Rightly so the main emphasis of discussion here on the board is from like 69 -81. Just wondering do you find yourself listening more frequently to material pre 69. London yrs singles era type or find yourself listening more post 81 undercover, DW,SW, VL, B2B, ABB stuff. I know many malign yrs post Tattoo but come to think I don't hear or see much threads on 12x5-now stuff either. I listen to it all but actually if truth be told I probably listen much more post 81 regularly than like pre-68. Of course most I listen to is like 68-73. Than 74-81. Why do so many think post 81 absolutley sucks I do not understand.

She Was Hot, One Hit, Sad Sad Sad, Almost Hear Sigh, Don't Stop, Too Tough, Too Tight, All Way Down, Sleep Tonight, Out OF Control, Laugh Nearly Died, Rough Justice, Oh no Not You Again, Worst, Love IS Strong, Saint OF ME, Flip The Switch, Mixed Emotions, I Go Wild, Thru & Thru, Under Radar, Jump On Top OF Me etc etc Etc plus many more good stuff MEZ

the first few albums are the best... just look at the cover of december's children

agree with roundnround - at least the 60's albums are the ones I come back to far more often than any of the others.

I also prefer pre-"Big 4." Actually, I've listened to the "Big 4" so many times that I listen to them now considerably less often than the other periods.

cc Wrote:
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> I also prefer pre-"Big 4." Actually, I've listened
> to the "Big 4" so many times that I listen to them
> now considerably less often than the other
> periods.

Same here. These days I'm more likely to listen to Aftermath or Now! than I am Exile or Let It Bleed. Love the post Tattoo stuff too though, it's sadly underrated. Been listening to alot of Voodoo Lounge and A Bigger Bang recently, such awesome albums.

I do listen most to 68-83. The best years were the Taylor years, but there was something special about the first 8 years with Woody.
Then again, 60s and 90s and 2000s are also great from time to time.
An album like Aftermath, which is a real classic piece of work, somehow gets played as seldom as Bridges To Babylon....I'dont know why...and I'm sorry.

Perhaps strangely enough, I always find myself listening to post-81 albums. That's around the time I got into the Stones so it seems more current/relevant.

Also, I think I take it as "read" on the earlier ones by now..

Perhaps strangely enough, I always find myself listening to post-81 albums. That's around the time I got into the Stones so it seems more current/relevant.

Also, I think I take it as "read" on the earlier ones by now..

I believe post 1981 does suck in the main James.

The Stones sixties albums (pre-Beggars Banquet) all have really great moments but i don't think the Stones strength was consistency at that point in time(although Aftermath was a fine effort). What i really liked though was the fact they were willing to try new sounds which for me were always interesting.This is probably a result of the environment in those years when music was fresh and exciting and there was plenty of rivalry between the top groups. I'd rather the Stones be inventive even if it meant at times they could be a little hit and miss (especially Satanic Majesties) than become formulaic and predictable. However they did have a run of exceptional singles.

By the early eighties the musical landscape had changed completely. Music had become more catagorised and with the advent of video/ MTV music was primarily big business. I believe the Stones releases (in particular Steel Wheels and after) reflect this only too well. Their sound has been overall has been rather too cautious and conservative and when they have attempted to change (as with Bridges To Babylon) it's has had more to do with production techniques/values than musical direction. Add to this their diminishing strength as songwriters(too many shallow, sketchy and underdeveloped songs).

It's quite possible to make a case that A Bigger Bang or Voodoo Lounge hold together more cohesively than say Between The Buttons or Satanic Majesties but really those more recent albums are merely products of our corporate environment. It's those earlier albums weaknesses and all that show the true spirit of the Stones music when they were prepared to take a few risks.

I have often thought that there is way too little attention paid to the pre 68 albums here. To the point where I have wondered if some people even know about them; or care. I listen to pre 68 the most I think. Second is 73-79 starngely enough. The Big 4 I have to have a special event in my mind for it to take place. LIB and BB are probaly thew two albums in the whole catalogue Iisten to the least.

"...no longer shall you trudge 'cross my peaceful mind."

Like 'em all.

Add me in the Pre-1968 category.

The stuff I listen to he most is the 68 to 78 and the 94 to 05 years. Always have been.

JumpingKentFlash

To get a better perspective on the Stones early albums it's much better to acquire the english versions rather than the cobbled together American versions - they are as follows.

The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones no2
Out Of Our Heads
Aftermath
Between The Buttons

Those first two albums are unavailable on CD officially although they are obtainable on bootleg.

The Stones first album 'The Rolling Stones' is their most consistent pre- Aftermath and its just brimming with raw vitality. I know the Stones at that point in time often stressed they were primarily a blues band but the recorded evidence shows them to be a great rock 'n' roll band primarily with occasional blues influences .

The Rolling Stones no2 for me is probably the weakest of their early albums. It is very similar to their first only not as strong (or as vital). It does have a great version of Everybody Needs Somebody To Love and Time Is On My Side but it is essentially an album designed to maintain the Stones profile.

Out Of Our Heads is like their first album full of rock 'n' roll vitality except the blues influences by and large has been replaced by soul. It's possibly the Stones most soul influenced album of their career. It includes a great version of the rediscovered That's How Strong My Love Is.


The Aftermath - Satanic Majesties period is probably more familiar to Stones fans as it has been better documented.


When considering the diverse range of styles the Stones employed during this period (rock 'n' roll, blues, soul, psychedelia, vaudeville, pop etc.) it's an era that should never be overlooked. As much as i love Beggars Banquet - Exile and beyond the Stones by then had established their own niche which while few could ever match them it did mean they were a lot less likely to incorporate these different elements. They were still great though until the rot began to set in around the turn of the eighties.

Post Tatoo. Very underrated stuff wth many gems in it. Great Music.

I agree with most of what Edward T says, especially that the group was never as much of "a blues band" as they liked to say they were. But remember that the UK albums No 2 and Out of Our Heads were pretty much cobbled together, too--they are compilations of different sessions just as their US counterparts are. It's actually much easier to hear more of the discography with the US versions, b/c they incorporate the singles (probably a bad thing for everyone here who knows the Hot Rocks stuff in their sleep) but also the EP material. There are a few minuses like losing "Mona" from the first album, a weaker Got Live, and Decembers Children is kind of a mess. And as far as quality of the vinyl mastering goes, the UKs are a must. But for the CDs it makes less difference than is often held.

It's a close call, but much as I love the recent stuff it's the early morning of their career that still reminds me most of why I love this band. Probably a BIG nostalgia factor involved (I had the undeserved good luck to be 13, in Richmond, in 1963) but there's not a lot I can do about that.

Post 1981 for me. Pre 1968 is good stuff don't get me wrong, i'm just more of a fan of 'modern music' than 'classic rock.'

Edward Twining Wrote:
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> To get a better perspective on the Stones early
> albums it's much better to acquire the english
> versions rather than the cobbled together American
> versions - they are as follows.
>
> The Rolling Stones
> The Rolling Stones no2
> Out Of Our Heads
> Aftermath
> Between The Buttons


The Brits didn't have Rolling Stones Now!? That's my favorite early Stones album! Heck, that's my favorite Stones album after the Big 4. I would hate to lose Now! myself, it's awesome.

Elmo Lewis Wrote:
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> Like 'em all.


Best answer

I like them all ,but if a have had a counter on my stereo,it would be90% the big ones 9% the rest of the best and 1% undercover and dirty work.
VIVA BEGGARS
Waisted,see you

Hey James- great thread.

I listen to 68-74 (plus Some Girls) the most, w/o a doubt. It seems easy to mix-up "The Big 4" with "The Talyor Years". The Big Four is only about the Big 2 1/3 in Taylor Years.

There seems to be a lot more material 63-67 then 82-present. Someone out there could probably state how many songs the Stones released 63-67 vs 82-present.

I prefer 63-67 over 81-present, unless its a Keef LV then 82-present is equal. Most of the stuff fro 63-67, I prefer, is Jaggar /Richard.

My issue with 82-present is something is missing and I'm not sure exactly what. There's still a bunch of great songs in there but not the consistency. I think when Mick and Keef had that split, they never really regained that intimacy-

The other part for me is that 63-81, I can always relate a song to where I was or who I was with at that time as a teenager or whatever. That doesn't happen as easy as you get older- that probabaly has nothing to do with the quality but it has an impact on my view.

don't give me that ole one two, one two three four

Thanks, Pokalheld. Great stuff from all through the career. Ain't that why we're here?

Some favorites among many - "Heart Of Stone" "Last Time" "Off The Hook" "Under My Thumb" "Out Of Time" "Ruby" "Rainbow" "Dandelion" "Stray Cat" "Monkey Man" "CYHMK" "Shine A Light" "Let It Loose" "100 Years Ago" "Hot Stuff" "Memory" "Worried About You" "Tops" "Dirty Work" "Almost Hear You Sigh" "I Go Wild" "How Can I Stop" "SSMC" and about 175 more.

Scotty Some my favs similar Out of Time & Child of the moon are awesome. I still hope they play these live oneday. Other favs Loving Cup, Torn N Frayed, 100yrs ago, Worried about you, Almost HEar You Sigh, All Down The Line, She's A Rainbow, The Worst, Mercy Mercy, Blue turns To Grey, Confessin The Blues, Down In The Hole, Tops, Hand Of Fate, Out oF Control, Don't Stop, Laugh I Nearly Died, She Was Hot, Too Tough, Paint It Black, Ruby Tuesday, Time Waits For No One, Under My Thumb, Waiting On A Friend, Love IS Strong, Dead Flowers, Sway, Through The Lonely Nights, Jump On Top Of Me, Monkey Man, Before They Make Me Run, Tumbling Dice,Sittin On A Fence, Highwire, Slipping Away, Sympathy, Factory Girl, No expectations, Anybody Seen My Baby, Love In Vain, Little Red rooster etc etc & many many more MEZ

12X5 Wrote:
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> The Brits didn't have Rolling Stones Now!? That's
> my favorite early Stones album! Heck, that's my
> favorite Stones album after the Big 4. I would
> hate to lose Now! myself, it's awesome.

Rolling Stones No 2 is basically the same album.

As far as the post-81 albums are considered, I think there has been so much support for them on great threads, around a month (or so) ago, that maybe we do not need to say anymore that they are underrated, or that this era is less appreciated. Controversial, yes, but hated? No! It even ended in a cry-out for One Hit and She Was Hot (ao) in the setlists, on the B-stage!

Great, positive threads they were! ;-)

Jelle

jumpinjackgreg Wrote:
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> Post 1981 for me. Pre 1968 is good stuff don't get
> me wrong, i'm just more of a fan of 'modern music'
> than 'classic rock.'


Greg, I thought your big 4 was Steel Wheels through ABB.