The Rolling Stones - Crossfire Hurricane Blu-ray Review

Written by General Jabbo

Few performers have had the longevity of The Rolling Stones. In 50 years, they've gone from being the dangerous, anti-Beatles to being the elder statesmen of rock. In the band's own words, they went from being the group everyone hated to being the group everyone loves. In honor of their 50th anniversary, director Brett Morgen sat down with the individual members of the band, past and present, to hear them tell their remarkable story. That story is preserved on the new Blu-ray, The Rolling Stones -- Crossfire Hurricane.

Read the rest of the review at www.blindedbysound.com by clicking here.

Muddy Waters & The Rolling Stones: Live At The Checkerboard Lounge Chicago 1981 DVD/LP Review

Written by General Jabbo

Seeing the late, great Muddy Waters in person was always a treat for fans. Seeing him live at Buddy Guy’s Checkerboard Lounge in Chicago was even better. An intimate venue, it served as the perfect environment for Waters’ songs. In November 1981, fans not only got to see Waters in this setting, some very special guests also joined him. Seems The Rolling Stones were in town in support of their album, Tattoo You and Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood and pianist Ian Stewart decided to take in the show. It didn’t take much persuading from their hero to join him on stage, making a memorable evening even better. Fortunately, the cameras were rolling and the results make up the new DVD/LP set, Muddy Waters & The Rolling Stones: Live At The Checkerboard Lounge Chicago 1981.

Read the rest of the review at www.blindedbysound.com by clicking here.

The Rolling Stones - Some Girls Live In Texas '78 Blu-ray Review

Written by General Jabbo

The late 1970s offered a stark contrast in terms of popular music styles. There was the bloated excess of disco – arguably at the height of its powers – dominating the charts and the club scene, especially in places such as Studio 54 in New York. Tipping the scales in the other direction was the punk scene, which stripped rock ‘n’ roll back to its most pure elements – high energy, guitar, drums, bass, snarling vocals. Punk helped put the danger back into rock music. The Rolling Stones managed to embrace both on their seminal release, Some Girls, with a country song added in for good measure.

“Miss You” was full-on disco, but with a Stones edge and came as a result of Mick Jagger’s frequenting of the New York club scene. The rest of the album while not punk certainly shared its raw nature and energy. Gone were the backup singers and horn sections and, in their place, was the World’s Greatest Rock ‘n Roll Band doing what it does best – playing stripped down, powerful music. The band took this attitude on the road with them for the ensuing tour, which is captured on the Blu-ray The Rolling Stones – Some Girls Live In Texas ’78.

read the rest of the review at www.blindedbysound.com by clicking here.

Ladies and Gentlemen - The Rolling Stones DVD Review

Written by General Jabbo

The year 1972 was a pivotal one for The Rolling Stones. They spent the summer as tax exiles in France, emerging from their drug-fueled haze to release arguably their greatest album, Exile on Main Street, and the resulting tour is considered one of their best. While on tour in America that year, the band filmed four nights in Texas for the theatrical release Ladies & Gentlemen: The Rolling Stones. Largely unseen since the mid 1970s, the film finally makes its official DVD debut in 2010 and is essential viewing not only for fans of the band, but fans of the genre in general.

From the opening “Brown Sugar” to the closing “Street Fighting Man,” this is a relentless, no-frills show. There’s no big production and the stage is dimly lit, adding an air of mystery to the proceedings. While the Stones may be about the big show these days, in 1972 it was all about the music, from the laid-back country of “Dead Flowers” and “Sweet Virginia” to classic rock staples such as “Gimme Shelter” and a rollicking “Jumpin’ Jack Flash.” The band pays tribute to Chuck Berry with an authentic “Bye Bye Johnny” and Keith Richards takes the lead on his signature tune, “Happy,” sharing a microphone with Mick Jagger on the choruses. These days, when the band performs the song, Jagger isn’t even on stage.

Fans used to the Richards/Ron Wood version of the band will find an entirely different animal in the Mick Taylor lineup. While Wood is no slouch himself, he and Richards “practice the art of weaving” as they are fond to say, where the listener doesn’t know who is playing what. This is in stark contrast to 1972, with Richards laying a rock-solid rhythm for virtuoso Taylor’s melodic leads. Taylor shows he is equally adept at slide guitar as his bluesy licks on Robert Johnson’s “Love in Vain” and blistering leads on “All Down the Line” demonstrate. “Midnight Rambler” is the real highlight of the disc though. From the lock-tight rhythm of Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts to the breakneck tempos to the guitar interplay between Richards and Taylor, it shows why the Stones earned their title as greatest rock and roll band in the world.

Ladies & Gentlemen has been available on the black market for years, but never in this quality. The new DVD features restored video as well as Dolby Digital DTS 5.1 sound for both a great viewing and listening experience. The DVD also includes rehearsal footage for the tour, including “Shake Your Hips,” which is not played in the concert and interviews with Jagger from both 1972 and 2010.

For fans wondering what all the hype was about, Ladies and Gentlemen: The Rolling Stones is essential viewing.

Article first published as Music DVD Review: Ladies & Gentlemen: The Rolling Stones on Blogcritics.