Best Stones Al***

Posted by: Malky on 30 March 2006

The eponymous debut is charming. Aftermath is interesting and exotic and there was always something interesting on such records as Goat's Head Soup (Winter), Its Only Rock And Roll (Fingerprint File). Even on later records you could always find some gems amongst the turd, Tattoo You (Heaven, Waiting On A Friend), Steel Wheels (Continental Drift, Terrifying) and Voodoo Lounge is much better than you'd expect. Their last truly great record was 78's Some Girls.

However, starting with Beggar's Banquet (68), Let It Bleed (69), Sticky Fingers (71) and culminating in their magnum opus 72's Exile on Main St, represents one of the greatest runs in rock, equalled only by the Fabs and Zimmie.

On first listen, Exile is too much to take in. There are no immediate standout cuts. It slowly boils into a maelstrom of blues, country, r n'b and gospel, revealing a band at the height of their demonic powers.
Posted on: 30 March 2006 by Simon Matthews
Sticky fingers pips it for me.
Posted on: 30 March 2006 by bhazen
Ah, the Stones, baby...

My vote (if you're asking!): December's Children. What a great stew of R'n'B, hard rock, standards, ballads, folk-rock etc. Runners-up: Aftermath, Out Of Our Heads. They were magic with Brian, afterwards merely great. I do think A Bigger Bang is an unexpected return to form after two decades of 'product' - Charlie in partic just burns.
Posted on: 30 March 2006 by Bob McC
Let It Bleed is their best for me.
Posted on: 30 March 2006 by Guido Fawkes
Not one of my favourite bands - but there are parts of Their Satanic Majesties Request that I quite like and several singles. Definitely preferred the group when Brian Jones was in it. Aftermath and Beggars Banquet were decent records too.
Posted on: 30 March 2006 by fred simon


The Stones ... I love the Stones ... I can't believe they're still doing it all these years. I watch them whenever I can ... Fred and Barney.


Posted on: 30 March 2006 by fred simon
quote:
Originally posted by Malky:
one of the greatest runs in rock, equalled only by the Fabs and Zimmie.


Not so fast ... Joni Mitchell:

Song To A Seagull
Clouds
Ladies Of the Canyon
Blue
For the Roses
Miles of Aisles
Court and Spark
Hissing of Summer Lawns
Hejira

Brilliant, all.

Fred


Posted on: 30 March 2006 by Guido Fawkes
Sorry but you know my view - I'll not deny the Beatles they were fantastic and always will be - and I like Joni Mitchell too, but the greatest run has to be

Back In The D.H.S.S.
Back Again In The D.H.S.S.
ACD
McIntyre, Treadmore And Davitt
This Leaden Pall
Some Call It Godcore
Voyage To The Bottom Of The Road
Four Lads Who Shook The Wirral
Trouble Over Bridgwater
Cammell Laird Social Club
Achtung Bono

The lyrics are second to none - I just don't think anybody has matched Nigel Blackwell for lyrical inventiveness (well perhaps Shakespeare on a good day), the music is original and they sound like nobody else. They are also very nice, modest people.

Just my opinion - Rotf
Posted on: 30 March 2006 by kuma

The only Stones album I care to own.
Posted on: 30 March 2006 by bhazen
I once played in a Stones tribute band for fun (Tumbling Dice); imagine a paunchy Brian Jones.

Or not.
Posted on: 30 March 2006 by Peter Voigt
Sticky fingers is my favourite.

I also like the bluesy early stones.

Cheers
Posted on: 31 March 2006 by Speedo
Speedo down with Beggars Banquet, but all 4 be excellent Smile
Posted on: 31 March 2006 by Speedo
quote:
Originally posted by kuma:

The only Stones album I care to own.


I didn't know you were a disco lover, Kuma Winker
Posted on: 31 March 2006 by kuma
speedo,

I understand that the Black and Blue was panned accrossed the board when it came out and I see it's still not the most popular title.

But I like it! (Once in a blue moon )

I still prefer The Who over the Stones, generally.
Posted on: 31 March 2006 by TomK
quote:
Originally posted by Malky:

However, starting with Beggar's Banquet (68), Let It Bleed (69), Sticky Fingers (71) and culminating in their magnum opus 72's Exile on Main St, represents one of the greatest runs in rock, ...



Agreed. One of the most incredible album sequences ever. And let's not forget Get Yer Ya Yas Out, which appeared in the middle of that run.
Posted on: 01 April 2006 by Gianluigi Mazzorana
Don't have many but.................Let it bleed.
Posted on: 01 April 2006 by Bostjan
quote:
Originally posted by kuma:

The only Stones album I care to own.


Second that!
The best Stones ever!

Bostjan
Posted on: 01 April 2006 by Scott in DC
I really love the mid to late 60s and early 70s Stones. My picks are

Between The Buttons
Their Satanic Majesties Request

Scott
Posted on: 01 April 2006 by erik scothron
My favorite Stones album is the one that is furthest away from my uncomtaminated system Winker
Posted on: 01 April 2006 by bhazen
Tangent Alert!

Just saw the Brian Jones bioflick, Stoned; very titillating portrait of self-destruction, unfortunately didn't let you in on why Brian was so special: his instinctive musical ability (on practically any instrument). Lots of great shots of nude Swedish girls though.
Posted on: 05 April 2006 by Dunstan
After the awful years of Angie and Fool to Cry it was such a relief to hear 'real' Stones music like 'Respectable' that my vote has to go to Some Girls.
I still have an original vinyl copy with the face-holes that you can mix and match using the inner sleeve. I really ought to try and make some shelf space for my LP12 and give the vinyl a spin again.
Posted on: 05 April 2006 by jayd
Reckon I'm in a minority of one; my fave is Tattoo You. Oh well, there's no accounting for taste, I suppose.
Posted on: 05 April 2006 by jayd
quote:
Originally posted by fred simon:
The Stones ... I love the Stones ... I can't believe they're still doing it all these years. I watch them whenever I can ... Fred and Barney.


One of the truly great minds of our time. :-)
Posted on: 05 April 2006 by fred simon
quote:
Originally posted by jayd:
quote:
Originally posted by fred simon:
The Stones ... I love the Stones ... I can't believe they're still doing it all these years. I watch them whenever I can ... Fred and Barney.


One of the truly great minds of our time. :-)


You're referring, of course, to Steven Wright, a true genius.

By the way, I love Tattoo You. Start Me Up is a stone Stones classic, and Waiting On A Friend has that great Joni Mitchell-style guitar thing and the great saxophone master Sonny Rollins.

Fred


Posted on: 05 April 2006 by fred simon
quote:
Originally posted by Dunstan:
After the awful years of Angie


Man, I love Angie ... one of their best. What's not to like?

One of the great things about the Stones (besides Fred and Barney) is their balance of dark and light, masculine and feminine, yin and yang. For almost every Let's Spend The Night Together there's a Ruby Tuesday.

Fred


Posted on: 06 April 2006 by Malky
My goodness, after all these years I didn't realise it was Sonny Rollins on Waiting On a friend.

Can't believe the votes for Black and Blue. To me, it sounds like a load of demos (which, essentially, it was). Between the Buttons is pretty godawful too.