The Rolling Stones "Dirty Work" in retrospect

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Uly Gynns, Jul 24, 2014.

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  1. Paulo Alm

    Paulo Alm Forum Resident

    Location:
    In The Light
    I think if one really likes The Stones, like I do, it won't be hard to find interesting moments on Dirty Work... I like it for what it is. That said though, it can't be considered a great moment in their career.
    Oh, and that cover is useless, pure '80s crap.
     
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  2. DTK

    DTK Forum Resident

    Location:
    Europe
    Winning Ugly and Back To Zero sound like 80s synth pop, but the rest is indeed more traditional fare.
     
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  3. Phasecorrect

    Phasecorrect Forum Resident

    Location:
    WI
    Not much to defend here. A very inferior, sub-par record all around. "Harlem" was a crap single, and 'One Hit", although much better, didn't have much longevity then or now.Mid to late 80s was far from premium Stones era and this train wreck confirms it. "Undercover" was equally inconsistent, and "Steel.Wheels" is fairly bland. I think "Emo Rescue" is one there better 80s efforts, as was Tattoo you.
     
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  4. Paulo Alm

    Paulo Alm Forum Resident

    Location:
    In The Light
    Yeah I agree, but I do think "Undercover" is still a solid album and much better than "Dirty Work", "Steel Wheels", or whatever they put out after that...
     
  5. Sean

    Sean Senior Member

    Location:
    Ottawa
    This album is 30 years old now.

    Still playing my vinyl copy. Ha, ha!
     
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  6. johnny 99

    johnny 99 Down On Main Street

    Location:
    Toronto
    I still like "Steel Wheels". It came out on my 30th birthday! (August 1989)
    At that time, we all thought it was their best album overall since Tattoo You.
    It certainly was great at the time and the tour was excellent!
     
  7. footprintsinthesand

    footprintsinthesand Reasons to be cheerful part 1

    Location:
    Dutch mountains
    Got the albums before and after Dirty Work; don't even remember why this one's missing; but poor cover and weak stuff (now playing YouTube)
     
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  8. Remy

    Remy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brooklyn NY
    Everyone seems to have a few stinkers in them and this is it.
     
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  9. Bullis

    Bullis Forum Resident

    Location:
    Niagara County
    Had with you. Nice rocker with harmonica
     
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  10. drbryant

    drbryant Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    I don't ever think about listening to Dirty Work. Maybe it's because of Steve Jordan, or maybe it's just the times, but it doesn't sound like the Stones, and that's not a good thing in my book. My favorite track on the album is probably the 30 second snippet of Stu playing "Key to the Highway" that ends the album. I also like "Cook Cook Blues" which was released as a B-side years later.
     
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  11. Futurecity

    Futurecity Forum Resident

    Location:
    Nevada
    Steel Wheels is excellent actually...I heard the original '89 CD recently and this album mops the floor with Undercover and Dirty Work, although I did like DW when it initially came out...bought that Chrome cassette, but Steel Wheels was a return to form.
     
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  12. Bullis

    Bullis Forum Resident

    Location:
    Niagara County
    Horrible cover and those liner notes
     
  13. Telemark

    Telemark Forum Resident

    Location:
    Calgary
    Maybe I'm losing my sense of discernment, but this thread has me spinning this for the first time and I think it's not half bad at all. Side 1 just ended and it's totally solid. Better than IOR&R by a good margin.

    I could do without the by-the-numbers keys and the backup singers, but Mick's nasty singing saves it from being bland. Some tasty guitar playing, too. There's no air in the mix, but it has a blunt, ugly energy to it that separates it from a lot of other mid-80s records.

    Sounds pretty good on vinyl, the louder the better. Maybe if it had just one song that was as classic as "Undercover" it would fare better. Or, judging by the responses here, if the cover weren't so embarrassing I bet people wouldn't hear it in such a negative light.
     
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  14. Telemark

    Telemark Forum Resident

    Location:
    Calgary
    Update: the wife just commented that "you can really hear what great players they were here, not like a lot of the later stuff which was just boring." So it's not just me!

    Yeah, I'll spin this again. Solid C+, a lot of it to do with the guitar playing and the rawness of it behind the production gloss. If this was a different band (i.e. if I hadn't known they were capable of greatness) I'd rate it a B.
     
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  15. Phasecorrect

    Phasecorrect Forum Resident

    Location:
    WI
    Revisited it tonight and my verdict essentially remains the same. Although "Had it with you" does sound like the Stones should, and not some ill-focused dance experiment. Some very biting lyrics by Mick with a cool delivery. Forgot about this lost nugget.
     
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  16. INSW

    INSW Senior Member

    Location:
    Georgia
    Finally some of you are waking up to the last great Stones album.
     
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  17. ohnothimagen

    ohnothimagen "Live music is better!"

    Location:
    Canada
    Along with Exile, I think Dirty Work is the most "Keith in charge" Stones album...probably why Jagger doesn't think very much of it:laugh:
    As do I...on a fairly regular basis, at that.
    Absolutely. IMO It's Only Rock and Roll is the dullest (not to mention dullest sounding), most going-through-the-motions, Stones-by-the-numbers album they ever made. Never been a big fan...
    Dirty Work has always had a pis-sed off, aggressive sound/feel to it for me (probably because that's how the band felt at the time). I think it's the Stones' "heaviest" (as in "hard rock") album.
    I've owned three different copies of Dirty Work on LP over the years -all Columbia originals, I presume- and they've all sounded excellent. The CD versions I've heard (original Columbia and '94 Virgin) sound too "digital" to me.
    I'd say "One Hit (To The Body)" is as much of a Stones 'classic' as any other Stones classic...and maybe even moreso than anything off of Undercover including the title track.
    Hey, man, I've been awake to it ever since I first heard the thing back in '89 when I was first 'discovering' the Stones. And, as I've said before, most of their albums I didn't like on first listen...except for Exile, Emotional Rescue, Let It Bleed, and -yes- Dirty Work. Exile and Dirty Work have always been my favourite Stones albums, and damned if I'm gonna start apologizing for it now after 27 years:laugh::laugh::laugh:
     
  18. Phasecorrect

    Phasecorrect Forum Resident

    Location:
    WI
    Let's not get carried away. Dirty Works is at best b minus grade Stones anway you slice it. "One Hit" and "Had it" are fairly strong, but the rest is outdated and pedestrian. To be fair, I find "Steel Wheels" even more watered down. Most hardcore fans agree "Some Girls" was the last, great hurrah.
     
  19. zen

    zen Senior Member

    Start Me Up at sporting events, says you're wrong! :p
     
  20. Neonbeam

    Neonbeam All Art Was Once Contemporary

    Location:
    Planet Earth
    Most (music;)) people are not aware that that photo was taken by Annie Leibovitz:):)
     
  21. Phasecorrect

    Phasecorrect Forum Resident

    Location:
    WI
    That's a decent single. I'm talking full enchilada album my son. Some Girls!
     
  22. zen

    zen Senior Member

    You're probably right.
     
  23. alchemy

    alchemy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sterling, VA
    Sorry OP this LP never jelled for me.
    Could be I was working my a A $$ off on my career and raising small children, and I didn't give it enough spins to get it under my skin.

    Anyway you shake it, it didn't shake me.
     
  24. Mother

    Mother Forum Resident

    Location:
    Melbourne
    I like the album a lot, particularly for sentimental reasons. It gets a bad rap in general, although sad to hear that Charlie was subbed out for a few numbers. I think I can probably work out which ones but if anyone has the inside scoop it would be much appreciated.
     
  25. Psychedelic Good Trip

    Psychedelic Good Trip Beautiful Psychedelic Colors Everywhere

    Location:
    New York
    You know I never really thought of dirty work that way. I believe I bought it the day it was released March 24th 1986, I bought the lp at a local record store. Looking back I kind of realized, that you know, you're right they didn't care what the masses wanted they just did a record the stones wanted, I always thought of it as the stones weakest album but I will give it another listen and maybe appreciate the Dirty Work effort 30 years later because as you said the guy's just did what they wanted unlike steel wheels three years later 1989 was polished slick eighties, but enjoyable IMHO...

    Maybe with another listen it will give me a different perspective of Work. I never cared for it much, I guess 30 years later maybe I'll have a different feel interesting thread....
    You know I never really thought of dirty work that way. I believe I bought it the day it was released March 24th 1986, I bought the lp at a local record store. Looking back I kind of realized, that you know, you're right they didn't care what the masses wanted they just did a record the stones wanted, I always thought of it as the stones weakest album but I will give it another listen and maybe appreciate the Dirty Work effort 30 years later because as you said the guy's just did what they wanted unlike steel wheels three years later 1989 was polished slick eighties, but enjoyable IMHO...

    Maybe with another listen it will give me a different perspective of Work. I never cared for it much, I guess 30 years later maybe I'll have a different feel interesting thread....
     
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