From Sam Cutler's FB Page.


Sam Cutler
THE ROLLING STONES - some thoughts

“The greatest rock and roll band in the world” has reached the apogee of fifty years playing together in the music business. This deserves congratulations as long marriages deserve congratulations, though for myself when I contemplate rock and roll ‘marriages’ of such inordinate length I sometimes wonder about the relative balance of pain and gain. It can’t all have been smooth sailing, and we know that that Stones have had their ‘rocky’ periods, but these they have overcome with determination, if not style and good grace. As Jeff Beck says “the secret of longevity in the music business is to get away from it for long periods of time” and the Stones have certainly been masters at “resting” as it’s called in the theatre. Nonetheless, with a mixture of luck, manic fortitude and a sophisticated forbearance for each other which has bordered on enlightened self interest, the band has survived against sometimes serious odds and they are to be congratulated. Now that the ‘fuss of fifty’ has subsided it might be a good opportunity to stop looking back and start looking forward. Like every other Rolling Stones fan on the planet (and I still love ‘em) here’s what I think they should do.

Mick needs to stop running around the stage like a spring chicken. Nobody needs to be reminded of how fit he is and those that only come to see him perform marathons of teenage energy in his advancing years are simply deluded. There is no particular virtue in running and singing at the same time and to be frank excessive demonstrations of faux virility are passé. BB King plays the guitar sitting down, nobody seems to mind. Let’s drop the whole ‘show’ concept. Dump it unceremoniously and go back to doing what the Rolling Stones do best – making some of the greatest music that we’ve ever heard. Stand still Mick (like you used to – remember) and play harmonica like you used to. Be a blues singer, like you used to. Sing man and forget all the other bullshit. Show the tin lids how its done! I’d personally love to see the Rolling Stones come onto a darkened stage with no props, no dressing up, just the band, their amps and Charlie, and beneath a simple lighting rig just PLAY. Jam a little. Relax about it all. Stop the whole silly thing of giving the kids a ‘show’ and just play the music like you used to – as if your very life depended upon it. An ‘intimate evening with the Rolling Stones’ where their friends sat in and played, welcomed without fan fare or razzamatazz as if it were the most natural thing in the world – now that would be something to see.

Mick Taylor strolls on stage and proceeds to play as only he has ever managed that exquisite solo contribution from Love in Vain. He ‘duels’ with Keef and once more the two of them produce that amazing synthesis of two guitars which for me was the highlight of their work together. Ronnie and Keith do some delta blues on acoustic guitar at which they are unacknowledged masters. The possibilities are endless, and Mick (standing still) shows his true fans (once again) what an amazing vocalist he is, punctuating his superb blues voice with harmonica playing that has no equal in the world of white man blues. Bill Wyman comes and plays that stoic deceptively simple bass which was at the heart of the Stones early music, Bobby Keys set the place alight with his majestic contributions, killer backing singers have their moment in the sun, and the whole thing is presented in as low a key as is humanly possible. Well, if pigs had wings! There aint a chance in hell of it happening that way. One might as well write a piece suggesting that the Grateful Dead should have done choreographed dance moves whilst dressed in ballet gear – not a chance of it happening in a million years!

Whilst the Grateful Dead were ‘resolutely funky’ and stuck with that through thick and thin, The Rolling Stones have become a ‘show’ band. The ‘show’ has, either by design or default, become as important as the music – if not more so. Well I for one just wanna hear the music and I don’t give a damn for the fol-de-roll and the glitz and the glamour. The Rolling Stones have got some things still left to prove. Let’s see it guys. Go out there and show the kids how it’s done. Like Howlin’ Wolf used to do it. Like Muddy Waters. Like all those guys whose music initially set you upon the path. We’d love ya for it, and if we gotta have Mick preening posing running and leaping whilst he’s also singing (sigh) then we’ll put up with it, as we always do; but jeez I wish the man would do his musical thing whilst standing still. He’d simply be so much better at it.

Sam sums it all up perfectly.......But who will listen.....you wonder if all the gimics they have used plus the U2 claw stage if there is really anything left to top the last show? Maybe Sam and his ideas shared by many of us will actually hit home for once.

Nellcote wrote on Nov 25^th, 2011 at 9:10am:

Relived his glorious past?