The Rolling Stones The Unstoppable Stones (Vinyl, Decca Records, 1965) *****
The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones On Air (2CD, BBC Records, 2017) *****
The Rolling Stones Out of Our Heads (Vinyl, Decca Records, 1965) ****
The Rolling Stones Satisfaction in Concert (4CD, MCPS Records, 1965) ***
The Rolling Stones Big Hits (High Tide and Green Grass) (Vinyl, Decca Records, 1966/CD, ABKCO Records, rereleased 2002) *****
The Rolling Stones Flowers (CD, ABKCO Records, 1967, rereleased 2002) *****
The Rolling Stones Beggars Banquet (Vinyl, Decca Records, 1968) *****
The Rolling Stones Gimmie Shelter (Vinyl, Decca Records, 1971) ****
The Rolling Stones Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out! The Rolling Stones in Concert (Vinyl, Decca Records, 1970) *****
The Rolling Stones Let It Bleed (Vinyl, Decca Records, 1969) *****
The Rolling Stones Hot Rocks 1964 - 1971 (2CD, ABKCO Records, 1986) *****
They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6; Part 7
Active compensatory factors: It's still pretty mind-boggling that The Rolling Stones are still a going concern in 2026, having put out their first album in 1964. But they are. Still touring, still putting out excellent records. It's been a long strange trip for sure.
The why is simple. I'm a Beatles fanatic, so up until 1972 I wasn't interested in The Rolling Stones. Up until then it seemed to me that they were just Beatles copyists - always a year or two behind and always in the Fab's shadows.
That said, my sixties collection is pretty spotty, with compilations and alternative versions to the UK originals popping up.
It's a pretty good debut which showcases all of the band's early strengths - basically - Jagger's vocals, a spirited R&B sound and some great cover selections. Route 66, Carol, I'm a King Bee, Not Fade Away and Walking the Dog are all brilliant.
What is not bizarre is the quality of the songs. The boys are more confident and stretching out, if not yet away from their roots. This is a five-star classic!
Out of Our Heads is their third studio album (or 4th if you lived in America). My copy is the UK version. Satisfaction was the contemporaneous hit (not included on the UK version). This is another album of mostly R&B covers - The Rolling Stones bread and butter.
Although the sound quality varies (the Germany portion and Hawaii aren't the best sound wise - very bassy) these are great historic sixties shows. Overall, it's The Rolling Stones - on their way to becoming the greatest rock'n'roll band in the world.
Big Hits (High Tide and Green Grass) is from 1966. My vinyl copy is the superior UK version (with a great gatefold cover and colour photo spread in the insert), the CD reissue is the US version. Each has different track listings (of course they do). Most of the material is from 1964-65 and it's brilliant (of course it is). Making a compilation like this is a sure bet.
And so to 1968 and Beggars Banquet (no apostrophe for these grammar rebels) and it feels like a new era within the sixties. It's historic for a few reasons: Jimmy Miller takes over production from Andrew Loog Oldham, who it should be said - did a wonderful job in that role; it's Brian's last album before his sacking and subsequent death by misadventure (drowning in his swimming pool); Jagger/Richards write pretty much everything; and finally - it's a return to no-nonsense blues rock after the silliness of Satanic Majesties.
Gimmie Shelter is another weird compilation album in the Stones catalogue, being half live tracks from their US live album Got Live If You Want It (1966) and half previously released studio tracks from 1968 and 69. I'm a fan of the album because it was my first Stones album - bought from the World Record Club.
It has everything I love about a live album: it's a single, not a bloated double of triple; it has an awesome band introduction; it has judicious and now iconic stage announcements (button, Charlie); the song selection is superb and the lead singer has immense stage presence (so great it even translates to a record). All that and I haven't even mentioned the guitar gods - Mick Taylor and Keef.
Genre: Pop, Blues rock, British R&B
Places I remember: Kings Recording (Abu Dhabi), Marbecks Records, JB Hi Fi, Keegan Purdy, The Warehouse,
Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Down the Road Apiece (The Unstoppable Stones)
Gear costume: Get Off of My Cloud (single)
Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Down the Road Apiece (The Unstoppable Stones)
Gear costume: Get Off of My Cloud (single)
Active compensatory factors: It's still pretty mind-boggling that The Rolling Stones are still a going concern in 2026, having put out their first album in 1964. But they are. Still touring, still putting out excellent records. It's been a long strange trip for sure.
Back in 1964, I was 7 years old and not yet aware of Mick Jagger, Charlie Watts, Bill Wyman, Keith Richard (he'd revert to his actual name - Richards, in 1978), and Brian Jones releasing this album. Indeed, it would be many years before I even bought it.
What happened in 1972? A friend lent me a copy of Exile on Main St. and my flabber was well and truly ghasted! Ever since then I've been in catch up mode to various extents. As will be revealed - I'm no completist for the band, but I do have many of their albums. For the purposes of this collection countdown, I'll need to separate posts into decades - starting with the sixties.
My copy of their debut is the American version which I got while living in the Middle East. Although it kept the same cover image, it was retitled England's Latest Hit Makers (The Beatles forged the path) and plays around with the song order and swaps out singles as is usual in the early sixties for all UK bands like The Kinks and The Beatles.
The Unstoppable Stones is a compilation from 1965 that was only released in the southern hemisphere. It includes songs used on the US album The Rolling Stones: Now! but drops some of those for other, better, songs - Come On, I Wanna Be Your Man, Not Fade Away. All very bizarre.
To flesh out 1964 and 1965 I've dropped in The Rolling Stones On Air at this point. My copy is a 2CD set with bonus selections. It mainly showcases the period of time that they were a brilliant covers band. This is an essential document of that time. Basically, Brian Jones' harp and his guitar interplays with Keef, Charlie's drums plus Bill Wyman's brilliant bass playing, along with Mick's gifted vocal delivery make for an awesome beat combo.
The Satisfaction in Concert 4CD set is made up of the following discs: Disc 1: Star-Spangled Airwaves 1964-65 **** (including Ed Sullivan Shows); Disc 2: live in France *** and Germany 1965-66 **; Disc 3: The British Broadcasting Collection 1964-65 ***; Disc 4: Hawaii 1966**.
I'm missing a few albums from 1966 (Aftermath/ Between the Buttons) to 1967 (Their Satanic Majesties Request). I have owned TSMR before, but it's so bad I sold it pretty quickly. I do have a few compilations that cover this period reasonably well.
Flowers from 1967 is a compilation of songs dating back to 1965, including three unreleased songs and tracks that appeared as singles or had been omitted from the American versions of Aftermath and Between the Buttons. I do so enjoy these kinds of blatant albums and it's perfect that Allen Klein's company issued this rerelease. In this case the music is superb!
A way better live album was Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out! The Rolling Stones in Concert which documented the 1969 US tour. Not just a great Stones album - one of THE greatest live albums ever!
Not enough credit goes to Keith Richard and his ability to interplay with another guitarist. First Brian, then Mick and finally Ronnie. Then there's his peerless harmony vocals with Mick - Keef is egoless!! All power to him.
Let It Bleed is their final classic album of the sixties. Mick Taylor was recruited during its recording and Brian died shortly afterwards, so the guitar parts are mainly by Keef.
I love the variety on offer, the cover is superb, and the band is on fire - amazing given the situation with the guitarists.
Where do they all belong? I've included another compilation - Hot Rocks 1964 - 1971 in this set because it neatly sums up the first 8 years pretty succinctly.
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