The Rolling Stones

In 1972, when this footage was filmed, The Rolling Stones were the most powerful and dynamic live band on the planet. They had been together for around 10 years and the songwriting partnership of Jagger & Richards was at its peak, Mick Taylor had bedded in and helped Keef’s guitar sound to take on its characteristic spiky riffery and with the bedrock of Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts behind them they were capable of laying down a groove that has never been matched.
This tour celebrated the magnificent sloppiness of ‘Exile On Main Street’ and it is no surprise that this has been the most sought after film/video of its kind for years.

Mick Jagger in ’72 was a skinny and arrogant leader, posturing and shaking his hips with all the naturality that went in later years – this was before he began full choreography and so his movements were natural and genuinely sexy. As he belts out ‘Brown Sugar’ and ‘Bitch’ the heat of the night pours out of the screen; the band is cooking up a storm with Mick Taylor laying down some sweet Blues and Keith Richards blasting out his rhythm riffs. When the camera lights on Bill Wyman he looks to be the epitome of the rock bassist – still and seemingly statuesque until you hear the booming basslines that underpin all the mayhem going on around the music and then there is Charlie Watts showing just why every other drummer held him in the highest regard – for the utter simplicity and rock-steadiness that it seems like no-one else ever achieved except – maybe - Ringo Starr.

‘Gimme Shelter’ slows it down for a while and ‘Dead Flowers’ gives Mick Taylor a chance to show the difference from the late lamented Brian Jones before the tempo kicks back up for ‘Happy’ with the horns blasting their way and Keith’s vocals giving some light relief but then they slide into ‘Tumbling Dice’ – if ever a number perfectly demonstrated how much of a band the Stones were then this is it – tight as possible but still sounding like the sloppiest and most groovy jam you ever heard.
.Sweet Virginia’ has some wonderful sax from Bobby Keyes and then one of the highlight’s; a steaming and utterly intense ‘You Can’t Always Get What You Want’ with harmonies from Jagger & Richards and great guitar from Taylor & Richards.

The greatness just keeps coming – ‘Midnight Rambler’ burns, ‘Rip This Joint’ a storming ‘Jumping Jack Flash’ and then they finish with a rumbustious and rampaging ‘Street Fighting Man’

The Rolling Stones were undoubtedly the best and this DVD captures them at the best period that they probably ever reached – absolutely essential.



Photograph -¬ Ethan Russell. All Rights Reserved