The Rolling Stones - The Trident Mixes (1969) [Reissue 1989]

The Trident Mixes on Dog N Cat sounds like a straight transfer from the vinyl release on K&S Records complete with front and back cover on the inserts. This album was reissued on LP as Trident Demos 1969 (Chelsea Records 2R-68). Parts of these recordings appear on The Trident Mixes (Living Legend LLR-CD 039), A Beggars Opera (The Early Years 02-CD-3308), Catfish (Missing In Action), and complete Thee Satanic Sessions (Diablo Music CDDIA002), The Trident Mixes (STONES), and on disc one of Hillside Blues (VGP-214-1). The Dog N Cat was subsequently copied in The Mick Taylor Years (RSMT BOX CD1-12). It gathers together important alternate takes and outtakes from the very last days of Brian Jones and first couple of years of Mick Taylor’s involvement with the band.

“Jiving Sister Fanny” was recorded on July 2nd, 1969 at Olympic Studio, the day before Brian Jones died. Two versions with different lyrics were recorded that day. This is the rarer of the two, having appeared on some pressings of Metamorphosis while the second take appears on most pressings of the album and on the London Years.

“I’m Going Down” was initially worked on between April 17th to July 1969 at Olympic Studio and later right before the US tour from October and November, 1969 in Los Angeles. This take, which was also used for Metamorphosis in 1975, dates from July 14th and July 15th, 1970 at Olympic. This track differs from the commercial version by having a false start. This track features Bobby Keys on sax, Rocky Dijon on percussion, Stephen Stills on guitar, and Bill Plummer on upright bass.

“Hamburger To Go” (aka “Give Me A Hamburger To Go” and “Stuck Out Alone”) dates from sessions at Olympic from March and April, 1968 and remains unreleased. “Downtown Susie” is a Bill Wyman tune recorded on April 23rd, 1969 at Olympic Studio and is the same as the version on Metamorphosis except is shorter at the fade by five seconds.

“Blood Red Wine” was recorded May, 1968 at Olympic Studio. Jagger sings the vocals, Nicky Hopkins plays piano, and no other information is available. It has never been released which is a shame because it is the most intriguing song in this collection. “Travelin’ Man” is another unreleased song recorded at Olympic in October, 1970.

The first version of “Family” dates from May, 1968 in Olympic and it the arrangement with the electric guitar. The acoustic guitar arrangement which would appear on Metamorphosis would be recorded the following month. “Still A Fool” was recorded at the same sessions and is a ten minute jam on the Muddy Waters tune. Jagger tries his best to sing like the blues singer too.

Six out of the last seven tracks are instrumentals. “Leather Jacket,” recorded on June 22nd, 1970 at Olympic Studio in London, is a lighthearted and infectious pop instrumental whose sunniness is outside the pale of the Stones. “Dancing In the Light,” dating from the spring of 1970, is another upbeat instrumental but with some recognizable Stones raunch. “Potted Shrimp” and “Aladdin Story” come from the same time period as “Leather Jacket” but recorded at Stargroves. “And I Was A Country Boy” comes from the Feb.18-Mar.31 1969 sessions.

“Who Am I?” (aka “See I Love You”) is a true mystery. It is listed on this release as being from Olympic Studio in March to May 1970. Others sources say late 1969 and even others from Jamaica 1972 and still others claim it comes from 1963 because of its simplicity. The best sources say it was recorded on July 14th – 15th, 1970.

The final Trident jam is another mystery. There is no name associated with it and was never used by the band.

The Trident Mixes sound fantastic. I compared some of the songs with what appears on the latest official remaster of Metamorphosis and there is a profound difference. The official release sounds like many CDs being remastered by the major record labels today. It is compressed, loud, and very harsh sounding.

DAC on the other hand sounds very warm and detailed and is very enjoyable. Although there are no hidden gems on this (there is a reason why many of them still reside in the vaults) but this is an interesting collection.