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| Five Rolling Stones Live Albums to be Reissued by Universal Universal Music Group is pleased to announce the reissue of five Rolling Stones live albums on November 10, 2009 in the US. Recorded between 1975 and 2002, Love You Live, Still Life, Flashpoint, the much-loved Stripped and Live Licks, showcase the world's greatest rock 'n' roll band in its natural habitat-on stage. Taped in front of rapturous audiences in stadiums and arenas, and also documenting the more informal theatre and club shows beloved of their diehard fans, these albums feature high-octane renditions of the group's biggest hits - "Jumpin' Jack Flash, " "Brown Sugar, " "Tumbling Dice, " "Miss You, " "Start Me Up" - as well as great covers of material originally recorded by Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Eddie Cochran, the Miracles, the Temptations, Bob Dylan and B.B. King. Continuing UMG's comprehensive release program which has already seen reissues of the group's post-1971 studio albums, as well as the reappearance of the Jump Back compilation, these five albums bring the story of the Stones as a peerless live attraction up to date, and will be available in stores and digitally. The reissue of these five Rolling Stones live albums will be launched in conjunction with the digitally remastered release of Live at the Max celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Rolling Stones' Steel Wheels tour. Originally issued as a double-vinyl album in October 1977, Love You Live captures the band at a time when their Canadian escapades were making headlines around the world. Released a year after their triumphant appearance at the Knebworth Fair, it made the Top 5 on both sides of the Atlantic. The album includes the acknowledged classics "Honky Tonk Women, " "Happy" and "You Can't Always Get What You Want, " and the medley "If You Can't Rock Me/Get Off Of My Cloud" taped during the band's record-breaking run at London's Earls Court in May 1976. Going back to their rhythm 'n' blues roots as if they were at the Crawdaddy Club or Eel Pie Island in the early sixties, they revived "Mannish Boy, " a song most commonly associated with the father of Chicago blues, Muddy Waters, the Willie Dixon composition "Little Red Rooster, " made famous by Howlin' Wolf and a chart-topper for the Stones in 1964, and two more Chess label favorites-Bo Diddley's "Crackin' Up" and Chuck Berry's "Around And Around." Still Life (American Concert 1981), the album's full title, was released in the summer of 1982, just as the group was headlining stadiums across the world, and also made the Top 5 on both sides of the Atlantic. Arguably the Stones' most commercially successful live recording to date, it spawned two hit singles, their infectious take on the Miracles' "Going To A Go-Go, " and their revival of Jerry Ragovoy's "Time Is On My Side, " popularized by Irma Thomas and first recorded by the group in 1964. It also includes a swaggering cover of Eddie Cochran's "Twenty Flight Rock" as well as romps through the Stones' sixties classics "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction, " "Under My Thumb" and "Let's Spend The Night Together." First issued in April 1991, Flashpoint is a Stones live album with a difference, since it boasts two studio cuts exclusive to this release, the politically charged "Highwire, " a comment on the Gulf War reminiscent of the group's epochal "Street Fighting Man, " and the louche "Sex Drive." The album featured outstanding versions of "Ruby Tuesday" and "Paint It, Black" alongside the rockers "Sad Sad Sad" and "Rock And A Hard Place" from the Steel Wheels album, as well as the rarely played "Factory Girl, " from the seminal Beggars Banquet, while guitar hero Eric Clapton guested on "Little Red Rooster." Having pioneered the concept of alternating big shows and back-to-basics gigs, the Stones put yet another spin on the live album with Stripped in November 1995, and were duly rewarded with another transatlantic Top Ten entry. During the Voodoo Lounge tour, their first with bassist Darryl Jones, the greatest rock 'n' roll band in the world simply kicked back in Lisbon and Tokyo studios and revisited Buddy Holly's "Not Fade Away" and "Little Baby, " the Willie Dixon composition first recorded by Howlin' Wolf. They also cherry-picked highlights - "Shine A Light, " "Angie" - from intimate shows at legendary venues like the Paradiso in Amsterdam or the Olympia in Paris. This low-key approach afforded the group the opportunity to explore its acoustic, country-flavored repertoire, "Wild Horses, " "Dead Flowers" and "Sweet Virginia" in particular, though their inspired reworking of Bob Dylan's "Like A Rolling Stone, " from their memorable gig at London's Brixton Academy, remains the album's undisputed highlight. Documenting the lengthy 2002-2003 tour in support of the career retrospective 40 Licks, Live Licks is another great addition to the Stones' catalog of concert recordings, and put in a strong chart performance on its release in November 2004. The shows mixed best-loved songs with unexpected gems from the band's huge back catalogue, and the two CDs mirror that approach. The first one comprises favorites such as "It's Only Rock 'n' Roll (But I Like It)" and "Gimme Shelter" while the second one relies on rarely played deep cuts like "Monkey Man, " "Can't You Hear Me Knocking, " "Rocks Off, " "Beast Of Burden, " "When The Whip Comes Down, " "Neighbours" and "Worried About You" from the chart-topping albums Let It Bleed, Sticky Fingers, Exile On Main Street, Some Girls and Tattoo You. These albums all retain the original track listings and sleeve design. The Shine A Light soundtrack is still available from Universal. Released in 2008, this live double album was recorded during two memorable nights at New York's Beacon Theatre in 2006 and featured in the ultimate Rolling Stones concert film SHINE A LIGHT from Oscar-winning director Martin Scorsese. write your comments about the article :: © 2009 Jazz News :: home page |