78 had way more character and attitude. I love 81 too, but 78 blows it away. Much like (to me), 2002/03 blows away 2005.

It was one of my first Stones' albums, and the first live one. I was 13 and had no basis for comparison, so I loved it by then. The first time I heard most of those songs, including "Satisfaction", was on "Still Life", and later when I heard the studio versions I got surprised about how "slow" they really were. Today I think "Satisfaction" is the by far the worst thing on "Still Life".

"Let Me Go" and "Time Is on My Side" are the only songs that got better than the originals. Turning the marimba and piano riffs of "Under My Thumb" and "Let's Spend the Night Together" into guitar riffs were great ideas, though I really prefer the studio versions. The rest of the album is, in my opinion, completely unnecessary.

I am not keen on the 81-82 ww tour. Don't know why. As I keep bad souvenirs of the eighties to the exception of the wonderful Tatoo You. One of their greatest.
But Dirty Work or Undercover are npoor Stones album if one consider as these being Stones.Thus,I never listen to Still Life. Would go to Flashpoint or No Security or Stripped.

For the rolling stones, this album is shit

You make a hort sresumé of my post.So agree

1) Under my Thumb 10/10 - what an opening. Works much more effectively as an opener than Start Me Up, somewhat ironically.

2) Let's Spend the Night Together - 9/10 Probably the definitive live version. (I like the joint smoking comment beforehand too)

3) Shattered 3/10 A big bloody mess. Don't like Mick's vocals here either.

4) Twenty flight rock 4/10 Don't really like the song, and the Stones version here is merely passable. Too fast perhaps?

5) Going to a Go Go 8.5/10 Album's back on track here. Excellent choice by the Stones to cover it; the riffs are well played and Mick's vocals are nice as well.

6) Let Me Go 2/10 Probably the worst track on the album. I love no . . . LOVE the studio version of this song, but this sounds more like noise than music.

7) Time 9/10 Great live version

8) Imagination 9/10 Another great live version here. Wonderful intrumentation all the way through, and some fantastic singing. It's got FEELING

9) Start Me Up 5/10 Guitar sounds are too thin here, vocals are weak. Charlie is by far the best part of this - saves it from utter disaster

10) Satisfaction 4/10 This one suffers similarly to Start Me Up as well. The riffage has no POWER, and power is something that a song like satisfaction needs.

So I'm sticking with the unfairly maligned LOVE YOU LIVE as my favourite live album . . .

I saw the 78 tour in Buffalo on July 4, the greatest American holiday, still have the stub, but I remember being disappointed because I felt like they played too much from Some Girls.

Another thing that sucked was that they started the show in the afternoon, which it was a beautiful day but this is a band that must be seen in the evening if outdoors.

Still Life had its moments, Imagination is one of the best songs on the cd IMO, especially if played loud, buts whats with the vocals? Mick's voice sounds way over dubbed. His vocals on this cd have a different sound than any other live record I've heard.

I saw the 81 tour in San Diego, with a bunch of sailors, my brother, and a cousin who said his mom took him to the stones in Buffalo in 1964 with the Beach Boys. I remember standing in a long line in the blazing October sun drinking a gallon of homemade mojo. By the time I got to the gate I was hammered. They had to carry me to the field, thanks for general admission, luckily George Thorogood and J. Geils helped me to sober up. I think I recall Mick saying that it was their first night show of the tour. I had a great time.

I agree too. It's awesome. I often read reviews. They all bash it. I don't understand.

I recently bought it on vynil, it has even cooler cover artwork. I think it's the Stones' best live album and their overall best album since Tattoo You. It's punky, fast, everybody's on drugs and booze, the crowd's loving it, it's rock 'n' roll the way it was meant to play.

Love you live has warmth depth and ffeling all over it despite overdubs here and there. Still life is dead.

IMO Twenty Flight Rock and Let Me Go are extremely well played. Ronnie's solo (TFR) and Keith's solo (LMG) are among their finest work ever.

Another thing I recall hearing on this tour is that Mick and Keith were at each others throats and hence the reason why the long lapse between the the 81 tour and the next one.

That upset the normal groove of 3 years between tours.

Love Bill's bass on "Just My Imagination".

As previously stated....this album / tour get bashed on a regular basis. But to me....it's the best! 81' was the first year I really became aware of the Stones. I was 8 years old at the time and as soon as Still Life hit the shelves....mom was buying me a copy. Still have it too in rather good condition.

"I'm the bleeding volcano"

When you listen to Get Your Ya Yas Out and Still Life, it is most difficult to believe it is from the same band.

I'm coming around to the '81 tour, having heard some audience recordings instead of these paper-thin soundboards, but overall the level of playing is still an embarrassment. Have you heard them try "Tops"? I don't understand how it could be played so poorly by any guitarists, let alone those in the "world's greatest rock and roll band." I mean besides how @#$%& up they must have been, how could they play so badly?

cc

The Sicilian Wrote:
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> > Another thing I recall hearing on this tour is
> that Mick and Keith were at each others throats
> and hence the reason why the long lapse between
> the the 81 tour and the next one.
>
> That upset the normal groove of 3 years between
> tours

Don't ask me to remeber the publication sources (although I am pretty sure Rolling Stone magazine reported some of this) but there were some big issues with Ronnie on this tour:

1) Ronnie was in the depths of a massive freebasing binge. He publicly promised the band that he would cut it out. When Keith was told he was in his room smoking free base, he ran up and physically attacked him.

2) Ronnie completely zoned out on stage at one show, missing his guitar part. Keith ran accross the stage and punched him.

3) Supposedly, the band rehearsed with George Thorogood at one point (sans Ronnie). The idea being they were going to have to fire Ronnie and ask GT to step in.

On the positive side, if you listen to Still Life, the better bootlegs, the movie, etc. I believe that this was the last tour where the fabled Keith and Ronnie "Weave" was evident.

I'm no Thorogood fan.....but I did see him open up the New Orleans show for the Stones in 81. At least he is a distinctive guitar player. The problem with the Stones guitar sound on the 81 tour was the muddy, messy and rather ordinary sound. There is nothing ordinary about the sound of Ya Yas.

I think still life is pretty good. I loved it when I first heard it, but since I have heard many better boots from this tour.