The Rolling Stones Vinyl Records Collector's Box Set - Limited Edition Classic Rock Albums for Music Lovers & Vinyl Enthusiasts | Perfect for Home Decor, Gifts & Music Collections

Recently, in reviewing Jean Luc- Godard's 1968 "Sympathy For The Devil", an experimental film documentary montage that featured the creation of one of the Rolling Stone's most well-know songs I noted that while I was more than happy to see The Stones creative process on that work I did not need to spend an hour and one half to do so. This had to do more with Luc-Godard's pretensions and propaganda needs that with that of The Rolling Stones. Here, in the film documentary under review, we are treated to an infinitely more noteworthy and worthwhile introduction to The Stones' creative process at its height and their place in the cultural, or rather counter-cultural, history of the 1960's. Without the hubris.One should note the time frame of this exposition, 1967-69, that is important both for the period of The Stones creative outburst and their connection with the various cultural events that defined the late 1960's. A little time here is spent by the "talking heads" British music critics, who also covered The Stones up close during this period and that drive the narrative of this film, on the early Stones and their efforts like "Satisfaction" and "Ruby Tuesday" as they attempted to compete song for song with the Beatles. However, the bulk of the time is spent discussing the latter period when The Stones went off to explore their own musical capacities. This period includes their efforts on " Their Satanic Majesties" (an album that while it has some historical value as acid rock is virtually unlistenable, at least to this reviewer, these days), "Between The Buttons" (a transitional album) and then on to the classic `Beggar's Banquet". "Beggar's Banquet" is arguably the equivalent in the Stones discographic pantheon of Elvis Presley's 1956 "Elvis" to his.Along the way we get also get a look at the troubled relationship between the eccentric Brian Jones and the other Stones, his death spiral, and the eventual emergence of the Jagger/Richards songwriting partnership that has lasted until this day. We also get some fulsome analysis of individual songs like "Jumping Jack Flash", the seminal "Gimme Shelter" and the above-mentioned "Sympathy For The Devil". Various interesting arguments are made along the way for the role of music in the evolving counter-cultural/drug milieu of the time and whether and if that would be the revolution. A lot of the argument centers on the meaning of "Street Fighting Man" as a personal statement by Jagger. We long ago learned- the hard way- that music would not bring the revolution (here the fatal Altamont concert of 1969 kind of drives that point home) and that Mick was not going to lead, if he ever had such an intention, that revolution ("Gimme Shelter" is kind of the concession "speech" on that point). What is left then? Well, there is always that subjective question- Are The Stones the world's greatest rock band? Pound for pound in those days I would argue that Jim Morrison and The Doors, on any given on night, could claim that title. But for the long haul, The Stones, hands down. View this well-done documentary to find out why.