Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers

After spending nearly a decade on Decca Records in the UK and London Records in the US, The Rolling Stones' contract was up and they decided to release this record on April 23, 1971 on their own label Rolling Stones Records. Recording sessions for the album started as early as 1969 during the Let It Bleed sessions.

I'm sure if you've seen the Rolling Stones now, you might have a harder time digesting the fact that at one point they were one of the greatest live acts around. On top of that, every song on this album is a smash. All killer, no filler, all go, no slow however you want to put it this album will blow your socks off.


First things first... the looks. Dig the cover, conceived by Andy Warhol, shot by Billy Name, and designed by John Pasche. Although tons of people speculate that this is Mick Jagger's junk snugged in the blue jeans, the owner of the member is unknown. It could have been anyone at the factory, line'em up and you be the judge. This is also Mick Taylor's first full length appearance with the Rolling Stones. He did some session work over dubbing some tracks on Let It Bleed and by the time his work on that was done, Brian Jones was kicked out of the band. Yadda, yadda, yadda lets get to the record!

Brown Sugar, the first single of the record is the opening track. An awesome blues-rock riff carries the tune into a great sax solo. On some bootleg recordings of the song the sax solo is replaced by a guitar solo. The tune is so catchy and rocking, you almost over look Mick Jaggers blatantly sexual lyrics. " Black sugar, how come you taste so good? Brown sugar just like a black girl should." The lyrics also hint at sadomasochism: "Hear him whip her just around midnight." The song is sleazy, but just too damn danceable to notice. The song went on to be number 1 in American, and number 2 in the UK. Sway is a little slower, a bit more bluesy, and features the packing vocals of some real heavy hitters. Pete Townshend of The Who, Ronnie Lane of The Faces, and singer songwriter Billy Nicholls. The ever popular Wild Horses is next, and although not an immediate hit, the song struck a cord and has been heard in commercials, covered by tons of artists and even re released in the 90's. Can't You Hear Me Knockin', the longest track on the record clocking in at a little over 7 minutes is a great song, layered with instruments. A lengthy guitar intro, congas, keys, this is my personal favorite guitar work by Mick Taylor. You Gotta Move is great blues cover, and an awesome end to Side A.

Side B starts with "Bitch," made up of the heavily riff driven blues rock the Rolling Stones are known for. This song also has a killer sax solo, and the horn is present throughout most of the song. This is probably the song I would use to turn someone on to the Stones if they were unfamiliar with their work. I Got The Blues is a classic tale of a broken heart, a very slow tune with a great solo thanks to the organ work of Billy Preston. Sister Morphine, co-written by Marianne Faithfull (although uncredited), is a song lamenting the harmful use of drugs, and the use of drugs to help combat the effects of other drugs. "Tell me sister morphine, how long have I been lying here? What am I doing in this place? Why does this doctor have no face?" The final track on Side B, Moonlight Mile, is about the pressures and alienation touring life creates. Often considered to be The Rolling Stones most famous ballad.


Brown Sugar:


Bitch:


An Interview:




Personnel:

• Mick Jagger – vocals, acoustic guitar, backing vocals, guitar, percussion
• Keith Richards – backing vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, vocals, guitar
• Mick Taylor – electric guitar, guitar, acoustic guitar, slide guitar
• Charlie Watts – drums
• Bill Wyman – bass, electric piano
• Jimmy Miller- Producer
  
• Gyln and Andy Johns, Chris Kimsey, Jimmy Johnson- Engineer.
• Andy Warhol- Cover concept/Photography

Track Listing:
Side A
1. Brown Sugar
2. Sway
3. Wild Horses
4. Can't You Hear Me Knockin'

Side B
1. Bitch
2. I Got The Blues
3. Sister Morphine
4. Dead Flowers
5. Moonlight Mile

You can find more info at The Rolling Stones official website. Or just ask your parents.

45s, 7inchs and Junk!

So if you've become a fan of this blog you'll know that I post an LP review every Sunday, or at least I try to, well know this is happening: In the middle of the week, I'll be reviewing a 45 or a 7 inch AND I plan on adding a weekly Sleeveface every Monday! Don't know what a Sleeveface is? Check my links area. So good things to on the horizon in the coming weeks.



This isn't me, I took this from Sleeveface.com, the ones in the future will be mine. Do you have any Sleeveface photos? Want them on my website? Contact me and we'll make it so!

Dead Boys Young, Loud, and Snotty

Released in October, 1977 this was truly one of the most nihilistic, blunt, sexist, and down right nasty albums released during the 1977 punk explosion in New York City. Produced by Genya Ravan (former singer for such notable acts as The Escorts, Goldie and the Gingerbreads, and Ten Wheel Drive) Which was quite surprising considering her "fame" at the time, and recorded at the legendary Electric Lady Studios. The studio, built by Jimi Hendrix and designed by John Storyk in 1970 has since become one of the happenin' places to record if you're into that sorta thing.

I had been looking for this record for maybe a year, I bought everything else the Dead Boys put out that I could get my hands on. I was about ready to give up and order it online, when on a whim, I decided to visit the Time Capsule. Thumbing through the records, I got to the Ds and there it was. I picked it up, and held it close to me the rest of the visit. I told the owner, John, that they had a Syndicates of Sound cover on the LP and I think he would really dig it. He played it in the store and we sat around listening to it. 5 bucks and a half hour later, I was jumping around my room singing along with Sonic Reducer.

The Dead Boys, originally known as Frankenstein (but before they got Stiv on Vocals they were Rocket From the Tombs), hailed from Cleveland Ohio where they opened for The Ramones. On the advice of Joey Ramone, the band relocated to New York City to thrive in the growning punk scene. The band soon gained notoriety among their peers from their intense live shows, and manic antics on and off stage. Stiv, an Iggy Pop devotee, would often mutilate himself with whatever was around, including bottles, mic stands, and his band mates instruments. This would ultimately lead to his first official death many years later (that's right, his FIRST death).

Hilly Crystal, owner of CBGBs became the bands manager and they soon signed to Sire Records along side contemporaries The Ramones and Talking Heads. The music of the Dead Boys seemed so much more abrasive than their contemporaries, they were often considered to be too metal, or too violent ("I wanna write on your face with my pretty knife, I want to toy with your precious life, I want you to know what love is") and this made it so much harder for the label to sell them. This lead to the band eventually getting dropped. But I know what you're saying... lets talk about the damn record!

The record starts off with a solid blow to the gut. Sonic Reducer has become an anthem, "Sonic Reducer, I aint no loser." A song about boredom, anxiety, and fustration, this song is as angsty and as raw as it was ever going to get. The "ballad" style song "Not Anymore" which appears on Side A would only seem week if you were made of solid stone. A poor mans lament about falling into a world of homelessness and poverty, quickly turns into a song letting you know how far beyond pain a person can grow. "But I don't care, go and push me away, you can't hurt me anymore, not anymore."
Ending Side A, Aint Nothin' To Do, a song that basically wraps up the entire punk attitude in about 2 minutes.

Side B doesn't seem to be as much about boredom as it does with loose women, frail emotions, and frustration. The first song Caught With The Meat In Your Mouth is blatantly sexist, and almost insulting if you don't take it with a grain of salt. Next is an almost off beat cover of the Syndicates of Sound's Little Girl. The song would be out of place if the pop hooks and attitude didn't fit so damn well. The song was recorded live at CBGBs and its very fun to hear the audience right in the middle of this record. The album ends in the chaotic Down in Flames, which truly lives up to the name. Just when you think the band has lost it, they pull it together give you a swift fist full of Rock ' n' Roll. Very Stooges, very angry, and really short. The whole album clocks in at about 35 minutes.


Here's a photo of the band live with Dee Dee Ramone on guitar. Dee and Joey were not only fans, but they also did backing vocals on the next album.
The band has stated often their profound hatred for the mix done on the album. I don't think its that bad, the guitars come out clear as day for the most part, the drums are done well. The only real trouble is the drums on Sonic Reducer, they get to sounding a little too digital, and a little too toyed with as the song progresses. Bomp! (surprise, right?) released Younger, Louder, and Snottier in 1997 with the rough mixes that the band found to be much better.

Sonic Reducer:


A Cover? How Curious!


All This And More...


Personal:

• Stiv Bators (Steve Bator) - vocals
• Cheetah Chrome (Gene O'Connor) - lead guitar
• Jimmy Zero (William Wilden) - rhythm guitar
• Jeff Magnum (Jeff Halmagy) - bass
• Johnny Blitz (John Madansky) - drums
• Genya Ravan- Producer
• Hilly Kristal- Band Management
• Dave Wittman - Recording Engineer
• Harvey Goldberg: Mixing Engineer
• Jim Galante- Assistant Engineer
  

Track Listing:
Side A
1. Sonic Reducer
2. All This and More
3. What Love Is
4. Not Anymore
5. Ain't Nothin' To Do

Side B
1. Caught With The Meat In Your Mouth
2. Hey Little Girl
3. I Need Lunch
4. High Tension Wire
5. Down in Flames

Most of the Photos were taken from Punk Turns 30 and most of the info about the band was taken from Please Kill Me, The Bands Wiki Page, or Answers.com.

Iggy And The Stooges Raw Power

What can be said about the album that hasn't been said already? It's one of the most influential albums in history, kick starting the 70's punk rock movement, inspiring every generation of music in one way or another since it came out. Dig this, it's not hype... this album really is the real deal.
It was 1973, and after being dropped from Elektra The Stooges broke up. Iggy Pop hooked up with David Bowie and MainMan, and from there he was sent to London to write and produce a new record. He met up with James Williamson, who he'd later make Kill City with some years later, and they started making the record. After trying out tons of musicians, Iggy thought it best to get Ron and Scott (Rock Action) Asheton back in the studio. Dave Alexander was kept out because of his raging alcohol problem, so Ron filled in on Bass, while James played all the guitars on the album. Because Ron and Scott were on the album, the band was dubbed: Iggy And The Stooges.

It was at at Bop Street Records in Seattle, Washington, 35 years later, that I would find this record. Dave, the dude that runs the now legendary record store (over 650,000 records!) Showed me an area with some amazing first pressing... Patti Smith's Horses, The Stooges Fun House, Ramones Road To Ruin...but when I picked up this copy of Raw Power, I almost cried. A little battled, a bit worn, but I knew I had to buy it. Dave is a great guy, he hooked me up with this record and a Double LP of The Damned for a great price. I had a great conversation about the talents of Greg Ginn and East Bay Ray with the night shift manager Matt, and found that I could live at this record store for the rest of my life. That's enough about personal history for now, lets talk about the record.

It kicks off with the theme song for every angry adolescent...Search And Destroy. Iggy's original mix was kept on this one song, but the rest of the album was remixed by David Bowie by order of Columbia Records. The rest of the album kicks just as hard and doesn't stop till the end of the thread on side B. Gimme Danger was a "ballad" of sorts, but much darker then anything made in later decades. Side B starts off with Raw Power, one of the best title tracks ever made. Lets face it, if you haven't heard this you have to hear it on vinyl. David's mix kind of sucks, really, the drums are mixed way down and the additional guitar tracks seem to be almost non-existent. The vocals sound great, classic Iggy Pop, filthy. The bass seems to blend into the guitar a bit much, but I read somewhere that David did the mix in a single day. Go Bowie, it's your birthday.







Like, a million years later, Iggy got the chance to remix the album for the CD version in 97. Which is widely considered to be the loudest CD ever made. Iggy put everything in the red, and you can tell...the guitars are distorted like crazy, and you get alot of kick out of the drums and vocals. But I'd still take Bowie's mix any day of the week.

Rough Power is an official version of the album that contains Iggy's original mixes (all the vocals on one channel, and all the instruments on another) Bootlegs have been around forever, but Bomp! records pressed this in 1995 for the masses.


Heres some video from 2008 of the Stooges playing Search and Destroy


Raw Power




Personnel:
Iggy Pop- Vocals
James Williamson- Guitars
Ron Asheton- Bass
Rock Action (Scott Asheton)- Drums

Track Listing:
Side A:
1. Search and Destroy
2. Gimme Danger Little Stranger
3. Your Pretty Face Is Going To Hell
4. Penetration
Side B
1.Raw Power
2.I Need Somebody
3.Shake Appeal
4.Death Trip


www.iggypop.com

I got most of my info from "Please Kill Me" By Legs McNeil, and Raw Power Wiki page. I also love this album with all of my body, and these thoughts about it are my own and no one elses.