Well, if you're hardcore, maybe, but for those folks who prefer CDs over DVDs, there you go.

The soundmix is quite good, even if the editing is sometimes questionable.

Jeez, when you got Bob Clearmountain mixing the tracks, you know it's gonna sound good.

To clarify matters -- I did NOT buy the CD -- I borrowed a copy from my local library. So, if you have Four Flicks (yes), then this is unnecessary. Still, I can hear it for free, so I'm not gonna bitch about it.

To believe some of the forum reviews, one would think this was a throwaway -- I respectfully disagree -- if you wanna have some recent live Stones for playing in your car, then here ya go.

In conclusion, I wouldn't be ashamed to play some of this for a non-believer.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2006-06-10 01:27 by bassplayer617.

Lots of good stuff on there - CYHMK, for example. True enough, the hack job on "Rocks Off" is inexcusable, but it has its moments.

That pretty much sums it up.I bought both Four Flicks and Live Licks.They were not very expensive.Remember,Live Licks has the L.A. Can't You Hear Me Knocking and,like you say,a very good sound mix.I enjoy it but,I get frustrated by the bad editing there is on a quarter of the tracks,the fact that nobody made the effort to find and use the best performances of most of the songs,and by the absence of many of the songs that were not included.

To be true, the problem with modern LiveRecords they are to good to be true, they probaly record all the instruments separately and mix them afterwards, I rather go for the unmixed versions.

__________________________

I agree with Nicos. I have almost no real interest in Live Licks. Give me the Rio DVD (or Saitama) properly mixed but unedited.

Any great sounding boots are the way to go but,I think the official live releases can/could/should be a good compliment to them.It might be time for another Stripped type of cd in the near future.

I dont think Live Licks is that bad. Im not an expert, but to me it doesnt sound like the intstruments are mixed seperatley like on other live albums they've released.
but anyways, I think Rock Me baby CYHMK, worried about you are pretty good.

Live Licks was an easy and in-expensive way for Virgin to release what they thought would be another good earner for them.
Unfortunately they forgot that by copying most of the songs on the 4 Flicks DVD they were putting the CD in direct comparison with the quality/footage already being enjoyed by 'Stones' fans.
Virgin's marketing of the 'Stones' has been pretty amateuristic and this was once again reflected in the alleged promotion/delayed release date of the new 'A Bigger Bang ' album.
However since 1989 album sales have not been a concern of the 'Stones' as they make big big money from their live World concert tours so Virgin have only themselves to blame.

the sound on it is superb - unquestionably the best mix of any Stones live album.

the performances are fine, too - although one could quibble with the song selection. Personally, I think Ive played the first disc about once. However, there are several standouts - Thats How Strong My Love Is, Rock Me Baby, Neighbours, etc.

Problem is more to do with the concept and presentation

Its effectively an edited audio soundtrack of Four Flicks, which had already been available for a year and was such a brilliantly comprehensive release, it rendered the release of a live CD utterly pointless - especially one issued after such a long gap. It reeks of contractual obligation and is barrel-scraping of the highest order

The editing on the songs however (especially on 'you know what') is unforgivable. Whoever was responsible for that edit should have been taken out and shot at dawn. The original track listing for the album included something like 33 songs, some of which werent even on "Four Flicks". Obviously to fit onto 2 CDs there would have been some editing.

It appears that all theyve done is to ditch about 12 songs from the original tracklist and leave the rest in the form in which they were prepared for release. With the extra songs being left off, there was no reason to edit anything as there was plenty of room on both discs.

So, they made a couple of very bad decisions. By leaving off the extra songs, they removed previously unavailable tracks which, even allowing for some editing - could have made the release a bit interesting

secondly, having now chosen to leave off the extra songs - they didnt need to edit what was left.

the most disappointing aspect of the release was that the Stones - who normally put a lot of careful post production work into their live releases - simply left the job of assembling this collection to someone else and - based on the Rocks Off abomination = chose not to even LISTEN to the finished product before allowing it to be released under their name. A very unprofessional attitude for a band of their reputation.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2006-06-10 02:07 by Gazza.

The fact that you can only get "IF YOU CAN'T ROCK ME" as a bonus track on the Japanese import is so screwed up. I can think of a lot of other songs I'd pull first. IYCRM is a totally underrated, kick ass song.....

parachute woman was going to be on it, that would have been cool too.

It's probaly my age that's the problem, I just downloaded David Bowie At the Beep, comparision the old tracks with the newer ones the newer souds as they are studio versions.

The problem also is that I want to hear the sound of the live records that I listen long time ago, The Cream, Fleedwood mac, Hendrix etc. "raw and live and from the hart"

__________________________

MicksBrain Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The fact that you can only get "IF YOU CAN'T ROCK
> ME" as a bonus track on the Japanese import is so
> screwed up. I can think of a lot of other songs
> I'd pull first. IYCRM is a totally underrated,
> kick ass song.....


didnt they do some hatchet job on that one as well? Think I read the version is edited and part of 'looped' and therefore repeated

They did a big hatchet job on If You Can't Rock Me.Real big.It's almost as bad as Rocks Off but,I suppose not as evident to casual fans.Like you said,one of the verses is cut out and another is looped,used twice.Overall,it runs only about 2:45,about a good fifty seconds shorter than the actual '02/'03 live versions.
This is what I meant by them not using the best performances.I suppose all the performances were pretty solid except for Rocks Off and If You Can't Rock Me but,still,I think they should have used different versions of those two songs so that any editing at all wouldn't have been very necessary.The January 16,2003 If You Can't Rock Me was great,much better than the one from the HBO broadcast two days later and there were plenty of versions of Rocks Off from that tour that went smoothly.

As for the original tentative track list,I think that one of the reasons it was adjusted (and the only good reason I can think of) was because,for some reason,it had songs that were on No Security and Stripped such as Live With Me,You Got Me Rocking,and Slipping Away.Interestingly enough,Rocks Off was not on the original track list,maybe another song as well.I remember because,that was one of the songs I was hoping that they would include.

I could be wrong, but I think that the live albums do sell pretty well internationally (not in the UK or US, however). I have them all, but the only ones I listen to are Ya-Ya's and Stripped (which is great as a stand alone effort). Live Licks is OK as a souvenier of the tour, but I would prefer to watch the DVD for nostalgia value.

What was the original track listing for Live Licks?

I love..Get Yer Y Y...and Love You Live...after that...it was only bootlegs...I did bought flashpoint..and no security...I like Sister mor..on it..and Higwire and Sexdrive..are intresting but does aint live. They kill the exitement by bringing ou a live album after every tour..I mean the ones after LYLI dont even play...there is no heart in it...Ican find heart in a bootleg!Even an badsounding one its honest and raw like R&R should be.That said..I have to state that I love fourty flicks!!I love toplay love you live to death!!Yes Nikki Bong!!But ''Live licks''I dont even want to hear..I just can feel is bad..its more Virgin really than it is the Stones..and that awfull company is giving the Stones absolutely..nothing!They killed the Bigger Bang!They used to be..a god company .but that is no more....I wish you all..a nice Saturday.

No Security has a far better mix than Live Licks.

I forgot completely about Love You Live. Side 3 is great.

No security...does have nice moments...wich I think..Licks doesnt have...and why should I buy it.when I have it all on bootleg!With no overdubs!

The difference between Live Licks and No Security is that No Security is far better sound than boots of the tour. It has been mixed and background noise reduced and instruments levels ajusted. Live Licks is just an audio rip of Four Flicks with some background/crowd noise taken out. There are boots just as good or better whereas No security was worth the price. Find a better sounding YGMR or Out of Control on a boot of that tour.

drbryant Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Live Licks is
> OK as a souvenier of the tour, but I would prefer
> to watch the DVD for nostalgia value.


No argument here.

So many people dig the sound on Live Licks but honestly I'm not a huge fan of it.

Take for example IORR... The mixing on it leaves ALOT to be desired. First off the guitars are not as loud as they should be, or as balanced as they should be. When it comes to the part where Mick is leading the audience in chanting his vocals go a bit louder and we can hear the crowd. Thats fine n dandy but when the jam starts back up the guitars are STILL low. For those of us who watched the broadcast live that evening, or for those who own Four Flicks, the jam is loud n clear. Keith's guitarwork is prominent and fantastically done. Yet on Live Licks its background noise.

I also find that the bass is a bit low. The kick/snare balance is great but the bass is just too low for my taste.

When the Whip Comes down is another example of the sound changes. Everything is incredibly compressed which makes it loose some of the punch IMHO.

I bought it but aside from the initial listen I never pull it out. Instead I burned my own custom 3 disc live set using the Four Flicks audio. (there are many programs that will extract dvd audio very easily) Mine includes Star Star, ADTL (from Nashville 02) and many others which didnt make it.

Dont get me wrong, its not horrible, I just think its not up to par with Clearmountain's other efforts. Thankfully the tracklisting is very good and the casual fan will dig it and be exposed to many non-hotrocks tunes.

-Drake



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2006-06-10 08:41 by drake.

drake Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> Mine includes Star Star, an
> un-butchered ADTL and many others which didnt make
> it.
>


wha? where did you get ATTL from?

For the record Live Licks was indeed "mixed". Every live album since Flashpoint has recieved royal treatment through multitrack recording. Basic setup:

- vox1 (Mick)
- vox2-a billion (backup singers who i hate)
- guitar1 left and right (Ronnie's amp)
- guitar2 left and right (Keef's amp)
- bass (the amazing Jones)
- piano/keys/synth
- kick
- snare
- toms (however many Charlie uses, i cant remember)
- overhead left right and center
- multiple crowd mics

There are many other inputs I'm not even thinking of at the moment. Point is, every channel is recorded digitally into a multitrack recording setup. Every input is mono, so we're talking a 30+ channel mix of the show. Every channel gets proper EQ/compression/limiters/reverb/FXs and then gets thrown into the mix. I love digital recording and all the possibilities with it, but Bob Clearmountain overmixed Live Licks.

Someday when I hit it big I'll buy the rights to everything in the Stones vaults and I'll start remixing all their old recordings. This one would only need a bit more bass, balanced guitars and overall I would soften the compressors on EVERYTHING except vocals.

Hell atleast it starts off better than No Security. I laugh everytime I throw that in. Loud bang, soft crowd, and YGMR starts. Was no one there for the mixing process to point out the fact that when that huge explosion comes out of the stage everyone in the crowd is screaming their heads off? Someone should have given them a copy of Still Life to get an idea of what the crowd sounds like at the start of the show.

-Drake

ryanpow Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> drake Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
> > Mine includes Star Star, an
> > un-butchered ADTL and many others which didnt
> make
> > it.
> >
>
>
> wha? where did you get ATTL from?


I fixed my post. (man i went on a longass rant... twice...) ADTL from Nashville. A recording I made that tour. Also had a killer CYHMK and possibly the hotest bstage I have ever seen/heard in my entire life. IORR/Little Red Rooster/Brown Sugar. When I see IORR and BS on a setlist normally I dont even think twice about it but the versions they played that night were the absolute pinacle performances of all 3 songs. Flawless and inspired. I still play that bstage set on a regular basis and I look forward to blasting it at peak volume this Friday.

-Drake

drake Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> For the record Live Licks was indeed "mixed".
> Every live album since Flashpoint has recieved
> royal treatment through multitrack recording.
> Basic setup:
>
> - vox1 (Mick)
> - vox2-a billion (backup singers who i hate)
> - guitar1 left and right (Ronnie's amp)
> - guitar2 left and right (Keef's amp)
> - bass (the amazing Jones)
> - piano/keys/synth
> - kick
> - snare
> - toms (however many Charlie uses, i cant
> remember)
> - overhead left right and center
> - multiple crowd mics
>
> There are many other inputs I'm not even thinking
> of at the moment. Point is, every channel is
> recorded digitally into a multitrack recording
> setup. Every input is mono, so we're talking a
> 30+ channel mix of the show. Every channel gets
> proper EQ/compression/limiters/reverb/FXs and then
> gets thrown into the mix. I love digital
> recording and all the possibilities with it, but
> Bob Clearmountain overmixed Live Licks.
>
> Someday when I hit it big I'll buy the rights to
> everything in the Stones vaults and I'll start
> remixing all their old recordings. This one would
> only need a bit more bass, balanced guitars and
> overall I would soften the compressors on
> EVERYTHING except vocals.
>
> Hell atleast it starts off better than No
> Security. I laugh everytime I throw that in.
> Loud bang, soft crowd, and YGMR starts. Was no
> one there for the mixing process to point out the
> fact that when that huge explosion comes out of
> the stage everyone in the crowd is screaming their
> heads off? Someone should have given them a copy
> of Still Life to get an idea of what the crowd
> sounds like at the start of the show.

Aree..I was unnatural...they didnt start with YGMR!!!! All the life albums..start with the start...they just though JJF is on to many live albums of us so we take YGMR..wich just doesnt go as the opener...I have that interview no sec disc...wich was expensive...I never playthe album but Im gonna listen now....I wil never ever buy ''live licks''.

well maybe NS wasnt supposed to re-create a live concert. It was just a collection of live songs from that tour, and a pretty good colection IMO. as far as live licks, I dont think its that bad, but if you dont buy it, your not missing much either. The DVD is good enough.

NS is a great album. Who gives a damn about the sound of the crowd in the beginning? What matters is the fantastic performances of Sister Morphine, the Last Time, Out of Control, and others . . .

Live Licks is sitting nicely on the shelf and it will
stay there, cause there's a lot of other live albums that
has got more energy than LL.

Fits well in the collection though!

Been Stoned since 1964 and still am!