"TUESDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES"

A review of "Ladies & Gentlemen--The Rolling Stones". By Mark Saxby  28th September 2010

 "Ladies & Gentlemen--The Rolling Stones" is a concert movie of the Stones filmed over four nights on their 1972 tour of the United States. Originally given a cinema release in 1974 it shows the Stones at Fort Worth and Houston during the Exile tour and, believe me, it's what we English like to describe as "the dog's nuts". 

And now, as the Americans would describe me, this "lucky son of a bitch" is clutching a ticket to "the world premier of the newly restored and remastered version of the legendary concert film." I'd never been to a premier before and suppose I was expecting flashbulbs, glittery gowns and a grinning John Travolta or two. But this turned out to be a bit more low key, huge security-men aside. A smattering of celebs in the bar---Larry Lamb, Eastender murderee and dad in Gavin and Stacey, Bobby Gillespie from Primal Scream, and several others who I should have known but didn't. However we did have a genuine Rolling Stone in Bill Wyman who turned up with young family in tow. Aside from red wine costing a hefty six pounds for a tiny plastic glass you'd have to say I was happy.

Before the main event they show  a filmed interview with Mick Jagger in which he talks about the film, highlighting the perils of glittery eye make-up melting under the lights, his surprise at the tightness of the band's performance, the seventies style camera-work, Mick Taylor's awful shirts and wonderful guitar playing. Then after a spoken introduction from Anglo-Canadian deejay institution David "Kid" Jensen in which he reveals he'd been behind the band on stage several times on the '72 tour [how lucky is that?] the film starts.

There's some moody shots of stage lights and murmur then the band emerge on stage with Charlie tickling the drums and the guitarists checking for tuning. The beautiful thing is that it's all in tight close-up-----you feel like you're practically with them----and the film quality is wonderfully grainy and deep. And the band are bunched together, not spread out over yards and yards like at the old Wembley.

I'd heard that when this film first came out  the soundtrack was in something called Quadra Sound, mixed by a sound engineer at the "movie theater" at 100 decibels to give the audience the sensation of being in the middle of the crowd at the gig. I had hoped we might get a reprise and looked round in vain for a bearded technical type at the controls of some vast unfathomable mixing desk----no joy. But the sound was still spectacular as the show kicked off with Brown Sugar. Then Bitch, then Gimme Shelter. Then a stunning Dead Flowers. 

The brass section was the main one from Exile on Main St.---Jim Price on trumpet and Bobby Keys on sax and spirited tambourine. [Check out Ronnie Wood's book for some scandalous Bobby Keys stories]. The piano player is Nicky Hopkins. He played on She's a Rainbow, Coming Down Again, and  on all the albums from Between the Buttons to Black and Blue. Apparently he rarely toured because he'd never been well. The Stones have had some great piano players  but Nicky Hopkins was special, and we're lucky to have him in this film.

Jagger's wearing a succession of jump-suits made by Ozzie Clark---"the best cutter in the business" immortalised in David Hockney's "Mr and Mrs Clark and Percy". Jagger in this gear singing at the same microphone as Richards gives us possibly the most iconic image of the Stones-----this is really where the Mick n' Keef thing springs from. And Keith's harmonies with Mick are such a weapon and the one mic thing such a brilliant visual. 

And of course Charlie Watts is wonderful, playing with that loping style that has to be him. Spotters amongst you will probably already know that he doesn't play the hi-hat on the snare beat, giving the Stones groove that characteristic feel-----non-spotters will probably glaze over at this information. And then I'm sitting here watching Bill Wyman matching Charlie's rhythm and feel seamlessly and without effort, a great stage presence with his gum-chewingly slightly sardonic demeanour and the bass at a suitably rakish angle. And then I look over a couple of rows ahead to where Bill Wyman's sitting and think how strange it must be for him to be watching this.

Mick Jagger was right about Mick Taylor's shirts. Dreadful. No matter what he wears Taylor never really looks like he's in the Stones. He's got the stage presence of a mop on anti-depressants. The only time he looks slightly animated is when one of Jagger's more outrageous dance-steps seems to genuinely disconcert him. The Stones would have to wait for Ronnie Wood to bring some Faces bonhomie and genuine chutzpah to the show. But Taylor's guitar playing is stunning. Some of the close-ups of his soloing are really quite beautiful. The Stones never sounded so good----Taylor soloing round Keith's riffing on Happy and Tumbling Dice. You watch this performance and you think how far they'd come from the Hyde Park gig in 1969. I realize this is the best concert film I've ever seen. The atmosphere amongst  the audience is like being at the gig of your life with everyone looking round at each other slack-jawed after every song. I am not kidding------I'd expected to enjoy it but not this much.[There was a lovely moment when Jagger's introducing the band on film and the whole cinema audience applauds when  Bill Wyman's announced.]

And Mick Jagger's voice is strong and he dances great---a total star. This is the template for all those wannabe bands that followed-----New York Dolls, Aerosmith, Rod [I want to be Mick] Stewart and so on.  And his chat in between at these gigs is genuinely charming. [Have I gushed enough?]

And the songs keep rolling at you. Love in Vain. [I can't help but notice that Bobby Gillespie takes a toilet break during this one. Not you favourite Bob? You missed a gorgeous Mick Taylor slide solo.] Sweet Virginia, You Can't Always Get What You Want, All Down the Line, Midnight Rambler [with iconic "Jagger whipping the stage with belt' moments]. The playing is extraordinary. And I'll stick my neck out and say I couldn't hear any overdubs. For those not in the know a lot of so called "live" albums are overdubbed later in a studio, often replacing whole parts . The drums are reputedly the only live bit left on "Live and Dangerous' by Thin Lizzy. Apparently it's only the crowd noise that's live on the Eagles' "live" album [allegedly]. But this Stones recording seems totally genuine, and even more impressive for that.

Then Keith kicks off Bye Bye Johnny, then Rip This Joint, Jumpin' Jack Flash, and finally Street Fighting Man that takes the roof off. The credits roll and the cinema audience claps and whoops and cheers and stomps. I wander out in a bit of a daze then decide to go back and try and get a photo of Bill. I see him looking harassed, being guided through a crowd of anorak autograph hunters, so I turn back around. "Ah, leave him alone", I think, "He's already given you a great show tonight."