Customer Reviews

The Rolling Stones, Now!

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is their bluesiest powerpacks. With Little Red Rooster and Mona. You won't find any sitars or experimenting here , what you will find is is an unparalleled rendering of then obscure blues tracks energized by Brian and the boys. Every song is as good as the next , and they proved themselves on this disc to be the kings of interpretive blues. As good as Let it Bleed or Aftermath, more straightforward and consistant and a great driving cd too.

Perhaps the best "true" Rolling Stones. "You Can't Catch Me" and "Down The Road Apiece" are on fire and cut the Master's (Chuck Berry) original versions. "Down Home Girl", "What A Shame", and "Mona (I Need You Baby)" are THE essence of the original Rolling Stones, and show Brian Jones' remarkable talent and leadership; "Little Red Rooster" is arguably the best Stones' blues ever recorded. "Heart Of Stone" and "Pain In My Heart" are the soul(ful) songs of the set. The best surprise on the enhanced CD is the inclusion of the original (and GREAT!) version of Wilson Pickett's "Everybody Needs Somebody To Love". This superb track was on the original vinyl, but someone (unknowing or uncaring)put a second rate version on the cassette and 1st CD. To whomever made this change: THANK YOU! This opening song is worth the price of the whole CD. Play it LOUD!

More and more I have been going back to these early cds. If they could only do one this again, it would be grand!

Yes, you can purchase an early Stones album for the Satisfaction's or Under My Thumbs, or Paint it Blacks, but if you are looking for an Early Stones album with great UNKNOWN songs and GREAT bluesy stuff that didn't make it on the London Singles CD set - this is the album for you!! 'Down Home Girl' is a lost classic Stones recording that you can't help but love. I can't believe it is not more well known. Brian Jones was particularly proud of the great Blues sound of the early band and it is well represented on this record. Hands down the best early Stones album out there!! Guaranteed!!

Along with the first two US albums this showcases exactly why the Stones were such a hit by being the polar opposite of the Beatles. It wasn't a matter of whether or not you preferred one group over the other (in fact, most kids at that time loved both bands), it was a matter of them so completely complimenting each other that competition was not an issue. What they really had in common was great drummers. Just listen to Charlie's wonderful tubs! And Mick's voice, of course. They had a knack of finding those amazing rhythm and blues "B" sides that were just plain cool to listen to. This is a classic and showed the group to be maturing in their musicianship long before they started being the songwriting force that dominated the later lps.

Originally released in February of 1965 (between May 1964 and November 1965 the Stones were releasing albums at 4-5 month intervals,..crazy by today's standards!) "Now!" captures the pure essence of The Rolling Stones. This would be the last Stones album comprised soley (should be souly) of Blues, Country & Western, Rhythm & Blues, and Soul music.

"Now!" opens with Solomon Burke number "Everybody Needs Somebody To Love" (which used to be the opener for many of their live shows) which showcases the band's ability to grab you by the throat and give you some good old time religion in the church that R & B built! I'm not quite sure the Stones ever sounded more rootsy than they do on this record, as is evidenced by "Down Home Girl". Singing lyrics like "And everytime I kiss you girl it tastes like pork and beans" could Jagger be anymore convincing in the role of the "Southern Valentno"? If Mick doesn't get you on this song than surely the inertwined guitars of Brian Jones on slide and Keith Richards on standard will. Chuck Berry's "You Can't Catch Me" is up next and we discover that we've been plucked off the farm and depostied in to a high speed chase on the New Jersey Turnpike. The mastery the Stones (and Keith especially) have when it comes to Chuck's music is astounding as they not only capture the sound, but they capture Berry's swagger as well. "Heart Of Stone" is next and is the strongest Jagger/Richards composition to that point. This is a song full of danger and angst that easily could been sung by Johnny Cash. "Heart Of Stone" reached #19 on the charts in the USA, not bad as you could hardly call it a love song. "What A Shame" has a Muddy Waters meets Jimmy Reed feel about and features some fine slide work by Brian. Closing out side 1 is the Bo Diddley song "Mona (I Need You Baby)" and although Jagger scores with another incrediible vocal performance, the focus here is on Brian Jones. "Now!" is the closest we will ever come to hearing a Brian Jones solo record. This was the music he loved and lived for and I have never heard anyone play Bo Diddley better than Brian Jones.

Side 2 starts with another Chuck Berry (although not written by C.B.) song "Down The Road Apiece" where "the drummer man is a cat they call Charlie My Boy" and "Mama's cookin' chicken fried in bacon grease". Check out Keith's searing Chuck Berry licks and Ian Stewart's spot on boogie woogie piano in a song that takes us right back down to the "Southland" where "There's a place you really get your kicks/It's open every night about 12 to 6". "Off The Hook" is a jaunty little R&B tune with an infectious hook (no pun), by no means a heavyweight, but then again it is nice to have a "breather" once in a while. The Stones give the "star treatment" to the Otis Redding classic "Pain In My Heart'. The sheer drama and emotion that is packed into to this song leaves the listener feeling spent upon its' completion. There is almost a three way tug-of-war taking place between Jagger's molten vocals, Brian and Keith's guitar sword play, and Charlie and Bill's sledgehammer rhythm section. "Oh Baby (We?ve Got A Good Thing Goin')" has a Nashville meets Chuck Berry groove that forces you to crack open the case and get out your air guitar. Back to Brian Jones now in full glory on "Little Red Rooster", Duane Allman caused quite a stir when he started playing slide guitar in 1967, well here's Brian taking Duane to school on a song that was recorded in early November 1964. The juggernaut ends with the Jagger/Richards tune entitled "Surprise, Surprise", again no heavyweight here, just a tight upbeat R&B tune with some fun staccato drum beats from Mr. Watts.

Note: There were two versions of "Everybody Needs'.. recorded, one that is universally considered the "bad one" which appeared on the original US release of the record, and the "good one" which appeared on the UK version. ABKCO wisely went with the "good one" on the CD reissue.

Recording Notes: "Everybody Needs Somebody To Love", "Down Home Girl", "Heart Of Stone", "Pain In My Heart", & "Oh Baby (We Got A Good Thing Goin')" were recorded 10/27/64 at RCA Studios in Hollywood. "You Can't Catch Me", "Mona (I Need You Baby)", "Off The Hook", & "Surprise, Surprise" were recorded 5/64 at Regent, IBC, London. "Down The Road Apiece" was recorded 6/10-11/64 at Chess Studios in Chicago. "What A Shame" & "Little Red Rooster" were recorded 11/5-6,8/64 at Chess Studios in Chicago.

One of my favorites. Just one listen, and you may be convinced that this is what the Stones were (and are) made of, rhythm and blues. They raised quite a stir in Chicago in Chess Studios, and gained the support of many of the great bluesmen there, an indication perhaps of the Stones dedication to their craft. "Oh Baby (...Good Thing Goin')", "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love", "Down Home Girl", "Down the Road a Piece" are just a sample of their versatility on this album, which I consider an essential to their early roots. Hard to believe it's been forty years, and still going.

"The Rolling Stones Now!" is a very enjoyable album. It includes superb covers of "Down The Road Apiece", Bo Diddley's vibrating "Mona", Otis Redding's "Pain In My Heart", and one of the group's best early gems, "Little Red Rooster", a pure blues with wonderful slide guitar playing by Brian Jones (it gave the Stones a #1 single in Britain).

As songwriters, Jagger and Richards were still learning, but they did come up with an American Top 20 hit, the great, soulful "Heart of Stone", as well as the thumping, Chuck Berry-styled rocker "Off The Hook".

"The Rolling Stones Now!" is a muscular slice of blues, rock n' roll and soul music, and a must-own even for moderately serious fans.

Listen to this and youll know why they were the best band around. One of the main reasons is because of the presence of BRIAN JONES! All there albums with him on it., up to parts of Let it Bleed prove that. Without BRIAN JONES they were still great but they werent the Rolling Stones anymore they were the Stones., if you know what I mean.., and I just love all the bluesy stuff they used to do...check out Down Home Girl. And Brian played the best slide around and mouth harp.., and any instrament he picked up.., a true virtuoso! I still love The Stones but..., and this picticular one is one of my favorite also check out 12x5 and there first album with Walking the dog..The Best!

it doesnt show the musical talent of the musicians but the old Stones are my favorite! Very bluesy back then. Good song writing