The Cavern
Rock & Words
AFTERMATH (The Rolling Stones, 1966)
Artist: The Rolling Stones (A)
Recording Dates: Dic ’65 – Mar ‘66
Release Date: April 15, 1966. UK
Record Label: Decca / London
Producer: Andrew Log Oldham
Calificación: 10 (MUST HAVE)
Era: Psychedelia (1966-1969)
Subgénero: Psychedelia
Best Song: Paint It Black, of course, but Mother's and Under My Thumb are very close behind.
Tracklist: 1) Mother’s Little Helper; 2) Stupid Girl; 3) Lady Jane; 4) Under My Thumb; 5) Doncha Bother me; 6) Going Home; 7) Flight 505; 8) High & Dry; 9) Out Of Time; 10) It’s Not Easy; 11) I Am Waiting; 12) Take It Or Leave It; 13) Think; 14) What To Do.
BONUS TRACK: 15) Paint It Black (US album Release)
With this album, we cannot separate the history of the Stones from their music.
To begin with, I love this album. People usually focus on the four great albums from the classic period (Beggar's, Let It Bleed, Fingers, and Exile, or even Some Girls or Tattoo You) and ignore or undervalue everything that came before simply because they assume the band wasn't yet at its peak. Wrong! The thing is, this album is Brian Jones's best moment in his short and tragic life. And that can't be a bad thing. It's also one of Mick's best periods as a lyricist, practically dedicating the album to his then-girlfriend Chrissie Shrimpton, with whom he was having serious problems, basically telling her "You're out of touch" and kicking her ass on an LP that would fly to number one and sell millions. Mick sounds fluid, inspired by Dylan's poetry (without reaching his level, of course), and incredibly misogynistic, but without sounding vulgar and idiotic like he would later. Around 1966, the Stones released a series of songs with lyrics that were highly transgressive for the time: “Mother's Little Helper,” “Get Off Of My Cloud,” “Have You Seen Your Mother Baby, Standing In The Shadow?,” “Stupid Girl,” “Yesterday's Papers,” and “19th Nervous Breakdown,” which not only sounded misogynistic but also attacked traditional British values such as family and the maternal role. Jagger would never again be so lyrically brilliant, aggressive, yet without descending into vulgarity or caricature. Of course, after the public humiliation (just look at the titles), Chrissie dumped him, and Mick was free to begin his legendary affair with the beautiful Marianne Faithfull, to whom he dedicated the contrasting “She's a Rainbow,” with its completely opposite lyrics. Keith was also inspired and on cloud nine thanks to his still-solid relationship with Linda Keith, to whom he dedicated the exquisite "Ruby Tuesday," perhaps the Stones' best lyrics. So, except for Mick, the saying "Behind every great man, there's a great woman" was never more true. In this case, we could adjust it to "Behind every great album, there's a great woman," or two. Or about 250, if we count Wayman.
The fact is, this is the Stones' best moment as a band. You won't find a more balanced album, where everyone contributes so well and the chemistry and perfect harmony between the five original members is so evident. Shortly after, the band would begin to fracture; there would be raids and legal battles over drugs, jealousy and betrayals among members, and the blond founder would be excluded… but here, Brian Jones was incredibly inspired, with the radiant Anita Pallenberg as his girlfriend and driving force. They made such an impact together that Bob Dylan would name his tremendous Blonde on Blonde after them. After all, it was Anita who brought Brian back down to earth, reintegrated him into life and the Stones, and played a crucial role during this period, after he felt the band had betrayed him by abandoning R&B. Although Brian was never a composer, his sound would be crucial, with Anita pushing him and giving him the space to take the Stones to the stratosphere, because although "Satisfaction" was the song that put them in second place in the British Invasion, Aftermath is the album that made them the legends they are today.
A year later, it would be Anita herself who would fracture the Stones in Morocco, leaving with Keith at the first opportunity, completely devastating Brian, who would never sound the same again nor trust Jagger or Richards. Keith, on the other hand, would perfect his sound and become the Riffmeister on the aforementioned four classics, with Anita encouraging him, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. The point is that the Stones' story is as fascinating, if not more so, than that of the Beatles, and few people know it, assuming they were just bad boys and nothing more. And that's true, but they were also human, and if we delve into the Rolling Stones' history, we find that their experiences greatly enriched their work and largely explain their sound, reaching Aftermath at a fascinating point, just before it turned tragic.
The Stones were at a crucial moment, and they took a turn away from the R&B with which they began, evolving towards a more pop-oriented and cutting-edge sound. However, they did it in an absolutely brilliant way, without gaps or filler. Moreover, this would be their first album of original material, without covers. Interestingly, there are no filler tracks, although some songs aren't quite as monumental. But here, the Jagger-Richards duo would solidify themselves as the second great songwriting partnership of the 60s, and the band would finally acquire its own sound, independent of the bluesmen who helped them grow in their early days. There are still R&B influences, but they are no longer the foundation. So when people say it's a transitional album, I can only partially agree: They are migrating to a more mature and distinctive sound, but they are already in top form and at their creative peak. In short: Aftermath is as much a transitional album for the Stones as Revolver is for the Beatles. Both bands will sound different, but I'm not sure if they'll ever sound better than they did in '66, when they reached the peak of their best pop.
The album was originally intended to be a megaproject, with the Stones handling all creative aspects, as they were riding high after the impact of the Beatles' Rubber Soul in December 1965. It's often said that Rubber Soul, and particularly "Norwegian Wood," inspired Brian to take up the sitar for Aftermath, but few know that the influence was firsthand: George Harrison himself taught Brian how to play the intricate Indian instrument one afternoon in January. Jones was so enthusiastic that, after mastering the sitar, he wouldn't stop at practically any instrument he picked up. Whether it was also Harrison's influence, Brian was the first of the Stones to try LSD, and from January or February onward, he was seen under the influence of the drug almost every day. He soon brought Keith along, but Mick resisted, given his more bourgeois and timid nature. Jagger was actually afraid that it might become public (as it ultimately did a year later) and damage his image, so during this time, Brian and Keith rekindled their old camaraderie, spending afternoons together inventing riffs and arrangements under the lysergic kaleidoscope, while Mick remained somewhat more excluded. Thanks to this time spent with Jones, Keith began to notice his girlfriend. The original album project was to be called “Could You Walk On The Water?”, and included a double album cover featuring the Stones walking on a Californian lake. Decca flatly rejected the cover, deeming it a messianic parody, and the concept (with a photo from the same session, but on the water's edge) ended up on the compilation “Big Hits (High Tide & Green Grass)”, released in March. For Aftermath, they would end up using a cover with red filters for the British edition and a color one, out of focus and reflecting the emerging hippie fashion, for the American version, much to the band's frustration. But the important thing was the music, and from the beginning they aimed to make a complete album, the best they had ever done. Brian was radiant, and he was willing to pick up any instrument he could get his hands on. Keith would say of the sessions: “We’d look at Brian, perplexed, and say: Oh no! Now he’s picked up a bloody marimba! We were afraid of what might come out with such exotic instruments. But at the end of the day, we had to admit that he had improved the songs. What he didn’t know, he went and learned.” Andrew Loog Oldham would say, “Sometimes Brian would carry the whole album; he was much more than just decorative, and pieces that at first sounded disposable, he turned into damned gems.”
The result is exquisite. Fourteen songs that combine the best of the Stones, featuring Pop, Blues, R&B, Country Rock, and Soul through the Rolling Stones' magnificent vision, plus a Renaissance madrigal and an 11-minute jam, which, for the time, must have been quite a record. Brian is responsible for giving the album a range of textures and colors that frankly won't sound better on any other psychedelic record from '67: from dulcimer, piano, marimbas, the previously used harmonica, and sitar, and he throws in some great guitar slides. But the others also shine. Keith delivers some killer riffs, like the one on "Think," and pulls off a monumental guitar performance on "Under My Thumb," not quite overshadowing Jones, but adding spectacular fills and licks. Watts is as composed as ever, a human metronome, but he shines in the flourishes of "Think" and "Mother's." Mick is also in excellent form and carries the marathon "Going Home," directing the tempo changes, the constant rises and falls, and making that enormous 11-minute rollercoaster truly captivating. And Bill is simply spectacular throughout the album, delivering his best work to date and producing memorable lines in "Under My Thumb," "Stupid Girl," "Mother's," and "Paint It Black." It's the first album where everyone has their moment in the spotlight, even Stu and Jack Nietzsche.
The problem, once again, is the damn record label. Decca/London couldn't stop seeing LPs as a cash cow and made disastrous changes to the US version. They still managed to muddle Buttons and Flowers, but after that, the Stones demanded respect for their albums as complete concepts and devised the psychedelic joke Their Satanic Majesties Requests, which the record labels couldn't split for obvious reasons. But they couldn't prevent the mutilation of Aftermath: While the British version has 14 tracks, the American edition only has 11. BUT the American bastard has "Paint It Black" instead of "Mother's." Which is better??? Ugh! Paint It Black IS undoubtedly one of the Rolling Stones' top 5 songs, but "Mother's..." and "Going Home," of the replaced tracks, aren't far behind. Even so, the LP I own and fell in love with is the British edition, and that's how we're going to review it, although at the end we'll add the legendary "Paint It Black," which cannot be removed from the concept of this album (current technology allows you to simply copy and paste it and add it to the folder as the best and most deserved Bonus Track in history).
Aftermath opens with “Mother’s Little Helper", which effectively replaces “Paint It Black.” “Mother’s” also features a dark, acidic zither, 12-string guitars, a frenetic, almost militaristic rhythm, and an Eastern-tinged riff that shapes the entire song. Mick’s opening line, “What a drag it is getting old…”, is almost mythical, recapturing the protopunk essence of Pete Townshend and strikingly ironic when applied to Jagger’s current state. The rest of the lyrics are acerbic, but rather than an attack, they chronicle a contemporary malaise. Jagger doesn’t seem to be criticizing middle-aged mothers for needing pills to cope with daily pressures, but rather society for saddled them with those pressures. The riff repeats between verses as the band relentlessly maintains a frenetic pace, and the Western-style chorus is monumental and sticky as chewing gum: "Doctor please, some more of this, Outside the door, she took four more," culminating in the opening line. One can easily picture the scene. Charlie sounds relentless, maintaining the martial rhythm and occasionally delivering excellent fills, while Bill occasionally employs a slide bass line that sweeps across the entire neck of his instrument, lending it an almost malevolent depth. The ending, moreover, is hilarious and unexpected, conceived by Bill. The first of the great classics on this album!
Next up is “Stupid Girl”, a song built on a groovy, almost psychedelic keyboard sound, courtesy of Ian Stewart, with drumming reminiscent of Bo Diddley and Bill Wayman once again shining on bass. The vocal melody is addictive, the song's main hook, and Mick sounds genuinely pissed off. It was widely rumored that the song was aimed at the groupies stalking the band, but the truth is it was a direct jab at Chrissie Shrimpton, Mick's girlfriend at the time, who was driving him crazy and whom he couldn't seem to get rid of. Clearly, calling her stupid on a global scale worked very well for him. Later, Mick himself would say it shouldn't be taken literally, but rather as a caricature. The track is full of hooks, from the somewhat silly and disorganized keyboard sound, to Keith's excellent backing vocals in the bridges, and every “Giiiirl,” in which they also seem to be mocking Lennon on Rubber Soul. At the two-minute mark, a brief guitar solo kicks in, with the rest of the band providing charming backing vocals, something like “Shap-shap, shap-shap.” The song is simple and light, yet a perfect, top-tier pop gem.
Then comes the surprising “Lady Jane”. Surprising because the Stones had never done anything so tender and delicate. Well, maybe “As Tears Go By,” but this time they gave it a Renaissance madrigal feel, transporting you to the Tudor era with Jack Nietzsche’s harpsichord and Brian’s dulcimer. At 1:40, they both perform a kind of double solo that really shines. The arpeggiated intro is sweet and dreamy, and I think overall, the song’s atmosphere is perfect. In mid-1966, it feels perfect for introducing us to the beginning of the psychedelic era; and that kind of sweet haze it carries is clearly due to its dedication to marijuana (Lady Jane) and amphetamines (Lady Ann), although Mick justified it by saying he was inspired by Henry VIII’s letters to Lady Jane Seymour. The Stones were the first to write an ode to drugs, just before Dylan was more direct in his "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" ("Everybody must get stoned!"). Mick also sounds charming, with a great and convincing vocal melody, paying homage to his "ladies," which were the strongest drugs Mick dared to use at the time. A great song, it sounds like something out of a music box, and definitely nothing like anything the Stones had released up to that point, but it's a good sign of the experimentation they were doing, which they would take to the extreme a year later on Satanic. Neil Young would later rip it off for "Borrowed Tune."
Next up is “Under My Thumb”, which has to be one of the most underrated Rolling Stones songs, and one of the most underrated songs in history. I know many people who love it, but it never appears on compilations or charts, and it really should be at least in the top 10 of their entire catalog. A couple of snare drum hits set the stage for Brian, Bill, and Keith to enter simultaneously, with the marimbas, the almost violent beat, and those sizzling, fuzz-laden guitar licks, respectively. That intro is simply phenomenal. Brian carries the entire song on his shoulders with an absolutely addictive and playful marimba riff that sounds innocent at times and malevolent at others. It's possibly the first time that instrument has appeared on a rock album. The bass line is outstanding, adding another layer to the marimba riff, and I can certainly assure you it's more complicated than it sounds, but it's one of my favorite Wayman bass lines to play. The three instruments together create a vibrant, fresh, carefree, hypnotic, and malevolent atmosphere... almost erotic. Mick also delivers a great performance, lowering his voice at times and then regaining the intensity, with a great vocal line that repeats throughout the song without ever sounding annoying. The lyrics are perhaps the most misogynistic they'd write until "Some Girls." They tell of a love/hate relationship in which the guy narrates how he treats his girl like a pet and does whatever he wants with her after she bossed him around for a while. For this reason, I don't think it was written about Chrissie, but rather a portrait of Brian's sadomasochistic relationship with Anita Pallenberg, although there are archaic versions dating back to 1964. At the two-minute mark, there's an instrumental break where the drums almost disappear, leaving the marimba and Keith's clean guitar arrangements to carry the song for a while, before exploding again in the chorus. The song is perfect, with its time signature changes and perfectly balanced instrumental combinations. It's one of the album's most mature tracks, and they continued to play it on the magnificent '69 tour with the same power, fitting seamlessly with the songs from Let It Bleed. One of my all-time favorites. As an anecdote, this is the song they were performing at Altamont when the Hell's Angels stabbed a fan with a gun.
Next up is “Doncha Bother Me”, which, while not reaching the legendary level of the first four tracks, isn't bad at all. It's Chicago-style R&B, with Brian's remarkable slide guitar and Ian Stewart's great boogie piano. This is a glimpse into the Rolling Stones' R&B side, but at the band's best, and above all, it's an original song that doesn't sound like plagiarism or generic blues. The song is a lot of fun, with a festive atmosphere, Mick pushing and pulling the tempo, throwing in interesting falsettos, and a great harmonica solo at 1:20 (also by Brian). It sounds more dated than the previous tracks, but as I said, it's a return to their roots that shouldn't be underestimated, as it's every bit as good as the great covers on earlier albums.
“Goin’ Home” closes the first side of the album. This is the most controversial song due to its 11-minute length and its improvisational nature. The first epic rock song. In fact, it's a jam that came together during one of the recording sessions in December of '65. The band usually arrived at the studio in the afternoon, and it wasn't uncommon for them to start playing early. Suddenly, friends would start arriving, and the recording session would turn into a party until dawn. Well, this is one of those nights, right at the edge of daylight, when someone decided to record the improvisation. If the drums disappear at times, it's not because it was planned, but because someone threw a shoe at Watts and knocked him off his chair. In short, the song is a blues number that traverses different atmospheres, from blues, sometimes approaching soul, then sounding more psychedelic, with Brian always screaming on the harmonica, Keith pulling figures out of thin air like a magician, Ian also sounding chaotic but fun, and Watts managing to keep up while dodging shoes. Mick and Bill are the ones leading the rest. Jagger gives one of his most memorable performances, barely pausing to breathe, recalling the vocal distortions that Robert Plant would later achieve. Bill, for his part, leads the instrumental section, fitting in with Mick, indicating when to slow down, when to speed up, and when to create explosions. In short, a brilliant piece, in my opinion, that showcases the Stones' great creativity and gives us a glimpse of the enormous power the group possessed live, since it wasn't unusual for them to extend a song on stage for more than 10 minutes. It also broke the standard of 3 or 4 minutes at the time. The Doors would unleash a couple of epic monsters a year later. For some, it might be tedious. For me, if you listen closely and dissect the sheer number of musical resources they used while improvising, it's simply magical.
Side B opens with “Flight 505”, featuring a delightful boogie from Stewart that starts off with a distinctly Western feel and ends with a sort of parody of the riff from “Satisfaction.” The real firepower kicks in immediately with a driving beat and a guitar laden with fuzz. Bill steals the show, and not wanting to be outdone by McCartney on “Think For Yourself,” he adds fuzz-laden fills after each verse, creating a dynamic and vibrant bass line for the rest of the song. Richards, for his part, works his magic on the guitar throughout, with rapid-fire flourishes and a great solo at 1:35. The lyrics are also upbeat, parodying the fear of flying in a plane that ends up crashing into the sea. They could have used it as background music for an episode of Lost, right? Seriously though, it's not one of the heavy hitters, but it's pure fun and does the job. It can't be considered filler in any way. On any other previous album, this would have been a standout track.
“High & Dry” is a country song with a three-string acoustic riff that gives a seesaw-and-fall impression. The song is one of the Stones' first forays into country, still at an amateur level compared to Beggar's, but it's still fun with its carefree aura and Watts' offbeat guitar work creating a fade-out effect that makes you want to clap along. Brian's harmonica never stops, Jagger even adopts a strange Southern accent, and the lyrics are hilarious, about a guy who gets ripped off by a girl. This song is relatively innocuous, but it would be crucial for the Stones. Later, the Stones would forge a friendship with Gram Parsons, a young guitarist who had joined the Byrds, a true country virtuoso, and who led the Californian group in the making of their album Rodeo. Gram Parsons would be partly responsible for the roots rock boom of '68-'69. Gram Parsons taught Keith the open tuning of Nashville country, eliminating the sixth string, a tuning borrowed from 1930s banjos. Gram was so influential that he was even considered to replace Brian during the Beggars' era, but it didn't materialize. Ry Cooder was another guitarist who influenced Keith and finished teaching him the secrets of open G tuning. From these collaborations onward, Keith never again used closed E tuning (hence his distinctive sound from the "Classic Four" onward, without the low sixth string resonating), fully embracing country arrangements and becoming the greatest riff creator in history. Keith himself would say that Parsons was the person who most impacted his guitar playing style.
Then there's "Out Of Time", another massive track (literally and figuratively) from Aftermath, and it's baffling how they left it off the American version. This is a pop gem, a direct and hard-hitting jab aimed at Chrissie Shrimpton, with the delightful counterpoint of marimba and guitar. The marimba line sounds timid at first, while the bass establishes a characteristic "Tum, tum-tum, Tum tum-tum" rhythm and then delivers a remarkable line in the choruses. Mick provides another vocal delight, perhaps due to the sincerity with which he sings, with well-constructed and incredibly catchy melodic lines, very much in the Motown Soul style. He doesn't hold back when it comes to telling his girlfriend off: "You're obsolete my baby, My poor old-fashioned baby, I said baby, baby, baby you're out of time." The band builds gradually to create a perfect gem: first the marimbas, then the acoustic strumming, the bass lines after each chorus, Ian's piano, Nietzsche's organ, and Keith's occasional acoustic guitar solos. They're all catchy, but perhaps the most exquisite are the backing vocals the band provides just before the choruses: "Mbap-mbap, Mbap-mbap." The song borders on perfection, clocking in at 5:20 in this version, which feels effortless. You end up humming the chorus for weeks. For the Flowers album, they cut it down to 3 minutes, and it lost some of its charm. Another of the album's great tracks and one of the most underrated in the Stones' discography. It also worked out well for Mick; Chrissie dumped him a month later, unable to bear the public humiliation.
“It’s Not Easy” is a minor track, a little rock and roll number with organ and boogie, featuring the lead guitar playing bluesy flourishes. There’s a solo at 1:40 where both guitars take their turns. It’s not particularly noteworthy, rather generic, but there’s nothing particularly offensive about it either. Perhaps the best part is the formula where Jagger delivers a line and the others respond in unison, “It’s Not Easy…”
Then comes “I Am Waiting”, which almost exactly replicates the formula of “Lady Jane.” It continues in that strange vein, with Brian’s dulcimer plucking delicate tones, Mick and Keith creating complex two-part harmonies in the verses, and then suddenly accelerating out of nowhere for the bridges. The tempo changes sound odd, but ultimately the song is pleasant, and it does have a certain dark and intoxicating aura.
“Take It Or Leave It” is perhaps the most pop-oriented and saccharine track on Aftermath. It's the album's most dated song and seems like it would have fit better on earlier albums. But it's very well done, full of hooks, with acoustic guitar in minor keys, a chorus as catchy as bubblegum, and even a bridge with “Shalalás.” The song is light, but pleasant, quite cute, although it feels a bit out of place with the rest of the album.
Then there's "Think", another rock track where Keith cranks up the fuzz on his guitar, very much in the style of "Satisfaction," or perhaps the Beatles' "Think For Yourself." Charlie is another highlight, masterfully directing the explosive drumming and rhythmic shifts. The song is intense, dark, and more aggressive than Harrison's mantra on Rubber Soul, like a slap in the face to jolt us awake. That fuzz from Richards is impossible to get out of your head; another of his great riffs with the perfect effect to make it immortal.
The final track on the British edition is “What To Do”. If “Think” reminds me of “Think For Yourself,” “What To Do” reminds me of “What Goes On.” I don’t know if it’s the vocal harmonies or the lightness. This is another pop song with good harmonies, a boogie piano, a beat that makes you nod your head and crack a slight smile, but that’s about it. Not even the chorus truly becomes an anthem to the confusion of the generation. Perhaps the best hook is that “Wawawa Woooow” in the refrain, but even so, it’s not very memorable.
The US edition, released on June 20, 1966, has only two points in its favor: the cover, which achieved that effect by putting a smear of Vaseline on the camera lens, and “Paint It Black”.
The track list is as follows:
1) Paint It Black; 2) Stupid Girl; 3) Lady Jane; 4) Under My Thumb; 5) Doncha Bother Me; 6) Think; 7) Flight 505; 8) High And Dry; 9) It's Not Easy; 10) I Am Waiting; 11) Going Home.
“Paint It Black” is one of the best songs ever written. Perhaps the blackest, as its name suggests. It has an inherent malevolence that no metal band or satanic lyrics can even begin to emulate. The song features a riff worthy of a monument to Brian Jones, who, with his almost nonexistent sitar skills, managed to construct the song's skeleton, which, when played on guitar, deflates spectacularly. A toxic, chilling riff that buzzes in your head and occasionally appears in your worst nightmares. The song started with a funky rhythm that they couldn't quite get right. Then someone took the chords and added a klezmer rhythm to annoy one of the visitors in the studio, and they immediately realized it was something no one had ever done before. The dark riff is joined by a frenetic drumbeat (please, stand and applaud Mr. Charlie Watts), before giving way to an upward-strummed 12-string acoustic guitar, creating a hypnotic, almost oriental effect. The song is structured in four-line verses, with Mick singing the first two in mid-tones, almost hopelessly, while in the last two, everyone raises the intensity to an incendiary level. “Paint It Black” is a symphonic, almost funereal poem, filled with anguished despair, and Jagger ends by desperately pleading for the sun to fall from the sky. The coda feels like a pagan festival, with an urgent and somber strumming, the bittersweet “Mhhhhh mhhhhhhh mhhhhh” drone, and Bill running his fingers across the entire neck of the bass to magnify the end-of-the-world effect. A song that doesn't age a minute. I remember it gave me chills when it started during the end credits of the film "Devil's Advocate." No matter how many times I've heard it, it always sends a slight shiver down my spine because of its masterful craftsmanship, that powerful aura that only a select few songs possess. As I said, one of the best and most perfect songs in history, and I believe, the main reason why Brian Jones's role within the Rolling Stones should never, EVER be underestimated.
A great album from every angle, packed with classics that were and classics that should have been. Moreover, its title couldn't be more fitting. The album's "Consequences" changed the history of music alongside Pet Sounds and Revolver. These three best albums of the year ultimately shattered the idea of the LP with its string of nonsensical singles and opened the doors to psychedelia and experimentation with the most outlandish instruments.
Another consequence was, for example, Dylan's electrification. Much has been said about the mutual influence between the Beatles and Bob Dylan, but the truth is he barely paid attention to the Beatles. While he introduced the Fab Four to the world of marijuana, he never became friends with them. He did, however, with the Stones, particularly with Brian, whom he admired and with whom he became a confidant. It is said that they had transatlantic conversations lasting for hours. Dylan once told Brian that the Rolling Stones were the best band on the planet. After hearing the demo of Aftermath, Bob got a New York band called The Hawks (later The Band), and went electric. Blonde on Blonde, which many consider his best album, was supposedly named in honor of Brian and Anita, and "Like a Rolling Stone" and "Ballad of a Thin Man" were written for Brian. Dylan would phone Jones to say, "Hey, the Stones aren't the best band in the world anymore." "Oh no? Then who is?" Brian asked. “The Hawks!” When Brian was kicked out of the group, Dylan was supposedly the first to speak to him to console him and offer him a musical partnership in his band.
Here are the seeds of psychedelia (much better developed than on the disastrous Satanic), there are glimpses of the country music they would later embrace, they broke the mold with a song over 10 minutes long, they achieved a violent and truly defiant lyricism, not the contrived pose they would adopt 10 years later. It's said that the '66 tour was the best in the band's 50-year history. This would be the eye of the hurricane, the calm before the storm for the Stones and the rapid events of the next three years. Their creative peak.
I don't know, I still think it's very underrated. I read somewhere that it was unfair to have it ranked eighth or ninth in the Stones' discography in polls, that it should be in an indisputable fifth place after the four classics…
I know many will cross themselves and beat their chests, but if I had to choose between Aftermath and Exile, I'd choose Aftermath without hesitation. I'd put it in my top 3… But again, it's a matter of taste.
By Corvan
Feb/2/2011
