This is the one time I saw them (in Lexington 12/13), and the official live LP ("Still Life") doesn't do it justice.

Through an anonymous friend, I acquired a DVD of the Hampton PPV show. They were on fire for that show. Just finished watching a scorching performance of "Black Limousine", with Ronnie blazing away on the leads. He didn't play slide on it at this juncture.

Bill is playing what I believe is a Travis Bean bass. Clear & punchy. Beautiful sound, with no mud whatsoever. It's funny watching him casually scoping out the girls LOL.

Ronnie & Keith sharing a mic for some gloriously ragged backup vocals.

This was the last tour with minimal backup musicians (Ian Stewart & Ian McLagan on keyboards, Ernie Watts on sax).

Jagger was in fine vocal form, not shouting, but actually singing.

Now, on with the show. "Imagination" (the version referred to in another thread) is just starting. More later.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2006-12-03 02:36 by bassplayer617.

The last of the ragged drug tours with the coolest background vocals from Keith and Ronnie,guitars in your face everynight,and some of the greatest bass playing we ever heard.

Coming Down Again

It's a magnificent concert, in fact I'll put the DVD on right now.

YEAH Hampton...what a show....HIGH geared...sure Mick must be chewin' coke laced gum...what a watch!!!



ROCKMAN



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2006-12-03 03:07 by Rockman.

Mick is definitely on SUMMINK when Rona Barrett interviews him before the show. He can't even stay in the chair. AND he looks SO healthy and fit!

"The wonder of Jimi Hendrix was that he could stand up at all he was so pumped full of drugs." Patsy, Patsy Stone

I have to profess to having hated the way they played on this tour. When Still Life came out I thought they had butchered their own songs - all way too fast.
What's that Chuck Berry song:

I got no kick against modern jazz unless you play it too damn fast
Losing beauty of the melody until it sounds like a symphony

After I downloaded a couple of albums from here (Jersey Devils/Ride Like the Wind) I have come to like it a lot better though. So thank you to whoever uploaded those albums.

There is a sound the 81 tour had overall that is very distinct. Everything can be heard well but somehow the guitars sound too much the same and sort of tinny, missing the meaty earthy sound I love. It is the only thing I don't love.
Listening to the 78 soundboard stuff the songs had that fullness missing in 81.

Markdog Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> There is a sound the 81 tour had overall that is
> very distinct. Everything can be heard well but
> somehow the guitars sound too much the same and
> sort of tinny, missing the meaty earthy sound I
> love. It is the only thing I don't love.
> Listening to the 78 soundboard stuff the songs had
> that fullness missing in 81.


That's a bit true.....maybe, but it probably has something to do with the brilliant mixes on the Handsome Girls material.
BTW, I don't like the sound at all on the TSP version of Hampton 81, but it was one of the forst bootlegs I bought, so I didn't want to upgrade it....
How much better is the VGP release of Hampton, compared to VGP?
Is it worth 90 dollars?

The thinness of the guitars -- that's it. The distortion was removed. It's too clean. Nevertheless, the quality of the playing shines through, especially on the Hampton DVD. You SEE the joy these guys had in playing together.

It's a technical issue. The types of amps the band used, perhaps. Ronnie no longer had that dirty "Stay With Me" sound that I loved. The fuzz was replaced by sheen, and it didn't fit.

They didn't get the "dirt" back until the 21st century tours.

bassplayer617 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Nevertheless, the quality of the playing shines
> through, especially on the Hampton DVD. You SEE
> the joy these guys had in playing together.

That's very true, bassplayer, one don't even think about the sound, when watching the guys' faces on this concert, it's such a cool atmosphere on stage.

Right, Erik, but now that I think about it, the sound was perhaps intentional.

I can almost see Keith & Mick talking about the presentation, and deciding that they didn't wanna sound like "bloody Van Halen or something".

Think on this for a moment. I'm speculating, but it makes sense. Keith's sound is actually more like Scotty Moore's in the 50s. This fits in with the decision to cover a 50s tune -- not Elvis or Chuck Berry, but Eddie Cochran's "Twenty Flight Rock". The onstage "feel" takes on a retro flavor.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2006-12-03 07:30 by bassplayer617.

I can imagine such a conversation...hehe, good one!
On the 81 tour, one can hear a big difference in sound, for instance, when Ronnie did the solo on All Down The Line...distorted, it was pretty clean most of the time.
Then again, the mixes are very different, even from the same show, the Hampton DVD comes in several different versions (at least 2) when it comes to sound.
I hope you noticed the sheeps in the shower, from the pre-show footage, Bassplayer! LOL



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2006-12-03 07:47 by Erik_Snow.

The sheep in the shower, yeah. I can't wait to let some of my buddies see this. Heh heh heh.

On another note, it was cool to see the late Bill Graham there. The first 30 minutes of this video is, umm, odd, to say the least. It was also neat to see a bit of George "Mr Horseteeth" Thorogood's set. (Kept expecting him to say "Willlburrr". If you know what old US TV show I'm referring to, I give you extra credit.)

"Willlburrr!", cried out Mr. Ed.

3DTeafoe Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> "Willlburrr!", cried out Mr. Ed.

LOL!!! You got it. A brand new three-slice toaster for 3DTeafoe (just kidding).



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2006-12-03 08:03 by bassplayer617.

Damn. I'm clueless.

Ahhh...
Hampton

It should have been my first Stones show. I begged my parents, i told them how very important that show was. And to top it off the PPV was blocked in the local area. I did listen to it on the radio that night(and taped it). I couldn't believe that show was goin on 10 miles from me! I had to wait several years before i saw it.
I still have all the newspapers from that week, there were many Stones sightings. Charlie and his wife did some shopping and toured Williamsburg (thats where they were staying)

Donkey Girl Scout Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It should have been my first Stones show. I begged
> my parents, i told them how very important that
> show was.


At least they gave you a gym-membership, and a nice sporting equipment. That's something!

Nevermind, Erik, I was just being silly. It's 1:05 AM and I've been drinking for nearly 10 hours.

No, this is NOT a drunk thread. Let's not (burp!) go there. I yam in purrfect contul of my senshes. VB wuddnt like dis sort of ting goin on.

bassplayer617 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Nevermind, Erik, I was just being silly. It's
> 1:05 AM and I've been drinking for nearly 10
> hours.
>
> No, this is NOT a drunk thread. Let's not (burp!)
> go there. I yam in purrfect contul of my senshes.
> VB wuddnt like dis sort of ting goin on.


Haha, I beat you! It's 7 o'clock in the morning here!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2006-12-03 08:28 by Erik_Snow.

OK, seriously, I only got through the first disc so far. I think it is so neat that the two Ians are posted prominently on stage right. Ronnie seems to be chain-smoking (can't tell what brand he preferred).

Ernie Watts is a great sax player, and played tastefully. No showboating.

Erik, thanks for staying with me. Ok -- my wife and my daughter are asleep, so I can't play any more loud music tonight. I'm gonna switch to some classical, and sign off for now. Talk to ya later.

Well, if you remember... '81 was "The Year of the Sound of the Go-Go's"

So, everyone was playing a fast and hollow sound...even the Stones were influenced by the times...

...but I enjoyed the show I saw that year...nice, very nice...

Great tour apart from Jagger's terribly gruff vocals.

About the 'thinness' of the guitar sound in 81/82 tour. I suppose it derives from Keith's experiments already in the studio in previous years. He actually talked (at the time Tattoo You was released I think) about the 'rockabilly' sound he was trying to get, by leaving the fuzz etc. behind . I think "She's So Cold" and "Little T&A" were examples of this. Anyway, it really sounds great and timeless on a record, but perhaps does not deliver so great on live shows. The point made above about "Twenty Flight Rock" was a good one - it really has that sort of retro sound feeling, and including that number regularly on their set was perhaps not a co-incidence. I don't recall any band that had at the time a similar guitar sound (expect Stray Cats?).

- Doxa

OK, thanks Doxa, almost thought so too. PArt of the 50s retro thing with telecasters, budweiser and the all american style.

Jagger's vocals were pretty awful on this Tour...not just the yelling, what about his effort with Satisfaction ! Too many drugs for Mick I feel !

Erik_Snow Wrote:
>
> That's a bit true.....maybe, but it probably has
> something to do with the brilliant mixes on the
> Handsome Girls material.
> BTW, I don't like the sound at all on the TSP
> version of Hampton 81, but it was one of the forst
> bootlegs I bought, so I didn't want to upgrade
> it....
> How much better is the VGP release of Hampton,
> compared to VGP?
> Is it worth 90 dollars?

Twenty Flight Rock (VGP-270) has the best quality of all Hampton releases. If you get the chance, grab it. I can highly recommend that one. The TSP release (the box-set) has too much bass in the mix. I sold my copy on eBay when the VGP came out.

I have "Happy Birthday Keith" on VGP 270, Gold Disc edition. I really like the VGP edition of the Hampton show - it is indeed very good. As we all know though this show has been booted to death and there are many versions. Another version I have, "Hippy Happy Keith!!", Glimmer Twins label 13/14, seems to my ears to have the guitars more prominent and up front in the mix than any other version including VGP's.

this tour was the end of the stones as we knew them, then vegas came calling
in 89