Re: Why Don't Stones Albums Sell Anymore?
Date: November 15, 2007 15:04
Doxa Wrote:
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> I can also imgaine that "Jumping Jack Flash" or
> "Start Me Up" would not have been such big hits
> nowadays as they once were. But what I am sure is
> that if they would have released "Rough Justice"
> instead of "Jumping Jack Flash" in 1968 there
> would not have been any band to discuss in 2007.
> They couldn't have done a come back' for relevence
> with that caliber song. For that was needed an
> instant, catchy classic - what exactly JJF is. The
> same goes with "Start Me Up". I was caught up with
> that song - never would have "Rough Justice" made
> that influence! The best what can I think of RJ is
> to see it as an EMOTIONAL RESCUE filler, and I am
> not sure if there is any song I would kick out to
> get room for it. (Funny though: first time i head
> the song, the feeling of it somehow reminded me of
> EMOTiONAL RESCUE era sessions.)
>
> - Doxa
I respectfully disagree ;-)
No one can tell today what kind of impact "Rough Justice" would have made at that time. I think the reaction to "JJF" was also a sigh of collective relief from the audience that the Stones had left the kaftans behind ;-) Not that I would have noticed at the time of it's release as I was only seven....with my head up Beatles' collective arses. That was soon to change....well five years ;-) To my defence I have to say that I did discover Chuck Berry inbetween Beatles and Stones.
Personally, it took me many years to actually appreciate this song (JJF). A lot of songs are regarded as classics only because they are old AND because of the context they were released in. At the time Stones meant something sociologically and to many people their songs represented a new society - a new set of minds.
I think that "JJF" was a hit because it came out when it did.....and it was the first single with what we now call the "Classic Stones Sound" - but no one knew that at the time.
To my ears "RJ" is not that far from "JJF" - I wonder more what would have happened, had they released "Miss You" as a single in 1968......or "Angie" for that matter? Actually, you've got me wondering about many of their singles "what if they had come out at a different time"?. Material enough there for a worthwhile thread on its own ;-)
We have to understand that Stones don't mean shit any more! They are a great band - on any given night still capable of being the greatest live band in the world - Copenhagen, August 2007 springs to mind.
They mean a lot to their faithful fans - and I have been one since 1973 - but they do not have any impact on anything but the financial world these days. They do not set the agenda any more. The Stones of the 60's and early 70's was a band that wrote the soundtrack for the times. Now they are simply "just another band". And rock'n'roll does not mean anything any more except to the few faithfulls (myself included - but I am very childish).
If rock magazines were written by young people, the Stones would not get half the publicity they get. So, it's quite funny to see someone trying to explaing the lack of success (and I do not even agree with THAT!) as a result of negative press.
I would say, it's the other way around. It must be hard for up-and-coming bands to read the mags and see how much exposure every little fart from Stones, McCartney, Neil Young et al are getting, when they often do not get anything at all.
Somebody wrote that the Stones sales was a disaster compared to the coverage they are getting. I would say it's almost the reverse. For somebody with so fixed and sure sales they sure do get a lot of (over-)exposure. If the exposure had been only a quarter of the actual amount I'm pretty sure they would have sold the same amount of albums, give or take a few thousands. At least in Europe and USA.
Most of Stones' coverage has been in traditional media and music mags. I don't think the young ones read "Uncut", "Mojo" and least of all, probably, "Rolling Stone" - nor do they read the papers.
The Stones do not even advertise their concerts any more!!! As for Denmark they only advertised for one December Sunday in the five or so biggest newspapers.The rest of the advertising was left to the newspapers themselves - always sure to give Stones at least the same exposure as famine in the third world ;-)
Well - in the case of the concert in 2006 they need not have bothered -it sold out on the same day the tickets were up for sale.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2007-11-15 17:32 by mofur.