could have been the fucking guitar tech. But it
doesn’t matter, cos musically it’s got it all. You’ve
got Bobby Keys [saxophone], you’ve got that
amazing Mick Taylor guitar solo, you’ve got
Charlie Watts. I love Charlie’s drumming in it.
Someone asked me the other day what makes
him great. It’s because he’s got that unmistakable
back beat. It’s got a rough elegance.
I’ve seen the Stones a bunch of times live, and it’s
always the same. They start, and it’s like they’re
not even sure what song they’re supposed to be
playing. But two or three songs in and it’s
congealed into something amazing. Then for the
next two hours you’re completely enamoured
with what’s still the greatest living rock’n’roll
band of all time.
Taylor Hawkins, Foo FightersLet It Loose
(From Exile On Main St, 1972)T
here’s a song that doesn’t get any love from
anybody, and I think it’s brilliant. It’s from
Exile On Main St. I’ve always been drawn toweekends. Other than addressing the loneliness
of people that live out on the road, I don’t even
know what the song is about, but for some reason
it really connects with me. And now that I’ve
thought of it again it’s going to be stuck in my
head for another two days.
Lzzy Hale, HalestormBitch
(From Sticky Fingers, 1971)I
had a brother-in-law who was a massive
Stones fan. Led Zep was my band, but I started
to wonder what I was missing here.
After some investigation, I had really began to
appreciate Keith’s heritage and the style of his
guitar playing. And then Sticky Fingers came out.
When I learned how to play Bitch it rubbed off on
my own guitar style. Those two notes together- the fifth and the octave – you bend them both at
the same time. That’s why Keith did, and I do it
myself a lot. It’s there on Reckoning Day and so
many of my own songs.
Keith is so important to me. My guitar style is
unique because it’s a little bit of Bitch and a little bit
of Stone Free [by Jimi Hendrix], and people
probably don’t realise that.
In the past I’ve joked around and said some not
so nice things about Keith. When I found I was
addicted to heroin, it was like: “Cool. I’m like Keith
Richards.” But I believe that story was grossly
misreported, and apparently he didn’t do heroin
for that long.
Dave Mustaine, Megadeth
Can’t You Hear
Me Knocking
(From Sticky Fingers, 1971)M
y favourite period of the Stones is the
late 1960s when they became that
kinda dirty, funky sound, and Can’t You
Hear Me Knocking is a prime example of that era.
The opening riff is so catchy, and it brings you
into the song. Then the other part of the song
which I love is the end part, which goes on for
a few minutes, with Mick Taylor kinda leading
that whole jam section. It’s one of those songs that
you never ever get tired of.
I heard that the song has different meanings; it’s
a drug reference, and it comes from Mick Taylor
knocking, knocking, knocking. When the guys
finally let him in, he said: “Can’t you hear me
knocking? ” I heard they wrote the song right on
the spot. I don’t know how true that is, but it’s
what I’ve always heard. Sticky Fingers – that period
of the Stones is just one of the best.
Charlie Benante, AnthraxI love the format of Bohemian Rhapsody and
Stairway To Heaven and Band On The Run – those
‘journey’ songs that go from point A to point B to
point C and point D, and end up somewhere
completely different to where they started.
Can’t You Hear Me Knocking is the Stones’ ‘journey’
song. It’s almost their version of prog rock, if you
will. It takes you down this route that you don’t
know where it’s going to end. And I’m not sure
they did when they were writing it.
I’m not sure who actually wrote it. [The writer
credits] always say Jagger and Richards, but you
never know who wrote anything in the Stones. Itsongs that were not the hits [for a particular
band]. This is definitely one of those that falls into
that category, and that most people should be
familiar with. They’ve probably heard of it, but
not actually heard it. It’s fucking great. It has
a great vocal and some wonderful guitar.
SlashTumbling Dice
(From Exile On Main St, 1972)I
’m probably more of a fan of their albums
than of individual songs, but one of their very
best would have to be Tumbling Dice. I love
that whole record [Exile On Main St.]. Tumbling
Dice is not only one of the band’s finest, it’s also
right up there among the all-time great songs by
any artist. When you hear it, the feeling that
comes out of those speakers is just so joyful.
Sometimes others, like the Faces and Ronnie
Lane, could get a little melancholy, and there’s
a place for that, but the Stones put that feeling on
the back burner. It emits a sort of elation. And,
just as important, the way it was produced, and
the way the band project, it’s almost as if you’re
right there in the studio with them.
Rich Robinson, The Magpie SaluteIt’s hard to quantify why I love this song so much.
It seems to me that whenever the Stones set out to
record something or to write a song, they didn’t
take it too seriously, it just f lowed right out of
them. All those great records they made... To me,
it feels like they didn’t need to try too hard.
Jonny LangIt had to be something from the Mick Taylor era.
There’s a whole generation that doesn’t know
how much he gave to those particular records.
I’m lucky enough to have played with Mick
GET recently, and I saw the Stones on the Goats Head
TY
“Gimme Shelter. That is the song. That’s it. Probably
one of the most powerful social commentaries.”
John Rzeznik, Goo Goo Dolls
Flying the flag(s): the Stones (now with
Ronnie Wood, second right) at the Alamo
in San Antonio, Texas. June 4, 1975.CLASSICROCKMAGAZINE.COM 51