The Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers'...

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'Exile on Main St' vs. 'Sticky Fingers' - both undeniably awesome... but which is best?

Exile On Main Street [1972]
10
53%
Sticky Fingers [1971]
9
47%
Fuck that shit - it's gotta be Dirty Work [1986]
0
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Total votes: 19

angelsighs
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The Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers'...

Post by angelsighs »

yep great selection. he is a man of good taste. I agree that Sticky Fingers is the best Stones album, and finally, someone else who likes Sandinista as much as I do!
not sure about choosing that live album for the Velvets though?
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Re: Rolling Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers

Post by johnnyboy »

angelsighs wrote:yep great selection. he is a man of good taste. I agree that Sticky Fingers is the best Stones album, and finally, someone else who likes Sandinista as much as I do!
not sure about choosing that live album for the Velvets though?
I'll agree with Sticky Fingers too. Great to see love for Moonlight Mile. Greg D from Afghan Whigs chose that album recently as well and mentioned the track as a highlight. The whole album has got it all, the sleaze, the blues, the ballads, the 'feel'.
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Re: Rolling Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers

Post by TheWarmth »

Sticky Fingers is also my favorite Stones album. A lot of people go with Exile, which is great, too, but not as good as SF.
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Re: Rolling Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers

Post by angelsighs »

TheWarmth wrote:Sticky Fingers is also my favorite Stones album. A lot of people go with Exile, which is great, too, but not as good as SF.
agreed.
Moonlight Mile is, in a word, sublime. that kind of spooky, otherwordly element even when still relatively rootsy is something the band lost a long time ago.
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Rolling Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers'

Post by BzaInSpace »

Bump apologies - I felt the bit of recent discussion around these two awesome, epic slabs of some of the finest rock & roll music ever made perhaps deserved their own thread.

Hence I've merged some of the posts on the Dean Wareham/Quietus thread into here, basically so I can froth at length about which is my all-time favourite Stones album: Exile On Main Street.

What can I really say though other than this album has never, ever let me down.

It's been a big part of my life since 1997, and it's been listened to a hell of a lot, in recent years even more so yet I never, ever get bored of it. It touches on everything that makes life worth living - or not - and a whole lot else besides.

Simply put, played loud it cleanses my soul. On a Friday or Saturday night it's the ultimate party record. As Runcible has often opined, on a Sunday morning "it's the ultimate hangover record..."

Any other time it's basically so perfect, so well constructed and so varied it's like eternal soul balm with added additional effects each and every time I listen to it.

The Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Record... ever?

It went on in the car some weeks back after a long break, and has remained on and on and has had how many plays aleady? This record has almost become an annual event for listening binges.

Bear in mind this is the 2010 remaster edition.

I know I've been scathing about it in the past - too much compression and top end for headphones and the like, and I way prefer the 1997 Virgin issue on CD, mastered by Bob Ludwig... after the original US vinyl pressing for 'in the house', but I have to admit this 2010 version sounds shit hot in the car. Particularly loud as hell with the windows rolled down - a bit like Phil Spector productions in this regard?

Bear in mind also I drive something a decade old with a very, very average generic stereo.

Anyway, in particular, 'Sweet Virginia' sounds incredible and 'Loving Cup' sounds monstrous - truly fat and funky. The horn section blasts in the outro are fucking unreal!

Exile On Main Street: you start me up and I'll never stop.

Most bands never get close to anything of that magnitude, even the 'greats'; certainly not The Beatles IMO! :wink:

Yet they almost seemed to toss that one out during a few years of fucking all-time amazing records. I know they actually worked really hard on it, and a lot of overdubs were done post-Nellcôte, but it never, ever sounds like that.

It all sounds like it was done in one vast, sprawling session, like it all comes from a really heady, heavy, blinded out place. The gospel singers and the horns - just perfect.

There's nothing on there I'm even close to being dissatisfied with, there's nothing I can fault, nothing I wish they'd done another way. Everything sounds incredible. Their guitars never sounded like that before or since. Sorta wiry but muscular. Not really heavily distorted either. Compare how indistinct they are compared with Sticky Fingers, where the guitars achieve much seperation and string-scratching clarity.

Charlie's drums sound, and all those great fills and rolls he fires in is genius. Some truly amazing playing and feel from him here, solid beats and at times great restraint. He never underplays it - but he never overdoes it either.

The songs...man. The songs are just amazing! Yet apart from the occasional appearance of the great 'Tumblin' Dice', none of them ever appear on any of their many 'Best-Of's.

Over life and death I could probably live without 'Sweet Black Angel'... although it flows so well in that album and is a nice bridge between the rockin' surrounding tracks. Plus the washboard rhythm is ace!

'Turd On The Run' - might well be the weirdest song title ever... but that tune! It's really ultra minimalist, hypnotic blues. Like Junior Kimbrough or early John Lee Hooker in fact. "I Lost A Lot Of Love Over You!" Wow... so wild. That song took me years to notice that one, buried on Side 3/Side B.

Truly, there's an song for all moods and down the road it's the little touches that still impress also: The choir ramping the whole thing up on 'All Down The Line'...

What sounds like broken glass & party sounds midway through the awesome 'Casino Boogie' - plus the outstanding that blink-and-you'll-miss-it lyrical genius of "Kissing Cunt in Cannes"... :D

That still shiver-inducing psychedelic (or at least as obviously psychedelic as this album ever gets) breakdown in the astonishing 'Rocks Off'...

Mac 'Dr. John' Rebennack's astonishing piano and frazzled backing vocal with the girls on 'Let it Loose'...

'Let it Loose'! C'mon - how is this never mentioned as the absolute peak of the Stones' great ballads? I've killed this song a lot recently and it's full on redemptive vibes make it truly essential and perfect and - again - makes life worth living.

And Jagger's vocal? This often quoted thing about him not being able to sing (which I actually disagree with, as I'd like to know what 'proper' singing and quantitatively proved as such actually is...) is forcibly beaten down and destroyed here. I know sometimes the guy fakes it, but he's positively bleeds here. Hilariously, he's tried to downplay it even forty years later:

Wikipedia: In an interview with Uncut Magazine in April 2010, Jagger was asked about this song's lyrical content; he replied: "I think Keith wrote that, actually. That's a very weird, difficult song. I had a whole other set of lyrics to it, but they got lost by the wayside. I don't think that song has any semblance of meaning. It's one of those rambling songs. I didn't really understand what it was about, after the event."

However in the same article Richards says "I would never take Mick's recollection of anything seriously."


Keith nails it really!

I still remember vividly first hearing this album on a perfect, balmy summer evening. With beers. That was 17 years ago.

I feel old sometimes. This record on the contrary never feels old.

The best Stones music needs that grit, that raw edge. And no record of theirs has more of that dirt than Exile.


On the other hand...Sticky Fingers? Man I can't even get close to knocking that one - especially as 'Can't You Hear Me Knocking' is probably my all time favourite Stones tune. That shit is tremendous, Bobby Keys insanely sleazy sax on the pure jammed out extended outro sequence is just one of many, many reasons I love that so.

Like others here I'm particularly fond of the second side - 'Moonlight Mile'? Now you're talking! I could probably add that I prefer Marianne Faithfull's version of 'Sister Morphine - well, she did write the song - but again, nothing on this record doesn't work. I love 'Brown Sugar', dunno how many times I've heard it but it never fails.

But yeah if I had - and I mean life or death involved - to pick one it would be Exile.

Weirdly enough - and despite being seen as 'Keith's album' (and maybe because of that) Jagger never thought much of it. Again, ripped from wikipedia:

In 2003, Jagger said, "''Exile'' is not one of my favourite albums, although I think the record does have a particular feeling. I'm not too sure how great the songs are, but put together it's a nice piece. However, when I listen to ''Exile'' it has some of the worst mixes I've ever heard. I'd love to remix the record, not just because of the vocals, but because generally I think it sounds lousy. At the time Jimmy Miller was not functioning properly. I had to finish the whole record myself, because otherwise there were just these drunks and junkies. Of course I'm ultimately responsible for it, but it's really not good and there's no concerted effort or intention."

Jagger also stated he did not understand the praise amongst Rolling Stones fans because the album did not yield very many hits.


It's like he doesn't understand what's so amazing about it! Hit singles be damned...



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Re: Rolling Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers

Post by The Dr »

reading baz's comments and the ones before make me even more confused as to why i've never clicked with the stones. the covers they do, howlin' wolf, buddy holly etc i've always prefered the originals and the original stone songs i've never really enoyed but i can't put my finger on why, hmmm
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Re: Rolling Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers

Post by BzaInSpace »

Doc, get Exile, play it loud, play it often, let it worm into your soul. More so than even the greatest hits - apart from the obvious, unavoidable ones - that was my proper introduction to them. Moved backwards and forwards after that but really for me nothing ever came that close apart from Sticky Fingers. It's hard to beat.

God only know what I would have thought if I'd followed them for a decade and they released that - the contemporary reviews were mostly rubbish!
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Re: Rolling Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers

Post by niamhm »

Would it be rude to say neither?? I`m stuck between Beggars Banquet/Let It Bleed for my fav. `Stones album, never listened to Sticky Fingers beyond cursory but I have listened to Exile... and really enjoyed it on a good few occasions, and your enthusiasm for it is quite infectious, so much so I want to hear it again, but one problem, I don`t own it, I have 8/9 `Stones albums, but neither off those two, somewhere, years ago I think I made a mental line in the sand about the `Stones and the 70`s , and I haven`t really crossed it :? So, too the poll, from what I know off the 2 albums its Exile On Main St for me,
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Re: Rolling Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers

Post by JakeCardigan »

BzaInSpace wrote:It all sounds like it was done in one vast, sprawling session, like it all comes from a really heady, heavy, blinded out place. The gospel singers and the horns - just perfect.
This sums it up beautiful, the record oozes the heat and sweat of those rooms, shutters drawn, bottles kicked as you move across the room, pushing your way through the smoke.. heavy, heady vibes and those sweet sweet soul punches.
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Re: Rolling Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers

Post by BzaInSpace »

JakeCardigan wrote:
This sums it up beautiful, the record oozes the heat and sweat of those rooms, shutters drawn, bottles kicked as you move across the room, pushing your way through the smoke.. heavy, heady vibes and those sweet sweet soul punches.
Nailed it! :shock:
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Re: Rolling Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers

Post by JakeCardigan »

I love pulling these records out of their sleeve, the sleeves are falling apart, semi destroyed by a rogue hamster... but fuck, those black slabs of vinyl.. and dropping that needle
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Re: Rolling Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers

Post by spzretent »

BzaInSpace wrote: Mick Jagger- "''Exile'' is not one of my favourite albums, although I think the record does have a particular feeling. I'm not too sure how great the songs are, but put together it's a nice piece. However, when I listen to ''Exile'' it has some of the worst mixes I've ever heard. I'd love to remix the record, not just because of the vocals, but because generally I think it sounds lousy.
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Do not let Mick Jagger near that record. Listen to the 2010 bonus disc and that is what you would wind up with. He clearly doesn't "get it".
S'alright. They nailed it in 1972. That is what counts. My fave record of all time. Sticky fingers isnt even in my top 5.
Exile
Beggars
Goats Head Soup
Let It Bleed
Between The Buttons
Disclaimer.....Strictly my opinion.
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Re: Rolling Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers

Post by BzaInSpace »

spzretent wrote:My fave record of all time. Sticky fingers isnt even in my top 5.
What the hell Alan!

Disclaimer or not... Behind the Buttons?

Goat's Head Soup...? :shock: :shock: :shock:

Pah!

Image
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Re: Rolling Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers

Post by redcloud »

Firstly, great post BZA! Another fine example of this forum having some of the most knowledgeable, passionate and articulate music lovers on the web.

I too really like "Exile" but, I'm not as passionate about the Stones as I am The Pretty Things. I very much enjoy '68-'72 era Stones from the tail end of Jones to Taylor but, I also understand where Dr. is coming from when he questions what is it that he's missing. I have immense respect but they have never been a band I instantly gravitate towards when thinking what I want to hear.

I have often found "Between The Buttons" an overlooked Stones album! It has hints at what would come with "Satanic" but it also has moments that look towards "Beggar's" and "Let It Bleed". A solid album.
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Re: Rolling Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers

Post by spzretent »

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Re: Rolling Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers

Post by niamhm »

BzaInSpace wrote:
spzretent wrote:My fave record of all time. Sticky fingers isnt even in my top 5.
What the hell Alan!

Disclaimer or not... Behind the Buttons?

Goat's Head Soup...? :shock: :shock: :shock:

Pah!

Image
I`m with Alan on this, Behind The Buttons has brought me loads a pleasure down the yrs.
Also a BIG thumbs up for Aftermath, an amazing record, but I have to say no to Goats Head Soup, bought it , tried it, then it just sat there, reinforcing my mental block on the `Stones in the 70`s,
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Re: Rolling Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers

Post by spzretent »

What can we do to loosen this mental block up. If Exile wont nothing probably will
However try:
Torn & Frayed
Let It Loose
Shine A Light
Soul Survivor
I Just Want To See His Face
Casino Boogie
I dunno. It is so loose yet so amazing. How it can be the ultimate Friday or Saturday night record yet still be considered one of the great all time Sunday morning hangover records still amazes me.
That mid 60's period is often overlooked but is so great. Aftermath, Flowers(even though not a proper lp), Between The Buttons.
On the other hand what other band released the 4 monsters that are: Beggars, Let It Bleed, Sticky Fingers and Exile in succession?
Maybe Dylan, Led Zeppelin or the Beatles? Pretty lofty company.
Some would argue none of the above.
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Re: Rolling Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers

Post by BzaInSpace »

spzretent wrote:What can we do to loosen this mental block up. If Exile wont nothing probably will
However try:
Torn & Frayed
Let It Loose
Shine A Light
Soul Survivor
I Just Want To See His Face
Casino Boogie
I dunno. It is so loose yet so amazing. How it can be the ultimate Friday or Saturday night record yet still be considered one of the great all time Sunday morning hangover records still amazes me.
That mid 60's period is often overlooked but is so great. Aftermath, Flowers(even though not a proper lp), Between The Buttons.
On the other hand what other band released the 4 monsters that are: Beggars, Let It Bleed, Sticky Fingers and Exile?
Maybe Dylan, Led Zeppelin or the Beatles? Pretty lofty company.
Some would argue none of the above.
I'll take the bait.

For me this is easy.

If we are talking at the same level of my own personal, inspirational, pocket-philosophical, endlessly-playable-in-full and pure soulfully emotionally and outrageous records then I would say - none of the above.

Although if I can get Led Zeppelin II, Led Zeppelin III, Houses of the Holy & Presence, with a selection of other discography-spanning tracks, then you will win.
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Re: Rolling Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers

Post by spzretent »

In succession. I just edited the above post. That was the important bit..
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Re: Rolling Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers

Post by redcloud »

spzretent wrote: On the other hand what other band released the 4 monsters that are: Beggars, Let It Bleed, Sticky Fingers and Exile in succession?
Maybe Dylan, Led Zeppelin or the Beatles? Pretty lofty company.
Can't argue there. Definitely monumentally important records and the company you list all rightfully deserve their places in the history of rock & pop music. I would probably add Neil Young to that list as well. From the gorgeous 1st LP to the mid 70's run ending with "Zuma" - the man's artistic creativity was at full peak.

Thinking about it...'68 - '72, in general, was a fruitful, creative, and wonderful period for so many bands and musicians.
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Re: Rolling Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers

Post by BzaInSpace »

As for Dylan, there's no question that guy could have filled 10 vinyl sides over even a one year stint (with a year in between for parties) with some of the greatest ever rock 'n' roll ever fucking made.

On a truly personal level - and I operate almost entirely alone with these opinions it seems - I just think he needed a good editor. Incredible genius was boiling out of this guys head - but he was only, what? 25 years old??

Incredible work, but if I was to construct a 'best-of' from say, 1964 to 1968 I would include very little of the tracks nominally featured on the endless 'best-of' albums.

Not that it really matters; but these records, with their repeated use of the tracks I probably like the least, clog up the airwaves IMO.

Dylan has a vast discography, which almost nobody in the public/layman/'yer mate in the pub' sphere has any idea about, despite being honoured with mass-market fanzines like 'Uncut' magazine. :wink:

At least with the Beatles you can meet people with annoying haircuts who can join in and rhapsodise over, say, 'Hey Bulldog'...
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Re: Rolling Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers

Post by spzretent »

At least you didn't single out a George tune.
The two best things about Yellow Submarine are It's All Too Much & Only A Northern Song.
Yep. Forgot Neil Young.
I knew I would miss something posting while drinking a few beers.
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Re: Rolling Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers

Post by BzaInSpace »

spzretent wrote: I knew I would miss something posting while drinking a few beers.
Ho ho!

I would argue you missed more than that: Nirvana have but four 'proper' (and one being an official compilation but served as a useful stop gap between Nevermind and In Utero... if only it had included 'Oh, the Guilt') albums and for me, they are peerless.

Prince? He accomplished this a few times. Make that several. And who knows how good his next record will be?

Miles Davis. In fact, he released four records-in-a-row of unearthly music several times in his career - even without the live stuff and later outtakes, he achieved an edited discography of peerless, endless music genius certainly for three decades at least!

Hendrix? Are You Experienced to Band of Gypsys?

Beat that... :wink:
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Re: Rolling Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers

Post by redcloud »

BzaInSpace wrote:Beat that... :wink:
I'll take that bet...

The Pretty Things 1964-1970/71!

One minor blip with their third LP ("Emotions") but, the songs are still very strong. Unfortunately, in a misguided attempt to gain wider appeal the producer chose to add sappy strings and horns to the final mix.

:wink:
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Re: Rolling Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers

Post by spzretent »

BzaInSpace wrote:
spzretent wrote: I knew I would miss something posting while drinking a few beers.
Ho ho!

I would argue you missed more than that: Nirvana have but four 'proper' (and one being an official compilation but served as a useful stop gap between Nevermind and In Utero... if only it had included 'Oh, the Guilt') albums and for me, they are peerless.

Prince? He accomplished this a few times. Make that several. And who knows how good his next record will be?

Miles Davis. In fact, he released four records-in-a-row of unearthly several times in his career - even without the live stuff and later outtakes, he achieved an edited discography of peerless, endless music genius certainly for three decades at least!

Hendrix? Are You Experienced to Band of Gypsys?

Beat that... :wink:
Well I am not a Nirvana fan, a Prince fan, a Miles fan(except for Jack Johnson) and I dont like Band Of Gypsys.
It is subjective after all.
I will give you Neil Young: Time Fades Away, On The Beach, Tonight's The Night & Zuma.
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Re: Rolling Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers

Post by redcloud »

spzretent wrote: I will give you Neil Young: Time Fades Away, On The Beach, Tonight's The Night & Zuma.
Not to mention the 1st, Nowhere, Gold Rush and Harvest.

Glorious.
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Re: Rolling Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers

Post by BzaInSpace »

Exile... is in the lead.

And rightly so! :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

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Re: Rolling Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers

Post by The Dr »

BzaInSpace wrote:
Hendrix? Are You Experienced to Band of Gypsys?

Beat that... :wink:


the velvets- nico-loaded :wink: not even including the 'lost' record vu which should be the crowning glory of any band's career, even if lou did milk it with watered down milk on his solos, sometimes coming up with th full fat choc milkshake caroline says II
“You're not Dostoevsky,' said the citizeness

'Well, who knows, who knows,' he replied.

'Dostoevsky's dead,' said the citizeness, but somehow not very confidently.

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Re: Rolling Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers

Post by BzaInSpace »

Do you know what.

I woke up this morning and thought - the Velvets!

The Velvet Underground & Nico, White Light/White Heat, The Velvet Underground & Loaded.

What gets close to that?

And as you refer to, stuff like 'Ocean', I Can't Stand It', 'Foggy Notion'... their offcuts beat entire band's careers!

And that's not even touching the live stuff!
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Re: Rolling Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers

Post by spzretent »

Personally I dont really care tha much for WLWH. I find in nearly unlistenable.
Just my opinion mind you.
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Re: Rolling Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers

Post by runcible »

spzretent wrote:Personally I dont really care tha much for WLWH. I find in nearly unlistenable.
Just my opinion mind you.
Wow. Despite the sacrilegious angle I am in full agreement. It's not a pleasant listen for me!
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Re: Rolling Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers

Post by Greeny »

I love Sticky Fingers but it's Exile Exile Exile 100%.

Tells a story from start to finish better than any concept album. Will never tire of listening to it.
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Re: Rolling Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers

Post by The Dr »

spzretent wrote:Personally I dont really care tha much for WLWH. I find in nearly unlistenable.
Just my opinion mind you.
it's just your opinion but it is still wrong :P hehe
“You're not Dostoevsky,' said the citizeness

'Well, who knows, who knows,' he replied.

'Dostoevsky's dead,' said the citizeness, but somehow not very confidently.

'I protest!' Behemoth exclaimed hotly. 'Dostoevsky is immortal!”
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Re: Rolling Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers

Post by The Dr »

runcible wrote:
spzretent wrote:Personally I dont really care tha much for WLWH. I find in nearly unlistenable.
Just my opinion mind you.
Wow. Despite the sacrilegious angle I am in full agreement. It's not a pleasant listen for me!
some tracks may be bracing but tracks like



are just beautiful

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--cSzOAx99w
“You're not Dostoevsky,' said the citizeness

'Well, who knows, who knows,' he replied.

'Dostoevsky's dead,' said the citizeness, but somehow not very confidently.

'I protest!' Behemoth exclaimed hotly. 'Dostoevsky is immortal!”
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Re: Rolling Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers

Post by semisynthetic »

I could almost flip a coin and be as assured I had really "chosen" the better of two; but for a variety of reasons, I am going with "Sticky Fingers"; both LPs are great; I believe it is a bit of Nostalgia and memories to flip the coin over to this choice.
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Re: Rolling Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers

Post by BzaInSpace »

runcible wrote:
spzretent wrote:Personally I dont really care tha much for WLWH. I find in nearly unlistenable.
Just my opinion mind you.
Wow. Despite the sacrilegious angle I am in full agreement. It's not a pleasant listen for me!




White Light/White Heat in "unpleasant & unlistenable" shocker!

Heathens!
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Re: Rolling Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers

Post by spaceman85 »

I've just recently took a dive into their catalog. I shall comment later.
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Re: Rolling Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers

Post by spzretent »

runcible wrote:
spzretent wrote:Personally I dont really care tha much for WLWH. I find in nearly unlistenable.
Just my opinion mind you.
Wow. Despite the sacrilegious angle I am in full agreement. It's not a pleasant listen for me!
Cant shy away from sacrilge. Just tell the truth. No matter how much others might disagree :shock:.
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Re: Rolling Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers

Post by spzretent »

Back to the Stones. Here is an fyi.
As I was mowing my lawn today I had my ipod on. I flicked to the Stones and there are incredible outtakes/alternate versions bootlegs of every record from Satanic Majesties until I stopped caring around Some Girls. Like someone "inside" leaked them.
I know these versions just as well as the official versions. Kind of like when Friendly Fire was released I listened to that CD so much I started thinking the outtake of Shine A Light was the original.
I know these are available on the internet.
Some of the titles are:
Beggars Breakfast
RSVP
Going Into Exile
Pearls At Swine- Some Girls
There is a 4 disc Satanic Majesties Request alternate box
Some amazing live Cds from this era are:
Brussels Affair 1073
Leeds Guitars.....TV Stars 1971
Headin For An Overload 1973
Capitol Connection 1978

Just imparting some of my knowledge on this era of the Stones. Not often I get to use it.
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Re: Rolling Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers

Post by simonkeeping »

Exile is the one for me. The first few listens didn't pull me but after that it got its dirty finger nails into me. As BZA said, the perfect Saturday night record, the perfect Sunday morning record - probably the perfect Tuesday night at 3am record.

It sounds like they are not trying, it sounds lazy and loose. I mean that in a good way by the way. It just sounds like a document of the best time ever. They felt free from the uk and we're having a blast. Holed up down in the south if France staying up for days.

It sounds so deep it ridiculous, that basement, the heavy blues vibes, the wine flowing. Let's do another take...
The high lap steel/slide parts on torn and frated at the end sound like they arrive from heaven as they shoot down my spine and once again remind me why music is so beautiful an art form. BZA put it better than I could ever do. It's a party record, it's a cone down record because that's how they were living at the time. I always find it curious listening to a record like exile just thinking - what if it wasn't this perfect? What if they'd fucked it up? Everyone is on fire on that record. I love the fact too that If Charlie wasn't around jimmy miller would play - as this needs to go down now.
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Re: Rolling Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers

Post by spunder »

spzretent wrote:Back to the Stones. Here is an fyi.
As I was mowing my lawn today I had my ipod on. I flicked to the Stones and there are incredible outtakes/alternate versions bootlegs of every record from Satanic Majesties until I stopped caring around Some Girls. Like someone "inside" leaked them.
I know these versions just as well as the official versions. Kind of like when Friendly Fire was released I listened to that CD so much I started thinking the outtake of Shine A Light was the original.
I know these are available on the internet.
Some of the titles are:
Beggars Breakfast
RSVP
Going Into Exile
Pearls At Swine- Some Girls
There is a 4 disc Satanic Majesties Request alternate box
Some amazing live Cds from this era are:
Brussels Affair 1073
Leeds Guitars.....TV Stars 1971
Headin For An Overload 1973
Capitol Connection 1978

Just imparting some of my knowledge on this era of the Stones. Not often I get to use it.
alot of tracks from those bootlegs are nicely compiled here : http://dariuschrisgoes.blogspot.co.uk/2 ... lling.html

but yes, once you start digging there is an awesome treasure trove of unofficial Stones material....loads of good stuff from the early R&B days floating about too..
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Re: Rolling Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers

Post by angelsighs »

I'm going to reiterate my point that Sticky Fingers is my favourite. it's just got the best tunes. the production is still fairly gritty but still tighter than Exile and with more separation between instruments. I must admit I sometimes skip Brown Sugar and start on track 2, but that's just due to overexposure. Sway is just superb, one of my favourite intros. it's got that swagger and that strange lurching feel that the Stones do so well. Wild Horses is gorgeous and damaged. Can't You Hear Me Knocking (which I can't believe no one has mentioned) is a rare example of the band stretching out (they were never a jam band).. then there's that soulful, spooky second half.. I Got The Blues is pure soul (quite rare from Mick really.. for all his great work you never get the impression you are glimpsing into his soul).. and of course there's Moonlight Mile.. damn.

Exile is awesome too but Sticky Fingers has the edge. Exile is strange because there are no standout tracks or anthems you could point to, but it still works so satisfyingly as a whole. however I do think the myth overtakes it a bit. many of it's tracks (and overdubs) were not actually recorded in the basement in France.

Beggar's Banquet and Let It Bleed are great too, but kinda trailing behind those two.

onto the Velvets.. I love WLWH.... it's the self titled album that is the weak link for me. people actually listen to The Murder Mystery for fun? give me 18 mins of Sister Ray over that any day of the week.
actually, I guess Loaded has some naff tracks too so it's just the first two that reach perfection.
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Re: Rolling Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers

Post by niamhm »

angelsighs wrote:I'm going to reiterate my point that Sticky Fingers is my favourite. it's just got the best tunes. the production is still fairly gritty but still tighter than Exile and with more separation between instruments. I must admit I sometimes skip Brown Sugar and start on track 2, but that's just due to overexposure. Sway is just superb, one of my favourite intros. it's got that swagger and that strange lurching feel that the Stones do so well. Wild Horses is gorgeous and damaged. Can't You Hear Me Knocking (which I can't believe no one has mentioned) is a rare example of the band stretching out (they were never a jam band).. then there's that soulful, spooky second half.. I Got The Blues is pure soul (quite rare from Mick really.. for all his great work you never get the impression you are glimpsing into his soul).. and of course there's Moonlight Mile.. damn.

Exile is awesome too but Sticky Fingers has the edge. Exile is strange because there are no standout tracks or anthems you could point to, but it still works so satisfyingly as a whole. however I do think the myth overtakes it a bit. many of it's tracks (and overdubs) were not actually recorded in the basement in France.

Beggar's Banquet and Let It Bleed are great too, but kinda trailing behind those two.

onto the Velvets.. I love WLWH.... it's the self titled album that is the weak link for me. people actually listen to The Murder Mystery for fun? give me 18 mins of Sister Ray over that any day of the week.
actually, I guess Loaded has some naff tracks too so it's just the first two that reach perfection.
This is just my opinion ,but Loaded has no, NONE !! duff/ naff tracks, I have listened to it and come back to it through times of great pain and loose, wild joy and love this album , its the only Velvets I play now as a 48 yr. old man, the 3rd one maybe, now and again, WLWH , never, the TVUAN , never played it since I was about .... 20yr. ago I know it well though , but have no urge to play it now. In my universe Beggar`s Banquet & Let It Bleed will always be better albums than their over blown , self-indulgent little 70`s cousins, but it`s all relative, if I had live on a f#ckinj` deserted island with Sticky & Exile , I`m sure I`d be fine for a while...
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Re: Rolling Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers

Post by pale blue eyes »

SQUEEZE is the only unlistenable album by the Velvets.

PERIOD.



:shock:
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Re: Rolling Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers

Post by runcible »

angelsighs wrote: Can't You Hear Me Knocking (which I can't believe no one has mentioned) is a rare example of the band stretching out (they were never a jam band)..
BzaInSpace wrote:On the other hand...Sticky Fingers? Man I can't even get close to knocking that one - especially as 'Can't You Hear Me Knocking' is probably my all time favourite Stones tune. That shit is tremendous, Bobby Keys insanely sleazy sax on the pure jammed out extended outro sequence is just one of many, many reasons I love that so.
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Re: Rolling Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers

Post by runcible »

niamhm wrote:This is just my opinion ,but Loaded has no, NONE !! duff/ naff tracks, I have listened to it and come back to it through times of great pain and loose, wild joy and love this album
That's my opinion too. I love Loaded!
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Re: Rolling Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers

Post by The Dr »

runcible wrote:
niamhm wrote:This is just my opinion ,but Loaded has no, NONE !! duff/ naff tracks, I have listened to it and come back to it through times of great pain and loose, wild joy and love this album
That's my opinion too. I love Loaded!
i find loaded a tad too 'poppy', yes it is a great album but after the first three it was the 'look at us!' album (i guess the first too are the f off! albums, the third is georgous, though yes i don't like murder mystry- it seems like a failed experiment)
“You're not Dostoevsky,' said the citizeness

'Well, who knows, who knows,' he replied.

'Dostoevsky's dead,' said the citizeness, but somehow not very confidently.

'I protest!' Behemoth exclaimed hotly. 'Dostoevsky is immortal!”
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Re: Rolling Stones - 'Exile on Main St.' vs. 'Sticky Fingers

Post by The Dr »

i've been listening to exile a few times (thanks mr space) and i enjoyed it much more than the best of cds but i still find it hard to connect to. it's enjoyable but in a distant sense, there is no personal link for me. maybe it is just one of those things?
“You're not Dostoevsky,' said the citizeness

'Well, who knows, who knows,' he replied.

'Dostoevsky's dead,' said the citizeness, but somehow not very confidently.

'I protest!' Behemoth exclaimed hotly. 'Dostoevsky is immortal!”
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