Ladies and Gentlemen, it's all over now. Finished, finito, fini, kaputt... Live Licks left the Billboard 200 in less than three weeks. I'm speechless. It took more time to cut all the grapes around my home. I well know this is no longer the era when fans were sleeping in front of shops to secure themselves copies of the Stones album on sale the day after, but I think that everyone should make a deep conscience analysis. Has been fans behaving proper towards Live Licks? Find an answer for yourself. Mine I already know, but won't tell you. If it could help, please find below data concerning Stones titles rankings in the US (taken from IORR) and sales for vario us european countries (which show a ten positions average decrease in every country!). Ciao, from a disappointed Chris

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NEW RECORD: Live Licks is out of the Billboard 200 and any Billboard chart in his thrid week, by far this is the worst US charting album EVER for the Stones beating No Security (8 wks) and Rewind (11 wks). Live Licks sold only 33,000 copies in three weeks.
Alfie is out of the chart too while Jump Back is steady at #127 selling more than 10,000 copies each week (190,000 so far), why this album is selling is a mistery...

Billboard Update - Issue Date: Dec. 4, 2004

JUMP BACK
The Billboard 200 - #127 (Run so far: *30*-52-58-65-75-93-103-1 05-103-98-104-115-127 - 11,100 copies sold / 190,000 copies so far)
Comprehensive Albums - #130 (Run so far: *30*-52-58-65-75-94-104-1 06-104-100-106-118-130)

SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL (remix)
Hot Dance Singles Sales - #23 (58 wks on chart)

ALFIE SOUNDTRACK
Top Soundtracks - #18 (Run: 20-17-12-*11*-18)

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ITALY .................49TH
SWEDEN.................31TH
HOLLAND................31TH
GERMANY................35TH
AUSTRIA................23TH
SWISS..................27TH
FRANCE.................47TH
BELGIUM................48TH
DENMARK................68TH
SPAIN...........NO ENTRY

Thanks to the active and very appreciable Brian Jones Celtenham fan club, readers of this blog are today presented with an unique document. You'll have read in newspapers about a movie, actually in the making in London and in other various locations, about Stones founder's life, going under the title The Wild And Wycked World Of Brian Jones. Well, let's discover interesting details about it and the characters involved, thanks to the fact the Celtenham fan club got a copy of the production schedule. It's a very instructive reading (it looks like the director draws a defined theory on the murder, for instance) and don't forget a visit to the fan club site (link on the left). Ciao, Chris

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VERY HOT BRIAN JONES MOVIE NEWS

Film production schedule for The Wild and Wycked World of Brian Jones .....

Film Production Company: WILD AND WYCKED LIMITED
Director/Producer: Stephen Woolley   Co-Producer: Finola Dwyer

Location filming for the above production, starring Leo Gregory as Brian Jones; Paddy Considine as Frank Thorogood and David Morrissey as Tom Keylock, commenced at a large house in Haslemere, Surrey near London, on October 1st 2004. The house, complete with its’ own large swimming pool and landscaped gardens, represented Brian Jones’s final home Cotchford Farm, but in the film is called “Cotchford House”. Most of the external and internal shots were filmed there, with others at Shepperton Studios in London, and at various locations in Southern England & Central London.

Critical Scenes / Synopsis reconstructing the “Murder of Brian Jones”
Scene 211: Cotchford House, in the kitchen, “Brian sacks Frank, he tells him he is a terrible builder”.
Scene 223: Outside by the Gatehouse, “Brian & Anna ask Frank to go swimming with them”.
Scene 228: Internal House, Music Room, “Janet searches for Brian’s Asthma pump”.
Scene 231: Internal House, Bedroom, “Anna talks on phone oblivious to the horror in the pool”.
Scene 234: Internal House, “Frank, dripping wet, lights a cigarette, his hands shaking”.
Scene 243: External House, Garden, “Tom burn’s Brian’s things, he blames Frank for Brian’s murder”.

Main Actors and their Roles:
LEO GREGORY- Brian Jones.
PADDY CONSIDINE – Frank Thorogood.
DAVID MORRISSEY – Tom Keylock.
TUVA NOVOTNY – Anna Wohlin.
AMELIA WARNER – Janet Lawson.
BEN WHISHAW – Keith Richards.
LUKE DE WOOLFSON – Mick Jagger.
JAMES WHITE – Charlie Watts.
MONET MAZUR – Anita Pallenberg.

Main Supporting Actors/Roles:
Gary Love – Jeff.
Guy Flanagan – Dino.
Alfie Allen – Harry.
Venessa Langford – Jackie.
Matt Gogarty – Nicholas.
Haley Caradoc-Hodgkins – Helen.
Rachel Phipp – Lucy.

MAIN ACTORS RECENT FILM and TV CREDITS:
Leo Gregory: OCTANE (2003) & the forthcoming THE YANK (2005).
Paddy Considine: BORN ROMANTIC (2001); 24 HOUR PARTY PEOPLE (2002); IN AMERICA (2003); CLOSE YOUR EYES (2003) & DEAD MAN WALKING (2004).
David Morrissey: CLOCKING OFF (2002); STATE OF PLAY (2003)-(TV).
Tuva Novtny: Born in Sweden and appeared in CAFÉ (1998).
Amelia Warner: WINTER PASSING (2003) & AEON FLUX (2005).
Ben Whishaw: THE TRENCH (1999); THE BOOZE CRUISE (2003) (TV) & LAYER CAKE (2004).
Luke De Woolfson:- THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT (2002).
James White: None available.
Monet Mazur: 40 DAYS AND 40 NIGHTS (2002); TORQUE (2004) & STARK RAVING MAD (2004).

(Film News Research by David Reynolds for BJFCC/UK).

Ladies & Gent, oops they did it again. Time for another poll, this time from Rolling Stone, wanting to explain us what's the "greatest song of all time". I'll take this with a grain of salt, because I think that many times, recently, it has been shown how this kind of thing is useless. Anyways, someone will think that I'm not so happy because the Stones ranked only second. I'll answer just two things: 1) without bashing Dylan (even if I'm not so fond of him), what about his ranking if the Stones wouldn't have reprised Like A Rolling Stone in 1995 and then on Stripped? 2) don't you all think that "greatest song of all time" are in our hearts and we don't need to be told about them? I'll even add a 3), and that's to witness how I want to be serious when it comes to the Stones: are we sure Satisfaction is the best song in their repertoire? No doubt it can be considered their anthem, but if I was among the savants asked to vote for this poll, I would have choosed Gimme Shelter. Anyways, good reading to anyone, and don't forget to comment. Ciao, Chris

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Dylan song voted 'greatest of all time' 

The Bob Dylan classic, Like a Rolling Stone, has been voted the greatest song of all time.

The folk legend’s 1965 hit topped a list in Rolling Stone Magazine, which also featured tunes by The Beatles and The Who.

The Fab Four and the Rolling Stones account for most songs on the list, chosen by 172 artists including Joni Mitchell, Elvis Costello and K D Lang.

The Dylan hit was followed by the Rolling Stones’ (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction and John Lennon’s Imagine.

Aretha Franklin got plenty of Respect, coming in at number five with her chart topper.

She is followed by the Beach Boys with Good Vibrations and then Chuck Berry’s Johnny B Goode.

The Beatles get their first entry at number eight with Hey Jude – bound to spark debate over whether the tune is the best ever Beatles number.

Just behind the Beatles is Nirvana, with Smells Like Teen Spirit the only offering from recent years in the top 20.

The list proves that the 60s was really the decade that made music.

More than 200 of the tunes were penned in the swinging sixties, and 144 were written the following decade.

The 1980s, known for glam rock and bad fashion, could offer just 55 songs.

From the current decade there were only three songs.

Eminem’s Lose Yourself reached number 166, and the controversial rapper also came in at number 290 with Stan.

OutKast’s memorable hit from last year, Hey Ya, came in at number 180.

Here are the top 20 songs from Rolling Stone Magazine’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time:

:: Like a Rolling Stone, Bob Dylan
:: (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction, The Rolling Stones
:: Imagine, John Lennon
:: What’s Going On, Marvin Gaye
:: Respect, Aretha Franklin
:: Good Vibrations, The Beach Boys
:: Johnny B Goode, Chuck Berry
:: Hey Jude, The Beatles
:: Smells Like Teen Spirit, Nirvana
:: What’d I Say, Ray Charles
:: My Generation, The Who
:: A Change is Gonna Come, Sam Cooke
:: Yesterday, The Beatles
:: Blowin’ in the Wind, Bob Dylan
:: London Calling, The Clash
:: I Want to Hold Your Hand, The Beatles
:: Purple Haze, The Jimi Hendrix Experience
:: Maybellene, Chuck Berry
:: Hound Dog, Elvis Presley
:: Let It Be, The Beatles

My morning Rolling Stone reading brought the below on Alfie. I won't comment, because I've not seen the movie yet (in Italy it won't be in theatres until next spring) and because it's pretty self-explanatory, and - looking at movie/music biz of nowadays - the possibility/wish expressed in the last lines of the review is likely to happen. Just a couple remarks:  ;1) I know this would start a new (and, probably, harder) flamewar among fans, about Mick's affairs outside the Stones, but for how well built and pop-genuine Alfie soundtrack is, let me say that his Jaggerness would fully deserve such an acknowledgment and award; 2) I would have been a fly to be in Keith's room when he read the review! That's it. Now let's sit down, wait patiently and look at how things will evolve. Remember this post, anyways, when the Academy members will gather. Happy reading, Chris

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She'll play Italy at the beginning of december. To all the fans who're on the road to that gig, and even to the ones who sadly won't make it (like yours truly), here's a Marianne Faithfull quite old interview I just found on the Shidoobee board (link on the left). I'd say it's essential in giving readers keys to better understand the character. Personally, I couldn't agree more on the "learning from Mick" part. Everytime it happened me to meet a Stone, I felt the energy that Marianne speaks about, let alone living with him... Ciao, Chris

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Marianne Faithfull Springs Eternal
Deborah Frost, Bam, 7 October 1994

"Since AIDS, I've changed my attitude. Now I'm honored. I want to be part of the gay community and I am."

CONVENT SCHOOLGIRL; daughter of an Austrian baroness; grandniece of the man who coined "masochism"; girlfriend of Mick Jagger; contents of an infamous fur rug, Marianne Faithfull's life would seem to have been an open book since the fateful party in 1964, where, at 17, she collided with the Rolling Stones. Faithfull, the autobiography she wrote with David Dalton for Little, Brown immediately airs the Stones' dirtiest laundry, but it's probably more important as a chronicle of the sexual and class liberation that defined postwar culture. And, as both the book and Island's recent Marianne Faithfull, A Collection of Her Greatest Recordings (containing mature masterpieces, from Broken English to her Don Was/Keith Richards collaboration on an inspired cover of Patti Smith's ‘Ghost Dance’) attest, Marianne Faithfull has emerged as one of the revolution's more triumphant survivors rather than its most tragic victim.

Your book isn't really about your relationship with Mick Jagger, it's about your relationship with your mother. And the wildest revelation is probably that you're Jewish.

Oh, yeah. I don't think it would've been the same a'tall without that. More and more, I see how amazing my mother was to make sure that I knew who I was and where I came
from. [But] if it hadn't been for Mick and Keith, they never would have asked me to write a book. I had a hell of a lot more to tell. The stuff you like was not really what they wanted. To his credit, it was quite obvious why Mick loved me – I was very interesting. Anita, too. It was a continual sort of spur to be around her.

Did the Stones suck what they wanted from you and then...

I happily gave them my – whatever it was, my spirit, for his work, Because after I started living with Mick, I got very caught up in the mission – that his work was very important, more important than mine, you know.

Well, one of the more revolutionary notions that evolved during this period was that women's lives and women's work were important.

That wasn't quite there yet. But as much as he took from me, I got from him. That's not what people like to hear, but it's the truth. You can't live with a great artist like Mick Jagger and not learn something – unless you're a complete fool. Until I went in to do Broken English, I had no idea how much I had learned. Just the simple physical fact of being able to be in the studio for all those long hours and knowing how to deal with musicians. I was a great friend of Paul [McCartney], and I went to a lot of Beatles sessions. That was technically really even more fascinating. The soul, the real sort of rock 'n' roll thing, I got from Jimmy Miller, [Pete] Townshend. I was only there as a beautiful ornament. But I was lucky that I was actually there and I was taking it all in like a little camera, with the tape running (laughs). It was all going in. And when I needed it, it all came out.

You've now evolved into something other than a rock artist – there's an audience that seems to worship you as if you're a gay icon, the Judy Garland of Carnaby Street. Do you find that strange?

It's Marlene Dietrich. When there's a route that has been trod before, people look for something to replace it. I did not want to replace anybody. I fought very hard not to be iconized, not to be separate, not to be gay this or that, because it's always a form of marginalization. Since AIDS, I've changed my attitude. Now I'm honored, I want to be part of the gay community and I am. In fact, everybody involved in ‘Ghost Dance’ agreed any profit we make from that track goes to this little AIDS project in Ireland I've been working with.

You write very straightforwardly about your affairs with women. Your description of your feeling for Anita Pallenberg is beautiful.

I love her. Still, there are things in one's private life that go on – to have the bravery to do that – well, it's a sort of bravery but it's also a kind of ruthlessness. You know, I've taken these people's lives and made it into a bestseller!

What do they think?

Anita doesn't like it very much. Well, she doesn't mind. She loves me (laughs), she lets me do what I want. I mean, she's a very private person, indeed. And really much too grand to have ever bothered with it herself. And she has never cared about press or what people say about her in The Sunday Mirror. Like anyone, she has got her dark side. But I was determined to put an end to this demonization of Anita, particularly in England. I couldn't bear it anymore. She knows what I've done. She knows what I am. She knows that whole thing. But she's very, very private. And Mick is too, actually. That view I give is a very, very, very, very personal search for Mick. It's the sort of thing that nobody does – that's what makes it extraordinary. Y'know, whatever else happened, all the heartache is not that important when you put it into context. I must be very like my mother, like that. The most important thing is the artistic quality. The personal stuff comes later. Which makes me kind of hard to live with or to be your mother.

Where was your son Nicholas while you were falling down stairs? What effect did that have?

Well, he made it. He's my child. But it's not been without a price.

And now you have a grandchild.

Yes! Oscar. It's only with Oscar that some of this is getting laid to rest. As much laid to rest as it can ever be. One day, I was changing Oscar in my bedroom. He was wriggling and crying, like a little boy of six months. And because he was crying, Nicholas came rushing in – "What are you doing to him?" It really hurt me that he would think I was hurting his son. When he was little, I obviously did get Nicholas dressed or undressed and [accidently] burn him with a cigarette, things like that. I would never do that now. But Nicholas remembers, and it's very painful.

Because you were so...

Out of it.

Why do you think all you wanted to be was numb?

I don't know. I am not a shrink. It is enough that I got very good help. My own shrink is very good, and I also credit my acupuncturist. I didn't say this in the book, because it was a collaboration, like writing a song or being in a band. It's not that David [Dalton] couldn't've understood it, but I also didn't want this to be a help book, go into the bit about it's so important to get exercise and this and that. Before I started, I asked a dear friend, who is what I call a real writer, how shall I do it? He said, just write a rattling good tale.

You did. What has the book tour been been like?

It's an incredible emotional thing. I sign the book and I look at people and they look at me. And they always look very carefully 'cause they want to see if I'm alright. They're looking at my skin tone, whether I'm breathing properly and all that. It's a very heightened moment because they know there's only that. And then I shake their hand. I'm on such a sort of high – with all this love. It makes me think I don't have to be frightened of people.

One often takes drugs purely out of fear.

Yes, it's fear. That's how I destroyed myself, really. That's the thing you can do to yourself, nobody can do that. You have to understand it's not real. Rather than drink an awful lot or do drugs or do anything to get me through, I would rather not see a lot of people. I love a good rave-up occasionally, but I do like pretty much a quiet and introspective life. It means I'm available for writing and able to work.

What about the album you just finished with Angelo Badalamenti?

It's beautiful. He does film scores, and that's what I wanted, something very evocative and ambient. There's wonderful woodwinds, strings. Darling, I've got to go.

Can you do one thing for me?

What?

Would you give me a recipe?

Yes, of course – there's a lovely one with pork.

That's not very kosher.

No, well, I'm not very kosher. Oh, fuck – you know all these things. Here's what you do – you chop garlic, chop an onion. Put them in butter and oil 'til they're clear. Open a tin of tomatoes. In the meantime, you've washed, what's it called? Basil. You've washed that. Before you even do this, have the water on the pasta. Then put the tomatoes in. Add a cup of water and simmer it down for about 10 minutes. At the last minute, put in the basil. Put it over those flat ones, what are they called? Fettuccine. Serve it with Romano cheese.

© Deborah Frost, 1994

As promised, considered I want this a to remain a peaceful place (despite the flames starring on the header I added yesterday, but it had that "Sympathy" atmosphere I couldn't do without), here are charts debuts for Live Licks in various countries of the world (thanks to a friend who posted 'em on IORR forum). German fans reveal themselves gold medalists for faithfulness to the band (as always, recently?), silver goes to Austria, Sweden, Holland and Japan, bronze to Switzerland. Prizes ceremony wil be attended, front row, by fans from Italy, France and Norway. Canadians and Americans... well, look for them in the parking lot! Even if yours truly recognizes it's not fair, judging by these figures, it seems they kept the word given when the album has been welcomed by all sort of slamming on the net. Anyways, remember this is just the debut, and all this relates simply to the first week. In a word, let It Grow... Ciao, Chris

USA......................50TH
GERMANY...............9TH
CANADA.................80TH
GB........................38TH
SWEDEN................16TH
AUSTRIA................13TH
ITALY....................36TH
FRANCE..................38TH
HOLLAND................19TH
NORWAY................38TH
SWISS...................21TH
JAPAN....................19TH

It's with sadness that I report another airwave master passing away. Last week, Terry Knight, sxties dj and then leader of a band including guitarist Mark Farner and drummer Don Brewer (they had a minor hit with I (Who Have Nothing)), has been stabbed to death in Texas, by his daughter's 26-year-old boyfriend. Among radio stations he had been on duty for, we gladly remember Detroit's CKLW, also known as "The Big 8". Behind that mike, during the 1964 Stones US tour, Terry did some of the first american interviews of the band. Add to that he also introduced the lads at the Academy Of Music, in their first NY apeearance. Later, Knight became manager of Grand Funk Railroad, until they parted ways in the mid-'70s.

May you be blessed, Mr. Knight... Chris

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CKLW forum: http://disc.server.com/discussion.cgi?id=67967" title="http://disc.server.com/discussion.cgi?id=67967" target="_blank"http://disc.server.com/discus...;article=3049;show_parent

Friends remembering Terry, from The Flint Journal: http://www.mlive.com/news/fljournal/index.ssf?/base/news-24/1099587 440305470.xml" title="http://www.mlive.com/news/fljournal/index.ssf?/base/news-24/1099587 440305470.xml" target="_blank"http://www.mlive.com/news/flj...

Usually, numbers and maths aren't my cup of tea (nor coffee). The only place where stats really suits, in my opinion, is the NBA cable channel. There I can stand them. Elsewhere, I think they don't add, nor leave, anything. It's just a matter of our mind, feeling reassured by numbers. However, since in Stonesland figures seems to have some meaning this week, I'll do an exception and post here some data, concerning US charts. Please, european fans, don't get mad at me for not passing the Ocean. It's only that american related data came first. Expect more maths exercices to appear here, as soon as they'll get available. Ciao, Chris

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An handful of months ago, one of the most interesting and accurated books ever realized on Stones roots saw the light of day. We're talking "Stu", from Out-Take London publishing company. Yours truly already gave his advice on it ("mandatory"), so the beauty of this work doesn't need to be discussed another time. The reason why this subject makes again your favourite blog is another: valuable content has been added to Out-Take Ltd. site (http://www.out-take.co.uk/" title="http://www.out-take.co.uk/" target="_blank"http://www.out-take.co.uk/). You've got to check these pages, for at least three good reasons. One: it will show you, even more than before (some very interesting press reviews have been added), why "Stu" is not a book, but an experience. Two: that web looks complete and totally professional, with a Media centre feature, and more images and praises on the book than in the days of its launch. Third (but not least): a first release of limited editions prints for sale, from Stu's Photographic Collection. "Ian Stewart was a keen and dedicated photographer - reads the site - whose situation enabled him to produce some truly unique and powerful pictures. Over the coming months, Out-Take -the custodian of the Ian Stewart Photographic Collection, are issuing a select number of unpublished images for sale as edition prints from the collection". To end this, should you still be here and not already browsing Out-Take web pages, here are some praises that will speak much more loud than my own words on the need for "Stu" in your Stones shelve: "A very good book" - Charlie Watts; "A wonderful book for a wonderful chap" - Keith Richards; "Once in a while a book manages to convey the text and fabric of the life of its subject.... STU is it. The man may have been grinning at the intent but will surely be smiling and more than a wee bit chuffed at the result" - Andrew Loog Oldham; "Nothing you have ever read or seen about the Rolling Stones will be complete without this extraordinary and beautiful volume" - Gered Mankowitz. So, what you're doing still on these lines?! Ciao, Chris

This time, the exercise of looking in the crystal ball, and try to spot some bits of Stones' future, it's up to Bill German from NYC. I think he doesn't need any introduction, since Beggars Banquet fanzine ran in glory days, when mouses and webs still had not stepped in our lives. As you'll well know, since you can't really retire from Stones (although I suggested fans who didn't like Live Licks to act that way), Bill now runs an E version of his paper fanzine, and acted as dj of the "Stones Zone" during Licks. Our man, who in the mid-eighties was a regular mate of Keith and Ron (see pics on his site), has kept respectable sources and, from times to times, puts on his web updates on where the lads stand. Since committed fans will always find space in Stonesland, here is today's Bill's post (even if it has more past than future, but that little is all we wanted to hear!). Ciao, Chris

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Get Yer Licks!

In the last post, yours truly wondered if the more you drink, the more you get thirsty. This was about the Stones having decided to pursue a claim against former label Decca for unpaid royalties. An answer (a first one) to that doubt came today, from a High Court Judge in London. This time, Satisfaction has not been the capital feeling for the lads, who'll have to seek for an arbitration. See the story below, from BBC News, or browse to this http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/entert ainment/music/4007119.stm" title="http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/entert ainment/music/4007119.stm" target="_blank"http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/f... Ciao, Chris

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The rock legends want to be allowed to audit the accounts of Decca, now owned by Vivendi's Universal Music Group.

But on Friday, a High Court judge in London said the dispute must go to arbitration, not be decided in court.

The band say they may be owed money from songs they recorded when they were signed to the label from 1963-70.

The dispute centres on their Forty Licks compilation CD, which was released in 2002 and was the first collection to span their entire career.

The band say they are owed 80% of royalties from all the Decca-era songs on the CD - such as Paint It Black and Sympathy For The Devil - which could run into millions of pounds.

The Stones may seek leave to appeal against the judge's decision.

Published: 2004/11/12 14:37:08 GMT

I'm sure my few readers will forgive me for borrowing a Sir Mick's solo title in order to express thoughts related to the whole band. Anyways, the above line is the most adequate that came to my mind when, browsing the press as usual, I stepped in the below. So, the more you drink, the more you're thirsty? It would seem so, but what about your advice? State it in the comments. Ciao, Chris

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Rolling Stones sue former record label

The Rolling Stones have taken their former record label to court in a bid to get more cash.

The legendary rockers say they are due royalties from Decca, their label from 1963 to 1971, following the success of their '40 Licks' 40th anniversary album.

Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood say the album was a worldwide success and included '60s tracks 'Paint It Black' and 'Sympathy For The Devil', which Decca still owns.

The band's lawyer, Richard Meade, told the court: "Artistes are not happy with 'trust me's' from record labels." He also asked permission for the group to scrutinise the label's accounts, adding: "It is crucial that a band should be able to independently audit a record company."

According to legal papers, the Stones could get a four-fifths cut of the Decca tracks on the '40 Licks' album - which could run into millions of pounds.

Meanwhile, Decca's lawyer, Robert Howe, described the case as nothing more than a "fishing exercise".

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The original source for this story, can be accessed through this http://www.tonight.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=346&" title="http://www.tonight.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=346&" target="_blank"http://www.tonight.co.za/inde...;fArticleId=2285552

I always stated that being a Rolling Stones fan is a work, and I won't stop assuming this. Let's do some maths to verify this. Every day of your life you spend at least one hour in digging out news and pictures, both on the net and on newspapers. Then, if disgracefully you're a collector too, add to your Stones daily time another hour, spent in browsing auctions and online shops in order to find that record featuring a yellow instead of red label.

So, you dedicate two hours per day to the Stones. It's fourteen hours in a week. Now, check any part-time work contract, and see for yourself that this time applies for such an employment. You're doing a second work, quite without noticing it!

Someone, like yours truly, started to be a fan in 1989, so I've neither twenty years of Stones behind me, but other people started with 1969 US Tour. Result is: they're doing their second work since quite forty years (in addition to the one providing them bread)! Now, I can understand that work can be tiring, and able to wear out people as nothing else. However, as in "real" work, when you're starting to "black-out", you realize it and ask for an holiday (if you believe it to be a temporary thing, due maybe to stress) or for retirement (if you don't think that the usual Hawaii two weeks could help more than that).

Do this conscience apply to our "second" job? I would say yes, but I'm not so sure I can. Fact is, since Live Licks came out (copies in Italy hit the streets on friday 28th, and someone already had it in the US before the week-end), I'm noticing lots of people publicly blacking-out, without any idea of the width of their words.

I'm referring to all those who started slamming the album on fans boards. I'm even undecided to still them call fans, because I've read some of the most absurd subjects of the last twenty years. A good half of the posters expressed themselves in terms of "Another live album, I want a studio one. Fuck... This one has to be a shit, I won't buy it!". Don't take me wrong, people, I don't want anyone to see all in gold, just because it's the Stones, but are these serious basis for a proper critical discussion?

The same goes for "Can we call this a live album? No. This is the soundtrack of the Four Flicks DVD. Only Can't You Hear Me Knocking is a new soundboard recording, everything else is already on the dvd. This is ashaming, a treachery". Sorry folks, in what would the treachery be? In the fact they published on cd the sound you ripped off your DVD? And then, are we legitimate to think everybody in the world owns Four Flicks (which, by the way, was a 4 discs set, so not exactely for everyone's pockets)? Are people really caring about the sources of the songs or they just want to hear the Stones at their best? May I remember everyone that in front of an official live recording the number of boots you've heard has to be left aside, because analysis has do be done in general terms? Trust me, this is a false problem.

The only two decent critics I read were about the editing in Brown Sugar (and some others tunes), the horrendous cut in Rocks Off and the front cover of the cd being not exactely the best. I agree on the whole three, and think that the RO chorus is really poorly professional, even if on the cover (being sorry for US pals, who were neither treated with a couple standard manga buns) I think it's more pertinent and decent than No Security (I'm still waiting for an explaination on that one).

That said, there are at least five real and good reasons to get Live licked. Here we go:

1 - THE MIX

How long ago you last heard such a raw sounding Stones, with both guitars upfront? I would say it didn't happen since Love You Live (1977), where Keith and Woody weren't interplaying so heavenly anyways. This is the live album from the tour of the retrieved roots, and you can hear that in every single track!

2 - SIR MICK'S VOICE

Mick's vocal performance grew enormously in time. Stripped showed him in good form, but here he's simply super (I said before that Brand New Set Of Rules, from Goddess, was his peak, but Alfie topped it and here we're even above). The best in the last fifteen years. Hear him in duets with Sheryl Crow (Honky Tonk Women) and Solomon Burke (Everybody Needs Somebody To Love), and you'll have an idea of what I mean.

3 - 2ND CD

Let's be serious: how many artists present their fan with thirteen previously unreleased live songs, in one run? To my eyes, not so many. And let me add: and what songs! Can't You Hear Me Knocking, Monkey Man, Neighbours, Worried About You, That's How Strong My Love Is, The Nearness Of You and Beast Of Burden. These are the songs which made Licks special to us. The soundtrack of the nights we'll all remember forever. Personally, I wouldn't put this in the stereo with my girlfriend around, or the result would be having her throwing her bra to the speakers. How possibly, you could slam this?!

4 - OVERALL QUALITY

It sound superb. No joke. Compare Live Licks to every other live album recently released and tell me if it's not above it!

5 - TWENTY-THREE TRACKS

With its twenty-three tracks (eleven on disc one and twelve on two), Live Licks offer a full Stones performance. Setlists for Licks tour were made of twenty/twenty-two songs per night, so we could even consider it something more. Yours truly got mad at Flashpoint and No Security. They provided just a bunch of memories from respective tours, not a whole concert ( even if re-built on recordings from various nights). No Security, then, wanted us to believe B2B concerts opening with You Got Me Rocking and ending with Out Of Control. This one, yes, was a real treachery! Back to Live Licks, which band would dare to offer fans such a load of stuff nowadays? A few? No, just one: the greatest rock'n'roll band on Earth.

To end this, a prayer to the people who slammered Live Licks on the boards: if it's a stressed passing phase you didn't recognize in time, take a holiday and you'll see that once back home you'll be in peace with the world (including your favourite band). Instead, if your messages r eflects exactely&nbs p;your thoughts on what is probably the best Stones live album since Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out, please ask for retirement. You've got plenty of interesting new bands to switch on. I know you won't agree, nor like this advice, but it's mine and I'm used to be a sincere person. Ciao, Chris