The Rolling Stones - Forty Licks (2002)

Forty Licks, like Elvis' 30 #1 Hits, is a career-spanning compilation that wouldn't have happened without the unprecedented, blockbuster success of Beatles 1. Where Elvis' set is hurt by the simple fact that there are too many damn Elvis comps on the market, the Rolling Stones benefit greatly from the fact that there has not been any set that chronicles all their recordings from the '60s through the '90s. It also benefits that this is the concept behind the record -- it's meant to be a journey through their biggest songs, not just the number one hits. Of course, the Stones couldn't have had a CD containing just their number ones that spanned one disc, much less two, because they never topped the charts that frequently. This is a liberating thing (compare it to Elvis', which got weighed down with the number ones, resulting in some subpar selections), since it opens the door for almost every Stones song of note to feature on this collection, along with four new songs (not great, but solid songs, all). Sure, there are many great Rolling Stones moments missing, and not just fan favorites Beggars Banquet or Exile on Main St., either -- "Play With Fire," "2000 Light Years From Home," "Tell Me," "Heart of Stone," "Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)," "Lady Jane," "Time Is on My Side," "Waiting on a Friend," "I'm Free," and "We Love You" are all missing in action. The thing is, as the disc is playing, you don't miss any of them, and it feels like all the hits are here. At first, the nonchronological order seems to be a mistake, but both discs flow well, especially since they're roughly divided thematically (the first is devoted largely to the '60s, with the rest on the second). Yes, the Stones made great albums that should be in any serious rock collection, but if you just want a summary of their best moments, Forty Licks is it; it does its job as well as Beatles 1 did. ~ allmusic.com


Poised, once more, to unleash the behemoth that is 'The Rolling Stones on tour' upon the world, it's time to cast an eye over the CVs of Messrs Jagger, Richards, Watts, Wyman and all the other naughty boys that never grew up. 'For the first time ever!' yells the sticker on the cover - but why? Do the racks not groan with innumerable compilations of Richmond's finest? Ah yes, but none have pulled off the trick of spanning those pesky label changes. This time it's the full picture...

After (approximately) forty years of dancing with Mr D, the Glimmer Twins and Co. have not only rattled the cages of the establishment but, in refusing (with one famous exception) to go down in a blaze of hell raising glory, have become as much pillars of society (to quote ''Respectable'', shamefully omitted here) as those who sought to silence them. Arise Sir Mick, indeed. So, while Mick Jagger's famous marketing savvy undoubtedly accounts for this collection, it's still important as a reminder of the days when each new release was easily as important as any of the Fab Four's.

From the bolshy rhythm guitar intro of ''Street Fighting Man'' the synapses are instantly beaten into a realisation (or re-awakening) that these pasty West London boys virtually wrote the blueprint for hard rock in the 60s and 70s. So much here goes beyond mere R 'n' B. These are archetypes. How many garage-punk bands based their entire careers on the fuzz psych-out of ''Satisfaction''? How many wasted but wasteful wannabes have attempted to emulate the louche pharmaceutical jive of ''Honky Tonk Women'' or ''Tumbling Dice''? Even the paisley nonsense of ''She's A Rainbow'' still echoes on in the work of, say, The Flaming Lips.

CD one has (and this is astounding) NO FILLER WHATSOEVER. Every track still shines like a grubby diamond. CD two fares less well - the post-Emotional Rescue era stuff, while efficient, falls into a more lackadaisical groove-driven formula, though stuff like ''Undercover (Of The Night)'' still packs a punch. There's plenty to get your teeth into however: Tracks such as ''Fool To Cry'' and ''It's Only Rock 'n' Roll'', lambasted at the time of release, now sound fresher and more heartfelt than any of today's lame copyists while ''Miss You'' from their last truly great album, Some Girls, proves that when they lost Bill Wyman they lost a vital part of their rhythmic backbone.

Four new tracks fare perfectly well, though the closer ''Losin' My Touch'' featuring Richard's groggy vocals actually has the power to tug at the most grizzled of heartstrings. An entire essay could be written on the omissions (''Little Red Rooster'', ''We Love You'', ''Time Is On My Side'' etc. etc.) and while the booklet has a fine selection of photos some kind of Stalinism seems to exist in the Stones camp whereby only one picture of Mick Taylor is included, despite his presence during what many cite as their classic years. But minor gripes aside, this first comprehensive look at all eras of satisfaction-seeking does a mighty fine job. Its a gas, gas gas... ~ bbc.co.uk