Rolling Stones
No Security
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Rolling Stones
No Security
Virgin, 1998
RiYL: Dave Matthews Band's Listener Supported, Rolling Stones' Flashpoint |
But after listening to the band's live record No Security and looking back at its sorry output during the '90s, it just seems as if someone has to step up to stop the madness.
Seemingly inspired by Rolling Stone publisher Jann S. Wenner's butt-kissing coverage, the once notorious -- now geriatric -- Rolling Stones put out absolute crap in the last decade, matching its equally crappy records of the '80s.
What's worse, they've gotten away with it.
Bridges To Babylon sold about 500 trillion copies and yielded one of the most profitable tours in history, where tickets went for as much as $90 million a seat (does anyone really believe the stats they give us)? The Stones put out No Security to commemorate the whole ridiculous affair. With lame versions of a few great old songs, only a trio of listenable versions of other great old songs and a slew of lame new songs, No Security will never leave the jewel case after any reasonable listener's first sampling.
The Stones used to be a competent rock and roll juggernaut: Aftermath, Let It Bleed, Beggars Banquet and Exile On Main Street is just a short list of the group's many outstanding albums. So where did it go wrong?
Listening to the live versions of Bridges songs such as "Flip The Switch" or "Thief In The Night," filled with ridiculous lyrics and smoothed out, rehashed and flimsy blues-based rock, one might suggest the Stones' decline is just a new phase -- perhaps a result of Bill Wyman's withdrawal. No Security's opener, "You Got Me Rocking," from 1994's Voodoo Lounge, proves that's just not right (and a quick listen to 1989's Steel Wheels proves that's definitely not true).
If nothing else, No Security proves the Stones are a publicity stunt taken to the most absurd -- a zenith of mediocrity that no legendary act should never reach. They have become a mockery of an image they created in the '80s to perpetuate a myth they built in the '70s.
There are a couple of excellent cuts on the album, including a version of "Waiting On A Friend" with Joshua Redman playing his sweet sax, but the re-makes aren't really better or different than the versions fans have already bought. Some journalists, such as Wenner and his aging rag, might cut the Stones some slack for being old or near death -- we're not just talking about Keith Richards anymore -- but is age really an excuse for complete loss of talent?
BEN FRENCH | Ben founded NATN in the winter of 1998-1999 with fellow IU alums Troy Carpenter and Jonathan Cohen. During the day time, he's working for Nielsen Business Media, publisher of Billboard. Ben's favorite acts include Bruce Springsteen, The Clash, Sonic Youth, Elvis Costello, Talking Heads, Rolling Stones, and the Beach Boys.