<Actually, I think that from the '81 tour there's only two true documents: Still Life and the Hampton Roads vid. All soundboard recordings we have basically sound like shit, as they're mostly dry mono mixes with bad guitar sound. There's a few audience tapes that are good, some KBFH recordings, but most sounboards sound very thin.>

Also the Let's Spend The Night Together-movie.

All the Stones live recordings are edited and IMO very different/complementary

LYL was the 1st one I heard. Always liked it
Flashpoint has this typically 90ies sound. Still listening to from time to time. For casual fans, it was way better than the best of available at that time (Rewind)
Still Life was for me sounding more "garage" or even punk
Stripped is an UFO in their live discography. I really love it
No Security was IMO a pretty nice surprise, not only warhorses, but a nice mix of songs from almost every era
Live Licks, well... Forget about Rocks off and it's kinda listenable
Ya Yas : That's everyone's favorite among the hardcore fans, but I don't like ALL the songs either
Got Live IYWI : this one is soooo kitch !

[doctorstonesblog.blogspot.com]

Is Still Life a promo for their new sound on the 81-82 tour and their new songs in live versions? Releasing another live version of JJF and BS a couple of years after LYL... LYL is a great album btw. I love the sound on those guitars, same with yayas. Still Life is just thin. Amazing change for the worse.

Guitar sound on Still Life is absolutely amazing. Muddy? Thin? What the hell! It is the exact opposite: it's HUGE, fat, yet well defined, not overdone. That is exactly how I would like to sound!

And what about the performance? Superb!

If there is something to complain about SL is that it is too short!

C

Mick?

My only beefs with Still Life are the drum sound and the (too) obvious overdubs...

Drum sound great too.

The kick on Go Go being the highlight!

C

If you like 80s pop, it's great...

It ain't a matter of styles and ages: it works!

C

not for me But the reverb and echos IS about the 80s IMO.

Definetly not my fav. live album cause there's alot to live up to.
One main thing that's wrong with it. It's too short.
Best track?
Twenty Flight Rock.
".....I get to the top & I'm too tired to rock!"

-



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2007-12-31 03:46 by cirrhosis.

All I can say is the opening lines of Under my Thumb take me back to Orlando, Fla 1981, waiting for hours in the hot sun and suffering through a drunk David Lee Roth and Van Halen.

Then, pressed close up front in the Tangerine Bowl and hearing Keith lay out those classic lines and appearing at the edge of the stage?? A great memory!

I think Still Life ranks pretty high in Stones live albums. YaYa's, Love You Live are better but Still Life is not bad at all

Still can't listen to it without paning the balance to Ronnie's side just to get the guitars at the same level. Rocks pretty good when cranked up.

Hamdsome Girl from '78 simple kicks Still Life's ass. Ronnie was drinking heavy so Keith dominates most leads in 81', a complete opposite of Handsome/Georgeous Girls and Ronnie is a much better at rock leads especially in the fast ones.

You can tell the sound from that 81' tour after just a few seconds, no other has ever sounded the same as it.

some tracks on Still Life are best ever versions: Under My Thumb, Let's Spend the Night, Shattered (one of the best ever released tracks by the Stones), Going to a Go-Go, Time is on My side, Imagination (only surpassed by the complete December 18 version. I love Let Me Go -if you think Brian and Keith weaved you must listen to Wood and Keith in '81! I don't like Start Me Up and Satisfaction much due to the fake vocals, and 20 Flight Rock never did much for me.

For the best ever Keith guitar sound listen to his guitar on Going to a Go Go. There's just nothing better than a 50's Tele through a cranked Boogie Mark IIB. It's that total Fender crunch, but with more aggression. The same sound can be found on Imagination, but then he used both pickups on his Custom Tele. Whenever I play guitar THAT'S how I want to sound!

Mathijs

I love the sound of the guitars in 81. You can really listen to the separation between Ron and Keith. A better sound than love you live.

TooTough Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I loved it from the first minute. And still do.
> My journey started there. Great sound!
>
> I know it´s been edited, but so are all the
> others, even YaYa´s.

Agree completely.

It`s raw, fresh! The guitars weaving more than they ever have or ever will. Fantastic tour, fantastic document of the tour.

Mathijs Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> some tracks on Still Life are best ever versions:
> Under My Thumb, Let's Spend the Night, Shattered
> (one of the best ever released tracks by the
> Stones), Going to a Go-Go, Time is on My side,
> Imagination (only surpassed by the complete
> December 18 version. I love Let Me Go -if you
> think Brian and Keith weaved you must listen to
> Wood and Keith in '81! I don't like Start Me Up
> and Satisfaction much due to the fake vocals, and
> 20 Flight Rock never did much for me.
>
> For the best ever Keith guitar sound listen to his
> guitar on Going to a Go Go. There's just nothing
> better than a 50's Tele through a cranked Boogie
> Mark IIB. It's that total Fender crunch, but with
> more aggression. The same sound can be found on
> Imagination, but then he used both pickups on his
> Custom Tele. Whenever I play guitar THAT'S how I
> want to sound!
>
> Mathijs

<<< some tracks on Still Life are best ever versions: Under My Thumb, Let's Spend the Night, Shattered (one of the best ever released tracks by the Stones), Going to a Go-Go, Time is on My side, Imagination. I love Let Me Go - if you think Brian and Keith weaved you must listen to Wood and Keith in '81! I don't like Start Me Up and Satisfaction much due to the fake vocals, and 20 Flight Rock never did much for me >>>

This pretty much sums up how I feel about this album. That version of Under my Thumb in particular ... never heard better. And Let Me Go, I adore this too.

Yes, I think for guitarists Still Life is especially interesting because the guitar sound is fantastic (unlike the 70`s, in my opnion) and the playing is great.

At least Jagger were on drugs.

the virgin cd remaster sounds very thin compared to vinyl

Good album. Don't know about extent of overdubs but sounds great anyway. I wish they's d do more covers like Twenty Flight Rock. Yes, should be longer. Would love it to have included stuff like Mona and Down the Road Apiece.

Is there a boot of the 100 Club show in London in 1982?

no boots of the 100 cub show available

I had a couple of great photos from the 100 club (from the press - I wasn't there). Looked fantastic. Despite what the set lists say, I remeber eading that they started with Chantilly Lace.

Perhaps the greatest live album with Bill Wyman, love his bass on that tour, especially on Beast of Burden, Imagination, Tweny Flight Rock.

jagger's vocals are horrible on this album.
Sure some guitar parts sound good, but give me Hampton Roads anyday over this album which I haven't listened to since I bought it from a $5 bin....