that the official offers a more balanced account what actually happens on stage, but I totally fell in love what I heard first time in BEDSPRING SYMPHONY, and then in other bootlegs, and everytime I listen the official one I feel like that something crucial is missing... (but despite of that the Brussels "Rambler" is the greatest recorded piece of live rock by anyone ever, me thinks).

It is interesting that Jagger had a big hand in mixing the original radio show tapes. Some report say that it was him pushing the guitars very outfront in mix. Jagger of that time, typical to times, seemingly was very guitar-friendly (and seemingly a huge fan of Taylor's lead playing - especially during 1973 tour Taylor had pretty free hands to do whatever he pleased). Something we can not say of some latter times (if we listen the mixes of official Stones live releases).

- Doxa



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2022-10-24 12:19 by Doxa.

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Doxa

Well, in official version one can hear Bill and Charlie more distinctively, but by the cost of the massive sounding guitars that dominate the scene on bootlegs. Especially Taylor's lead guitar has lost quite a lot of its presence. It could be that the official offers a more balanced account what actually happens on stage, but I totally fell in love what I heard first time in BEDSPRING SYMPHONY, and then in other bootlegs, and everytime I listen the official one I feel like that something crucial is missing... (but despite of that the Brussels "Rambler" is the greatest recorded piece of live rock by anyone ever, me thinks).

Quite the opposite for me.

What always annoyed me in the old boot versions - once the excitement for the high octane performances cooled down - was the "glam rock" distorted guitar sound. All the nuances and dynamics of the Ya Ya's Stones seemed disappeared.

For years I blamed the drugs, but the 73 Stones official version tells a different story: lower the gain and the good old band is still there!

Not only Wyman can be heard better, but also the other musicians on stage - mainly Preston's work and, above all, the interaction between them!

C

Nasty Music !!!!

The official release is of all Brussels takes but I cherish Chameleon’s Brussels Affair and Royal Sound’s Europe ‘73 in the similar way towards the “Paris” portion of Love You Live — you know what I’m trying to say here.

I hesitantly asked Mick Taylor to autograph my copies of the Royal Sound’s Europe ‘73 and Get Your Leeds Lungs Out after the club gig in Osaka, 1989.
“These are bootlegs,” I mumbled.
“I know,” he replied with a wry smile.
An awkward moment was had between us

The Chamelion bootleg is for sure NOT the one to get from the boots, because it is copied from vinyl inclusive crackles. Much better are the CDs from VGP: VGP-002, 011, 025, 088.

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wiredallnight
The Chamelion bootleg is for sure NOT the one to get from the boots, because it is copied from vinyl inclusive crackles.

Yeah it was a rip-off : the 1st few tracks were taken from a pristine source (a KBFH cd?) then it was crackles-fest.

The limited Chamelion boot pressed on gold discs was nice though... but as WAN remarked, the VGP release(s) rendered the European boot obsolete.

Which has the better sound out of the Captain Acid remaster or the Royal Sound release? Thanks!

I've never heard anything better than Europe '73 by Royal Sound.

Bunnies .. Bombs .. Busts & A Princess - Halcyon

Early show 17 October 1973 ... but not complete



ROCKMAN

ROCKMAN

I love the Vinyl Virus LP I own. Probably the same as Europe 73.

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wiredallnight
The Chameleon bootleg is for sure NOT the one to get from the boots, because it is copied from vinyl inclusive crackles. Much better are the CDs from VGP: VGP-002, 011, 025, 088.

Wired, a couple pops in YCAGWYW never bothered me, because if you play it loud, it rocks amazingly to where they are so easy to miss.

On the Chameleon Brussels, I really dig:

1. the transition between Dancing With Mr. D and Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo
2. Angie without the French verse
3. Mick talking at the onset of Rambler ("very quick, aren't we?")

I really go back and forth between the official release and the Chameleon CD which is sourced from the Royal Sound 2LP set which I also have. Sometimes, I will play the CD, and sometimes, I will play the Royal Sound LPs. Same recordings, etc., just different mediums and slightly different sound.

While I really do dig the "new" stuff that the Brussels Affair Official release gives us, I also truly enjoy the London 1973 tracks intermingled in the KBFH source versions.

We are so lucky to have so many options of listening to the Stones at such an incredible live performance level!

stonesstein

Kick me like you did before
I can't even feel the pain no more
Rocks Off, 1972

Good post. It has been long debated about which recording is the finest quality. The first time I head this was back in the 70's via Saturated Recordworks out of Australia and titled The Rolling Stones A Tour De Force 2S701. I did a back to back listen tonight and this release beats the Royal Sound cut by a wide margin. All I know is the sound is damn good. Are the track lists the same, no. A Tour De Force has cuts from London, Newcastle, and Rotterdam as I recall. Hilarious is the record labels say The 1976 American Tour which of course doesn't exist...I do like the official release for what it's worth.

One thing for sure is the different incarnations of the 1973 boots available reveal the same thing. The Stones were indeed cooking on this tour! Very cool to have seen them play in Essen back then.

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liddas

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Doxa

Well, in official version one can hear Bill and Charlie more distinctively, but by the cost of the massive sounding guitars that dominate the scene on bootlegs. Especially Taylor's lead guitar has lost quite a lot of its presence. It could be that the official offers a more balanced account what actually happens on stage, but I totally fell in love what I heard first time in BEDSPRING SYMPHONY, and then in other bootlegs, and everytime I listen the official one I feel like that something crucial is missing... (but despite of that the Brussels "Rambler" is the greatest recorded piece of live rock by anyone ever, me thinks).

Quite the opposite for me.

What always annoyed me in the old boot versions - once the excitement for the high octane performances cooled down - was the "glam rock" distorted guitar sound. All the nuances and dynamics of the Ya Ya's Stones seemed disappeared.

For years I blamed the drugs, but the 73 Stones official version tells a different story: lower the gain and the good old band is still there!

Not only Wyman can be heard better, but also the other musicians on stage - mainly Preston's work and, above all, the interaction between them!

C

A little Hegelian in me likes the opposites. And sometimes they come up with an interesting synthesis.

For me the dominating guitar fiesta in bootleg "Rambler" has always been a guilty pleasure (since generally I am not that big fan of typical hard rock guitar music). True that some other qualities are sacrified, but I think that is the uniqueness on that recording - to give an idea of the Stones as a true guitar band, and not to second to any act in that sense at the time. I don't miss the qualities of YAYAS there, nor I don't think they should have followed that guitar fiesta route that further, like they didn't. But it was like a one-time show off: look, we have this gear as well. Actually no one has ever done that better as them then. They really used the potentia of Mick Taylor very well, but I especially think that Keith does his best ever live performance on that recording. Those two are absolutely out of this world, and what they accomplish together, oh man (besides, Mick's vocals, harp, and sense of timing, as well as Charlie's playing and how all of then are in a synch - all can be heard on a bootleg - is just beyond perfection). I don't think rock and roll can be be played any better.

- Doxa



Edited 6 time(s). Last edit at 2022-10-27 12:58 by Doxa.

I just can't get enough of praising Brussels "Rambler" (so excuse me for hijacking this thread).. To me the most fascinating development of a Stones song is the one started in LET IT BLEED, then had a live clothing in YA-YAS, and then ended, like all potentia accomplished, in Brussels. I think all of those stages are perfect in their own terms, but the beauty of it is the natural development. That's creativity (one could also add some other steps there, best 1971 and 1972 versions, but those three versions are the most striking ones or cornerstones in hearing the evolution).

There had been great versions of "Rambler" ever since - they don't seem to go ever wrong with that one - but the early development of the song from 1969 to 1973 is an unique story of its own, a masterpiece, and I don't think they have much to add to it since then. When I listen to Brussels version, something I pretty often still do, I feel like 'well, is there anything actually to add there? What one even could think would evolve that song any further? How can one top that one?' Naturally, they don't even tried that ever since.

- Doxa



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2022-10-27 13:30 by Doxa.

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Doxa

There had been great versions of "Rambler" ever since - they don't seem to go ever wrong with that one - but the early development of the song from 1969 to 1973 is an unique story of its own, a masterpiece, and I don't think they have much to add to it since then. When I listen to Brussels version, something I pretty often still do, I feel like 'well, is there anything actually to add there? What one even could think would evolve that song any further? How can one top that one?' Naturally, they don't even tried that ever since.

- Doxa

I think the development of Rambler goes further with the 1975 versions. The versions before were all different excursions of the blues. In 1975 they added sleaze and rock to it, with the addition of Wood, and a bit of funk through Ollie Brown.The LA Friday version and the New York versions are the sleaziest and filthiest versions of Rambler ever. Starting 1976 I think the inspiration was gone, with 1989 repetitions of earlier renditions.

Mathijs

Halcyon's Bunnies Busts Bombs..and, oh...a Princess for me.
Yep, that's the one.