Why Are The Stones Boring Live After 1970?

Thanks for that because while as OP I can (obviously) say what I feel about it, I am under no mistake about the greatness of the Stones. But something changed after Sticky Fingers in a fundamental way. But I like hearing what people think about it. For example, Brussels seems too fast to me, as if the band are on something, it sounds rushed and frenetic. Sure that can be exciting live but as an aural document, at least what I've heard, it doesn't do it. Elements of the playing of course will always be good (Charlie, Taylor, sometimes Keith) but something became fixed in the live playing from about '72, kind of a stadium feel including in Mick's singing (more monotone, the shouting due to running onstage), whereas I don't think Ya-Ya's sounds like a stadium album. It sounds like a ballroom album played in a stadium, which is different, a real performance, not a show.

 

I think this was a really big problem. He also starts shouting rather than what he did before. Sometimes the sloppiness of the band works great but Mick's vocals are not good. I thought on the most recent tours (2013 etc.) he was really excellent.

 

Because you don't like them.

 

I actually like Goat's Head Soup more than anything that came after it.

 

I've listened to it and watched the DVD many times. Boring it certainly isn't.

What it also isn't is the best live performances they ever gave. Not even close. Doesn't come close to the '69-'73 performances.

It's probably the best performances they ever gave with Ronnie Wood...it's not the same thing.

 

The Stones are easily my favorite band, and I see them as often as I can. Always brilliant in concert, always sounding great. This thread is worthless.

Time to get on the Love Train!

 

I think I see or hear what your getting at here. Those pre-1970 shows...the band and sound was still being formed. Now Mick has to be "Mick Jagger" and run and shout about the stage or the audience will be disappointed.

And Keith does it too. He now just plays at being "Keith" rather then being the player he could be.

So I think I understand, However...those 1973 and 1975 show are still great.

And the 1978 show have a level of artistry between Keith and Ronnie that went to a whole new level. The playing on Beast of Burden or Far Away Eyes is so pure and sloppy and beautiful.

Faster...yes. Respectable is so fast. I just love it. It's almost punk. These old dogs showed the new kids how to play it fast and sloppy. Again, I wouldn't change a second.

Now after 1980 I do think they became big stadium show and raced through Jumping Jack Flash. They still had flashes of the old charms but something changed after 1980.

 

I refer to my earlier answer on The Who

Cash

Cocaine

Women

one or more of the above.

 

While I certainly agree that the Stones' performances dropped in quality, in my opinion it happened after Mick Taylor left, not while he was still there.

The '69 live stuff was the best the Stones had ever sounded (in my opinion) up 'til then...but the '72 shows are even better. They had even better material to add to their shows and their best ever line-up had been playing together for 3 years and were on fire. The '73 tour is great too, but not quite at the same level.

To my ears anyway.

 

To each his own...if I had a time machine and could see one Rolling Stones show, I'd pick the Stones at the Masonic Temple in 1978 Detroit, Michigan.

 

Good comments. However, Respectable to me is just a bad song, so dull compared to the great singles of the mid- and late-60's (to '71).

 

Well, glad you think that's great. I don't. I never really liked the Stones versions of soul classics, e.g. Just My Imagination. Clunky and dull. (The backing vocalists here are great, it's their song really).

The Stones are, or were, a bluesy rock band, also a pop rock band. Their greatest work was in genres directly influenced by blues, R&B and folk (and country). Their efforts at 70's soul, disco and reggae were never very good.

As always, there are exceptions. Mick's solo performance a couple of years ago at an awards show was very good, he sang a soul classic (can't recall name). Also the Stones outtake of Drift Away from the 70's is very good, it could have been huge hit for them with a little further work and production. I'd have released that instead of stuff like Miss You. That could have been as good as Wild Horses, or some of their folkish mid-60's work.

 

I still like watching dvd's of the Stones, don't care for anymore live audio recordings.

 

I am not the Stones expert that some are but the big stadium shows with songs played at a super-fast pace don't do anything for me. That is the dividing line for me - not 1970.

 

What a killer rock n roll riff. My only complaint is they didn't play this song more often. This is just a one off, they rarely played this tune live.

 

Boring after Mick Taylor has left the Band. The shows from 69, 72 are pretty good. 1973 outstanding!

 

I'm a stones fan....up to a point. They've always sounded under rehearsed live, it's just hanging together, but that's their thing.

 

I'm sure there's a handful of performances or even shows after the early 70's that are first rate, I don't want to be dogmatic. I like this a lot:



Perhaps because released from the Stones format Mick really shines here, it's all great.

 

Although, I have noticed that they have taken most of the songs back to their regular tempo, over the last 2-3 years. As a result, the shows I've heard (and one that I've seen) over that time are a massive improvement over the bulk of the last 20-25 years.

"Goddammit Swearengen...I don't trust you as far as I can throw you, but I enjoy the way you lie!"

 

I think that's a very good point. With a virtuoso like Mick Taylor, that deficiency was minimized.

 

I agree with you, that is part of it, they let the tempos slide for decades, making the songs sound dull and uninspiring. On the last tours they were following the studio arrangements much more closely.

 

I really liked that tour they did when Jagger was wearing all the Lycra and footie gear and they played all their best known compositions like Going To A Go Go

 

I think they started to go downhill around 1990, when they had a keyboard player and a vegas style horn section, plus they lost Wyman post 1994

 

Thanks. I needed a laugh.

 

I'm glad they're still around but let's face it, they're well past it.