Sunday, June 19, 2011

The Rolling Stones Live at Leeds (3.13.1971)

The Rolling Stones were an English rock and roll band which formed in London in 1962. They quickly gained a following by playing covers of American Rhythm and Blues songs. By the mid-sixties their song writing skills had improved, and The Stones began to release more original material than covers. The songwriting partnership between Keith Richards and Mick Jagger combined with psychedelic and instrumental experimentation of Brian Jones proved to be a powerful combination. For the next couple of years The Stones followed the lead of the Beatles and focused their attention on crafting far out Psychedelic Pop tunes. But in 1968 The Stones Returned to their roots with the release of Beggars Banquet which was the first of four albums(Followed By Let it Bleed, Sticky Fingers, and Exile on Main Street) which elevated Rock and Roll from it's marginal status in society to a well established and respected art form.

I chose The Rolling Stones Live at Leeds in 1971 as my first post because it captures the Stones at the height of their talent and career. It was recorded March 13, 1971 one month before the release of Sticky Fingers. The highlight of the show comes in the first couple seconds of the recording. Mick Jagger approaches the mic and says, "We'd like to do a new song for you it's called Dead Flowers." 

By the time I was born the Rolling Stones were already aging rock stars well past their prime, but when I heard this bootleg the first time I felt like I was back in the 1971 experiencing the Stones at the peak of their career. This show captures a peak that would never come again where the Artistic community, the counter culture, and the music industry put aside their differences for a few years and decided to make something beautiful.

This show was captured from the soundboard and so the recording quality is excellent.

The Rolling Stones Live at Leeds University, England (1st Show)
Recorded: 3.13.1971
Size:82.1 mb
Source: Soundboard
Bitrate: 192 kbps

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