tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2960772098173697898.post8766744762458539562..comments2024-03-22T14:01:26.256-07:00Comments on Just Backdated: CHUCK BERRY - Sweet Little SixteenChris Charlesworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05459094285776329847noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2960772098173697898.post-10926021559121239492016-12-16T14:42:02.055-08:002016-12-16T14:42:02.055-08:00"Chuck Berry’s songs are the foundation stone..."Chuck Berry’s songs are the foundation stones ..." I tend to agree - might not be the "best" time/place, considering I'm "biased" in favor of the Taylor/Richards combo but here goes...<br />Anyhow, for years I'd sort of been "leery" of everybody heaping praise on K. Richards [notable exceptions "Sympathy" being first of several] guitars and instead suspicious Jones/Taylor/Cooder/(maybe)Wood did all the heavy lifting especially live - even Al Perkins on "Torn & Frayed" from Exile makes seem "Richards is along for the ride" in many instances ... but a single live performance "essentially changed my opinion of some of that" - thenceforth I'm "smiling on Kieth" so to speak; that was the "Faces Final Concert" with Richards guest appearance in December 1974, filmed/performed at Kilburn (London) - lousy video and good sound. Anyhow, "loose but tight" renditions of Sweet Little Rock 'n Roller (or is it Little Queenie?) are just SO superlative couldn't hardly believe what I was seeing/hearing. Always believed Stones' covers of Chuck Berry were impeccable esp. "Bye Bye Johnny" ... yet those seemed "rote covers and rather strict copies" instead of interpretive; not the case with Richards next to Woody at the Faces finale; Richards' takes freedom to roam so to speak and the results are phenomenal. Apart from "Sympathy" around the time of Altamont, I'd struggled to see anything "virtuoso" about Richards; the night of joining the Faces on stage (for me) changed things - I think it's fair to say on that occasion he "brought virtuosity" or at least something unique in a public display of Berry-styled guitar "once and for all." <br />With Taylor's absence I get the distinct impression the downhill-slide in live performance by the Rolling Stones was remarkably precipitous despite Ron Wood doing anything he could to stop it? "Faces Final" (sections w/ Richards ONLY) is a real gem ("incredible even" to my ears) of a show-segment and nothing I've ever seen/heard of the Stones since comes close. Maybe it's just me, but I'd be damn curious what critics (with a penchant for C. Berry) think of this gig - in particular the medley containing the Berry material (great take on Sam Cooke too) and then there's "Sweet Little Rock 'n Roller" ... MUCH better than what's on Ya Yas e.g. four years later yet EITHER is the work of a mature guitarist. So what surprises me goes contrary; it's SHOCKING Richards is playing Berry-inspired material alarmingly well at such a (relatively) late date ... almost as if he's "out to show this off" (either for Woody with whom he was already gigging with the Stones - or once-and-for-all as I'd mentioned) and he actually pulls it off. Remarkable. Actually, the playing Woody does w/ Richards that night was the best I know of HIM (w/ Richards) as well. Since they were already playing live together (presumably since I haven't heard any Stones boots after Brussels ['73 I think]) I can't help but wonder if this level of talent together was elsewhere on display. It's a mystery to me. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16539509024463338672noreply@blogger.com