I watched the Stones documentary "Gimme Shelter" last night. Amazing documentary and really worth watching if you are into your rock history.

Probably one of the most famous Rolling Stones gigs ever. It has the most amazingly, beautiful cinematography of Mr Jagger. Not my fav Stone normally, that honour is reserved for Mr Richards but the man is positively ethereal in this film. Also funny footage of crazy Americans hounding the Stones in their tiny caravan type thing - no huge Winnebago's for them in those days, the fat chick who tries to get on stage whilst they are playing and the acid nutter who is clearly flipping out on stage whilst the Stones are playing - who then gets promptly thrown into the baying masses but the ever so nice Hells Angels.

And then lastly of course there is the infamous footage of 18 year old Meredith Hunter being stabbed by a Hells Angel. Jagger's reaction to seeing the footage is really touching.

Here is a clip of the last section...

Vic's Video of the Week - The Music - Strength in Numbers

TOTAL TUNE!!!! Single out June 9th, album out June 16th.

Enjoy.

The Kills at Koko April 23rd

Bit of dirty, throbbing rock n roll for me last night courtesy of the rather magnificent The Kills appearance at Camden's Koko.

Amidst a sea of skinny jeans and Hoxton hipsters Hince's bluesy guitar and Mosshart's Hyndesque vocals provided complete cut through. I actually thought most of the audience where there for the support band who were so good I can't even remember their name.

Anyways the gig was in support of the release of their new album, "Midnight Boom" a much poppier, tighter album than previous releases "Keep on Your Mean Side" and "No Wow". Along with the obvious new stuff lots of old material was played last night which is great live as its so intense and really does go right through you. Music to have lazy, hungover sex to methinks.

The set was played with a passion and rawness I have not witnessed for a long time. It was like The Kills had become a Goddess fusion of Ian Curtis and Bobbie Gentry with the devil on guitar.

Very good indeed.

Here is the video to their new single "Cheap and Cheerful":

Merry Clayton, "Gimme Shelter"

I love the orginal but here is another take on it...Viva la Rolling Stones!

Merry was the woman dueting with Mick on the Rolling Stones' original 1969 recording of "Gimme Shelter". Who better to interpret it the following year than Merry herself? She's accompanied on keys by her friend, the immeasurably important Billy Preston, who was as much the Sixth Stone as the Fifth Beatle in these years. The galloping roar of guitar may be David T. Walker, although the album credits don't clarify.
She was born on Christmas Day, and what a gift!

"War, children, is just a shot away/ See the pious sweeping my very streets today..."